Distributors list

Debian-based

Debian is a distribution that emphasizes free software. It is supported on many hardware platforms. Debian and distributions based on it use the .deb package format and the dpkg package manager.

Knoppix-based

Knoppix, itself, is based on Debian.

Buildix	For agile developers.
Damn Small Linux	Generally considered as the starter of mini distributions. A live CD designed for MiniCD with a hard drive install option.
Feather Linux	Fits in under 128 MB. It boots from either a CD or a USB flash drive. Uses Knoppix-based hardware detection and the Fluxbox window manager.

Ubuntu-based

Ubuntu is a distribution based on Debian. Each has a different release schedule; Debian's release cycle is about 1.5 years and Ubuntu's is 6 months. Ubuntu's packages are downloaded from Debian, re-packaged with Ubuntu version numbers and integrated to the system with Ubuntu-specific patches as needed. Ubuntu officially only supports 2 computer architectures, Debian about 10. Ubuntu has two maintenance lines (stable, in development), Debian has several suites (stable, testing, unstable, experimental).

Official distributions

These Ubuntu variants simply install a set of packages different from the original Ubuntu, but

Gobuntu	Was an official derivative of the Ubuntu operating system, aiming to provide a distribution consisting entirely of free software, it was officially announced by Mark Shuttleworth on July 10, 2007, and daily builds of Gobuntu 7.10 began to be publicly released. The project ended around the release of 8.04 and has since merged into Ubuntu as a 'free software' option (Discontinued).
Ubuntu Studio	A multimedia creation flavor of Ubuntu. Ubuntu Studio is aimed at the audio, video and graphic enthusiast as well as professional. The project aims to provide a suite of the best open-source applications available for multimedia creation.
Mythbuntu	provides an Ubuntu based and MythTV based distribution that is easy to configure, maintain, and use.

since they draw additional packages and updates from the same repositories as Ubuntu, all of the same software is available for each of them.

Slackware-based

Slackware is known as a highly customizable distribution that stresses ease of maintenance and reliability over cutting-edge software and automated tools. Generally considered a distribution for advanced users, it is often suggested to those who want to learn the inner workings of a Linux operating system.

Austrumi	An 86 MB bootable live CD
BasicLinux	A mini linux designed to run in old PCs (386). Has a certain degree of compatibility with Slackware packages.
Frugalware	A general purpose Linux distribution designed for intermediate users.
GoblinX	A live CD that features multiple customizable desktop environments.
HostGIS	HostGIS Linux is a Slackware based distribution specifically made for handling GIS information.
MuLinux	Floppy based distribution with replaceable modules.
NimbleX	Completely customizable through the Nimblex website.

SLAX-based

SLAX's modularity and reputation of quality have made it a popular base for other live CD projects.

AliXe Linux	A french-(English) live CD distribution, designed by Silvie Alisou from Canada. It is general-purpose- and, to a certain extent, lightweight-oriented. The recent release (from Jan 11, 2007) was equipped with a harddisk installer with no back-confirmation of entries, launching a LILO bootloader. Once an option-induced choice is entered in the harddisk install, it's a "decided matter".[citation needed]
BackTrack	A network security suite developed by RemoteExploit.org. It includes many penetration testing utilities and development tools. While BackTrack is principally used as a live CD, it can also be installed permanently.
DAVIX	A live CD for data analysis and visualization.
DNALinux	A small distribution designed for running bioinformatics software, including BLAST and EMBOSS.
SLAMPP	Designed to be used on a home server.