This chapter explains how to get the files you need to install and run Fedora on your computer. Concepts in this chapter may be new, especially if this is your first free and open source operating system. If you have any trouble with this chapter, find help by visiting the Fedora Forums at
http://www.fedoraforum.org/.
The Fedora Project distributes Fedora in many ways, mostly free of cost and downloaded over the Internet. The most common distribution method is CD and DVD media. There are several types of CD and DVD media available, including:
A full set of the software on DVD media
Live images you can use to try Fedora, and then install to your system if you so choose
用于通过互联网链接进行安装的小容量启动光盘或闪存盘
一张 DVD 光盘,包含 Fedora 源代码
Most users want the Fedora Live image or the full set of installable software on DVD or CDs. The reduced bootable images are suitable for use with a fast Internet connection and install Fedora on one computer. Source code discs are not used for installing Fedora, but are resources for experienced users and software developers.
下载媒体
有网络连接的使用者可以下载 CD 和 DVD 或闪存盘的 ISO 映像文件。ISO 映像文件是 CD 或 DVD 的直接复制文件,您可以把它直接存入 CD 或 DVD 光盘中,而闪存盘映像文件也是闪存盘的直接复制文件,您可以把它直接存入闪存盘中。
从网络下载 Fedora 软件是完全免费的。
To find the freely downloadable distributions of Fedora, look for a
mirror. A mirror is a computer server open to the public for free downloads of software, including Fedora. Mirrors offer both free open source software and closed source software. To locate a mirror, visit
http://mirrors.fedoraproject.org/publiclist using a Web browser, and choose a server from the list. The web page lists mirrors by geographic location. Mirrors geographically closer to you are ideal for faster downloading speeds.
Mirrors publish Fedora software under a well-organized hierarchy of folders. For example, the Fedora 11 distribution normally appears in the directory fedora/linux/releases/11/
. This directory contains a folder for each architecture supported by that release of Fedora. CD and DVD media files appear inside that folder, in a folder called iso/
. For example, you can find the file for the DVD distribution of Fedora 11 for x86_64 at fedora/linux/releases/11/Fedora/x86_64/iso/Fedora-11-x86_64-DVD.iso
.
BitTorrent is a way to download information in cooperation with other computers. Each computer cooperating in the group downloads pieces of the information in a particular torrent from other peers in the group. Computers that have finished downloading all the data in a torrent remain in the swarm to seed, or provide data to other peers. If you download using BitTorrent, as a courtesy you should seed the torrent at least until you have uploaded the same amount of data you downloaded.
If your computer does not have software installed for BitTorrent, visit the BitTorrent home page at
http://www.bittorrent.com/download/ to download it. BitTorrent client software is available for Windows, Mac OS, Linux, and many other operating systems.
You do not need to find a special mirror for BitTorrent files. The BitTorrent protocol ensures that your computer participates in a nearby group. To download and use the Fedora BitTorrent files, visit
http://torrent.fedoraproject.org/.
小容量开机映像
目前不能通过 BitTorrent 下载小容量的 CD 和闪存盘映像。