ASPLinux 7.3 “Vostok” Deluxe Edition
ASPLinux 7.3 “Vostok” Deluxe Edition marked a pinnacle in early‐2000s Russian GNU/Linux distributions, debuting on August 15, 2002. It was crafted by the Moscow-based ASPLinux company—born from the 2001 merger of ASPLinux and Black Cat Linux Team—and targeted professional and governmental users requiring robust Russian/Ukrainian localization and enterprise‐grade support. Deluxe Edition bundled not just the OS but an entire ecosystem: system DVDs, text utilities, printed documentation and a 90-day support contract, all packaged to rival commercial offerings of its time.
ASPLinux originated in 2000 as “Application Service Provider Linux,” aiming to deliver turnkey server solutions with RPM packages and long-term stability. The 2001 merger with Black Cat Linux Team brought together two of Russia’s most active distro communities, combining open‐source innovation with enterprise services like porting, embedded development and training. By 2003, ASPLinux had earned government certification for its Server Edition running XFS, achieving a 5th-class SVT protection rating under Russia’s State Technical Commission.
All media are localized with KOI8-R, KOI8-U, CP1251, ISO 8859-5 and UTF-8 support out of the box.
System Requirements
– CPU: Pentium‐class or better (minimum 300 MHz)
– RAM: 256 MB (512 MB recommended)
– Disk: ≥ 2 GB for minimal install; 8 GB+ for full Deluxe setup
– CD/DVD drive or network install via FTP/YUM
– Supported hardware: Intel 965/975/P35, Nvidia/ATI video cards, IEEE-1394, SATA/IDE RAID controllers
Installation and Setup
– Boot from DVD 1 to launch the ASPLoader installer powered by LILO.
– Partition disks and configure XFS for server workloads or ext2/3 for desktops.
– Select packages via Anaconda-style interface (YUM backend) or opt for a minimal Server profile.
– Post-install scripts configure Russian localizations, eTokenPro drivers and default firewall policies.
Deluxe Edition at a Glance
Server Applications (trial): VSI-FAX, Vshop, Stalker, Novell, Lotus, Kaspersky, Hansa, Caldera, Borland, Arkeia, APC, and Aladdin.
Clien Applications (trial): VMWare, VariCAD, Sun, RealPlayer, KDE, Kaspersky, DrWeb, Borland, Asoft, Acrnis, Acrobat Reader, and ac3d.
Vostok-Era Innovations
– First ASPLinux with integrated XFS filesystem and POSIX ACL support
– Enhanced yum repositories for automatic updates from ftp.asplinux.ru
– Bundled OEM drivers: Nvidia, ATI GATOS, SIS630, VIA Eden platforms
– Buffer-overflow protection via OpenWall patches and built-in iptables QoS modules
These advancements set Vostok apart from contemporaneous Fedora-based spins by focusing on security and multi-language resilience.
Though ASPLinux wound down by 2010–2012 amid rising competition and the growth of ALT Linux and Ubuntu Cyrillic spins, its influence persists in Russian government deployments and today’s enterprise-grade distros. Many lessons learned—tight hardware support, rigorous certification and full-service packaging—shaped the trajectory of post-Soviet open-source ecosystems.
ASPLinux 7.3 “Vostok” Deluxe Edition stands as a milestone in Russian desktop and server Linux history. Its blend of Red Hat heritage, deep localization and enterprise tooling made it a viable alternative to Western commercial UNIX systems, and its certification underscored open‐source viability in sensitive environments.