DistroReview - reviewing Linux distro's with an open (source) mind

Pardus 2008 RC2

seopher — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 15:02:34 -0700

#adsense#

Pardus is a release that I didn't discover by myself; more it was thrust in front of me by a community of passionate users. Whenever I was looking for 'the most usable' distro someone would always recommend Pardus - so I gave it a go. I tried 2007.1 way back on the 12th of May 2007 and was very, very impressed. I then tried the RC2 of Kurulan at the end of June the same year with positive results too.

Somehow I always end up reviewing release candidates rather than the finished article, but when I saw that RC2 for Pardus 2008 was released I felt compelled to don my reviewing hat and see how things have progressed - nearly 12 months since I last touched this remarkable Turkish OS.

Pardus 2008 features

The final release of 2008 is due on June 27th worldwide so we can expect this RC2 edition to be fairly final (although there will obviously be some margin on that). Pardus 2008 is really the most obvious progression from 2007; using the latest Kernel (2.6.25.5) and the latest KDE4 available. They've also updated most of the other packages (things like PISI - the package manager, YALI - the installer) and there's a new design/feel so it's basically a whole new OS.

Pardus normally release separate disks for install and LiveCD environments but because this is a release candidate there isn't a LiveCD yet... But here's hoping one is released when the final version comes out.

Installation

I (unlike many other reviewers) place an almost unfair amount of weight upon the installation process because it's the first place for things to go wrong. A counter-intuitive installer is sometimes all it takes for users to abandon a system; we need something that doesn't require technical knowledge. An installer needs to hold your hand all the way through the process and (yet again) YALI excels. Ironically an acronym for 'Yet Another Linux Installer' it outdoes most other installers and finds itself up there with things like Draklive.

Ubuntu may still lead the race in this area by wielding Wubi; allowing prospective users to install the distro as a Windows application (ish) is marvelous and something other releases should aspire towards. This RC2 of Pardus may not have a LiveCD version but the installer is among the easiest I've used.

Even the inclusion of friendly cartoon characters that smile back at you as it installs is welcome; prompting you to feel welcome. Too many installers are very sterile and vague in their actions (Vista, most notably) so it's nice to not only be told what it's doing, but the installer sells the OS to you too. Talking about the benefits of using the system, the software provided, the community... It's not the fastest installer in the world but as far as I'm concerned it's not a race; install it properly in a friendly manner and I'm willing to avoid clock watching.

To top it all off, when it's finished installing it says "Goodbye from YALI, enjoy your fresh Pardus" to make you feel like an expert has finished his work and is handing you over to another to help you on your way. Nice touch...

Aesthetics

I always feel a little shallow for approaching something so superficial so early in the review but I consider aesthetics an important part of system acceptance. Hell, it's easier to remain in an abusive relationship if your partner is beautiful so I'm more willing to gloss over the occasional fault in the same manner.

The login screen isn't as polished as I was expecting making it a bit of an inauspicious start for Pardus (although I found the same thing with PCLOS Gnome edition, and learned not to care). It's at the point where you first login that you meet the Kaptan; a friendly looking cartoon character who guides you through your new OS.

While the majority of this introduction is academic for the majority of people who install Pardus, it is nice to have a walkthrough there for those who are fresh to Linux. It's good that it explains the package manager in this process too - something that is normally left to the user to figure out.

I chose to go through the Kaptan and re-theme my Pardus to use the transparent one and use a floral background; from dull, normal OS to aesthetic wonder in 3 clicks, all through the initial 'welcome' screen - nice. It allows the user to get things looking hot and sexy straight from the off - and make no mistake, Pardus looks great.

The icon design is nice and modern, the menus are fairly conventional and the whole thing is nice and easy to get around. What more can I say?

Networking and Connectivity

Networking in Pardus was also handled during the initial Kaptan setup process; it found and configured my connection without any real intervention from me which is always a good start. The next step to having the Internet is to try connecting to my Windows network...

The skin for Konqueror is somewhat striking if not a little out of place - sure Pardus is orange in a lot of places but I'm not sure this specific dashboard needs to have this mix of orange and white text with a drop shadow - it all looks like ClearType gone wrong.

Samba shares are accessible by default which makes life nice and painless if (like me) you have a Windows machine with all your media on it (which is unlikely, but hey). The next step is testing the out of the box functionality and media playback.

Out of the box functionality

While out of the box functionality may seem like a strange concept under Linux (you know, where everything is free) I still consider it important. Modern Linux should work well out of the box and I like to see decent media support by default too. So I'll grab a video file from my Samba share and give it a go.

While I still can't understand why various distros ship with Kaffeine as the default media player when there are much better alternatives available, it works fine in this instance. My chosen episode of Seinfeld plays without problem. It's a bit of a grey area over the community - the use of proprietary codecs - but for me I consider it a necessary addition.

One of the worst aspects of a fresh Windows XP install is obtaining all the codecs you require and that's something that almost every Linux release tackles in one way, shape or form these days. I don't personally mind whether they're preloaded or downloaded on demand, but there needs to be a seemless workflow to your video playing. I don't want to be told "No codecs" and have to source them myself. Pardus manages media playback out of the box and that's important to me.

As for software, pretty much all your needs are covered directly post install in Pardus. The usual faces are here (OpenOffice, GIMP, a media player, Firefox) but it doesn't stop there - every possible whim is catered for. FTP programs, screenshot utilities, a multitude of office applications... You could happily hand someone a Pardus installation CD and be confident that their needs will be met for quite some time.

