Xandros Desktop OS 3 Deluxe Edition Reviewed

JimLynch writes "The new Xandros is out and we've got a review up on ExtremeTech. With the exception of some burps with our wireless card, we had a great time with this distro. Highly recommended if you're in the market for a replacement for Windows."

Comments

Previous versions

[euxneks]

Previous versions of Xandros (2.0 specifically) are extremely stable and solid for me. The forums were always helpful to a complete n00b, and I'm proud to say I've been Windows-free since I've installed Xandros 2.0.

Prices .

[qualico]

1. Xandros Desktop OS Version 2.5 - Business Edition $ 118.00
2. Xandros Desktop OS version 2.5 Deluxe $ 87.00
3. Xandros Open Circulation Editon CD $ 4.99
4. Xandros Desktop version 2 - Standard Edition $ 36.00
5. Xandros Desktop OS Version 3 Deluxe - NNTP CD $ FREE

Re:Prices .

[Herr_Nightingale]

NNTP == usenet
NNTP means "no need to pay"

Comparison with Windows

[Dorsai65]

I find it telling that a Linux distro compares installation and configuration against the ease of Windows. Don't get me wrong (I run Suse 9), but I think this is an example of how far Linux has to go.

What most *nix folks don't seem to appreciate is that the vast majority of computer users are just that: users. They don't care what's happening inside the machine or anything else; they just want to DO stuff. Making apps easy to (un)install, without having to worry about dependencies and all that, and making the system easy to configure, is probably THE thing that Windows does that keeps Linux from being a contender.

Looks to me like Xandros is meeting that need. I'll be checking it out and if its as easy as the article says (yes, I did actually read it), I'll be trying to get folks I know started with it.

Re:Comparison with Windows

[donscarletti]

What many people who make similar comments to this don't realise that many computer users are hackers and use computers for their hobby and/or their job. If linux ever fails to accomidate them, not only will it loose its core user base, but its volenteer development will grind to a halt and it will pretty much cease to exist.

Linux's universal adoption would be cool, however for it to do so, it must first and formost win geeks over though performance, flexibility and general coolness if it is ever going to stand a chance of becoming intuitive enough for the new user.

Re:Comparison with Windows

[ErichTheWebGuy]

nothing is as easy for the joe-six-pack user as installing software in YaST

Sorry, I have to retract that statement. I have forgotten how easy it is to install software using Internet Explorer and visiting the wrong website... So, my bad.

Re:Comparison with Windows

[danamania]

What many people who make similar comments to this don't realise that many computer users are hackers and use computers for their hobby and/or their job. If linux ever fails to accomidate them, not only will it loose its core user base, but its volenteer development will grind to a halt and it will pretty much cease to exist.

I think Linux will stay able to accomodate the geeks among us. That's where the leading edge of development is, really.

It helps to think of Linux not in terms of "Linux" in the same way that MS has "Windows" and Apple has "Mac OS X". There isn't really one Linux. If the people who want an easy to use, simple distro that any Average Joe off the street could operate because Average Joes need an operating system too, that's not going to detract from the latest Debian, Gentoo or Slachware releases.

Apple get criticism sometimes for 'dumbing down' Unix to make OS X for example; perhaps that's a valid observation as effort put into the GUI of OSX could have been put into geekier parts of the OS if Apple redirected their labor pool. It's not so with "Linux" as what the Xandros team do is pretty much independent of Gentoo, say.

So yeah - all that my rant has said basically is... don't fear for the geeky versions of linux. geeks will still keep making those, and others will make a linux for n00bs, that's the beauty of free/open source here :).

Re:Comparison with Windows

[JimLynch]

The Xandros folks told me in email that they chopped GIMP off the main CD because of size constraints. It's still there but just on the applications CD. So no biggie but I just always think of GIMP as being a natural part of my Linux desktop.

Re:Comparison with Windows

[Dorsai65]

What many people who make similar comments to this don't realise that many computer users are hackers and use computers for their hobby and/or their job.

