Get Linux lets you find and download more than 100 distros

If you want to download a particular Linux distribution you could go online, run a quick search or two, and you’ll probably turn up the necessary links fairly quickly. But a portable Windows tool called Get Linux aims to offer an even simpler solution.

Launch this small program and you’ll see a list of more than 100 Linux distros. Enter the name you need in the Search box, choose whether you’d like the 32 or 64-bit build, click Download, then just wait while Get Linux grabs the necessary ISO for you.

Or maybe you’re not quite sure what you’d like? You can also browse the list manually.  Unless you’re a Linux guru then there’s a good chance you’ll come across projects you didn’t know about before -- linu-X-gamers Live DVD, say -- and clicking any of these will reveal a quick text description, basic details like version number and download size, a screen grab, and quick links to the project website, its page on Distrowatch.com, and a YouTube search for any relevant clips.

This kind of tool obviously has its limits. If you’re a Linux newbie you may be better off going to DistroWatch.com directly, or some other website where you can get more detailed help on the distribution that might be right for you. And if you’re an expert then you’ll probably go straight to the download page you need, if only to be sure you’re getting the very latest version.

If you’re somewhere in between, though, Get Linux does provide an easy way to find out a little more about some interesting Linux projects. And as the entire program consists of a single 772KB executable, it’s probably something you afford to keep around, just in case its directory might come in useful.

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