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Linux Business Debian

Xandros version 2 249

Posted by michael from the debian-goodness dept.
An anonymous reader writes "Xandros is now shipping version 2 of their Desktop Linux distro and it's also possible to purchase a download version. Based on Debian (sarge), KDE 3.1.4, 2.4.22 kernel. Cool CD burning is integrated into the Xandros File manager. Screenshots are here."
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Xandros version 2 More

Xandros version 2

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  • Mmmm.. prety butans (Score:5, Interesting)

    by __aavhli5779 ( 690619 ) * on Tuesday December 16, 2003 @05:52PM (#7740042) Journal
    Being primarily a Mac user and hence a whore for pretty interfaces (or really bare interfaces, like the GNUstep [gnustep.org] interface I use on my linux box), the first thing that came to mind is that Xandros has done a once-over on KDE almost like Ximian did for Gnome. Their theme isn't quite as lickably pretty as Industrial, but it's close, and it looks like they've certainly managed to at least even with them in terms of integration (well, sans the customized OpenOffice which is one of the key perks of Ximian).
    • looks like they're copying Windows as much as possible, which isn't a bad thing for making people more comfortable with switching, but things like the Xandros logo running up the start menu are just an annoying waste of space (imo). Also I don't like the small Windows-style taskbar, but the other screenshots looked quite nice and clean.

    • This pretty interface you see... (Score:5, Informative)

      by Balinares ( 316703 ) on Tuesday December 16, 2003 @06:21PM (#7740352)
      ... is the native Plastik [kde-look.org] theme that comes with KDE 3.2. (Tip of the day: for added prettiness, set Nimbus Sans L as your default font. Then watch people gape and go 'ooooh!'). None of Xandros' doing, although their choosing it certainly sounds like a proof of good taste.

      > ... the customized OpenOffice which is one of the key perks of Ximian

      Oh is [openoffice.org] it [mff.cuni.cz]?
    • (well, sans the customized OpenOffice which is one of the key perks of Ximian)

      This one makes no sense because they are using debian sarge as their base. Debian Sarge does implement all of the ximian patches into its openoffice.org version. Why would Xandros not include the Debian Sarge version since those patches, although adds little functionality to Openoffice.org, does make it seem quite a bit easier to run because of all of the prety butans.

  • Mod up for the anonymous coward! (Score:4, Informative)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 16, 2003 @05:54PM (#7740064)
    XANDROS DESKTOP OS VERSION 2 NOW SHIPPING

    "Don't compare Xandros with Windows, compare Windows with Xandros!"

    New York, December 16th, 2003 - Xandros, Inc., the leading developer of easy-to-use Linux solutions for the desktop market, today announced the general availability of version 2 of the Xandros Desktop OS. With a strong user focus, Xandros Desktop 2 offers an intuitive, elegant, graphical environment that installs with four clicks of a mouse. Xandros Desktop 2 provides industry-leading integration with Microsoft Windows programs and networks, plus new usability enhancements such as drag-and-drop CD burning in Xandros File Manager.

    Outstanding features in Xandros Desktop 2 include:

    *
    Four-click installation with automatic disk partitioning
    *
    Industry-leading hardware detection & configuration
    *
    Drag-and-drop CD burning in Xandros File Manager
    *
    Ability to run Microsoft Office and other key Windows programs (Deluxe only)
    *
    Seamless sharing of files and resources on Windows networks
    *
    Single-click access to a huge inventory of free Linux software

    This all-new creation from the Xandros engineering team takes desktop computing to a new level of elegance and ease of use. "Don't compare Xandros with Windows, compare Windows with Xandros!" said Erwin Zijleman, beta tester and co-author of Corel Linux For Dummies. "Windows installation is easy, but installation of Xandros is even easier and a lot faster. Just insert the CD, boot your system, answer a couple of very easy questions and you've got a fast and stable multi-user operating system waiting for you in less than 15 minutes! I was then able to browse the Internet, send e-mail messages and listen to music, just by providing a couple of simple responses to the Xandros wizards. Is that impressive, or what?"

    Erwin's experience highlights the fact that the Xandros engineering and quality assurance teams go to great lengths to assure that Xandros users enjoy a seamless, trouble-free desktop experience. "The Xandros team fixes bugs and makes sure that things work the way they should, whether the bug is in our own code or that of any other project included in the Xandros Desktop," says Ming Poon, VP of Software Development. "We want to make sure that our users have the best desktop experience."

