First Look at Libranet Linux 3.0

SilentBob4 writes "Mad Penguin has published a comprehensive review of the latest Libranet release. New in this release are an improved installer and revamped/modernized AdminMenu that rivals Mandriva's MCC and SUSE's YaST. Aside from major desktop versions lagging behing a version or two, this release easily puts Libranet in the same league as Ubuntu, and the review has sparked some "Ubuntu vs. Libranet" arguements so far, one on the Libranet forum itself. Check it out for yourself. The review is complete with many screenshots as well as Flash movies of the AdminMenu & installer in action."

Comments

The BIG difference between Libranet & Ubuntu

[stefanlasiewski]

The BIG difference between Libranet & Ubuntu.

Libranet ships with vi(m), while Ubuntu ships with Emacs.

Speling

[Anonymous Coward]

and the review has sparked some "Ubuntu vs. Libranet" arguements so far

Nice.

Re:The BIG difference between Libranet & Ubunt

[Rylz]

IIRC, Ubuntu ships with vim as well as Emacs, but Emacs is in the GNOME menu by default while vim is not.

If It's In A Class With Ubuntu...

[TheWanderingHermit]

If it's in a class with Ubuntu, why pay something like $85 for Libranet before even trying it, when you can get Ubuntu for free, try it, and if you like it, then pay for it. (Or not pay for it -- as you decide.)

My experiences with both Ubuntu and Libranet

[yotto]

Ubuntu: I have installed Ubuntu multiple times and every time it installed with no issues, except once when I muddled around with the settings before letting it do its thing. It is the only distro I've found that sees my nic in my laptop with no effort on my part. I am extremely happy with it and plan on putting it on my main computer as soon as I can justify a new HDD.
Libranet: I saw that I had to pay for it and wondered why I should, when Ubuntu is so nice for free?

(Yes, I am going to be donating to Ubuntu in the very near future)

Re:My experiences with both Ubuntu and Libranet

[Anonymous Coward]

That's close to my attitude -- and I used to use Libranet.

I started with another distro, got it when I couldn't afford to pay for a distro. When I had the money, I bought a boxed set, even though I didn't install it -- I just felt it was a good product, and wanted to support it.

I'm using Mepis on some systems, but may switch to Ubuntu or straight Debian (I'm still evaluating). When I decide which one, I'll buy a box set, even if I don't need it, to support the distro (if it's Debian, I'll average the cost of the other distros and donate that much).

Libranet could get away with charging $70 for a copy when they were the only Debian based distro with easy install, but that's not the case anymore. When compared to free Mepis, Ubuntu, Knoppix, and Kanotix, the value per dollar for Libranet is pretty low.

I'll go with something I can try for a few weeks, then pay for (and yes, I do pay for it) before I'll go with upgrading to something I can't test that I have to pay for.

If I'm going to shell out that much for a distro I can't download for free, they sure as hell better provide me with something useful that makes it worth that extra money, and Libranet just doesn't have anything to offer that Ubuntu doesn't have for free.

Yes, it's 5 CDs, but if you have broadband and you're using Debian, that's just window dressing and not really worth paying for.

Now if they offered some kind of tech support that was above and beyond other distros, I'd consider it, but they don't.

The real difference

[MoogMan]

Libranet
========
New user $89.95
Existing Libranet users, seniors, disabled and students $64.95

Ubuntu
======
$00.00

Re:The real difference

[Anonymous Coward]

Add to that their problems wit technical support. Libranet itself does not provide technical support. The people who help are other users on their mailing list (and forum). Recently there was a situation where one person (who never helped anyone) on their tech support mailing list complained about comments in signatures on email from the people who answered almost all of the support questions. Libranet sided with the person who complained (and had never helped or answered a single question) and pissed off the people providing tech support. When that happened, most of the people who were helping everyone else left the list, leaving the remaining users to fend for their selves.

So if you want help for Libranet, don't count on getting it from them or the support mailing list Libranet's own people emasculated.

Re:The real difference

[Y_A_Hacker]

I guess it comes down to a question of value for your dollar. Can anyone tell me what Libranet offers that makes it worth $90 when you can get almost any other distro for free and, if you like it, pay after testing it?

Re:The real difference

[Phillup]

I haven't got the 3.0 version yet, but I will.

So, my answer covers version 2.8 which I paid for.

With that version, Libranet was by far the easiest way to install Debian on SATA drives, install RealPlayer, install Acrobat, install Java, install NVidia drivers and set up the sound system correctly.

Each of these things alone is not hard, they just take time. So, it really depends on the value of your time.

My bill rate easily justified the cost, based on the time I saved using Libranet to do the installs.

Since then, the Debian installer has gotten *much* better. So, at this point I could not justify buying 2.8.1.

But, if version 3 of Libranet will set up and install on Raid 1 drives, then I can. Because this is something I do often and it still isn't easy with Debian.

A lot will depend on how often you do the installs...

HTH

Re:The real difference

[Y_A_Hacker]

That also raises the question (or repeats it): What does it offer for $90 that you can't get for free from Ubuntu, Mepis, Knoppix, Kanotix, or other Debian based distros. As of now, there is no way I could justify paying for their earlier versions. With the easy setup of other Debian distros, I don't feel I could justify $90 for Libranet. It took me all of 20 minutes to get Java (including plugins for Firefox), Flash, mdadm (for raid), and nVidia drivers to work on two systems, when I installed them both at the same time, with MEPIS. Compare their $90 to the cost of any other distro. I just don't see how I could justify $90 for Libranet. $30 or $40 maybe, but not $90 when it really doesn't offer much more than Ubuntu or Mepis. One deciding factor for me was learning it was based on Ubuntu packages, since there are questions about how Ubuntu packages get along with Sarge packages.

I sure hope so.

[poofyhairguy82]

Aside from major desktop versions lagging behing a version or two, this release easily puts Libranet in the same league as Ubuntu,

I hope so, considering that Libranet uses Ubuntu packages.

Re:I sure hope so.

[l3v1]

I hope so, considering that Libranet uses Ubuntu packages.

You mean it also uses packages from Ubuntu, meaning there are some Ubuntu packages. Otherwise, Libranet is better with Debian, meaning it has absolutely no issues with the huge Debian pachage base.

Re:The BIG difference between Libranet & Ubunt

[Anonymous Coward]

Actually, the big difference between Libranet and Ubuntu is if this story were about Ubuntu, there'd be literally 300-500 comments about it because people care about the distro. But since it's about an overpriced distro that nobody wants to waste money on, 24 hours later, when I finally get to catch up on Slashdot, I find hardly any comments. So I guess the real difference is people want to know and care about Ubuntu, and at this point, they don't feel that way about Libranet because it's outlived its usefulness.

Installation?

[Anonymous Coward]

If you've ever installed Libranet, specifically the last release, you know that their installer is one of the best in the Debian world.I wish I could see it for myself but upon starting the install, I was instantly blinded.

One of their arguments

[Anonymous Coward]

For why Libranet is an "ubuntu-killer" and has Ubuntu beat "everywhere" is because they say their developers are paid, and therefore work harder and blah blah. This is BS. Ubuntu developers are also paid, and seeing as their boss is a multi-millionnaire who gave everyone at his last company $1,000,000 when he sold it, I'm guessing they're paid far better.

Re:One of their arguments

[Anonymous Coward]

And Libranet has a grand total of something like 2 employees, don't forget that.

How many do Ubuntu and Mepis have?

Plus there's that mess Libranet created by making a safe archive the f*cked up apt-get when you tried to install reall Debian packages.

It was good in its time, but now it's overpriced and put together by two people trying to make it look like they're doing more than larger distros that are free.