There are many methods to install Linux. Depends on what you prefer, Linux has almost all installation methods available for you. You can use traditional way, using floppy or cd-rom installer or via network.
CD-ROM or DVD-ROM
Normally, people use CD-ROM or DVD-ROM to install operating system these days. That’s including Linux. User can download the official release Linux iso image from whatever distributions they choose from distribution's official website and burn into cd or dvd. They also have many mirrors in regions around the world which provide cd and dvd iso image download using FTP or HTTP for faster download. Some distributions have torrent file too if you prefer p2p.
Another option is you can buy Linux installation cd/dvd online. Almost all famous Linux distributions have on-line shop or distributor in their official website. This is a great way to support Linux community who spend their precious time to develop and compile packages and give it for free. Normally they provide the Linux distribution book or documentation and some even provide supports. That's a great news for a small company who's planning to expand their business because Linux offers a small price for an excellent performance and benefits.
Install Linux over the Internet
It is also possible to install Linux without cd or dvd. User can do an installation over the Internet which some Linux distributions do provide the service, such as Debian, OpenSUSE, Fedora and Ubuntu. To use this installation method, you need a permanent Internet connection. Normally the way it works are, first you download a small floppy or usb stick or CD image file which contains the necessary programs to enable you install the rest from the network.
Floppy
In the early days of Linux, floppy is the only method to install Linux in your system. Although most of Linux distributions now available in bootable CD, it is still possible to install Linux from floppy disks. Some Linux distributions such as Slackware and Debian provide a boot floppy to begin the installation. The boot floppy contains a compressed kernel image used to manage the computer hardware throughout the installation process. Then you can proceed with another floppy to install a very basic Linux system in your computer. Now you can install the rest of the distribution through a network.
NFS
If you need to install Linux on many machines, you can use NFS (Network File System). NFS makes it easier and faster because it allows you to install Linux on your local network. However, you need to configure the NFS server in order to make it available to remote machines.
Being an open source, Linux has become a great interest for researcher, students, and personal user. Linux can be customized to be how and what user wants it to be. Get the latest stable kernel, software and packages from the Internet and compile them. Here are the lists of some useful sites and distributions:
- Linux Kernel Archives
Get the Linux source code here. This is the Linux kernel official website. They provide many useful articles, latest news and information about Linux kernel. - Debian Packages
Debian packages archive. Get Debian official package distributions, stable and testing packages also extra packages which did not included in the official distribution due to either a restrictive license or legal issues. - The Slackware Package Browser
Get Slackware-current, latest stable or previous released packages here. - RPM Packages Search
Contain rpm packages for different Linux distributions but share the same rpm tool. User have a choice to search rpm package for one distribution, or shared rpm package used by different version or distributions. - Ubuntu Packages Search
The home of Ubuntu packages archive. It provides information about all packages available in Ubuntu from different releases.