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Revised Slackware keeps it simple

Lee Schlesinger

December 23, 2008 7:00:00 PM

At a time when new and buggy features cloud basic computer functions, it's refreshing to see a new release of a distro like Slackware that stays true to its core philosophy. Slackware has an unfair reputation of being a distro only for experienced users. Granted it doesn't sport many graphical configuration tools, but it balances that with stability and speed.

openSUSE 11.1 makes Christmas come early

Lee Schlesinger

December 18, 2008 7:00:00 PM

It's that time of the year again. No, not Christmas -- it's the time of the year we get the latest versions of our favorite Linux distributions. Version 11.1 of openSUSE is being released today. Designated as a point release, there are enough new goodies to warrant a new install or upgrade.

K12Linux founders hand off project to the Fedora community

Lee Schlesinger

December 10, 2008 7:00:00 PM

Two Oregon educators who founded the K12Linux project seven years ago are glad that they have been able to hand that project over to Fedora, the home they always meant for K12Linux to have.

PC/OS: Insert CD, use desktop

Lee Schlesinger

December 05, 2008 9:00:00 AM

PC/OS aims to be an easy-to-use Linux distribution right out of the box. Being Ubuntu-based, it has a head start on being user-friendly, but PC/OS goes above and beyond Ubuntu's measures to ensure ease of use by having common third-party non-GPL software included in the install.

Fedora 10 proves infrastructure matter

Lee Schlesinger

November 26, 2008 9:00:00 AM

Glancing at the features list for Fedora 10, at first you might be unimpressed. Many of the features are basically infrastructure improvements, fixing known problems and enhancing performance while laying the groundwork for future developments. However, infrastructure affects almost everything you do with your computer, and the more you use Fedora 10, the more you are likely to conclude that -- one or two minor problems aside -- this may be the strongest Fedora release yet, as well as the first glimpse of its future.

SimplyMEPIS: The best desktop Linux you haven't tried

Lee Schlesinger

November 21, 2008 6:00:00 PM

Nowadays, everyone uses Ubuntu, most people have used Fedora, and many folks have tried openSUSE. SimplyMEPIS ... not so many. That's a shame, because this relatively obscure Debian-based desktop distribution from Morgantown, WV, is an outstanding desktop operating system. With SimplyMEPIS 8 at beta 5 and closing in on release, I tested the distribution and found it to be a keeper.

Ubuntu Intrepid Ibex raises the bar

Lee Schlesinger

November 04, 2008 4:00:00 PM

Each new Ubuntu release has raised the standard by which other Linux distros are judged. With the new Ubuntu 8.10 Intrepid Ibex, the focus is on mobility and 3G network support. I found Intrepid to be a fast and stable release, yet I experienced some minor issues that keep it from absolute perfection.

STUX 2.0 exhibits major improvements

Lee Schlesinger

October 22, 2008 4:00:00 PM

STUX 2.0, released last month, is a remarkable improvement from the 0.9.2 release I reviewed a couple years ago. While the look and feel of the Slackware-based distribution have stayed pretty much the same, STUX lacks the glaring technical problems that made it unusable on the previous occasion.

Minisys Linux: Puppy on steroids

Lee Schlesinger

October 21, 2008 7:00:00 PM

Puppy Linux makes it easy to remaster its distribution, which probably explains the sheer number of Puppy Linux variants, called puplets, in the wild. Some of these puplets differ from the original only in offering different software bundles or use different window managers, while others target specific hardware platforms (for example, Pupeee). Minisys Linux, or Muppy, is an interesting puplet in the form of a modular Linux distro based on a Puppy Linux and Slackware 12 mix.

Mandriva 2009 helps new users to grow

Lee Schlesinger

October 15, 2008 7:00:00 PM

Back when Mandriva was called Mandrake, the distribution had the reputation of being the most user-friendly Linux distribution. Financial difficulties, personnel changes, and the rise of Ubuntu changed that, and somehow Mandriva never quite regained its reputation. With this week's release of Mandriva 2009, Mandriva has continued to work on user-friendliness. Aside from a poorly organized installation program and a few scattered problems, Mandriva 2009 offers a desktop experience that is at least the equal of any other distribution for everyday use and that has a strong claim of being the most advanced available for system administration.

