Debian -- Getting Debian

Debian is distributed freelyover Internet. You can download all of it from any of ourmirrors.The Installation Manualcontains detailed installation instructions.

If you simply want to install Debian, these are your options:

Depending on your Internet connection, you may download either of the following:

• A small installation image: can be downloaded quickly and should be recorded onto a removable disk. To use this, you will need a machine with an Internet connection.
• A larger complete installationimage: contains more packages, making it easier to installmachines without an Internet connection.

You can try Debian by booting a live system from a CD, DVD or USB key without installing any files to the computer. When you are ready, you can run the included installer. Provided the images meet your size, language, and package selection requirements, this method may be suitable for you. Read more information about this method to help you decide.

Many of the vendors sell the distribution for less than US$5 plus shipping (check their web page to see if they ship internationally).
Some of the books about Debian come with CDs, too.

Here are the basic advantages of CDs:

• Installation from a CD set is more straightforward.
• You can install on machines without an Internet connection.
• You can install Debian (on as many machines as you like) without downloading all packages yourself.
• The CD can be used to more easily rescue a damaged Debian system.

There are a number of advantages to this:

• You don't have to install Debian.
• The installation is pre-configured to match the hardware.
• The vendor may provide technical support.