    Based on the "Sarge" version of Debian GNU/Linux, version 2 of the Xandros Desktop OS assures stability and security, along with the freedom that an open environment provides. The new release employs a Xandros-enhanced KDE 3.1.4 and an underlying 2.4.22 Linux kernel. For full product details please see www.xandros.com/products.html

    NOW SHIPPING
    Xandros Desktop OS Version 2 is available directly from the Xandros online store December 16th at www.xandros.com/shopping as well as from software retailers. The Deluxe Edition of Xandros Desktop OS carries a suggested retail price of USD $89.00. It includes a special Xandros edition of CrossOver Office 2.1 which lets you run Microsoft Office and other key Windows software, CrossOver Plugin to expand your Linux web browsing experience, the ability to allocate install space from a Windows XP (NTFS) partition, a 350 page User Guide (boxed version only), Disc 2 with bonus applications, games, and tools, and 60 days of e-mail support.

    The recommended retail price for the Standard Edition, without the above mentioned Deluxe features and with 30 days of e-mail support, is USD $39.95.

    DOWNLOADS AND UPGRADES AT XANDROS.COM
    Users with high-speed connections can purchase and download both the Deluxe and Standard editions of Xandros Desktop 2 at www.xandros.com/. Current registered users of version 1.x of the Xandros Desktop OS can take advantage of limited-time upgrade offers available at the Xandros web site.

    • Re:Mod up for the anonymous coward! (Score:5, Funny)

      by Kenja ( 541830 ) on Tuesday December 16, 2003 @06:40PM (#7740489)
      [Enter Troll Mode]
      "Four-click installation with automatic disk partitioning"
      No install options

      "Industry-leading hardware detection & configuration"
      We only detect the industry leading hardware

      "Drag-and-drop CD burning in Xandros File Manager"
      No options when burning CDs

      "Ability to run Microsoft Office and other key Windows programs (Deluxe only)"
      Runs some windows apps, but slow "Seamless sharing of files and resources on Windows networks"
      Arp your windows network like a rabbid dog

      "Single-click access to a huge inventory of free Linux software"
      Chose from a huge inventory of free text editors.
      [Exit Troll Mode]

      • Re:Mod up for the anonymous coward! (Score:4, Informative)

        by ThogScully ( 589935 ) <neilsd@neilschelly.com> on Tuesday December 16, 2003 @07:15PM (#7740760) Homepage
        No install options
        This is a good thing for people who want to install a working desktop OS.

        We only detect the industry leading hardware
        I'd imagine it'll only be better than the last version they released, which was already quite good.

        No options when burning CDs
        Adding convenience doesn't always take away advanced features. xcdroast is only an apt-get away as well as cdrecord, or whatever your tool of choice is. But guess what, both are horribly over-complicated and I'll use CD Bake Oven any day over them.

        Runs some windows apps, but slow
        It's WINE/Crossover - who said it'd be slow?

        Arp your windows network like a rabbid dog
        And Windows doesn't?

        Chose from a huge inventory of free text editors.
        It's freaking Debian under the hood. That means thousands of everything available at just a few clicks.

        Admittedly, you did indicate you were "entering troll mode," but you really think you're being some kind of valuable devil's advocate. Instead, you're just being misinformed and using /. as a soapbox to spread that misinformation as far as possible. Just accept that this isn't the distro for you and acknowledge it for what it is - a good desktop that really is useful to everyone else.
        -N

      • Funny, yes, but untrue (Score:4, Interesting)

        by DaveJay ( 133437 ) on Tuesday December 16, 2003 @07:28PM (#7740846)
        (Full disclosure: I was part of the beta test, but am not an employee or developer associated with Xandros)

        The installer is actually quite comprehensive, but the complexity is optional -- you either do the four click install, or you divert into optional choices should you dare, like partitioning and whatnot.

        As far as only supporting industry-leading hardware, I have a small pile of old HP 4150a Omnibooks laying around, and they couldn't boot the Xandros installer due to a BIOS bug (LindowsOS has the same problem, by the way.) Whereas the LindowsOS people took no interest in helping me solve the problem with my PAID copy, the Xandros folks solved the problem in time for this release. My relatively ancient laptops are now supported*.