Big things come in TinyMe

Lee Schlesinger

October 14, 2008 4:00:00 PM

I take a sort of sick joy in using a computer as long as possible, so I've become interested in lightweight Linux distributions like TinyMe 2008.0 that help prolong the life of a computer. TinyMe is based on PCLinuxOS, but at about 200MB, it's considerably smaller than that 700MB distribution. The software included, such as the Openbox window manager, is lightweight, which makes TinyMe old-hardware-friendly.

Foresight Kid's can inspire young minds

Lee Schlesinger

October 09, 2008 9:00:00 PM

Foresight Linux is best known by many as the distribution that features the Conary package management system. Perhaps soon it may become known as your child's favorite distro. The recent release of Foresight Kid's Edition 1.0 introduces a new generation to the benefits of Linux and open source software. Not that kids care about that -- they'll just appreciate the unlimited hours of fun at their fingertips.

Sidux grows on you

Lee Schlesinger

October 08, 2008 9:00:00 AM

Sidux, a relatively new desktop Linux distribution, is based on Sid, the unstable developmental branch of Debian. The developers strive for an easy-to-install and easy-to-use modern Debian derivative, and pride themselves on remaining true to the principles and values of the Debian project. Despite a few inconveniences, I like Sidux a bit more each time I use it.

Devil-Linux distro bundles router/firewall and server in one live CD

Lee Schlesinger

September 26, 2008 4:00:00 PM

Devil-Linux might sound hellish for a Linux distribution, but this live CD offers many blessings for your server needs. Originally developed as a router/firewall distribution, Devil-Linux has expanded its functionality to include nearly every service that a server might offer. It can function as an LDAP server, a VPN server, an email or file server, and more.

Workbench Linux distro is a workhorse for software developers

Lee Schlesinger

September 18, 2008 9:00:00 AM

If you develop applications using FOSS tools, Workbench is an ideal distro for you. In addition to packing a gamut of development tools, the distro also bundles everyday apps and eye candy, so you can use it on your desktop as well.

Red Flag Linux Olympic Edition fails to medal

Lee Schlesinger

September 11, 2008 4:00:00 PM

Red Flag is China's biggest Linux supplier. The Red Flag Linux distribution is based on Red Hat Linux. Red Flag recently announced the release of a beta edition of Red Flag Linux 7, called "Olympic Edition." While it contains the expected bugs of a beta system, it also gives us an opportunity to preview the next release of Red Flag. What I saw didn't blow me away.

NEBC Bio-Linux distro falls short

Lee Schlesinger

September 10, 2008 4:00:00 PM

As the fields of computational biology and bioinformatics become more important, not only to the economy, but to our understanding of the natural world and ourselves, Linux is becoming a better platform on which to build and deploy the software scientists will rely on. A few groups have even gone so far as to create entire distributions geared for computational biology, such as BioBrew and Debian-Med. One of the more prominent comes from Oxford's National Environmental Research Council's (NERC) Environmental Bioinformatics Centre (NEBC). Bio-Linux does not sell itself as your average distribution, but it does not measure up to an average distribution either.

Finnix: Compact Linux distribution for system administrators

Lee Schlesinger

September 02, 2008 7:00:00 PM

Finnix is a live CD distribution designed to assist system administrators in such tasks as system recovery and network monitoring. Based on Debian testing and Linux kernel 2.6, Finnix helps with filesystem and partition manipulation as well as with data recovery, installation of other operating systems, and boot record repair.

Ulteo Application System is innovative, easy, and a little buggy

Lee Schlesinger

August 22, 2008 4:00:00 PM

Ulteo Application System is a GNU/Linux distribution based on Kubuntu and designed to work with the Ulteo Online Desktop service to provide you with an automatic offsite backup and file synchronization between live CD instances. It attempts to require as little user configuration and maintenance as possible, and provides several unique features that set it apart from being "just another distribution."

Foresight Linux: Two out of three's not bad

Lee Schlesinger

August 20, 2008 4:00:00 PM

According to its past and present marketing, Foresight Linux has three claims to fame: Its user-friendliness, its use of the Conary package management system, and its role as a showcase for the latest in GNOME. In practice, its latest 2.0.4 version is not more user-friendly than any other GNOME-based distribution -- if anything, it is slightly less so because of its limited software selection and package management -- but its other claims are enough to make Foresight one of the more distinctive modern distributions.

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