So the secretary that types up letters for her boss is equivalent to a hacker?

Would you also say that all of those folks that made AOL all that money fall into the category of "hackers"? Or would you say they're more likely just a bunch of ordinary folks that couldn't care less what was going on inside the computer, and just wanted to use it, like they use their most everything else in their lives - to just get something done with it, without having to become a guru?

The Windows-like ease-of-use of Xandros makes it a good choice for the non-geek crowd to get away from Windows, thus giving them a solid, stable, secure OS while keeping things simple enough for them to be able to actually get things done with the computer - word processing, web surfing, and all the rest.

I wonder ...

[xdesk]

I can not stop wondering why none of the (many) recent Linux reviews are mentioning essential notebook features - like power management or the suspend/hibernate/resume ability ...

Re:Desktop is not usable until fonts are sharp

[talo]

I might be wrong, but I think that OS is not run by fonts. "Linux fonts are ugly, so I can't use it", yes well... You would like to have OS's that have a lot of eyecandy and pretty fonts, even if they don't work and still you would use one. I don't think that people use windows because of the pretty fonts and nice little icons it contains. I my self prefer, simple and readable fonts that I have found on my linux desktop. First when I read your comment, I thought that you are on guy from my work. Because he says that "linux has ugly fonts, it's shitty OS." But then on the other hand, he can't speak/write english very well. I hope that there are not too many of your kind :)

Personally, I run Linux because...

[ErichTheWebGuy]

... I *DO NOT* want a Windows replacement, I want something better. The Linux community needs to quit trying to make another Windows and focus on its core strengths as an alternative! I actually started out back in the days of RedHat 6 and have never looked back. I currently run SuSE 9.1 and can still not see why anyone would choose to run Windows if they know what else is out there.

I have converted several of my friends and family (with the exception of some designers that wanna use Dreamweaver for whatever reason). Those that I have converted have all said things like "wow, I just accepted that the Internet sucks like that [when using ie]" and "wow, my computer really is fast"

Re:Personally, I run Linux because...

[JimLynch]

Excellent point, that's one of the beauties of Linux. There are some distros that are quite easy to use and some that require more experience and/or provide the user with more control.

To each his/her own. That's one fo the things I love about Linux.

Valid question

[donscarletti]

The parent may be flamebait, but it is also a valid question. The only reason that I am aware that people ever were willing to pay for Xandros is because it is easy to use. Now Ubuntu is out and is not only a free download but is also a free CD while being just as easy to use as Xandros ever was, are people really going to seriously consider Xandros if they know about both?

Re:Desktop is not usable until fonts are sharp

[DrJimbo]

I run Linux on a laptop with a 1600x1200 15" LCD screen and a 1600x1200 21" external LCD monitor. I use the Bitstream Vera Fonts for almost everything. They are available here. They are as sharp as sharp can be. I've been using them for over a year and I am still thrilled by how crisp they make everything look. I do have anti-aliasing turned on to remove the jaggies but there is not even a hint of bluring.

Next problem?

Re:199.98 ? Are they high ?

[siliconjunkie]

Oh, I see where you're reading that it's $199.98 (here)...but that is with the hardware as well...

Xandros, the leading developer of easy-to-use Linux solutions, today announced that Wal-Mart.com is carrying a fully loaded Linux desktop computer with the pre-installed Xandros Desktop Operating System (OS) for only $199.98. Built by Microtel and available at Wal-Mart's online store,* the new desktop PC offers a complete suite of pre-installed software for home, school, and small office desktop use. Blah, blah blah (blahs added)

Corel Linux -- the original Xandros

[green pizza]

The original release of Xandros was Corel Linux. They spruced up a Debian-based distro with a custom configuration of KDE with a few extra utilitites and a nice set of custom icons. They even ported a few of the Windows apps. Corel Draw suite and Corel Word Perfect were both available for Corel Linux. WP was a native port, while Draw used WINE libraries, but was still an impressive piece of work.