        *except for sound, which no Linux distribution supports without the Open Sound System proprietary drivers.
    • Wtf is it with clicks? Why is a one click system better than a 9 click system? The more clicks you have the more options you're toggling and thus the greater configurability and power you have. The only way to get similar flexability out of a one click system is to put 200 buttons on one screen, and then you can't find anything. Sorry, clicking through a hierarchical decision tree is much better. Though a CLI is much better still.
  • My experience with the first release was not all that amazing, I found them to be trying to emulate windows xp, very shabbly.

    I also tried other distros and got a similar feel, for example Licoris in Lindows.

    On the otherhand I tried Mepis linux recently and I found that despite being newbie friendly (I'm a linux newbie so I can speak with authority here) it remains very polished and simple to use, without trying to exactly copy winxp and failing.
    • it's the trend now to be like windows. people use windows. that's a fact. people are probably more willing to buy something that mimics windows. we live in a windows world. face it.
    • My thoughts exactly. If you're going to go through the trouble of making Linux look just like Windows, why not just use Windows?

      We should not repeat the mistakes that others have made. If we follow that rule, it is logical to think that Linux should have window managers and desktops the do NOT look exactly like Windows, right down to the parts of the interface that should be discarded.
      • Making it look like Windows is quite different from running Windows. We're talking about gui versus the engine running in the background.

        Making it look like Windows, you make it easier for Windows people to transition while losing the vulnerability and license restrictions of Microsoft world.

        Besides, what's really bad about the Windows gui interface?
      • If you're going to go through the trouble of making Linux look just like Windows, why not just use Windows?

        Viruses?

    • Don't click the link in the sig (Score:5, Informative)

      by parkanoid ( 573952 ) on Tuesday December 16, 2003 @07:37PM (#7740911)
      Watch out, goatse in an animated GIF (check the mimetype before modding ME troll like it happened last time).
    • I too am very happy with Mepis Linux. The only annoyance with it that I've run across is that it seems like the ATI Radeon drivers (for their more recent cards, like the 9700 and 9800) fail to work. I know it's challenging to make them work on a standard Debian install, let alone one with a customized kernel.

  • For their own sake, I do hope that... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 16, 2003 @05:56PM (#7740087)
    ...I do hope that they do a bit of *marketing* for their product, I mean I hope they try to get people to know they exist. Crap, it always blew me away that so many companies put out a Linux distro, do absolutely zero marketing and then wonder why they can't sell their product or even get people to acknowledge they exist.

    Do they even show up to their local LUG? That would be a start...
    • One day at your local LUG:

      "We have this new version of Linux. It's based on Debian with KDE..... and it works just like Windows! Now you can have Windows without Microsoft!"
      "Why would we want Windows?"

      Most avid Linux users don't want a Linux that's just like windows, they want Linux. The point of this distro is to pull in people who like windows, but wanna try linux.
      • "Most avid Linux users don't want a Linux that's just like windows, they want Linux. The point of this distro is to pull in people who like windows, but wanna try linux."

        You're assuming that LUGs only have "avid" Linux users. They might have a lot of newbies who aren't looking for the hardcore Linux experience. These people might just be interested in alternatives, and if something slick is available, they might give it a try.

        The only way I could see the analogy of "Window without Microsoft" being reas

  • new lindows soon? (Score:3, Informative)

    by jest3r ( 458429 ) on Tuesday December 16, 2003 @05:56PM (#7740088)
    I guess this means a new version of Lindows soon since the current iteration of Lindows is based off of Xandros 1.0

  • ultimately this distro will have to stand the test of linux users -- is it usable, or just a pain in my ass to fix broken shit?

    anyone used it?

    is the installer just like Debian's?

    • Re:ultimately (Score:5, Informative)

      by yamcha666 ( 519244 ) on Tuesday December 16, 2003 @06:31PM (#7740427)

      Since the beta-period is over, I can say that I was a beta tester for Xandros 2.0, so I've had some first-hand experience with 2.0 already.

      Is it usable? Very much so. I can't think of very many distro's, including Debian itself, that allow me to plug in a USB stick and instantly get a file manager window ala Windows XP.

