tsx-11.mit.edu and fgb1.fgb.mw.tu-muenchen.de are the official sites
for Linux's GCC. Some sites mirror other sites. Please use the site
closest (network-wise) to you whenever possible.
At least sunsite.unc.edu and ftp.informatik.tu-muenchen.de offer
ftpmail services. Mail ftpmail@sunsite.unc.edu or
ftp@informatik.tu-muenchen.de for help.
If you are lost, try looking at
http://sunsite.unc.edu/LDP/HOWTO/Distribution-HOWTO.html,
where several distributions are enumerated. Red Hat Linux and Debian
appear to be the most popular distributions at the moment, at
least in the U.S.
Most people now install Linux from CDROM's. The distributions
have grown to hundreds of MBs of Linux software, and downloading
that over even a 28.8 modem or an ISDN connection takes a
long time.
There are essentially two ways to purchase a Linux distribution
on CDROM: as part of an archive of FTP sites, or directly from
the manufacturer. If you purchase an archive, you will often
get several different distributions to choose from, but
support is generally not included. When you purchase a
distribution directly from the vendor, you usually only get one
distribution, but you usually get some form of support, usually
installation support.
There are many BBSs that have Linux files. A list of them
is occasionally posted to comp.os.linux.announce. Ask friends and
user groups, or order one of the commmercial distributions. A list of
these is contained in the Linux distribution HOWTO, available as
http://sunsite.unc.edu/LDP/HOWTO/Distribution-HOWTO.html,
and posted regularily to the
news:comp.os.linux.announce newsgroup.