Package Management and Control Centre

Both the TASMA configuration utilty and the PISI package manager are pinned to the 'start' menu which makes life easy (whereas in Ubuntu you need to remember which menu to look in, etc) Pardus makes life easy. PISI is a fairly typical package manager - those who have used Synaptic before won't recognise the difference. The average user should have fun 'shopping' through the list of available applications too because installation is a point-and-click affair.

The TASMA configuration centre reminds me heavily of the excellent one found in PCLinuxOS and caters for both the average and advanced user. The key with control centres is the use of language; it's all well and good that "Display Settings" and "Appearance and Themes" are largely synonymous in my head but the average user might be slightly confused - which is why Pardus lands on the latter. The language within the control centre is uncomplicated and (although I can't quantify why) it just doesn't feel imposing. Sometimes configuration utilities can imply that one incorrect movement could leave you picking computer parts out of your face, so it's important that you feel supported throughout your changes.

Usability

Like so many Linux releases of late, usability is excellent. Your hand is held throughout a simple installation process, you're welcomed into the OS by a walkthrough that allows you to start making it feel like home. The menu system is intuitive and both the package manager and configuration utilities are accessible by those with even the most basic of IT experience. The only barrier I can see people having to Pardus is the lack of arms, because everything else is catered for.

Conclusion

For a non-english release you wouldn't know it. In previous versions of Pardus there were times where you became aware that it was developed with another language in mind but that seems to have completely gone with 2008. When you initially load the installer it's not in English, but that's easy to resolve and the developers have clearly made that path nice and easy - allowing the English speaking world easy access to a great release.

I can't fault Pardus. I really can't. I (like many other reviewers) love to find fault and exercise our wit while being cruel but there's no opportunity to do that here. Pardus meets you half way every time and that's not something I find very often with releases. The colour scheme isn't annoying and it's highly configurable (on a KDE base). I only hope that it comes with a LiveCD when the final version is released because this really is a release that demands more users than it has.

I love finding fault when reviewing products, services and software, so consider this my standing ovation to Pardus for being nigh on faultless. They've got a top notch operating system on their hands and I'm willing to say this might be one of the best releases of 2008.

Think I'm wrong or that I've missed something massive out? Shout at me in the comments but if you've not used Pardus yet, I recommend you give it a whirl.

Linux Mint 5 Elyssa

seopher — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 12:46:30 -0700

To be perfectly honest with you, my original intention was to review Kubuntu 8.04, but with the brand new shiny Linux Mint 5 hitting the streets late last Sunday evening around midnight UK time, Kubuntu will have to take a back seat for now.

As I am a new member of the review team, I'll briefly outline the rules I play by when looking at any modern Linux Distribution, which seasoned enthusiasts will no doubt throw their collective hands in the air and wobble about, but my rules may strike a chord with many newcomers to Linux.

1. No Hassle.
I do not want to play with the command line, only as a last resort. Modern Linux should be able to be used by icons and GUI.

2.Runs from a Live CD.
Almost all Linux Distros do these days which gives a jolly good impression whether all your PC hardware will run to your liking.

3.Ease of Installation.
How easy for beginners and newcomers starting out is the operating system to install? [insert name of Distro here] ate my data, sandwiches, pictures of Granny etc.

4.Updates and Software.
Ease of updating the system, and installation of new software.

5.Performance, Look & Feel.
First impressions count, and newcomers tempted to install need to be happy with what they see, whether it is quicker than their present system and looks good. You can't tell a newcomer that they are able to customise the looks, as if it looks ugly to start with, it stays ugly. Initial impressions make a difference.

6.Support.
How good is the community who provide Internet support? How good is the downloadable or supplied documentation? How friendly are people on the Distro's forums? Do they mock newcomers? Do they use the word 'Newbie'? (I have a real problem with this derogatory term, as all Linux Gurus were 'Newbies' once, surely?

7.Usable Linux.
Is the Distro a candidate for day-to-day use, and a viable replacement to Windows 2000/XP ? (I don't count Vista in the Linux Usability rule, as a pencil and abacus would possibly be a good alternative).

At the end of the review, a 1-10 rating of each of the 'Rules' will be given, and each goes towards the dubious accolade of Usable Linux of the day/month/year, from the perspective of a new or moderately experienced Linux refugee from other operating systems.

Linux Mint 5 – An identity crisis?

Mint is built from an Ubuntu base. Take Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron, tart the interface and add multimedia codecs and Flash support. There, Mint 5 is ready, right? Well, nope, I don't think it is. Replacing Ubuntu on my test machine, Mint runs smoothly from the live CD, and just feels better. The feeling continues after installation too, and if the doubters that Mint is not a distribution in it's own right are to be believed, this shouldn't be so. Mint is smoother, prettier and just a little bit quicker than Ubuntu when compared on the same machine. Please don't ask me why, it just is.

Installation.

A customise installation routine cloned from Ubuntu (minus the silly language selector), so nothing to report. It is so simple, even I have no problems, even with my Linux-virgin cap on (reinforced for extra protection). I did not set up a duel-boot system with Windows, so I don't know if the Ubuntu migration assistant is included.

I'm not fond of blue. Carbon grey and Mint green are better for me than Ubuntu orange/brown, but appearance is a personal thing. Who am I to say? I wear Bermuda shorts with multi-coloured parrots on, for goodness' sake!

I like the one-stop shop slab menu, but looks a little plain after KDE's Tasty Menu offerings. The grey theme continues with the default wallpaper, but there are many good quality alternatives to be found already included.

Minty Goodness

Some of the many home-grown programmes that are included in Mint 5.
Also, there is one called 'Mint Upload', where documents can be stored online. Additional storage can also be purchased.

