Posted on Monday 2nd of April 2007 at 12:53 in Linux

Most usable Linux 2007 - let the battle commense

2007 is an exciting year for Linux distros and it's getting near to crunch time, with PCLinuxOS 2007 nearing release, the latest and greatest Ubuntu (Feisty Fawn) due out in just a few weeks (April 19th apparently). Gentoo 2007 is due at *some* point this year and I also understand there's a new Mepis out soonish (although I'm unsure when)... There's going to be quite a free-for-all happening and I couldn't be more excited

Usable Linux is going to be my "buzzphrase" of 2007 I think because of the importance I place upon it shifting the operating system landscape. 2007 isn't going to be the year people move to Linux as a primary non-Windows operating system (in my opinion) because it's not *quite* ready yet, but this is the year that will complete what 2006 started. The groundwork is being done to make Linux the easiest computing solution around.

I've covered recently how easy some distros are making "normal" computing and I only see this situation improving over the next 6-12 months

However, who is going to be the poster child of usable Linux in the future? Who can be crowned "most usable Linux distro 2007"? Is Ubuntu going to claim the crown by default because it's the current poster-child or will some other distro perform regicide and take the thrown for itself? There are some key contenders:

Ubuntu
ubuntu

Has to be the favourite at the moment with such a strong community and an undeniably formidable product. There's so many good things due to come out of Feisty when it's released that it has to be the favourite at this early stage. Edgy and Dapper were both excellent and to expect anything other than an excellent release in Feisty would be foolish. The Ubuntu developers have proven themselves numerous times so if you're after a safe bet - here's where your money should be.

PCLinuxOS

PCLOS is the underdog who get's my vote. While it doesn't have the massive numbers that Ubuntu has behind it I find it the most intuitive (albeit these judgements are made from non-final releases). I'm also unsure when PCLOS2007 is going to be released which doesn't help but from what I've seen and heard, PCLOS is going to win over some serious numbers this year. I know that a lot of readers on this site have a soft-spot for PCLOS and I have to agree with them. I really think that if you try it once you'll keep it. It's that good.

Mepis, Gentoo and others?
The Linux landscape moves so quickly with so many different distros it's hard to keep track of them all. Gentoo and Mepis are both excellent distros and I can't help but think that they'll be donning boxing gloves later this year when their new versions are released. They may not be at the forefront of the usable Linux scene at the moment but all of this can change in a heartbeat. A good release is all it would take in this world.

Usable Linux is key this year because of how much it could change the computing world

I say this because usable Linux is all about making open source operating systems as easy (if not easier) as Windows. It's difficult to argue how easy things are getting - certainly over notoriously awkward media playback (Feisty installing missing codecs on the fly for example). Synaptic package manager is quite the evil thing (as I shall write in a follow up article... watch this space) and allows you to just pick any piece of software, download and install (along with pre-requisits) within 1-2 clicks. This makes life so much easier than any other operating system I've encountered (well, Mac OSX and Windows 95/98/XP/Vista).

Conclusions
This was more of an introduction to the topic and I intend on following it up with more posts discussing the topic as and when new events unfold. Namely, Ubuntu Feisty Fawn lands in a couple of weeks and that's likely to win over some new fans. If you've got something to say about usable Linux in 2007 I'd love to hear your thoughts. You know the normal means of getting in touch - throw it in a comment.

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Comments

Showing most recent 20 of 30 comments [View all comments]

Greetings! I enjoyed these comments. Noticed that someone suggested openSuse. Considered making a...

...wait! There it is! A suggestion to review Sabayon (Gentoo) linux! Awesome! I started my exploration of Linux with Mandrake then Mandriva. Liked them very much. A friend gave me a copy of Xandros (Power Pack), it was AWESOME (in the get your friends to try Linux vein. Very user friendly, easy to add new software (sort of), rock solid (of course). Since this all started I’ve tried several live distros (including PPC variants) with the goal of learning enough to make an informed recommendation to my "Win-shackled" (and "Mac-curious) family and friends. Stumbled across Sabayon linux and was amazed! MP3s out of the box, printer, ethernet. Not unusual. Here is the Kicker! Played DVDs out of the box! I was also able to do some very interesting things with DVDs that I couldn’t do with my Mandriva Power Pack (wink, wink, nudge, nudge). Didn’t expect that! Also, some fairly advanced games (for linux). It was also aesthetically pleasing (to me), I see I am not alone in noticing Ubuntu’s "Desert Drab". ;_) Please give Sabayon a look, I am interested in independant opinions and will be checking back soon.

