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Linspire Announces Freespire Distribution
LinuxScribe writes "Is the world ready for another community Linux distro a là Fedora and openSUSE? We're about to find out, as Linspire used the Desktop Linux Summit to announce a community-driven version of Linspire, to be called Freespire. But here's the twist, Freespire will come in two flavors: a completely open source version and a version that includes all of the fully-licensed proprietary apps, drivers, and codecs in Linspire."
You mixed that up, man. There's an accent on 'a' and not on 'la'. It's "à la". Yes, I'm a Foreign Language nazi.
Do, do not, or delegate to someone else: there is no try.
They should call them Beerspire and Speechspire.
The days of the digital watch are numbered.
Linspire, in contrast, is rather staid and unadventurous. One questions whether a "bleeding edge" is even required for that distro.
So what is the purpose of "Freespire"?
Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
And before anyone says anything about CNR (click and run), I will point you to klik - free open and wonderful, and not tied to any distro.
Enough said.
Let's not forget what we're dealing with here. This is a company with a known history of pulling whatever attention getting stunt it can, including starting with a name of "Lindows" that got shot down by MS. All along, their goal has been simple: try to find a buck out of distributing open source software, including making their "Click and Run" store of mostly freely available apps.
This is about as newsworthy as a paid-software vendor announcing a free trial edition that replaces all the "good stuff" with reminders to buy the full version.
Looks like Linspire is planning on giving away the razor and trying to sell the blades for $20 a year.
On the other hand, at least the "creating a user account so you don't run everyhing as root" step isn't optional in Freespire. This "new" distribution is something that might be a good first step for newbie Linux users that want certain features (DVD/MP3 playback) immediately after install.
I think I'll be the first to say that I like this idea.
Well, I don't actually... I just thought it would be cool to be the first to say that.
-Advs89
Rirelobql xabjf gung EBG-13 vf gur yrnfg frpher rapelcgvba rire, ohg jbhyq lbh jnfgr lbhe gvzr npghnyyl qrpelcgvat vg???
The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.
Plan 9 offers a completely usable, modern desktop. So there is no need for Linspire.
Lindows -> Linspire -> Freespire
So, if they hadn't been forced to change, would this new distro be called Freedows? The mascot could have been the Freedow Bandido!
Ceci n'est pas un post.
Freespire will come in two flavors: a completely open source version and a version that includes all of the fully-licensed proprietary apps, drivers, and codecs in Linspire
Well, maybe, but they're hardly the first to do that: Mandriva (Mandrake) has been doing it for a long time, with the commercial version including extra drivers as well as applications. Probably others have too.
What makes a community effort stand or fall is how well the outside people are integrated, and how much voice they have.
One reason I the distribution I do is that it attracts both seasoned programmers and newcomers, and there's a good chance I can show my laptop to people and say, here, this is what it's like, you can use the same as me. It's not clear that I'll be doing that with Linspire, nor that a community-based version that's not as good will in fact help me. Who will it help?
Live barefoot!
free engravings/woodcuts
Too little too late. Linspire sees Ubuntu becoming the popular girl at school so now she'll sleep with anyone for free.
Freespire: A Linux Distro For When You Couldn't Care Less About Freedom (http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20060424 164142296)
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Stefano Spinucci
> Personally, I've wondered when I'd be able to use a both free and legal DVD player in the US.
Exactly. While all the FSF absolutists will flame away I say it is about darned time. Of course I wouldn't switch distros JUST for the DVD player or any of the other closed bits, but if I could buy em and run them on my preferred distro I'd get a P.O. to em.
You see, it is only by being willing to compromise (the minimum I can get away with) on the Free principles have I been able to deploy a linux based desktop into a public library setting. Just one example, we use Crossover Office to get IE running. IE isn't negotiable, the only question is Crossover, VMWare or which other method I was going to use to get it running. Too many sites just don't work any other way. For example, assume I'd brazened my way past all the other objections and deployed without IE. Last year wne the Katrina refugees flooded in and discovered they couldn't file an application with FEMA from our labs I'd have been tasked with getting XP installed on am post haste. Especially when Rita hit us directly, making it OUR patrons that we wouln't have been able to help get disaster assistance.
We don't have much of a need to play video DVDs thankfully, but it doesn't go down all that well when I explain that it would be illegal to do it. People just can't believe it and I really don't have the time to explain the complicated legal probems involved. At home I use libdecss and say "screw em if they don't like it." Hell, I have even mentioned it in protest letters to elected officials. But I won't deploy it at work, the legal liability is just too great. This isn't a problem Free Software can solve. We already HAVE the code but there isn't any path to lagalizing it. Same for Windows Media, Real, etc.
Democrat delenda est
I so wish this had gone to trial, especially since the appeals court ruled that the jury would get to decide if "windows" was a generic term back when Microsoft first started using it. Killing the Windows trademark would be lots of fun.
:-)
Not that I'd want to see "Macrohard Windows", "Slack Windows", "Brown Dog Windows", "iWindows", "eWindows", "Turbo Windows", "IBM Windows", "Debian GNU/Windows", "Windows for Playgroups", "WindowsBSD", "ClearWindows", "Sunny Windows"...
Aw, yes I would.
The indications are that they have thought this through quite thoroughly. The initial announcement and the web site are quite well done, I think. Considering it is still four months until the first beta, they have a good FAQ (here) which is worth a read. I intend to at least give it a try when the time comes.
French is a foreign language in Germany, too!
They're announcing a Linux distribution that won't be available for download in BETA for another 4 months?
Well if this project gets really COLD, it'll be FREEZEpire.
If it gets really HOT, it'll be FreesPYRE.
If it sucks the life from other distros, it'll be VAMpire.
If it flat-out dies off, it'll EXpire.
If it continues to live, it'll REspire.
If it has a kernel panic, it might PERspire.
If it woos it's intended audience, then may it TRANCEpire
But, hopefully, it'll be really NEAT, and good things will TRANSpire...
(C) David Syes, 2006-04-24 2025
Previously: "Linux... Toward the Sunrise..." Now: "Linux... Toward the-- No, now, part of Every Sunrise"