Another Xandros 2.0 Deluxe Review

JimLynch writes in about his review: "If we had to define Xandros 2.0 with one word, we'd pick 'usable.' This time around, the folks at Xandros have refined their product significantly and come up with something that makes Linux quite comfortable and easy to use, even if you're a total newbie to the OS. Obviously the Gentoo crowd won't be interested in this distro, but Windows users who haven't used Linux before or have had bad experiences with other distros will particularly enjoy this release. The time to begin the desktop migration to Linux might very well have arrived with Xandros 2.0." An earlier review was also favorable.

Comments

Re:Let's get this straight.

[Anonymous Coward]

Have you even tried Xandros 2? I have, on my laptop. All the stuff you're going on about worked fine. It took me all of 2 minutes to configure my Winmodem dialup account. First time ever a distro configured a winmodem for me. Flat out, everything worked well. Crossover Office configured Forte Agent in no time. Newsbin Pro even worked. (It never did for me before) I configured a Windows printer in less time that it takes me in SuSE 9. This product is GOOD! Samba worked out of the box. I could share files both ways on a windows network.

Best Desktop Linux Released To Date

[reallocate]

I've been using Xandros Desltop 2.0 for a few weeks, coming to it after several years with a number of other distributions.

It is, indeed, a slick piece of work. Installed as advertised. Detected and offered the correct drivers for all of my periperals, including my printer. Saved me the trouble of chasing down and installing some Mozilla plugins. Crossover works as advertised. The tweaks to KDE are well done and present a professional image.

The standard install does not deposit the usual retinue of servers and development tools on your drive (most are available on the 2nd CD or via download). That makes sense for the market Xandros is targetting. (Makes sense for me, too. On my home desktop box, I don't need 'em.)

If Xandros targeted the geek market, included the usual geek software, rewrote their manual, and changed their advertising to downplay the Windows thing, this distribution would be seen by geeks as the best desktop Linux released to date. Most geeks won't look at it that way, but they'll be wrong.

Linux Is not ready for Desktop

[9812713]

I have read the review, and all the other ones that are floating around on the net, and yes, beside Knoppix (www.knoppix.net) Xandros is stepping in the right direction to complete the bridge for Home Linux users. Not to say Xandros doesn't have flaws (Slow Loading, No 2.6 Kernel, And it didnt get all my hardware). Then again Windows Xp didn't get all my hardware either. Either case, they have pretty much made a seamless gap for people looking try linux, and have the ability of dual booting. One of the features I enjoyed was their File Browers. It has been re-written to make it appear as tho you are in Windows, and don't have the evil Linux (*nx) file system Structure. Flaws with it: * Any game you play with a game pad - Need to download, and install modules. * Sometime when accessing your CDRom, it will say it doesn't exist, and has an error about mounting /var/.../../.. ? * Slow booting, and Shutdown * I have to manually force it to use ACPI 4 Not ACPI 3, 2,1 or APM 4,3,2,1 .. Why all the choices? * Xandros Networks has a button called "Update All" don't seem to work, or at least the 4 time I tried it. * And last but not least, Not a aXandros Only problem, some windows games will not work under WineX. Final Comment: -> Very stable, Using RiserFS works flawlessly, and you get one of everything.. (Browers, text editor, chat program)

From a Xandros User

[heironymouscoward]

Started with Xandros/1.0 a while back. Nice simple package, installs all by itself, but a little dusty around the edges. But hey, it brought a number of old PCs back to life as simple browser/email/Office boxes, no hassle.

Chucked Xandros/2.0 deluxe onto a box (from which I'm typing this). My main machine, now. The switch from a W2K notebook was remarkably easy. I did use CrossoverOffice to install MSIE because we need this to test some applications. But most everything else has gone the native Linux way.

Xandros' good points: Debian, the file manager, seamless integration with Windows networks, good selection of packages, clean and dry user interface (compared to the 'how much more can we add' horrors of Lindows 4.5). Everything a 'normal' user needs within easy reach, and very little poking under the hood to make it all work. The file manager is especially lovely, though I suspect a large part of that comes from Konqueror. Double-click on _anything_ and something useful happens. Archives magically uncompress, ISO images magically get burnt to CD, Windows executables run immediately (assuming CrossoverOffice is there), RPMs get launched in the Xandros installer. It "just works", and that's the greatest compliment I can give any software.

Xandros' weak point is the lack of some useful packages in the standard sources. To burn DVDs for instance I needed to install K3b and a number of auxilliary tools myself, some from source, some from RPMs and other packages. But then exploring and installing one's own packages from source is part of the fun of getting the system you want.

Linux is an operating system with depth (as are most Unix systems). Xandros wraps this up so nicely that you almost get that Windows experience. But when you open the wrapping, there is solid metal underneath, and it feels good.

I forgot how limiting Windows was, how many comprimises there are in the platform, and to tell the truth after a decade of using mainly Windows, I was a little scared to jump to a Linux distro. Xandros made this move easy, so easy that I did not once think 'Oh, forget it'.

Re:Changeover time?

[no longer myself]

Running win32 apps under Linux is one of those areas where YMMVS (Your Mileage May Vary Significantly). The compatibility layer known as Wine works differently from distro to distro, and from win32 app to win32 app. You even have different versions of Wine that support certain sets of apps, and other that don't. Wine(x) is far from perfect, so don't go in expecting it to be a deus ex machina. Unless you're trying to port your game collection over, Linux really does have just about all the apps you need natively. You'd be surprised at how nicely the "important" stuff runs. I *highly* recommend getting a second PC ($200 at Walmart) and resolving to try Linux for a solid 6 months before making any real judgements. If you think you know all about Linux because you tried it for a few weeks, and you just don't like the way it feels, then you really don't know what you're talking about. It's not Windows, and we all know it.

I myself still use a few old win32 apps out of sheer complacency, but they don't run flawlessly, and switching to Linux is definitely an uphill battle. Unless you already have a bunch of geeky Linux friends, you can probably expect not to make any either... But Linux has it's own rewards for those who stick with it.

You'll just have to find out for yourself. Good luck, and may Linus be with you! ;-)