GLACIOUS

I’ve been using ubuntu, kubuntu, xubuntu, opensuse. I’ve been using those for work, and guess what, opensuse is much better than those ubuntus. It has better printer integration (you don’t even have to setup the printer that already successfully connected to another opensuse box in the same network), the Novell open office support Microsoft Vb macro.Opensuse 10.2 even successfully installed on Pentium III 600, with 192 MB of Ram, which the ubuntus cannot ( i tried 7 days on every ubuntus, always hangs in the middle. set it up using the alternate cd, it works. but for my line of work it doesn’t even meet my needs). I even my use it right now to write this comment. There is also an error on openoffice draw integration in kubuntu. Xubuntu is a waste of time, doesn’t even handle usb memory stick correctly. Besides, everything that I need in opensuse is there inside 1 DVD.

My job consist of using openoffice heavily, email, web browser, printing (which is still a pain, my windows and linux cannot share the printers, and sometimes there is problem with CUPS), web publishing, drawing.

Please consider opensuse.

frank

A vote for SAM! I was happily experimenting with Ubuntu as a new Linux user, but had difficulty with getting an older P-port scanner working. Within 20 minutes I had achieved using SAM live disc what I had not in >10 hours on Ubuntu. I installed SAM and have been finding that ease of use with many other tasks.

Dave D.

***Man I am not having a good time with you comment submission, please delete partials***

I think "Kubuntu" is as important to review as "Ubuntu" especially since most of your other distros are KDE based (apples to apples). When you are comparing a KDE distro vs. a Gnome distro their differences are great enough that they are like different distributions (as an aside Automatix is imo _essential_ for a ’buntu installation, though as an add-on I understand it should not be counted in this context).

Just a thought.

As far as other distros to consider, I would suggest Freespire (when the 2.0 comes out) primarily because of their CNR.com website/frontend to apt. CNR will additionally be made available to the ’buntus, Debian, Fedora, and OpenSUSE as well as Freespire/Linspire. CNR is unnecessary for most GNU/Linux users but could be very valuable to the joesixpacks/aunt Tillies/windows refugees. Another advantage of CNR is that it gives a way to legally acquire the media codecs, something most of these other distros that are pre-installing codecs are not doing. If that’s important to you ;)

I prefer NOT switching people to paid distros but if that is not a consideration (such as a small business setting) Xandros is probably one of the most Windows like distros out there. They integrate into Windows networks and Windows work-alikeability is their core tenet. It is the most similar to the Windows environment, and easiest to drop into a Windows environment that I have seen. They do (did?) have a community (free) version that lags by a point release.

Maybe Debian itself, it has from rumors I have heard increased it’s "usability" for the new user factor. It is the the fountain from which so many great distros flow.

Others I would recommend have already been mentioned, Mint, SimplyMEMPIS.

For the record I switch others to either Kubuntu or Xandros depending on the situation.

Quick question,I’m sorry, but Gentoo as a "most usable Linux distro", did I miss something? I have never heard anyone say that, most flexible, most customizable, best if you want to learn how linux works, most efficient in terms of speed or only having the sorftware you need installed, but "most usable".
Don’t you mean in part "easiest" as well? Gentoo folks correct me if I am wrong but would you turn your Grandma loose on Gentoo by herself? No offence meant, I honestly don’t believe they themselves would claim that, or intend their distos to be that.