      In terms of fixing broken parts, if you can work your way around Debian, Xandros is very similar to the guts of Debian. You can use apt-get if you want to repair or upgrade the OS's packages or you can use Xandros Networks which is a front-end to apt-get but without all the geeky command-line extras. Pretty much everything is still in the same place. They still use the standard *NIX file system keeping the config files in /etc, keeping the binaries in /bin or /usr/bin. So all the geek stuff is still there. Xandros just puts a nice streamlined GUI on top of it all.

      But thats enough geeking. Xandros is really for those who want to switch from Windows to an alternative OS. I've showed friends Xandros 2.0 Beta and they were pretty amazed. These are people who are e-mail checkers and Yahoo! fans. They all asked me to help get them a copy of Xandros 2.0. It's GUI is easy to follow, everything in the menu is in an organized easy to find place (cept some geeky tools), and their Xandros File Manager is brilliant.

      Oh yea, and the installer is not like Debian. If I recall correctly, Debian has a text-based installer that is for geek-eyes only, right? Xandros gives the user a fully-graphical installer that requires them to click the mouse about four times, five tops, wait 10-15minutes, and they've got a fully working Debian-based distro running on their computer. No bells, no whistles. It just works - the installer that is.

      So really, was it Xandros Inc's aim to please Linux users or to please Windows-converters and businesses looking to cut costs? As a Linux user, I am pleased at the simplicity of the GUI and the programs. I personally don't care about the latest or greatest - I'm similar to other computer users - I just want it to work. And Xandros 2.0 just works.

    • Re:ultimately (Score:3, Insightful)

      by Hatta ( 162192 )
      Windows would fail that test badly. When something breaks in windows, it's so opaque generally the only recourse is to reinstall the entire system. With linux there are man pages, the -h flag, and config files to grep through. Programs actually give you meaningful error messages in linux, and the OS actually keeps a log of what it's doing. None of these things are available in windows, consequently I find windows a lot harder to use than linux.

  • more info from distrowatch (Score:5, Informative)

    by Janek Kozicki ( 722688 ) on Tuesday December 16, 2003 @05:58PM (#7740110) Journal
    here [distrowatch.com] you can check what packges, and in what versions are used in Xandros.

    here [xandros.com] are their forums.

    and here [xandros.com] are updates. Unfortunately you cannot [distrowatch.com] download Xandros for free.

  • Hrmm ? (Score:2, Interesting)

    by phoxix ( 161744 )
    Isn't Xandros the company that took all the "Help --> About" dialog boxes of KDE apps, and replace the author's names with their own?

    If this is true, then I'm rather disgusted.

    Sunny Dubey

    • Re:Hrmm ? (Score:2, Funny)

      by oddfox ( 685475 )

      IIRC, that's Red Hat.

    • No. (Score:4, Informative)

      by sethadam1 ( 530629 ) * <ascheinberg@gmai ... inus threevowels> on Tuesday December 16, 2003 @06:52PM (#7740583) Homepage
      No, you're thinking of Lindows. And it's not nearly as bad as you think - they didn't replace the authors' names. All they did is rebrand some of the apps, like gaim became 'Lindows Messenger' if I recall (incidentally, they contribute to the gaim project financially) and OpenOffice.org and some Koffice pieces became Lindows Office (just like Lycoris did). The authors' names are all there - although they may have added some of their own names, which is really ok if they've changed the code at all.

      I'm not defending it, I'm just saying, it's not as bad as people make it out to be.
    • No joke

      Clearly I was wrong about this, and I for one don't wish to slander someone's name for no reason.

      Sunny Dubey

  • X2 is a huge improvement (Score:3, Informative)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 16, 2003 @05:59PM (#7740123)
    As a Xandros user for over a year, and a beta tester for this release, I am highly impressed with what Xandros has done to make Linux installation and use both simple and easy for the average computer user.

    If you have someone who you want to introduce Linux to, this distro is *it*. Gone are the days of 'Drake being the "newbie distro". I have installed Xandros on computers for people who can't even "cut and paste" without help, and gone for weeks and months without having a phone call from them for tech support. Really, its that easy. It's not for power users, it's the Linux distro that your grandmother can use.

    Tear this post up, script kiddies, but I'm right about this...