Mint update rates the safety of available updates on a scale of 1-5. The user can choose whether to ride on the seat of their pants, or not.
Mint Install is the best feature for newcomers to Mint. It directs to Mint's online portal, which makes installation a breeze. Mint is also compatible with CNR, but I don't know why anyone would need this. Nvidia and ATI graphics are handled by Envy.

So, finally to the verdict...

No Hassle: 9/10.
The only extra software I had to install was Helix Player with the Mozilla plug-in (for streaming BBC iPlayer) and my 'brain', Notecase, using Synaptic.

Runs from Live CD: 8/10.
Everything worked (except wireless) on a Dell Inspiron 1525. Getting wireless to work was not on my list of priorities as I am hard-wired. Nvidia graphics on my secondary review machine, an Asus Pundit P1 Pundit, was available after installation.

Ease of Installation. 10/10.
No problems here. At all. Read, Decide and Watch (RDW).

Updates and Software. 10/10.
Simply, the best update and update tools to be found.

Performance, Look & Feel. 9/10.
I'm surprised that Mint feels quicker and smoother than a bog-standard Ubuntu. I love the darker looks and choice of themes.

Support. 9/10.
The Linux Mint Forums are a very friendly place to visit, second only to Ubuntu. Newcomers are made to feel very welcome.

Usable Linux. 9¾/10.
We're halfway through 2008, and up until the 8th June, the title of Usable Linux 2006/2008 was up for grabs (in my view). But the thought that has gone into this release is quite remarkable, and it is very clear as to what user is targeted, and what the aims and visions are.

In Conclusion

The arguments that it may be too simple, not complicated enough, dumbed down Linux, Ubuntu copy, not-a-real-distribution, Windows lookalike etc, really belong in the past when developers were Hackers and Users were Geeks. The age of a real, usable Linux system for normal people has been born, thanks in part to Microsoft, and the desire of people like Clement Lefebvre to bring Linux to the masses means that there will have to be a special distribution arrive to prize Mint off my main Desktop PC any time soon. The bar has been raised, the gauntlet has been thrown down.

Game on!

Tony.

Review of the EEE-PC 701 (long overdue)

seopher — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 09:18:49 -0700

I've been intending to write a review of the EEE-PC for quite some time, considering I was one of the early adopters makes my hesitancy all the more curious. I was impressed at the prospect of Asus' small form, low budget, Linux based notebook.

One of the most interesting aspects of the EEE-PC is it's tiny size, little more than a paperback book it doesn't require a herculean stature to transport; hell, it'd fit in my coat pocket. This brings me onto the most crucial thing you need to appreciate with the EEE-PC.

It's not a laptop, so don't compare it to one

Priced at around £180 it falls in well under the average price for a laptop and there's a good reason for that, because it isn't spec'd like a laptop. This original 701 unit that I'm writing on only has a 900mhz Intel Celeron Mobile chip and a rather retro 512mb of RAM. This particular model has a 2gb solid state hard drive which is good; no moving parts keep noise, heat and problems to a minimum.

The operating system

The EEE-PC comes with a modified version of Xandros on it appears to have been a pretty sensible decision, albeit that almost any recent Linux release would work well on this device. Personally I'd have preferred something like Xubuntu but that's just personal preference. The OS itself handles everything well; there's a formidable yet intuitive control panel for you to toy with and because Synaptic package manager is involved, you can install whatever you like on it.

The problems with the EEE-PC

The real problem with the EEE-PC is it's tiny size - far too small to be usable in the long run. The screen is a mere 7" which is difficult to cope with when you're used to 15.4" on other notebooks, but it's the keyboard that causes most of the headaches. In order to be this small they've had to bring the keys closer together, meaning there's around 1mm between keys, rather than the 5mm you'd be used to. This means that unless your hands are skeletal you'll continually hit the wrong keys. I touch type, but that is not an easy task on a layout this small...

Good bits...

It is a well built unit, you have to hand it to Asus; the branding and appearance is more Apple than Dell (especially in white like this model). The build quality is excellent, even down to the weighting of the keys.

Overall, is the EEE-PC 701 a good buy? It really depends what you want to use it for. Because of the limited size you really couldn't use it for writing without developing cramp (which is kicking in now...), the low spec means you can't do design and I wouldn't dream of trying to do development off it. The number of times my thumb accidentily catches the touchpad mouse and alters where I'm writing is getting into double figures now.

Ultimately, the EEE-PC is just a little too small; my girlfriend gets on fine with it but feels too much like threading a needle for me. It'd be a lot better if I carried around a full size USB keyboard (as it has two USB slots) but that would negate the reason for owning it. Battery life is good and it's excellent value for money, but I use it so infrequently because of these problems...

I'm looking forward to getting my hands on the larger EEE-PC due out in the UK soon, because it just needs to be another inch or two bigger before I can write a glowing review. I do however love to travel with the EEE-PC because of it's tiny size and integrated wireless, hence why I'm writing this while away for the weekend. However, I wouldn't bother with it if I was at my desk all the time.

Roll on the EEE-PC 900.

Wanted: People who like to write reviews of Linux releases. Audition now.

seopher — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 01:45:55 -0700

As you may have noticed, Distro-Review has slipped over this past month and I've not published reviews of the latest releases. I've simply had too much paid work on to dedicate sufficient time to this website.

So... I'm looking for someone to help with the workload.

I'm looking for someone who has a passion for desktop Linux but also fits the profile for what distro-review is all about. On this site I write with usability in mind (more importantly, usability to the novice user) because that is where I think the most significant gains will be made. So I'm looking for someone who can take quite an opinionated approach to reviews and analyse the general usability and performance of it.

