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Puppy Linux Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Puppy Linux Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Downloads and Usage

  • Q: Okay, I've downloaded a Puppy. What's next, how exactly do I use it?
    A: This will need more space than what can be afforded in this FAQ. Please see here.

64-bit and 32-bit, PAE and no PAE, UEFI and BIOS

  • Q: 64-bit and 32-bit, PAE and no PAE, UEFI and BIOS ... what are they? How do I choose a Puppy that will work with my computer? I am not a computer scientist!
    A: This will need more space than what can be afforded in this FAQ. Please see here.

Official and latest versions

  • Q: What is an official Puppy Linux distribution?
    A: It must be built using Woof-CE and its build "recipe" should be in woof-distro.

  • Q: What is the latest version of official Puppy Linux?
    A: Check the homepage of this site. If need be, press Ctrl-F5 to force it to refresh the page.

  • Q: Is Puppy really a multiple distributions that live under the same name? What makes them Puppy?
    A: Yes. All of them are built using Woof-CE that tailors packages regardless of source, to the puppy needs and principles. They also share a common set of puppy-specific utilities, applications and settings that gives them comparable functionality regardless of binary compatibility. The famous puppy OOB functionality, ease of use, efficiency and speed.

  • Q: This is silly, a family of distributions? How do I know which Puppy I should use?
    A: Please feel free to try whichever flavour that entices you first. If you don't like it, you can try another one. If you still don't like it, try one of the CE versions, or try the puplets.

  • Q: Come on! I'm not your beta tester. Tell me where to start at least.
    A: Start with the latest Puppy. It likely has more features and less problems. If you want the widest possible selection of applications use the latest puppy that is binary-compatible with a well stock distro (usually Ubuntu or Debian). If you are the DIY type use the latest puppy build exclusively from self-compiled packages (usually T2 or LFS). For something in between use the latest puppy that is compatible with a "good old" distro (usually Slackware).

  • Q: Puppy Linux earlier than 6.x was not build from Woof-CE (Woof-CE didn't exist then). So are they really official Puppies?
    A: Yes, obviously. All puppies from 0.x to 5.x are Puppies if they are either made by Barry, endorsed by Barry, or built from Woof. But going forward, only those created from Woof-CE is considered as Puppy.

  • Q: Is my remaster considered a Puppy? It is not built from Woof-CE
    A: Yes. As long as the base you use for remaster is a Puppy, then the remaster itself is considered a Puppy. It is not an official Puppy, though.

Remasters

  • Q: What is a remaster?
    A: A remaster is Puppy Linux ISO that is built from an original ISO with changes applied, usually to add/remove some applications and preset some configurations. More extensive remasters exists that also changes/improves upon the base behaviour of Puppy itself.

  • Q: Am I allowed to distribute my remasters?
    A: Not only allowed, you are encouraged to!

About other Puppy Linux-like distributions

  • Q: Is DebianDog considered as Puppy Linux?
    A: No. The maintainer itself has said so. Further more it is not built from Woof-CE. But it seeks to emulate most if not all of Puppy Linux features and behaviours; that if you are familiar with Puppy you would be right at home about it.

  • Q: If DebianDog is not Puppy, why do you support them, or even mention them here?
    A: DebianDog is considerd as a member of Puppy Linux family of operating systems.

  • Q: Is Quirky Linux considered as Puppy Linux? It is also made by Barry.
    A: No, Barry himself has stated multiple times that Quirky is not Puppy. Just like DebianDog, Quirky is a member of Puppy Linux family.

  • Q: Is Fatdog64 considered as Puppy Linux?
    A: No. It was originally forked from Puppy Linux 4.0, but it has since took a different path (of doing the same thing). Like DebianDog and Quirky, however, it is considered as part of Puppy Linux family.

About Puppy Linux Team

  • Q: First you say Puppy Linux Team has no organisation. Then you talk about stewards. Isn't that an oxymoron?
    A: First, oxymoron is about a word, not an idea. Secondly, "lack of organisation" and "presence of stewards" is not as contradicting as you think.

  • Q: Seriously, who is in charge of Puppy Linux? Aren't the Woof-CE stewards the people behind it?
    A: Consider these Woof-CE stewards as gatekeepers. They filter what goes into Woof-CE, and thus Puppy Linux. They don't, as a rule, make modifications to Woof-CE themselves; they wait for the Puppy Linux Team (that's you!) to submit patches and pull requests and only then they act on it.

    There are direct committers to Woof-CE but usually these people don't play the role of gatekeepers / stewards. They are simply people that the stewards have trusted enough to give them push access.