read this:
www.desktopos.com

and ask yourself if this really is the distro for you.

That site has 4 reviews all covering Lindows and Xandros. If you are considering either of those two distros then I would agree to check that site out first before deciding, but IMHO, there are far more better distros worth checking out that don't cross into the gray area of Windows-lite.

rberry88

Lindows is far from Windows-lite... though I can see why so many die hard Linux believers aren't happy with Lindows.

Personally I'm new to the scene... so anything that's not from Redmond, WA is an improvement in my book.

Lindows is doing what Red Hat wouldn't... they're trying to gain market share the best way they know how - marketing to the lowest common denominator.

No died in the wool Linux geek would run Lindows because of the proprietary nature of their business (among other things). But somebody coming from Windows is going to look there before Debian, Slackware or Gentoo.

I think that review is very one-sided. Lindows has already come out and admitted that their original plans with Wine and TabletPC fell through... and so what if they like to aggrivate Microsoft... take a look around any Linux board and you'll see the same sentiment.

I tried Lindows 4.5 - it's a great distro for somebody looking for a Windows alternative. Isn't it better to see someone use Linux (even a "bad" Linux) over Windows?

I think the author of that review forgot that 90% of computer users aren't geeks... what do they care if they can run apt or not?

And whether or not their marketing strategy falls in line with the Linux philosophy over all is beside the point... Click-n-Run is the easiest way to handle packages on any Linux system.

Oh, and no, I don't use Lindows. I don't work for them either...

Give me Mepis or Libranet any day.

nube

I do have to agree the article on that site that it was a little one sided and quite harsh, though some seemed true in some aspects, I felt it was more of a hate article to not deal with Lindows as a company instead of a distro to maybe possibly use. It also was not technical at all, it was mainly about politics, false promises and so on. I would not use that article to base if Lindows is right for you though. My suggestion is for you to try Lindows out to know for sure if its right for you.

The only thing I do and can say is well it is harder for some to try out since you do have to pay for it.

The only things I want to point out is that I don't agree with is the Click N Run in which you have to pay monthly or yearly to use. Like any company that wants to make money and that is ok, I feel that is just utterly wrong to make others pay for software that is already free, etc. It might be easy but you have to think most already paid for the distro, why would they need to pay for updates per se on their system.

And one more thing.. not sure why they have a developer edition, I saw nothing developish about it. And I think to get more desktop market, maybe they should make it so their OS is more friendly to older hardware, not everyone has the greatest or latest machines on the market.

Though I wrote my own review here in our Reviews sections and feel Lindows is not an average Linux users distro, it is geared towards the not so technically challenged users who use computers, etc.

But I can say after reading that rant of a review.. don't base your judgement to choose Lindows or not off of it. It was clearly written by a hardcore Linux user who thinks all things should be free, which is not the case, in most cases.

Cheers.

The guy is pointing out some facts which in my opinion are quite important to consider. I don't care if Michael Robertson is a Bill Gates wannabe or not, or if he has any other personal intentions. However, trying to approach such goals by means of Linux, and things like misinforming the masses and giving false information throughout their websites and generally making a false image of Linux isn't tolerable at all and will be hazardous to the whole community. So although the article (mostly) isn't a technical inspection of the distribution, it is still very considerable.

I understand your point. But I think it was blown out of proportion.

Read this interview:
http://www.osnews.com/story.php?news_id=5758

Some of those incidents are mentioned. I'm not saying to take his words as gospel, but I think it's more a matter of failed prediction than deliberate deception.

I could be wrong...

I also think that some in the "Linux community" needs to lighten up on the distros that are more proprietary in nature. They tend to be well worth the price and are better suited to newer users and converts.

Actually, they're giving it away again here...
http://www.nvu.com/download.html
... but it may only last a day or two.

I recommend checking it out while you can get it for nothing. I've had a pretty good time with it so far.

I hope I haven't shot my mouth off too much... I like this forum

I wan't actually talking about their "failed predictions". I was referring to the false image of linux they're offering to the masses. Have a look at this (I don't know if they have already claimed this or not, but this website obviously belongs to Lindows.com).

I don't have much time, so just a few examples.

Notice that throughout their websites, their stressing on the part which claims that most Linux apps are "less expensive", and then there are even free apps (as we all know its really the other way, meaning most apps are free and there are a few commercial ones).

So the fact is, they are spreading this crap to justify their own overchargings (and in some case charging for almost nothing).



So SuSE and Mandrake are more suited for developers and Lindows is "the Desktop Linux" trademark?!

You see, the other terrible thing they're doing to the community is, instead of spreading the linux philosophy, they're trying to "convert" Windows users by encouraging the Windows methodology of doing things in Linux. I'm afraid that if they some day become a big corp (which is possible) they will actually succeed in lowering the standards for their own sales' sake.