What I'm looking for

I'm looking for a super-short sample review of any release in the world, focusing on usability but showing off your writing style. If you're interested in coming on board and having your reviews read by thousands of people then send your sample to steven.york@seopher.com

Mandriva 2008.1

seopher — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 06:18:47 -0700

#adsense#Mandriva started life in July 1998 (formally known as Linux-Mandrake) as a KDE distro based on Red Hat. That was nearly 10 years ago and they've just released Mandriva 2008.1 Spring Edition so let's have a look at this release.

As always I'm interested in ease of use, out of the box functionality and intuitiveness. Mandriva 2008.1 uses KDE 3.5.9, Kernel 2.6.24 and Xorg 7.3.

New Additions of note
They've made NTFS partitions writable by default by including the NTFS-3G system with the base install, this means that NTFS managed partitions are writable (rather than just being readable as per previous releases). They've also added in updates for graphics card support but rather than list them all here check on their Wiki page.

Installation and LiveCD
Mandriva comes with a LiveCD environment which is good; upon loading the CD you're taken through a brief setup process to configure your location, time, keyboard and network options (to allow you to use the LiveCD properly). This is all pretty straight forward (although I didn't see an option to run Mandriva from memory, but that's not a problem). Opting to "Live Install" fires up a worryingly vacant yet easy to use installer. It's really a case of hitting "Go" and not being asked for any information until you're setting up user accounts. While this is a little uninformative there isn't anyone who could't manage it and that's a good start.

Even when you're selecting bootloaders it's all filled out for you so the uneducated can just hit "next" at every screen and the end result will be a fully working operating system. For this I cannot fault Mandriva.

First time confusion
It's not an unexpected thing to see a "first run" screen that offers you a tutorial or two, tips, pointers etc... The one in Mandriva did confuse me however. Despite having my location set to "London, UK, GMT", my language set to "English" and my keyboard set to "English UK" the welcome screen seemed to offer a combination of English and Spanish instructions.

Clicking next then gave me something that looked like Russian. So I decided to decline everything I was offered as Mandriva gave me a brief lesson in world languages. An inauspicious start then.

Aesthetics
Once you're passed the English/Russian/Spanish/German introduction you're presented with quite a cool looking desktop; nice icons designs, clean layout and quite a charming aquatic style background. It's quite a good looking release if I'm honest, the menus look okay, the fonts are nice and clear.

Networking and Configuration
The obvious first step for me is to check the connectivity. As always I'm working on a desktop machine with a wired connection so I can't comment about the wireless support but understandably it picked up the connection without issue. Loading up the configuration utility (helpfully located in the 'quick start' bar on the bottom left) gives you a nice graphical interface to configuring your system.

My main complaint with this utility is that too much useful stuff is buried away in it. In order to access your local network (Samba shares in this instance). This is something I use an awful lot both professionally and personally so having access to the shares hidden into a config panel (that requires root access) seems unusual.

Installing software
Using the config panel you can select to "Install & Remove Software" which leads you to your package manager. Mandriva is helpful and offers to update your list of sources which is 2-3 minutes of downloading but then you're good to go.

Accessing my Samba shares - ugh
I've taken this for granted over the past 12 months. Linux releases have become excellent at finding your samba shares over the network - which is all the more worrying when Mandriva recognises my network, has full connectivity but can't see any Samba shares at all. To access the shares you have to use the configuration panel (as explained above):

Yet when I've tried to access them I receive a blank screen where I imagine I should be seeing workgroups. There are no options, no filtering and clicking "Search servers" does nothing. I've had a dig around the system and can set up my own Samba server, but it seems inexplicable as to why my Windows-based Samba shares aren't available.

I actually can't remember the last Linux release that didn't allow me to see my Samba shares straight out of the box, let alone leave me scratching my head as to what's wrong. I can't be bothered wasting an hour of my life trying to work out what's going on (a bad habit I'll explain later) so I'll have to apologise that I can't say anything about Mandriva's multimedia support. Without Samba working properly I can't get any videos to watch (as I decomissioned my FTP server yesterday).

Software on offer by default
This is something Mandriva has no problems with; every need is catered for directly post install. You have multiple video players, Amarok for audio (the best audio utility ever), OpenOffice suite... Basically you've got everything. A regular user could be given the selection of applications that Mandriva gives you and not ever need to delve into the package manager. That's good, albeit questionable in this day and age (I'm undecided whether users would rather have 101 apps post-install or an intuitive package manager front-and-centre for them to cherry pick what they need).

Conclusions
Mandriva is okay but I can't recommend it because of it failing to recognise my Samba shares - something that a usable release would have to do. I'm willing to say a high percentage of users use shared folders (I certainly do) and it's not acceptable for releases to fall at this early hurdle. Every other aspect of Mandriva is great (apart from media support which I was unable to test). It looks good, the package manager works fine and the software provided is more than sufficient.

However a couple of things bother me, namely the shamless up-selling of the Mandriva Powerpack - a happy, bright icon that sits on your desktop reminding you of it's presence. Click it and Firefox takes you to a page outlining what lies within; for 70 euros you can purchase the "Power Pack". There's no real advantage to doing so explained on the page; all it seems to do is state everything that the base model of Mandriva does. 69 Euros ($109) is an awful lot for an enhanced Linux release, especially one that has done little more than underwhelm me.

Bad habits Linux has given me, and why I can't be bothered with Mandriva
I've become increasingly aware of Linux-enforced apathy on my part. If a release (such as this) makes something mundane difficult then I just can't be bothered. Sure I could have FTP'd around some media files to test support on this but why bother? Too many other releases do too much too well, Mandriva won't be making it into my top 10 because of this so why fight with it too much? If you fall at an early hurdle you won't win the race, so you better get back home, put on a tracksuit and get training again.