Though it was unrelated, anyone remember the Corel Netwider?

Re:Mandrake 10.1 or Xandros for NEWBs?

[eclectro]

Which would be a better starting point for newbies? Mandrake 10.1 or Xandros OS 3 ???

Xandros without a doubt. This distro "just works" and doesn't have the issues that Mandrake has.

For one, take the floppy drive. Mandrake for one reason or another checks the floppy drive every thirty seconds if you have a floppy in it. This is very annoying. Suse won't even let you use the floppy without giving you a "protocol error." With Xandros the floppy "just works."

Also, Xandros can automount a pendrive, so you don't have to worry about damaging the pen drive by removing it while it is mounted (according to the pen-drives instruction manual anyway)

I am a noob to linux, as this post may show, but I am not a dummy. I consider myself technically literate. If I have problems, I know for sure my mother will.

The fact that Xandros "just works" in many areas and that there is a market for their product really does show that there is much work to be done.

Coders need to stop working on the MP3 player and start addressing usability up front and center.

But this has been said a thousand times, and the only one who is listening is Xandros.

Re:The main reason...

[NevermindPhreak]

youll probably get a slew of comments saying things like "it only took like four days of configging to get this one game running," when in reality a ton of games dont even support linux at all. theres always wine, but thats a bitch to configure everything too.

so, if you want both linux and windows, your only real option is to dual boot. simple solution, espically if you have two hard drives, and you can just use windows when you need it, and use linux whenever else you want.

Re:Meh

[JimLynch]

It's great that you like free distros but that doesn't mean that somebody else might not find Xandros or other distros worth paying for. To each his own, there's certainly no need to belittle companies that charge for their distributions. Nobody is being forced to buy them.

Re:Whats the point of Xandros

[JimLynch]

It's very similar to the wizard in Windows. Long overdue and should be a part of every linux distribution. VPN connections (without extra effort on the part of the user or the IT department) are basic networking functionality and should be a part of everybody's desktop.

VPN support

[Plug]

So, this version contains VPN support. PPTP? IPSEC? Cisco VPN concentrator? Can anyone give me any more details?

Is the VPN client open source?

Re:VPN support

[OldGreyTroll]

From: http://www.xandros.com/products/home/desktopdlx/ds k_dlx_whatsnew.html

PPTP VPN client
Whether you're using your work computer on the road or need to connect your home system to your company's network, accessing you're corporate virtual private network (VPN) is a requirement for many people. The new PPTP VPN client from Xandros makes accessing your corporate VPN easy.

Re:199.98 ? Are they high ?

[l3v1]

Read the freaking article, ~200 bucks is for a complete machine loaded with Xandros Linux Wal-Mart.com is carrying a fully loaded Linux desktop computer with the pre-installed Xandros Desktop Operating System (OS) for only $199.98

Again, RTFA, man.

Re:Linux is not ready for the desktop

[incal]

My family desktop machines happily run hacked versions of win2k sp4, with removed IE, litestep as the shell of choice, firefox/thunderbird and open office. I also have one slackware box working as 24h/7 router/proxy server/edonkey client.

We don't have any other uses for linux/unix machines - I run graphic/multimedia workshop, and need industry-strength applications like Photoshop/Illustrator/Premiere combo, my father is engineer and uses quite extensively AutoCAD, and my sister need just office suite/games/movies platform. Is linux ready for this? Don't think so.

Licence violation?

[northcat]

Just looking at the screenshots tell us that Xandros contains modified version of GPLed or other open source apps. Doesn't that mean that they should release the source code of their modification? I can't seem to find a link to download source code. (I know they have free version but does it offer the source code?) In fact, not just Xandros, most of these commercial distros don't release their modified source code. And Lindows (Linspire) didn't even have a free version until yesterday (metaphorically yesterday. don't bite me.).

Re:Licence violation?

