Scientific Linux is a distribution built from source packages for Red Hat Enterprise Linux, but enhanced with extra applications for use in academic environments. Scientific Linux 5.7 includes, Alpine 2.02, a tool for reading, sending, and managing electronic messages; Aufs 20090202, a stackable unification file system; gnuplot 4.2.6; Intel wireless firmware (ucode) Intel wireless; R 2.13.1, a language and environment for statistical computing and graphics; updated kernel modules for XFS, a highly scalable, high-performance journaling file system; updated kernel modules for OpenAFS and NDISwrapper; updated Sun/Oracle Java packages to 6u26.

About Scientific Linux

Scientific Linux is a recompiled Red Hat Enterprise Linux, co-developed by Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). Although it aims to be fully compatible with Red Hat Enterprise Linux, it also provides additional packages not found in the upstream product; the most notable among these are various file systems, including Cluster Suite and Global File System (GFS), FUSE, OpenAFS, Squashfs and Unionfs, wireless networking support with Intel wireless firmware, MadWiFi and NDISwrapper, Sun Java and Java Development Kit (JDK), the lightweight IceWM window manager, R - a language and environment for statistical computing, and the Alpine email client.