Linspire - What do you think of it?

[Oceanb0rn]

I'm not very big into Linux, but I've been on Linspire's mailing list for a year or 2 now, and I think they're leading the Linux scene right now. Red Hat has always been a big name, as has Slackware, Suse, and others, but Linspire is really moving things. Some Linux fans don't like them, but even if you don't like them, I think it should be appreciated what they're doing for the scene.

Price. The first thing I hear about Linspire is it's not free. Neither is Red Hat. Both cost money in the store, and Linspire is cheaper, I think. $69.99 for Red Hat and $49.99 for Linspire. The difference is Red Hat can be downloaded off HTTP or FTP servers; Linspire cannot. However, Linspire encourage users to download their software from filesharing. (I guess they can't afford the bandwidth.)

Strategy. The second thing I hear about them is that they're trying to bridge Windows and Linux. When they started out, they wanted a Linux distro that would run Windows applications. They failed miserably. The focus has long since, now, been running Linux applications through a unique system called Click-N-Run. I think this thing is awesome. I downloaded a multimedia player in Red Hat (xvideo, or something like that, not the Xvid codec) and tried to install it. I was lost. CNR is just too easy. Browse their site, click what you want, and it downloads and installs. Problem solved. The only issue I have with CNR is that it costs money. I'm hoping though, that if it picks up, Red Hat will offer competing services, for free or for less. Installing programs in Linux isn't easy.

Hardware support. My Soundblaster PCI 128 didn't sound as good in Linspire as it did in Windows, but I'm more disturbed by the fact that Red Hat thought it was an ESS or Ensoniq or something weird like that. In conjunction with the CNR technology, Linux needs better hardware support. Maybe a program that scans all the hardware physically connected to the computer, and seeks out the drivers for it. No Linux distro I've tried recognizes my external firewire hard drive, and for me to switch to Linux, I need that drive.

I think Linux has a long way to go. It's got a lot going for it, and the distros look pretty, but a few things need to happen before the average user will consider leaving Microsoft. One thing Linspire is doing to try to get Windows users to convert is what they call OOoFf. OpenOfficeOrg to compete with MS Office, and Firefox to compete with IE. They say if you can enjoy those programs in place of Microsoft's offerings, you're one step closer to ditching Windows, and they show how OOO and FF work just the same in Linux as they do in Windows.

I'm excited for the day when one or more Linux distro is totally ready to take on Windows, and Microsoft has to actually compete.

 

[Pavlyk]

Yep, I have Linspire. Well, actually it's Linspire Live! but it's the same thing. I haven't reallt tried it out thoroughly, and can't say that it's good. But I think that I can presume that the Linspire team is in it for the money. I didn't really like the fact that it's 'microsoft like'. I mean please I don't want Linux to look like Windows! But it's easy to use, so I use it sometimes. Look in my sig.

 

[Qiranworms]

Before I start, let me mention that I'm running Ubuntu Linux...and I still use Windows occasionally (like now ...The GIMP just doesn't compare to Photoshop) for a few specific tasks.

I don't think they are leading the Linux scene at all. Anyhow, to rebutt your points :

Price. The fact that it costs is already a downpoint. I don't think you can soften it by comparing what they charge to Redhat...that's a for-profit company anyway, and I personally have a long list of distros that I would use before Redhat.

Installing Software. Scenario. I want a media player. Hmm...let's see...I think I'll get gxine. Open the minimized terminal. I type 'Sudo apt-get install gxine'. It downloads it for me, downloads any necessary dependancies (libs and what not), and then installs it. Automatically. Ready to use. The repositories it downloads from have thousands of applications (these sources are editable, so you can add repositories for additional software if you trust the person running them). Easy? Definitely. In Red Hat what you could do to ease the install a bit is download what's called an RPM file, which will be more automatic. The problem you probably had is that you downloaded an archive that required compilation, and you didn't know where to go from there. Believe me though, with RPMs (Redhat, Mandrake, etc), repository-based "apt-get" systems (debian based distros, gentoo, etc.), and packages that install themselves (.deb, Debian based distros, or perhaps .tgz, which Slackware uses), you really cannot call this "CNR" unique at all. It isn't even the first of it's kind, let alone the ONLY thing of its kind.