[OldGreyTroll]

Looking in the Xandros FAQs I found: http://www.xandros.com/support/source_code.html

Source Code
Much of the software that comprises Xandros Desktop is Free or Open Source software. Many of the licenses that govern the redistribution this software require Xandros to make the source code for these components available to anyone who receives a copy of the product. You can access the source code for the Free and Open Source software components in Xandros Desktop in our FTP archive.

Re:Licence violation?

[adamfranco]

The fact of the matter is Xandros is NOT a fully open source OS

You may have a valid point with XFM (Xandros File Manager) which was basically an in-house re-write of KDE's file manager. This may or may not be open source. That's really the only thing that they have "aquired" or built that is question.

The big proprietary part that you get with Xandros is Crossover Office. Note that they don't own this and haven't "aquired" it. They just license it to provide it in their distro. You could also license it directly from Codeweavers and run it on Red Hat, but Xandros (rightfully, based on their success) figures that they'll get more happy customers just including it than requiring that people buy, download, and install it separately. By putting it in by default they can advertise the "Ability To Run Windows Programs" that some people might want. If you don't, don't but the Deluxe Edition. If you remove Crossover Office, a-la the "Open Circulation Edition" you are left with an open source (or at least freely distributable in the case of XFM) distro.

Xandros is a great distro

[HangingChad]

Xandros is the only OS this box has seen. Some minor problems here and there but overall it's the least frustrating transition distro I've tried.

It's not free but comes bundled with CrossOver, which is not a free app. And it works. It's amazing to run IE and Photoshop on this box.

If you're an uber geek Xandros isn't for you. I use it because it's easy and when I get home from the MSFT environment at work I don't want to fight with technology. I just want something that works without being a security freak show and that's Xandros.

Re:Xandros is a great distro

[adamfranco]

If you're an uber geek Xandros isn't for you.

I'm an uber geek and I take offense at that!

Ok, well, maybe I'm not uber in terms of the crowd around here, but I do write open source software for a living, made a linux digital picture frame, design my own parabolic WiFi dishes and manage 4 Linux servers (2 Debian, 1 Red Hat, 1 Suse) and a FreeBSD server. I'm not coding graphics applications in assembly just for the fun of it, but none-the less, I could run any distro I wanted without hitch.

Still, I run Xandros on my desktops. Why? Because it "just works". Its not quite OS X in that department, but its the closest thing I've seen on x86 (Maybe Win2k or WinXP is good in this respect, but I haven't tried either as I got out around the time of WinME). As much as I love computers and writing software and such, I despise spending 20 hours trying to get a piece of hardware working or configured. I do it, but I'm not a happy camper. I'm not saying that Xandros is perfect by any means, but like Knoppix most everything is working when you first boot it up.

The 100s of hours saved configuring hardware over the past year or so are definately worth $100. Its really just Debian with some nice add-ons. I've yet to find anything that I can do with Debian that I can't do with Xandros. Plus, I get the benefit of running Photoshop while waiting for the GIMP to become useful for MY needs.

Re:Desktop is not usable until fonts are sharp

[bloggins02]

Wait a minute... I have to DO something to get clear fonts? I don't have to do that with Windows.

That's the problem.

Where is Xandros open circulation 3?

[exeme]

Where the heck is the free Xandros Open Circulation 3 download? The downloads page only lists version 2 which is really out dated. http://www.xandros.com/products/home/desktopoc/dsk _oc_download.html

Re:Not to mention

[reallocate]

>> How the hell can you simply program a few interfaces for things like VPN take 10's of thousands of hours of someone elses work and charge the same as the Evil Empire?

Easy: You want to earn your living selling Linux.

>> Ubuntu is comparable...

Nope. Ubuntu is Gnome-centric. Xandros is KDE-centric. The Xandros install is simpler than the Ubuntu install. The retail version of Xandros includes a professional manual that explains how to use all of the major applications it includes. Ubuntu has no manual. Xandros looks more polished and professional out of the box.