It's been a while since I reviewed a Xandros release, so I was excited to hear about the release of version 3.0 and the opportunity to take a look at it. Xandros Linux is among a handful of Linux distributions truly worthy of naming a desktop Linux distribution. Today, there are many distributions out there calling themselves desktop operating systems, and even though most of them are very good attempts, many fall short... but not Xandros.
The reasoning is very simple, even though the requirements can be complex. Unlike an operating system in the role of a server, a desktop OS needs to wear many hats. Of all the various requirements we place on the desktop, there are only three that stand out as being key: look and feel, usability, and diversity. First and foremost, the desktop needs to be visually appealing. This is not necessarily for marketing reasons alone. A desktop that's pleasing to the eye is easier to look at for hours on end (as most of us seem to do) so that the end user doesn't tire of using the machine. Applications need to be readily available, even if they aren't installed on the system. This is something even Windows falls short of. Anyone that says Windows is easy to use hasn't tried Xandros yet.
Features
Linux Kernel 2.6.9
KDE 3.3
Samba 3.0.9
Mozilla 1.7.3
Macromedia Flash Player 7
Sun Java 1.42_05
CodeWeavers CrossOver Office 4.1
Installation
Installing Linux can sometimes be a chore to complete, even for the most seasoned users out there. I'm not going to sit here and say that Linux gurus are out there crying over any installs they've done recently, but some installs can be overly time consuming and more complicated than they need to be... and for a newbie this can be completely frustrating. New users shouldn't need to concern themselves with the intricacies of a detailed Linux install. Let's face it, most of them either can't understand or would just rather not. Either way is fine for a distro like this since it's aimed at exactly that kind of person.
There have been far too many software reviews I've read who go on endlessly about the installation when it's not really necessary. I believe it's sufficient to say that Xandros installs easier than any other distribution available, aside from Linspire. It always has. Both distributions sprouted from the same seed, so they're very close to each other in terms of functionality, especially when it comes to the setup routine. Xandros is famous for an install that only requires a few decisions from the end user (such as user name, computer name, etc) and it installs the entire system, complete with all the applications they could ever want, all in just about ten minutes on a fairly modern machine. What more can I say?
The Xandros Linux installation
Disk 2
Xandros Deluxe is a two CD set (this is a luxury that the 'Xandros Standard' owners don't have, along with CrossOver Office). The first disc is the installation medium which contains the base system along with every application that it installs by default. This includes Internet tools, office suite, etc. The second disc contains additional value-added software such as the Gimp 2.0.5 image editor, Firefox 1.0 web browser (more on this in a moment), Ximian Evolution 1.4.6, kernel sources, development tools, and the Gtk+ 2.4.13 toolkit. Regarding the inclusion of Firefox on the second disk: I am shocked this wasn't part of the default installation considering the growing popularity of the browser. That's all I will say about that. I'd also like to see Evolution 2 on the second disk rather than the older (albeit stable) v1.4.6. I'm guessing the decision to not go with version 2 was due to stability? I've had nothing but a good experience with the 2.0 release so I'm not too sure, but in any case, it would make a good addition to the base install. Gtk-based apps look absolutely horrible. More on that later.