The $5 for CNR is excessive if you look at it from the standpoint of a current Linux user... why would you pay for something you can get free over apt or rpm?

But for new users CNR is fantastic... it's the easiest interface for managing Linux packages I've ever seen. Plus, by using this method, they maintain better control over how and where applications get installed in the OS.

As far as their wording on the website, that's marketing... plain and simple.

I'm not sure that they're "encouraging the Windows methodology of doing things in Linux" - but rather underplaying the differences from a user standpoint.

Remember, they're targeting newbies... who have never used anything but Windows before. Things have to stay somewhat familiar or nobody would try it out...

That just makes me laugh!

That's always a concern...

I'm thinking that with IBM and Novell in the mix now that won't be as much a concern. IMO SUSE is in a prime position to lead the desktop revolution... it's all going to depend on how Novell decides to market it.

-------

For new users I would recommend LindowsOS to anyone on broadband. It's easy to install, easy to use, easy to manage... and it's NOT Windows. That's after they've played with Knoppix for a few days first tho (no sense in installing anything right off the bat)

But, like anything, it depends on the person.

I wouldn't however, since I don't feel an obligation to convert *every* Windows user to Linux. Someone who doesn't like to get used to something other than Windows methodology and doesn't want to put effort into understandig a new, much more powerful system should simply use Windows, because its plainly made for him.

That is an excellent point

By the way, I hope these guys (and the other ones concentrating on the so called "Desktop Linux") one day realize that there are better ways to introduce Linux to the new users (those who deserve using it of course) than creating colorful background images and making everything look like XP. (for instance, instead of renaming /dev/hda1 shortcut to C: on the desktop and in their modified version of Konqueror, they can make a detailed and easy to understand guide explaining what /dev/hda1 stands for, what information this system of naming devices can give and how to mount it into the filesystem).

These type of responses comes up again and again by poeple in the Linux community. They don't like the fact that Lindows.com charges money for their OS or their software. These people compare Lindows.com to Microsoft. They like to put down Lindows.com for a wide variety of reasons. I haven't seen any serious questions here about LindowsOS or Lindows.com. It seems to be mostly editorial commentary from people running other distros saying -- "Don't run LindowsOS because....".

But, what all the Linux geeks in the world fail to understand is that Linux is not easy. No matter how easy you think it is -- it isn't. That is why Linux has 1% of the market. Because the other 95% don't want to spend the time to figure it out. They could care less about computers and see them as a means-to-an-end. They just want to use their computer and shut it off when they're done. In the Linux world "holy wars" always break-out over who's distro is better. Blah, blah, blah. Honestly, it doesn't really matter. As long as people are learning about Linux and they stop using Microsoft Windows -- we all benefit! Fighting over who's distro is better is counterproductive and really doesn't solve or prove anything.

If you want to learn more about LindowsOS from some other sources, please check out some of these articles too:

http://www.linuxelectrons.com/static...40113215614794
http://www.osnews.com/story.php?news_id=5880
http://www.osnews.com/story.php?news_id=5843
http://lwn.net/Articles/63525/
http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,114183,00.asp
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,1369412,00.asp
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,4149,1454548,00.asp
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,4149,1429035,00.asp
http://www.linuxworld.com/story/35668.htm
http://www.infoworld.com/article/03/...edrives_1.html


Don't base your opinion of LindowsOS or Lindows.com on the writings of one guy who obviously doesn't like us.

Lindows is a great OS for beginners. Beginners can learn about linux in a comfortable, graphical enviroment. The packages don't break any other dependancies and the tech support on the internel is great, thanks to Kendall. I chose it (for a while when I was new to linux) because debian is a great operating system, but has horrible configuration tools for X, partitioning, etc.
Since Lindows is a newbie to the forums, lets not lose our heads to talk about their weaknesses, but their strenghts.

I tried Lindows myself and it just wasn't for me. It isn't geared towards the more advanced or even comfortable Linux user, but I totally agree with your statement there as Lindows is a distro after I even tried it out for the new user, the person who doesn't care what's under the hood, etc.

I'm sorry too see not one real technical question regarding Lindows yet since the forum was created but instead a bunch of threads that seem to be bashing it.

We didn't create this forum to bash Lindows but rather let the Lindows users come here to ask for help and allow other people of the Lindows and Linux community answer their questions. So lets move on with the technical questions now please and leave the bashing out of the equation please. If you don't like Lindows for any reason, that's fine, move on to the next forum or thread please.

Regards,

-trickykid

I didn't try to "bash" Lindows. I just pointed out that if there's no other special intention, the authors are trying to convert every Windows user to Linux by ANY possible means, wtihout considering that there are a lot of people who deserve (and need) nothing more than Windows, which is harmful for the community. I didn't find a better place to state this.

And by the way, there was at least some constructive criticism in my last post.