Maybe next time Mandriva, see you next year for 2009.0

Dreamlinux 3.1

seopher — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 12:19:44 -0700

#adsense#My last two trips into DreamLinux haven't gone so well; most recently I toyed with DL3.0 RC1 and found an okay release plagued by a massively counter-intuitive installer. Let me clarify the importance of the installer yet again:

However excellent a distro may be, an uneccessarily counter-intuitive installer will be too much of a barrier for most users. I don't want to use a release that disregards such an important aspect.

Installation is an important part of usability; to ensure a decent level of adoption you can't create barriers like this. Especially when you consider alternative releases are not plagued by this affliction. I've not actually found a release to date that has a worse installer than Dreamlinux. So the question is, have things changed in 3.1?

Why I chose to give DreamLinux another go
When browsing the latest releases I saw that DreamLinux 3.1 had been released, so I checked their official website and it was this statement that interested me: "It has an improved installer which eliminates a few problems caused by more specific hardware configurations." I could only hope that "an improved installer" meant they had taken another look at the whole process.

Unfortunately not, the installer is the same as before
I imagine the upgrades they made have improved hardware support, but I just cannot be bothered installing DreamLinux. It's the same old story as when I reviewed 3.0 so if you're interested in my full verdict check that out.

It's a real shame because I really think I'd like DreamLinux, aesthetically I think it really works and it has a good, strong community behind it. I just don't have the time for a release that neglects such important things.

DreamLinux looks great, I know what's beyond the installer works rather well but I'm not going to bother reviewing DreamLinux any more until the installer is improved. Why? Because I'll never recommend it. For me to recommend a release it has to be better than another and the overall score of DreamLinux is dragged down too much. Too many other releases manage the installation process too well... Enough said.

Please please please DreamLinux guys, play with Mandriva, Ubuntu, PCLinuxOS, Kubuntu, Mepis, Mint, Knoppix and see how your installer feels. Fix that and you'll have a great release, I promise you.

Windows refunds are a waste of your time and money

seopher — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 05:40:34 -0700

#adsense#For those of us that like to use Linux it seems insulting to pay for a laptop that comes preloaded with an operating system that we'll never use. Whatever the laptop costs there'll be a hidden fee on top of that for the software and that's why *some* vendors have "Windows Refunds" on offer.

This time last year I contacted a few vendors to enquire how I could obtain a reduced cost laptop; I needed a notebook to review Linux distros on and I would not be needing any version of Windows. Needless to say most retailers wouldn't give me the time of day. A couple tried to accomodate my wishes but I quickly realised that getting a Windows refund was a waste of time. Here are the 3 steps to getting the refund:

1 - They charge you to remove the OS

This is quite obvious really, the machines come with Windows as standard so the vendor needs to uninstall them. However this'll happen at a cost to you.

2 - They charge you to ship it back to you

A couple of the vendors I spoke to argued that you only pay for shipping once on the item, so that pays for it to go to the "repair centre" to have Windows uninstalled. Therefore when they're done removing Windows you'll have to pay for the item to be shipped back to you.

3 - Submit the refund request

You then normally have to submit a refund request (although it'd make sense if the vendor did this automatically) outlining that Windows has been removed (and you don't have a serial for XP/Vista), then you will be refunded a value according to the operating system the machine shipped with.

Why this isn't worth your time

The value you're refunded isn't good enough. Clearly Microsoft help subsidise the cost of the hardware by shipping Windows with it, so the vendor can't actually offer you much money back. When I spoke to Acer they quoted:

"XP Home, Vista Home Basic and Vista Business = 30 Euro (approximately £20)
XP Professional, XP Media Centre and Vista Home Premium = 60 Euro (approximately £40)"

Unfortunately the cost of shipping is going to eat into that refund quite substancially, if not entirely. Most laptops weigh 4lbs (give or take) and that means shipping (with appropriate insurance) is going to cost £25 or more. So you might actually end up out of pocket just to have Windows removed.

So this utopian ideal that "Linux is free, therefore a laptop with Linux would be cheaper" isn't really true; it just so happens that Microsoft help cover the cost of the machine (in the same way mobile phones are subsidised by the network operators). Even for the sake of £20 I'd rather have a spare Windows license should I need it.

You can buy a laptop preloaded with Ubuntu from Dell for £299.99, which is the best option as far as I can see if you want a Windows-free machine. Else just buy a normal laptop to give yourself the satisfaction of installing over Vista.

10 ways that Linux is outgrowing the stereotype and becoming the best OS

seopher — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 15:54:05 -0700

#adsense#Linux has a negative image associated with it; a most unfortunate affliction when that image is contrary to the truth. I'm occasionally asked "why do you bother with Linux?" by people who haven't used it recently under the assumption that it's difficult to use, counter intuitive, geeky, nerdy and any number of other adjectives. However it is my intention to raise awareness that Linux is remarkably usable these days, so on that note let's start looking at how Linux has outgrown that stereotype.

1. Excellent, mind numbingly easy media support

There was a time where only the hardcore (self proclaimed geeky) types would bother with Linux because getting media (videos, most notably) to work fully was a pain in the backside. Over the past 12 months that situation has changed drastically and now the majority of distros come with either codecs preloaded (so your videos work directly post install) or a handy little application telling you what codec you need to play that video, as well as a link to the online repository to get it. Have you tried getting videos to play on a fresh Windows XP install recently? You need to know what you're doing and that's not true with modern Linux.