    • What's wrong with Mandrake? (Score:4, Insightful)

      by biendamon ( 723952 ) on Tuesday December 16, 2003 @07:52PM (#7741015)
      If there's one thing I would like to see change in the Linux user community, it's the attitude we all sometimes display concerning our favorite distributions. We all have our reasons for using the distributions that we use, and there's no need for us to rip on the choices of others. Mandrake is still a perfectly good "newbie distro," and one of the things I really like about it is that it has also matured way past being just for newbies. I find Mandrake, even with the recent cd-rom debacle, to be a highly usable, very powerful, and really stable OS now, with all the developer tools I like at my fingertips, too. This in no way detracts from Xandros, Red Hat, Slackware, Debian, Gentoo, LindowsOS, SuSE, or any other distro's quality. When I mention an OS I like, I try to do so without dissing an OS that I choose not to use. I don't always succeed, but it would be nice to see others at least put forth similar effort.

  • Where's the source? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by stoolpigeon ( 454276 ) <bittercode@gmail> on Tuesday December 16, 2003 @06:00PM (#7740127) Homepage Journal
    I'm not trying to troll or be a pain - just trying to understand

    I was under the impression that if you created stuff with GPL software you have to make the source available.

    I looked at the site- they explain that some parts of xandros are GPL and some are not. But I could not find anywhere that explained what you need to do to get copies of the code for the parts that are under the GPL.

    Am I wrong in thinking that this is required?

    • They only have to provide the source to you if they give you binaries. The GPL doesn't state that if I make changes to the source I must give the source to everybody. It states that if I make changes to the source and give it to anybody, I must be give _them_ the source, and all the rights of the GPL.
      • So if someone buys this - they have a right to the source. And they can redistribute the GPL code without restrictions (other than the GPL)?

        • Minus any of their copywrited material. Truthfully I fail to see the need when you can get the same thing straight from debian without worry of having to remove such stuff. I am sure the valuable part of the os is their own closed source stuff, which is yet another reason to avoid them if you are a Free Software Zealot.

    • Re:Where's the source? (Score:3, Informative)

      by farnz ( 625056 )
      You have to give the source, or a written offer, valid for at least three years, to provide the source at no more than the cost of media, shipping and handling, to anyone you give a binary to.

      Therefore, if the retail version comes with source, they're clear. If it comes with an appropriate written offer (e.g. source available for $10 S&H from this address, $30 if shipping outside the USA), they're clear. If it comes without source, and without an offer, they're not clear.

    • Here - (Score:5, Informative)

      by Burz ( 138833 ) on Tuesday December 16, 2003 @06:12PM (#7740258) Homepage Journal
      Xandros source link [xandros.org]
    • For that matter, their site claims to offer a 30 day free trial for download, but I couldn't find anything other than a passing reference to that, on their web or ftp site.

      Granted, they have crossover office going and some other commercialized apps, so they rightfully should be able to charge for their product, but if they advertise a trial let me check it out. I can tell you right now, even for $30 I won't even give it a look.
    • They only need to allow access to the source to those people they gave binaries. So unless you bought it that does not include you.

      OTH people who bought it, and thus have such, can redistrobute it. BUT only those parts/programmes that are under the GPL, there is some non gpl (and the like) stuff in there afai can tell.

      So if they did, they should be careful to strip out the xandros apps, which would be pointless since you just removed what made it xandros.
    • You only have to give source to the people who you distribute your software to. Since Xandros only distributes their software to paying customers, they only need to distribute the source to paying customers. Of course, said customers can exercize their GPL right to make copies of the source and give that to others.

    • I was under the impression that if you created stuff with GPL software you have to make the source available... Am I wrong in thinking that this is required?

      Yes, you are wrong. Stuff you created "with GPL software" is not required to be licensed under the GPL. Only derivative works that you distribute are required to be licensed under the GPL.

      For example you could write an application with Emacs, compile it with GCC, debug it with GDB, and sell it bundled with the same CD as Linux, and not give your

  • I don't know about the software (Score:5, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 16, 2003 @06:01PM (#7740136)
    but that hottie smiling at me is looking pretty good...yummy. Is she included in the retail version? :)

  • Who would install linux just to make it look like windows? I for one thought it was to get away from that.