But Gentoo _is_ a great distro for many reasons, so please by all means throw it in the pot.

well as Freespire/Linspire. CNR is unnecessary for most GNU/Linux users but could be very valuable to the joesixpacks/aunt Tillies/windows refugees. Another advantage of CNR is that it gives a way to legally acquire the media codecs, something most of these other distros that are pre-installing codecs are not doing. If that’s important to you ;)

I prefer NOT switching people to paid distros but if that is not a consideration (such as a small business setting) Xandros is probably one of the most Windows like distros out there. They integrate into Windows networks and Windows work-alikeability is their core tenet. It is the most similar to the Windows environment, and easiest to drop into a Windows environment that I have seen. They do (did?) have a community (free) version that lags by a point release.

Maybe Debian itself, it has from rumors I have heard increased it’s "usability" for the new user factor. It is the the fountain from which so many great distros flow.

Others I would recommend have already been mentioned, Mint, SimplyMEMPIS.

For the record I switch others to either Kubuntu or Xandros depending on the situation.

Quick question,I’m sorry, but Gentoo as a "most usable Linux distro", did I miss something? I have never heard anyone say that, most flexible, most customizable, best if you want to learn how linux works, most efficient in terms of speed or only having the sorftware you need installed, but "most usable".
Don’t you mean in part "easiest" as well? Gentoo folks correct me if I am wrong but would you turn your Grandma loose on Gentoo by herself? No offence meant, I honestly don’t believe they themselves would claim that, or intend their distos to be that.

But Gentoo _is_ a great distro for many reasons, so please by all means throw it in the pot.

I think "Kubuntu" is as important to review as "Ubuntu" especially since most of your other distros are KDE based (apples to apples). When you are comparing a KDE distro vs. a Gnome distro their differences are great enough that they are like different distributions.

Just a thought.

As far as other distros to consider, I would suggest Freespire (when the 2.0 comes out) primarily because of their CNR.com website/frontend to apt. CNR will additionally be made available to the ’buntus, Debian, Fedora, and OpenSUSE as well as Freespire/Linspire. CNR is unnecessary for most GNU/Linux users but could be very valuable to the joesixpacks/aunt Tillies/windows refugees. Another advantage of CNR is that it gives a way to legally acquire the media codecs, something most of these other distros that are pre-installing codecs are not doing. If that’s important to you ;)

I prefer NOT switching people to paid distros but if that is not a consideration (such as a small business setting) Xandros is probably one of the most Windows like distros out there. They integrate into Windows networks and Windows work-alikeability is their core tenet. It is the most similar to the Windows environment, and easiest to drop into a Windows environment that I have seen. They do (did?) have a community (free) version that lags by a point release.

Others I would recommend have already been mentioned, Mint, SimplyMEMPIS.

For the record I switch others to either Kubuntu or Xandros depending on the situation.

warner

I tried PCLOS on my laptop. I connect the net by 3G bluetooth dialup connection.
I was happy when I sew that PCLOS install ask me for an internet connection. I selected bluetooth coonection, I selected 3G connection ... didn’t work!
I don’t have any other connection for download the packages.
MEPIS and Kubuntu can connect me out-of-the-box, with some row in the console. sig! I hoped .... !!

Great PCLOS control center!!

speedygeo

My experience: MEPIS is more simple because:
- It really works
- Is faster on games playing
- Have useful utilities by MEPIS
- Have a not bloated forum that really help you (Kubuntu forum in comparison is incompetent, the Ubuntu forum is heavy spammed with useless comment)

On the other hand I love (K)Ubuntu because:
- Have a great Microsoft-killer marketing (Microsoft must pay for his abuse)
- Is simple enough
- It works (on 7.04 don’t works cron and googleearth)
- Have regular updates
- Ubuntu/Canonical/Shuttleworth actually lead the Linux project

I use Kubuntu. It is simple but I feel MEPIS is more simple. I want to try PCLOS. I think Oli had a bad experience but the concurrence is big. I hope the distro makers will unify their efforts to create a base for future distros.

