Easy way to tell what linux distribution is installed

[Ed Wilts]

On Sun, Jul 11, 2004 at 12:12:10AM -0400, Michael S. Dunsavage wrote:
> Steven wrote:
> >Ok, I know this is a stupid question, but how can you tell what linux 
> >distribution is install on a computer?
> >
> cat /etc/proc/version

I assume you mean /proc/version.  Please tell me which distro this is:

[ewilts at pe400 ewilts]$ cat /proc/version
Linux version 2.4.21-15.0.3.TL (parsley at hasufel.alfred.edu) (gcc version
3.2.3 20030502 (Red Hat Linux 3.2.3-34)) #1 Fri Jul 2 11:42:13 EDT 2004

You'd think it was Red Hat Linux, but looking more closely at the kernel
version, you see the .TL instead of .EL.  It's Tao Linux.  The builder
also gives a hint (but it's a hint, and not much more than that).

Here's the "almost the same" RHEL release:
[ewilts at p6000 ewilts]$ cat /proc/version
Linux version 2.4.21-15.0.2.EL (bhcompile at porky.build.redhat.com) (gcc
version 3.2.3 20030502 (Red Hat Linux 3.2.3-35)) #1 Wed Jun 16 22:51:54
EDT 2004

The short answer is that it's going to be VERY hard to determine which
distribution you're running, if it's possible at all.  Nothing would
stop me from putting a stock kernel on either of my systems and
/proc/version is going to be even more wrong.

It was certainly not a stupid question, but I don't believe that there
is an answer.

-- 
Ed Wilts, RHCE
Mounds View, MN, USA
mailto:ewilts at ewilts.org
Member #1, Red Hat Community Ambassador Program