The problem I have with distrobutions like Linspire is you end up learning a lot less about Linux.

Regarding your Firewire drive, just because no Linux distro recognizes it out of the box doesn't mean you can't get it to work. I'm probably too much of a Linux "n00b" to help you on that one but there are plenty of places on the internet you can look to learn how to set that up. I'd be willing to bet that it can be done.

The average user probably will not consider switching from Windows to Linux because in reality, it is too complicated. There is MUCH to learn, and a few old Windows habits that must be dropped.

And the day HAS come when Microsoft has to compete. It came a while ago. Now this is NOT true in the Desktop market. Where it IS true is as a server operating systems. Because of reliability, customisability, and cheapness, many companies are powering their servers with Linux instead. Have you noticed the increase in ads on the net for Microsoft Windows Server 2003? There is a reason for this. They are struggling to retain that market.

Windows just really doesn't have the power or scalability that Linux and other OSes have. Look at the operating systems of the top 20 or so supercomputers in the world. You'll see UNIX, you'll see Linux...you'll even see Mac OS X powers one of the top ten (Virginia Tech's System X)...but you aren't going to see Windows at all. Its market is beginning to close in!

 

[IAM_7154]

I downloaded Linspire 4.5 a few months ago because they offferd a $50 instant rebate (making it free), and I thought it sucked. I ve used mandrake almost exclusivly and I thought linspire was so damn slow in comparison. I obviously havent checked out any of thier recent releases and I never will based on that experience.

 

[Pavlyk]

Yea, lol, I had the coupon entered as well to receive the 40 bucks off . But anywyas the new version is Linspire 4.5 adn they have a Linspire Live! distro which runs from your cd. Also back a few months ago it was called Lindows.

 

[mdshort]

Linspire needs to kick-it (I have big issues with companies that wan't money for their distributions), there are much better distributions which have better package management systems, powered by the community, and almost always have the latest packages ready to install at a single command.

That's my opinion anyways...

BTW your completely right qiranworms.

 

[jhunholz]

Oceanb0rn-
Just so you know, the reason Redhat "thought" your soundcard was an Ensoniq is because that is the driver used for soundblaster in linux. Always has been, always will be and it is quite a good driver actually.

 

[Sevoma]

I've heard linspire was crap

 

[horndude]

For the typical user coming from windows provided its preinstalled on a machine with known hardware its probably just fine.No different than OS X, they just hide most of the complicated parts and real power you have over the OS behind some setup scripts and a GUI.

Most linux distro's once setup are simple enough for a child to sit down and use, Ive had kids use mine before, they point and click no problem.

I dont personally care for Linspire or alot of the other distros like Mandrake,SuSe, or any other that attempts to be "windows like", especially if they charge for it.Most of the software in linux if GNU/GPL open source, companies like Redhat and Linspire add some scripts and a slightly different look and change its name and then charge you for it, no thanks.

 

[Neglito]

For the typical user coming from windows provided its preinstalled on a machine with known hardware its probably just fine.No different than OS X, they just hide most of the complicated parts and real power you have over the OS behind some setup scripts and a GUI.

Most linux distro's once setup are simple enough for a child to sit down and use, Ive had kids use mine before, they point and click no problem.

I dont personally care for Linspire or alot of the other distros like Mandrake,SuSe, or any other that attempts to be "windows like", especially if they charge for it.Most of the software in linux if GNU/GPL open source, companies like Redhat and Linspire add some scripts and a slightly different look and change its name and then charge you for it, no thanks.

I have been looking into linux, and i've been checking out Linspire, and since i see not a lot of peoplem like it, i'm not going to use it. But I have downloaded mandrake, and I wanted to know, what makes slackware better for you than the other distros?