I must thank Ubuntu 6.06 for introducing me to Linux. And I must thank Xandros, KateOS and Kubuntu for enriching my Linux-experience. But, to me, PCLinuxOS is the best for a non-tecnical, Windows-refugee like me. In fact, after using PCLinuxOS TR3 for two weeks, I got rid of the other operating system for good as my livelihood doesn’t depend on it. Some people commented that PCLinuxOS is similar to Widows but I beg to differ. Yes, initially, I did have the impression that it was more of less like Windows especially in terms of appearance; but, after using it for a while, I came to a realization that PCLinuxOS is definitely not ’Windows-like’. In fact, for people who are not familiar with the Linux environment and all the things associated with Linux (like yours truly) they should read some of the articles which are available on the web about the differences between Linux and Windows so that they wouldn’t be disappointed if PCLinuxOS doesn’t meet their (Windows) expectation. Having said all that, there are many fine distros out there and I have nothing but respect to those who have invested time, effort and $ in producing all those fine distros. However, ultimately, it is PCLinuxOS that I couldn’t live without. Long live PCLinuxOS. Long live other distros. Long live Linux.

adiafzal

AUTHOR COMMENT
> What about openSUSE?

Mike, this is one of the key reasons WHY I have comment boxes, so that people can suggest things that I’ve overlooked or sometimes not even heard of.

There have been numerous calls for me to look into openSUSE and yours is likely to be the one that broke the camels back (as it were). It’s now been added to my list of distros to review.

>> Please, if you have a good distro in mind, please submit it and I’ll hopefully get around to reviewing it. Linux is all about the community so make some noise when you think I’ve missed something.

Seopher

What about openSUSE?

Mike

You should consider Sabayon along with Ubuntu and PCLinux OS. From a normal install, you have Wifi (with, somehow, superior reception than I’ve seen with Ubuntu and others), perfect DVD playback, all audio compatibiity, iPod compatibility, beautiful fonts, you name it.

In my opinion, it blows away all the others I’ve tried.

Thomas

IMost useable linux (in my humble opinion) would have to be linux mint 2.2 (bianca). All multimeida codecs preinstalled, based on ubuntu so all of the benefits of that AND its not horrible brown. Really easy to configure internet, wireless, hardware etc..., and i believe the next release is going to include 3D desktop out of the box. Oh and the support is very good. All of this means nothing to a linux geek but to the windows migrant it IS what will stop them buying from Bill Gates.

flumpy7

The fact that PCLinuxOS , Mepis and Ubuntu are excellent alterantives to Windows is good for Linux as a whole.

Personally i use PCLInuxOS 2007 Test 4 ,which is more stable than some final releases I’ve tried.

I’ve used Mandrake and Ubuntu in the past and they also have their good points.

With Vista and the problems it has, now is a good time to use linux, whatever the flavour.

Peter C

PCLinuxOS makes good use of both worlds - apt-get in Synaptics and rpms. SAM 2007 is to PCLinuxOS what Linux Mint is to Ubuntu. PCLinuxOS is best with what it is now - a homely community and devs who listen to the community. I’m just glad Canonical saw Ubuntu first and left PCLinuxOS alone. One Microsoft is enough; I hope PCLinuxOS continues improving the distribution without the big boys telling Tex what to do.

I don’t care if the final takes another year to release. TR4 is rock solid enough to take any Linux distro by the ears and leave them hangin’.

Archie

somebody here mentioned SAm 2007 ? Well, I installed it in my notebook, and am happy using it ! formidable solution ! :-)
Yes, It’s like combining the lightness of XFCE and the greatness of PCLOS and polish it with some other beautification...........

Adri F.

When using PCLOS, why not just use SAM Linux 2007 instead/additionally? The requirements are lower, the system looks beautiful and has every feature that PCLOS has. So, why not combine the power of XFCE and PCLOS?
...and the best...it is FINAL ! ;)

Kitty

Gentoo? Do you mean SabayonLinux (a Gentoo based)??

you can also take a look linux mint which i use and it is auite easy ( i doesn\’t have drivers for video card) also at sabayon which livedvd is impressive vector linux and zenwalk whhich from their site seems quite easy and debian etch which it is said that has codecs support from the beginning

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Most usable Linux 2007 - let the battle commense

I've covered recently how easy some distros are making "normal" computing and I only see this situation improving over the next 6-12 months

Usable Linux is key this year because of how much it could change the computing world