Review of New Xandros 4.1 Professional Linux

holden writes "OpenAddict has a review of the new Xandros 4.1 professional.Some of the big changes in professional include a newer kernel, AIGLX, and support for 3G wireless. One of the subtle, but still very important changes, is that Xandros has finally removed the registration requirement, and users can now access Xandros Networks without registering first. Techworld is one of many that is already looking at Xandros as a possible challenger to Windows Vista"

Comments

Re:Xandro 'Free Copy' Consists Of A 30 Trial Only?

[x2A]

You can distribute a disc that has GPL software along with non-GPL software on it. As long as you include the source for all the GPL software you're not necessarily breaking any GPL rules.

I am impressed

[bogaboga]

Techworld is one of many that is already looking at Xandros as a possible challenger to Windows Vista"

I am one of the very few slashdotters that have publicly said that Xandros, Freespire and especially Xandros are one of the best distros out there. I even contributes a few days ago that these distros actaully work as advertised.

http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=208360&cid=169 89294.

What came out of that contribution was being touted as one who had contributed flamebait!

Now, with this view from Techworld, I feel very happy inside. This makes me wonder why there is all this hype about K[U]buntu, which is dogged with all sorts of bugs. Thanks once again to the folks at Xandros.

Re:I am impressed

[mordors9]

I guess I fail to understand this constant search for a possible challenger to Windows. There is a large segment of society that will never change from Windows no matter what the Linux distros come up with. Linux needs to be sold to the young for what it does best, stability, security, simplicity. It isn't going to be cause we can look close to Windows. And yes I am a Linux user.

Re:I am impressed

[killjoe]

I think the search comes from MS being a powerful and unethical entity. When you have that much power, that much money, that much clout with governments and you are completely unconcerned with ethics or morals then people see you as a danger to them and others.

Add to that a company which seems to be floudering with their flagship products and promising to go on a lawsuit binge and you can see trouble coming from a mile away.

Features?

[nmb3000]

Seamless access to shared Windows folders and printers

The ability to write to Windows NTFS partitions

Seamless Microsoft Exchange connectivity

If an enterprise already has a Windows environment, why would they be interested in upsetting everything and installing new Linux workstations? I'm not saying Linux can't perform, but keep in mind that if things are running smooth already, the least of their costs are going to be Windows client licenses. They are spending money on Windows servers for file storage, mail, directory services, etc, so they may as well use Windows as the client software as well. Vista isn't going to be this enormous expenditure because most corporate computers will not upgrade to Vista until the computer hardware is replaced anyway.

This sounds like just another one of these "Linux Is Read and Poised To Overthrow Microsoft on the Desktop!" articles that Slashdot sees every couple months (especially around the end of the year, when next year just might be the Year of Linux).

Re:Features?

[Shawn is an Asshole]

If it's a computer running Windows 98 I'd highly doubt it would be able to run a modern Linux distro adequately. I've dealt with that on older computers such as a Dell Optiplex GX1 (450mhz p3 w/512 ram). Ubuntu, Fedora, CentOS, Suse, Mandriva, etc, all run rather poorly. 2000 will run usably, so will XP if you disable the fisher price theme.

A few years ago..

[future assassin]

I tried Xandros. Dont remeber the verion but was so taken back by the slick and quick install that I was ready to ditch Win2k/XP for Xandros. It worked great with my hardware and looked good.

It came installed with Mozilla and not Firefox. This is where the road back to Win2K/Xp stared. Looking thorugh their software repository I searched for Firefox and it wasn't there. So I check the forums. I found a post about installing Firefox. Well it was about 7 pages at that time. Reading through the first two showed me that no way in hell was I going to go through all the admin mumbo jumbo just to install Firefox. I was too lazy from trying out several destop distros that day.

Anyways I went back to windows cause it just works. Now before I get flamed by the "You're just too stupid to run Linux" fanboyz, know that I've ran/run and setup Slackware 10.1 and FreeBSD 6 web servers at home with no problems so my techincal abilities/curiosities are above the average computer user but what had to be done to install Firefox on XandrOS was just retarded and this is what keeps a steady supply of new users away from Linux. Most joe/jane average computer user has no problems finding/installing and configuring software preferances but thats if its provided for them through an installer.

Transition, transition, transition!

[mungtor]

The issue/problem is trying to unseat Windows as the current/incumbent OS. Many efforts are made to give Linux distos a "Windows" feel simply because that is what people are used to. In order to educate people that the OS is NOT what the story is all about, you need to show them an interface that they are comfortable with and willing to work within. When all the applications that they want to run *just run*, then they might understand.

One of the biggest conceits within the Linux community is "Of course it't better, so just use it". Even if it's true, you need to help people along the path. Think of it as a language. If I could *prove* that, for example, Esperanto was a better and more efficient language for communication I would have a hard time making people switch if it was completely unlike anything they had ever seen before. There needs to be a strong tie to the language they already know to ease the pain of switching, or else it just isn't worth it.

I could ramble on about the problems, and where Linux apps really aren't as polished as Windows (Gaim vs Trillian for example) but I'm pretty drunk right now. Typing this much has been a pretty significant accomplishment. :)