  • Xandros or Mandrake? (Score:4, Interesting)

    by rmm4pi8 ( 680224 ) <rmiller@@@reasonablereflection...net> on Tuesday December 16, 2003 @06:04PM (#7740166) Homepage
    I'm currently a Mandrake 9.2 user, solidly wedded to KDE, and trying to decide what to upgrade my mother to from Win98. She needs crossover, for sure, but I'm not sure if I should stick with what I know and love ('drake) and just add crossover for her or whether something more integrated like Xandros would be appropriate.

    Does it just boil down to whether I want debian or redhat compatibility? (I cant say i'm at all dissatisfied with urpmi, so apt-get isnt all that exciting). Any thoughts?
    • If your mother is anything like mine, you will be her tech support. What would you rather support? If I were going to saddle my mother with a Linux distrobution I would go for the one that I'm using (unless it's something hidiously newby-unfreidnly). At least I only have to worry about the design choices made by one team.
    • In my (very limited) experience, Xandros and Lindows aren't worth going for if you're going to set the PC up and you already know Mandrake.

      Install Mandrake, carefully tailor it to her needs (so remove all apps that she won't need, add ones she will, clean up the menus, the desktop & the panel appropriately), clean up some of the KDE/GNOME toolbars and menus so they don't confuse her (or install KDE 3.2 beta2 ;P) and install WINE. There, you have something that is probably better than Xandros and Lindow
    • I'm currently a Mandrake 9.2 user, solidly wedded to KDE, and trying to decide what to upgrade my mother to from Win98. She needs crossover, for sure, but I'm not sure if I should ... just add crossover for her or whether something more integrated like Xandros would be appropriate. ...
      Any thoughts?

      SuSE 9.0. It's got the crossover stuff too, but afaics in an extra addon package ( http://www.suse.com/us/private/products/suse_linu x /winerack/index.html ). Blindly I'd choose SuSE Pro over any other distro.
      If
      • SuSE 9.0

        I guess you're a SuSE guy eh? I was going to buy it but I noticed it ships with Gnome 2.2... Is there a SuSE online update that will quickly bring it to Gnome 2.4? I upgraded RedHat 9 from Gnome 2.2 to Gnome 2.4 and it wasn't pretty. Lots of rpm problems and what not. I ended up scrapping it and installing Fedora Core 1.

        I downloaded the SuSE 9 FTP ISO image but couldn't get it to install. It never gets past the point of asking me what FTP server to use.
    • ssh -l root xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx
      urpmi win32-codecs

      Doh! Its Debian. Helping her find her way around the same disto your using would probably be a lot easier. And not to be preachy (I do a lot of bad things, I'm no preacher) but the fact that Mandrake doesn't only make their distibution available for free, but their software and improvements are free [linux-mandrake.com] too. That really rules.

  • Annoyances (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Goyuix ( 698012 ) on Tuesday December 16, 2003 @06:08PM (#7740204) Homepage
    As of version 1.1 Xandros didn't support (claimed it wouldn't even install) on a system that was multi-processor, or even on a newer P4 system with Hyperthreading enabled. Any ideas if these issues are addressed in version 2.0?

    I can't see a good reason for not having something like that working at this stage in the game.
  • Easy to use and Debian based? Why would anyone use this when there's a free distro called Mepis [mepis.org] that appears to do all of this already?

  • Just like Windows (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Cynical Troll ( 720396 ) on Tuesday December 16, 2003 @06:08PM (#7740217)
    The reason I switched to Linux was to avoid dialog boxes written for 5 year olds telling me that I needed to click the obviously-marked buttons below to select the obvious choices. Maybe this is a great solution for home users who love to be coddled by their operating system, but is it really going to be popular in the Linux community? It even looks just like Windows, and frankly there are far better user interfaces to copy. The last straw though is calling root access administrator access. I hope to god they haven't changed the root login to "Administrator". That's one thing I really don't miss typing.
  • ...back when it was Corel Linux and free. I used 1.0 and didn't see that they'd bothered to change anything aside from updating some of the packages. Version 2 doesn't look like they've made any more major changes. I may as well just install my old ass copy of Corel Linux and run apt-get update on it.
    • On the contrary, Xandros 2.0 is using KDE3 now... which is a big improvement. Newer version of crossover office, mozilla, XFree86, then the Xandros app integration into it with Xandros File Manager. Xandros Networks has been greatly improved so it works better, is faster, etc.
  • Old kernel (with serious bug), old Mozilla, last stable XFree86 (still better than in Debian, they use 4.2.1).