2. Being 100% user oriented

Modern Linux is more in line with the times; we don't want a bare operating system (a la XP), we want out of the box functionality and most releases I've tried of late have that in spades. Most angles are covered from GIMP, OpenOffice.org, KSnapshot (and so on) which means that an average user could install something like PCLinuxOS 2007 and not need to obtain more software. The user is a massive consideration with modern Linux and I really like that - Apple understand this but Microsoft don't.

3. Online shopping where everything is free (Synaptic, Apt etc)

I've added this in because it was a statement my girlfriend made when toying with her new Asus EEE-PC. I was explaining the merits of Synaptic as a graphical user interface for Apt when she looked a little surprised and questioned "so it's like an online shop where everything is free?" and I found that such a fitting analogy. Whereas in Windows you need to either buy software or hunt around the Internet for a non-spammy application, on Linux you load up Synaptic (or whatever package manager is available) and browse the catalogue. Find something you like? Click install. That application is downloaded (along with all the pre-requisits) and installed - you are prompted when it is done. Your application is ready to use. This is far better than anything I've encountered on either Windows or OSX, it's so intuitive the only danger is you'll install absolutely everything on offer.

4. Cost

Quite an obvious point I had to raise at some point. Linux is free (on the most part). You download the CD's and install the operating system. You browse online catalogues for software and install them (as per point #3) and at no point does anyone ever ask you for money. It's nice, it means you can spend more money on hardware, books, prostitutes, whatever you wish.

5. Frequency of updates

Friends of mine within the community cite this as a major advantage over Windows (or even OSX); updates come so frequently. Distros like Ubuntu have a major release every 6 months meaning you can get through 4-6 major updates before MS/Apple have even announced their next product. This means the community can push things forward in a big way, receive feedback and incrementally improve things. This means your modern Linux distro stays at the forefront of technology (new Kernel, new X-server, new KDE/Gnome, etc).

6. Scalability

I first installed Ubuntu on a P133 that had been previously used as a Firewall - it ran fine. I could also install that same release on a top-end quad-core system and it'd run fine too. There are enough elements that can be turned on and off to allow Linux to scale. You've even got differently weighted environments to choose from, from the uber-light XFCE to the famously scalable Gnome, to the heavily customisable KDE (and a few more). If you've got a machine, there's a version of Linux that'll run on it and I think that's excellent. It means you don't need an operating system from 1997 on an old machine; that P133 could have a 2008 O/S on it, fully up-to date and sexy. Hell, Apple even tie the version of OS to the machine's hardware.

7. Instant wow factor (Compiz-Fusion)

I have never met someone who saw Compiz-Fusion in action and thought "meh". Everyone seems to be in awe of it; what's more it comes with most of the modern releases too - so if you've got a graphics card that'll handle it, then you too can have aesthetic delight that Vista can only dream about.

Check out this rather fast paced if not slightly worrying display of what Compiz Fusion can do. The video runs quite quickly in order to cover all the possible effects:

8. Community

I've been writing about Linux for a while now and the thing I've noticed above all else is the community and the mature responses you get (from the right people). Especially now that I've got a website dedicated to reviewing releases it's refreshing to see community leaders taking criticism on board and working for a better release. Listening to your users means you work collaboratively in the right direction - rather than pulling features out of the air your key demographic are suggesting them. You don't find this with Microsoft or Apple products (as much). The community is there to help you too, but the need for help on this latest breed of 'usable' releases is diminishing as the technological barriers are coming down.

9. Variety

It's different horses for different courses. Do you want Gnome, KDE or XCFE? Do you like an OSX feel or more of a Windows feel? Do you want to use something unlike anything you've ever used before? There are literally dozens of major releases that offer you a usable solution, you just need to find one that feels right to you. I like this, it's that "power to the user" thing back again. If I don't like Windows Vista (which I don't incidentally), what other Microsoft options do I have? Oh, back to their previous product while I await whatever they choose to release next. What about OSX? Oh, same deal.

10. No more command line!

Some of us like the command line, it makes us feel empowered but the 'average' user doesn't want to have to update packages manually. I can hand on heart say that the need to be familiar with the terminal is decreasing, most releases handle everything through the GUI and that's excellent too. Linux has this negative reputation of being command line driven, counter intuitive geek-territory and that's just not true anymore. Sure it's there if you want to use it but it's no longer a necessary evil.

So there you have it; 10 ways that Linux has outgrown this stereotype and has started to surpass the mainstream offerings from Microsoft and Apple. Exciting times are ahead and I'm not going to claim there's a 'mass migration' on the horizon because I've declared that countless times before and been wrong. Needless to say 'modern' Linux is out-accelerating the other operating systems and there's only so much time until utopia is reached and the world takes notice.

Do you have an opinion on this? I'd love to hear some thoughts on whether you think the points I've raised are valid, or if I've missed something glaringly obvious.

Freespire 2.0.3

seopher — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 12:28:50 -0700

#adsense#Freespire is one of those distros that I'm always being recommended to try, so this week instead of reviewing a brand new release I'm stepping back to try Freespire 2.0.3 and see how it measures up.

The single most annoying thing about Freespire is that I've only just stumbled upon it's greatness. If someone dresses up the menus and the folder icons then this has the potential to be the best release in the world - and I genuinely believe that.

Freespire is a community involved release, touted as being Linspire but free (hence the name). This version (2.0.3) started life as Ubuntu 7.04 (nearly a year old now) and that's a pretty decent release to start with. However extra features are added including KDE for a more intuitive interface, CNR Plugin for one-click installs to thousands of applications, proprietary codecs and drivers... So you can see the idea is to take a good foundation and build everything a user could need ontop of it. Freespire fits on a CD too, which is good.

