DistroAstro

Many astronomers use Linux. It is a powerful, portable and open operating system that is readily available (i.e. free and runs on most hardware). The KAIRA software (from the control system through to the data reduction) runs on a Linux system. However, Linux is also an interesting choice for general astronomy users.

Now, there is a Linux "distro" (= distribution) specifically tailored to the astronomy enthusiast. It is called "AstroDistro" and is available from http://www.distroastro.org/ . The latest release has just been made (v1.0.2, 09-Aug-2013) and details can be found on the web site.

Even if you don't install it, it is useful to whip through the slideshow presentation and see what sorts of interesting software can be run on Linux (not just AstroDistro, but many other distributions as well).