Although AtlasX is still on the Distrowatch waiting list, I felt it needed to be tested because of its use of Enlightenment. AtlasX obviously invites comparison with Bodhi, the other E17 distro. (Yes, there is Elive, but a lot of people refuse to pay $15 for it.) Bodhi is built on Ubuntu, runs in 128MB, and comes on a minimal CD; AtlasX is built on Debian Stable, needs 256MB, and comes on a 1.5GB DVD. Bodhi is well-established, with 2K members at the forum; AtlasX is new, with few users, although its corporate sponsorship suggests that it’s likely to stay around.

Software includes Iceweasel, Evolution, Gimp, Inkscape, Shotwell, OpenOffice, Totem, Rhythmbox, and Soundrecorder. A few programs gave warnings when run from the CLI (a critical one for Inkscape) and the spell checker only had American and Dutch dictionaries installed. Codecs and flash ware installed and working, but support for DVD videos had to added manually.

The installer is well hidden (click on Settings - Settings panel - System - Install) but easy to use. The keyboard and language need to be set at the first log-in. Surprisingly, it ran Gnome after I logged in, although Evolution started next time.

Adding software is done with either Synaptic or the Software Centre, both of which were ready-configured and worked perfectly. They are not easy to find though: click on Settings - Settings panel - Preferences - Control centre.

Enlightenment came with one panel (called the shelf) at the top and another at the bottom (called ibar) with program buttons. To my mind it had its usual incomprehensible configuration tools, odd key-bindings, and almost non-existant documentation. The AtlasX home-page rightly advises “If you don't know the meaning of a particular setting, don’t touch it.” But I know some people love it, and now they have a choice.