Installation
I have to give Freespire some serious credit here, the installation is among the best I've ever used (across any platform). Not only does it look lovely but it's really intuitive - confirming settings with you yet asking questions in terms even the technologically shy would feel comfortable with.

It's a simple case of clicking "continue" and there's nothing here to scare the user and that's excellent. There's no where to go wrong - if you opt to "Use entire hard drive" it checks whether that's okay and explains the implications of doing so:

Some distros can take a lifetime to install, Freespire managed it in under 10 minutes which is nice - not that it makes any difference to system adoption, it's just nice not having to sit on your hands for an hour waiting for it to finish installing. Top marks for installation Freespire, an excellent start.

The Set-Up Wizard
This suddenly feels awfully Windows... Once the installation has completed and you've restarted you're asked to agree to an "End User License Agreement" before starting a set-up wizard. I'm amazed by this wizard because it not only helps you configure some basic settings for the system but it's done in a really user-friendly way. Take the first step for example: setting the sound volume:

In case you can't quite see that (you can click on the image for a full size view) it's asking me to slide the slider to make the background music louder or softer; setting up the default volume level for the system. After that you can set up your time-zone (in a similar way to Ubuntu) and modify your resolution.

Once you've done that you're just about done, my next step was subscribing to CNR and getting that up and running. Let's discuss CNR for a minute shall we.

CNR
This is a one-click install client that allows you to find applications on the CNR website (cnr.com) and opt to install them. Because Freespire has been out for a while you do need to update your CNR client but the website prompts you to do this anyway. Once updated you click on the piece of software you wish to install and it downloads it, installs it and you're done!

CNR is awesome, there's not much more I can say about it. I think I personally prefer the Synaptic way of managing apt but I think gateway applications like CNR are much better for usability. You're just browsing a website and shopping for software at the end of the day - with the bonus of community ratings for apps (so if you don't know what media player you want, you can simply opt for the most popular). I'm impressed. Incidentily CNR also manages the updating of your system too which is convenient.

KWallet
This is a great application that they've bundled in with Freespire - it saves your passwords for you. While this may seem like a silly thing to praise I think it's really good for the 'average' user who won't want to enter their password at every turn.

Networking
I can't comment on the wireless driver support because I'm using a wired connection but I believe that proprietary driver support is excellent. Freespire picked up my network without hassle and the "Network Share Manager" that sits on the desktop allowed me to access my Samba shares without issue. This application might not be the most usable thing on the planet but it's okay. I could happily browse the shares and access media files.

This leads me on to the next item on my agenda, media playback. I decided to open my "South Park" directory and try to play the file remotely...

Media Support
Amazingly Freespire seems happy enough to play the episode of South Park remotely (using Kplayer). Whether this is a trait of the application or the O/S itself it's still impressive (when other releases of late haven't managed this). The other point to raise is that the video played fine using the codecs supplied during the install - meaning the user doesn't need to digg around trying to find the right ones (as they would in XP). I tried a few other files but it coped with them all fine. It's fair to see Freespire has excellent media support.

Aesthetics
Freespire on the whole is a good looking release - the default artwork and logos are especially attractive; the only thing that bothers me is the menu and application-bar that sits at the bottom of the screen. Because Freespire offers you quick-launch functionality for a series of popular applications (Firefox, Pidgin, Console, etc) you're left with very little space to manage open applications. In the above screenshot I only had 4-5 items open and that's getting awkward. True I was only running at 1024x768, life would be much happier at 1280x1024 and above but it's still an issue.

On the whole Freespire looks good, I can't fault it.

Configuration
Freespire comes with the KDE Control Center that you see in so many releases and that's not a bad thing - it's usable, intuitive and powerful in equal measures. There's nothing more for me to say about it, it's an excellent utility.

Default Software
You're quite light on default software in Freespire but that's not a problem considering the relative ease of CNR; although it seems odd to leave off staples like GIMP when most other basic requirements are met (media players, Office apps etc). But like I said I don't think it's a problem because CNR allows you to cherry pick applications without actually needing a knowledge of what they are. This was my biggest gripe of Conary when I reviewed Foresight Linux recently; you had to know specifically what application you needed before you could find it. Fully online catalogue systems allow inexperienced users to essentially shop for the item they want and download it. This is why I don't consider the lack of depth of default software an issue.

Conclusions
I genuinely cannot fault Freespire and that's hard for an overly critical person like me to admit. The only complaint I have is the slightly cluttered start-bar but that's customisable - functionality wise the whole system just works. The single most annoying thing about Freespire is that I've only just stumbled upon it's greatness. If someone dresses up the menus and the folder icons then this has the potential to be the best release in the world - and I genuinely believe that.

Foresight Linux 2.0

seopher — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 16:27:38 -0700

#adsense#Foresight Linux is a release that I hadn't heard of before they appeared in the "latest distributions" bit on Distrowatch when I was hunting for new review material. One of my favourite things to do is try releases I've not heard of before... And so we enter Foresight.

"Foresight is a desktop operating system featuring an intuitive user interface and a showcase of the latest desktop software, giving users convenient and enjoyable access to their music, photos, videos, documents, and Internet resources." is how the website sells it to you, but it's this sentence that got me:

"As a Linux distribution, Foresight sets itself apart by eliminating the need for the user to be familiar with Linux" - a brave yet foolish claim to make if you can't back it up.