    Where can I see detailed list of packages in that distro?
  • Cool CD burning is integrated into the Xandros File manager

    All well and good, but have they paid royalties on this [slashdot.org] patent (5,666,531, owned by Optima)?

    It would seem a pity to have the gestapo show up at Xandros' HQ simply for failing to pay off the right people...

  • Begeebuz (Score:5, Insightful)

    by FreeLinux ( 555387 ) on Tuesday December 16, 2003 @06:33PM (#7740444)
    A new distro arrives (that's not free for download) and the users of every other distro on the planet show up to bash it. Get over it people. If you don't like Xandros and would rather run Woody or Gentoo then do so. There's no reason to bash Xandros over it.

    I too looked at the screen shots and I felt that Xandros has done a great job. The interface is clean, very clean. The menus are straight forward and uncluttered. The configuration utility has basic options up front and an advanced button to access all the less used config options that KDE offers. They made KDE better, addressing most of the issues of a recent OS News article on KDE, without dramatically changing KDE as Red Hat did with Blue Curve (irritating KDE users no end).

    Xandros makes adjusting the screen size as simple as sliding a bar, versus manually editing XFree86Config. Sounds like a geat idea to me. They offer drag and drop cd burning versus the command line joys of cdda2wav cdparanoia cdrecord. Sounds great to me.

    I see no reason whatsoever to bash Xandros over this release. It doesn't matter that you don't like its Windowsish looks. Do you really intend to stick Mom with a copy of Gentoo? I bet she'd rather the Windowsish look, at least at first. That is unless she's used a Mac and if she has, she ain't gonna think much about Gentoo/Slack/Debian/Mandrake/Xandros or what ever distro YOU think is the cat's pajamas.

  • All I saw was one screesnhot.

    "Look here honey. The sign says we have cars. It should say 'We have car.'" -- Steve Martin
  • First of all, I like gentoo. It suits me fine. However I'm a techie.

    For the rest of the world, computers need to be simple to use. GUIs and friendly interfaces are a help.

    Gentoo has a valid role to play. So does Xandros.

    To counter some of the criticisms placed on this site:

    It is called Xandros Desktop, not Xandros Server, so no, your SMP machine isn't in the target market. Get over it and find a better suited distro. Even if it did support SMP and P4 hyperthreading, you would have moved on to s

  • Personally I think if your going to be buying a proprietry OS that runs on your current machine why not just stick with Windows XP? Besides ease of use relative to other Truly Free Linux distros the main feature all of these proprietary OS's proclaim is that you can run your Windows apps. Why not stick to the OS that runs all of your apps with zero fuss? Where is the benefit? It's not like XP with proper updates can't be stable and secure.

    The main advantage of Linux besides a few technical advantages is th

  • What Xandros Has... (Score:2, Interesting)

    by Eamon C ( 575973 )
    What Xandros has that other Linux distros lack is my favorite feature in OSX 10.3 and WinXP -- fast user switching. Am I the only Linux user who lives in a house with more people than computers? Sure, it's possible to start X as a different user on a different display, but it's not the kind of thing you can expect a non-zealot to be comfortable with.

    I've been trying to figure out the best way to introduce polished fast user switching into Linux, and the best way I can think to do it is at the display manag
  • Another very sleek distro, based on solid technology and polished to look great for the average user as well.
    Plus it seems to pack everything you need to get going. Good work!

    One gripe, though. Why, oh why do you keep copying the MS "start button/bar" look and functionality? Please get someone who knows about UI design on board and kill it. It is the worst-ever design in that category.

    Look at NeXT, or MacOS - those are people who knew what they were doing.

    Please copy the best, not the worst. You've done

  • innovation (Score:2, Interesting)

    by kalayl ( 604800 )
    This might sound a lot like a rant, and might be one, but why is it that we're seeing yet another desktop employing the same old tired taskbar metaphor and the same old tired windowing system.

    Surely the open source community have the brawn to pull together a talented crew of innovators that can push the envelope in terms of desktop systems, and come up with something that breaks the mold, is not an entirely academic excersize, and has commercial/desktop applicability and (most importantly) usability.

    IMH

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