Because Foresight is clearly gunning for the mainstream market by citing usability as one of their key concerns (through intuitive interface, etc) I'd be expecting the release to be attractive and very functional straight out of the box. Let's begin then shall we:

Installation
The thing that struck me first was the lack of a LiveCD, something that is so common in releases these days. Especially considering Foresight weighs in at 1.2gb (offering you a DVD or 2CD download). So already it might be at a disadvantage to other releases that offer you the chance to "try before you buy". Never mind, let's install it anyway.

The only real point to note is that extlinux is the default boot loader but you're given the option of Grub; everything else was textbook.

I've got to hand this to Foresight; it made a complicated looking install amazingly easy. Unlike DreamLinux (which had a pointlessly complicated installation process) Foresight looks difficult but it actually auto-completes everything for you. I was very impressed with the installation process because it required little to no input from me at all; just user details. A good start then.

Aesthetics
It's not a bad looking release to be fair, but it doesn't amaze me. The loading screens are okay and the interface is typically Gnome but not overly offensive.

One of my biggest complaints is that I personally find it too green by default; so I entered the appearance configuration in an attempt to make it more tolerable. I changed the background to a sexy blue alternative and changed the menu type, but couldn't for the life of me get the vile bright green active menu state to change to something a little less... green. As you can see it looks wrong.

I assume this is a personal failing rather than Foresight making it impossible to change the colour... Otherwise it's not a bad looking release so I can't fault it there.

Networking
As always I can't comment on wireless connectivity because the machine has a wired connection; but it picked up my Windows network without any problems. I could comfortably access my Samba shares and that's something I class as very important for a "usable" release.

Media Support
This is one of the most crucial elements for a release that claims to give users "convenient and enjoyable access to their music, photos, videos, documents, and Internet resources". It's here that their claim that "Foresight sets itself apart by eliminating the need for the user to be familiar with Linux" really comes to bite them in the arse. Pulling a media file across and trying to play it results in a "codec not found" error.

A little disappointing considering 90% of the releases I toy with have such codecs bundled; especially when you consider that Foresight is 2x the size of PCLinuxOS, Mint, etc. Obviously it could save itself by doing "an Ubuntu" and offering me a download link to get the codecs I need... No such luck.

Right. So I need to go and dig up the codecs myself do I? Fine. Another minor problem is that I cannot find a package manager of any kind (I'm looking for Synaptic or something along those lines). I can't see anything in the System/Administration menu beyond an inexplicably unhelpful "Add/Remove Software" application that doesn't seem to offer anything to a user who doesn't already know what they're looking for.

So I do what I should never have to do: RTFM. Let me just say that truly usable, intuitive applications don't require the user to read the manual before finding what they need... Anyway, I find the chapter on "Proprietary Codecs" that offers me some advice:

Just in case you can't see the image above, it's asking me to paste a command into the command line. So Foresight tries to have a USP of "you don't need to know anything about Linux" but not only does it require me to read the manual but I also need to sudo a package update on the console? Hell, it doesn't even tell me where I'd find this "command line", which would be a problem if I didn't already know Linux. Do you see the problem?

Sure when I run that command it installs the codecs and everything is right with the world again but that's not the problem. A distro that claims to be really usable and good for media cannot make getting codecs this complicated because "normal" users would be confused. I couldn't sit my mom down and ask her to play a video because she'd cry... Yet I would have no problems getting her to do it in Ubuntu, Mint, Pardus, Mepis, PCLOS and so on. Foresight has lost me.

Installing Software
Well the "add/remove software" application is possibly the least useful thing I've used this year; unless you know specifically what you're looking for you're out of luck. It's not a browsable directory of installable applications, it's a search window where you enter the name of the application you want. It's awful.

I searched for "GIMP" and the only result returned was "gimp, image manipulation software". So I decide to search for "image" to see if I get a wider range of results but all I got were packages with the word "image" in the name (GIMP was absent). How would someone who doesn't know the name of the package they want ever find anything?

I have to assume there is a real package manager hidden somewhere in the system - so I return to the user manual. The manual claims to have "PackageKit" which is a front end graphical user interface to manage the software on your system... Yet it offers no insight into where it might be or how to access it; the only thing I can find is the god awful "add/remove" application that I've already expressed my distaste for. Again, maybe PEBKAC (problem exists between keyboard and chair) but I'm pretty used to toying around in various Linux environments and it's never THIS hard.

Part of me wants to make witty puns; the irony of using Foresight as the name for such a release, but the other part of me just wants to just make it go away.

Configuration... Actually forget it, I give up
You know what? This is normally where I write about the configuration utility and the installed applications but I can't even be bothered to do that. I just don't get it; what was actually on the 1.2gb DVD image that I downloaded? Sure there are a few installed applications on offer but no more than PCLOS. The out-of-the-box media support is non-existent and it's Gnome! It should be light shouldn't it? I just can't be bothered because Foresight isn't meeting me half way.

Ubuntu is smaller, better, more intuitive, more usable and requires less knowledge of Linux than this; it bests Foresight in every single way so how could I possibly recommend it?

It's not pretty enough to make me sit and work out how everything is done... I have never had to read the manual using Ubuntu and that's why Foresight fails. Ubuntu is smaller to download, equally easy to install, equally attractive and infinitely more usable. I'll keep an eye on the release but ultimately I've lost the will to keep reviewing it because it cannot salvage a remotely positive score.

There are too many other good releases to try; ones that are half the size and offer you a LiveCD for a start, let alone the lack of an obvious package manager and shoddy media support.

If you think I've been unfair to Foresight then please say so but remember that I'm looking at usability and functionality. If I don't think a normal user can do it then it loses points - simple. Avoid Foresight, get Ubuntu.