Distrowatch This month’s roundup of news from the vaults of Linux distro development.

SUSAN LINTON is owner/ operator of tuxmachines.org. Elive Topaz 2.0 Enlightenment Debian-based distro breathes new life MS money into older hardware, but it doesn’t come for free.

ast month, I had a little live developers released fun at the expense of one of their rare stable Lsome Ubuntu users who Eversions recently. Elive 2.0 got upset when they weren’t is designed to run well on aging consulted before Canonical systems, while still providing some signed the search deal with nice but basic desktop effects. Yahoo. Sorry if I offended The outward appearance anyone, but I just couldn’t hasn’t changed much in the five resist. Why is it surprising that years it’s been in development, distributions don’t ask for user but it’s still a unique approach, input on monetary decisions? even if it’s beginning to look dated. A legitimate concern was Beyond that, Elive offers a fairly that Yahoo and Microsoft had modern foundation with plenty of been waiting for approval of useful applications. their search and advertising It’s based on the stable Debian partnership, and once granted, distribution and inherits its APT Microsoft would in essence be package management. A funding Ubuntu and providing surprisingly fast-performing searches. But if searches end Synaptic Package Management is Elive’s desktop effects include pulsating minimised application up being Microsoft-slanted, a included for a graphical interface icons, swooshing menu highlights and exploding app launchers. user need only switch to to APT and is set up to use Elive’s another search engine. ample repositories. Elive ships normal install routine, you’re told won’t appreciate this much hassle. with Linux kernel 2.6.30.9, X.org X that you must make a small Also, many users won’t want to Confused Server 1.4.2, and GCC 4.1.2 is financial contribution, and are donate to a project until they’ve More fundamentally, people installable. The live CD also whisked away to Elive’s website to used the distribution for a while to were upset that Ubuntu would includes Iceweasel 3.0.6, Gimp give an email address where the decide whether they’re going to receive support from continue with it. Microsoft. This reminds me of There’s nothing wrong with people who boycott some “Users won’t want to donate trying to earn money for hard Linux sites that show Microsoft to a project until they’ve work, and donations for smaller ads. I don’t understand why it’s projects are historically meagre, acceptable to take money from used the distribution.” but there must be a better way to Google or 3CX Phone System collect than this. In comments on for Windows but not Microsoft. 2.4.7, Audacious 1.5.1, MPlayer installer module will be sent. Once a recent review of 2.0, potential I recall some of Microsoft’s 1.0rc2, AbiWord 2.6.4, multimedia you get that on to your target users expressed anger at feeling methods in its effort to squash codecs and browser plugins. The machine, you can restart the tricked and wasting disks. Sadly, Linux and open source – but control centre has been replaced install process. But it’s then this is likely to be the opinion of that’s all the more reason to with individual configuration tools, interrupted again to take you to many unsuspecting downloaders. take its money. the desktop has an Itask NG PayPal to make a donation to the The install blunder is a shame, Well done to Ubuntu for launchbar, an analogue-display project (minimum $15, which is because otherwise Elive is a good getting revenue to fund clock, 12-desktop pager and just over £10). Afterwards, the distribution and could give new development where it can. animated background. install will finally resume. and exciting life to machines that I wish all distros could. The The Elive download is a live CD It’s all very convoluted and a bit can no longer run the heavier KDE best revenge against Microsoft and can be enjoyed fully as such. annoying. Linux users are spoiled and Gnome-based distros that are is to succeed on its dime. However, in order to install it to by the amount of software that’s popular these days. Unfortunately, [email protected] your hard drive, you have to be available for free, much of which is most will never know. patient. Early in what begins as a easy to access, and therefore www.elivecd.org

38 LXF132 June 2010 www.linuxformat.com

LXF132.dwatch 38 12/4/10 4:34:51 pm Distrowatch

Igelle DSV 1.0 PC-BSD 8.0 Fresh Linux Try an original distro BSD-based New features include with looks to match its performance. 3D drivers and live DVD mode.

old tight, an extremely the LXDE desktop environment C-BSD, the Ubuntu of free like two systems in one download, rare phenomenon has are visible, such as the LXterminal BSDs, has been in and supports UFS, UFS-J, UFS-S Hoccurred – the release of and LXtask. GVFS, gconfd and the Pdevelopment for about five and ZFS filesystems. an all-original Linux distribution. Gnome volume control applet are years and was bought by The software manager has It’s not based on Ubuntu, or even brought in from Gnome. Igelle iXsystems in 2006. Development been updated to enable browsing Debian – it isn’t based on uses Cairo Compiz Manager for continued and version 8.0 was of PBIs (PC-BSD’s package anything. Igelle claims to be an some light desktop effects, with recently released with some format) and installation from the original work and a cursory look elements from Metacity to help exciting updates and new features. desktop rather than having to seems to verify this. Even the make their Esther Desktop. One of the most exciting new venture on to the web. PC-BSD window manager appears to be its You’ll find familiar lightweight features is its live DVD mode. You still supports installing any of the own. Not only that, it’s a high- apps, as well as Gimp, Pidgin, can now test PC-BSD before numerous FreeBSD packages performing and attractive system. OpenOffice.org, PiTiVi video editor, giving up any hard drive space. through the console tool pkg_add. Igelle does use familiar Linux the GCompris educational suite The installer has been This release is based on components, such as kernel and Crack Attack. rewritten, looks attractive, and FreeBSD 8.0 and features KDE 2.6.32, init, udev, HAL, and D-BUS. The installer is easy to use, and offers the ability to install PC-BSD 4.3.5 and Nvidia and AMD/ATI Grub, X.org X Server 1.7.1, and GCC takes about five minutes to or FreeBSD. This is especially proprietary 3D graphics drivers. 4.4.1 are also present. Igelle makes complete. The Igelle website then handy for those who may want a Besides the KDE application suite, use of other familiar code. Parts of has documentation for tasks server in addition to a desktop. It’s it comes with other handy including software software and compilation and configuration tools. administration, as OpenOffice.org, Firefox well as an active user and Gimp are available forum. Igelle DSV 1.0 is for install along with the second release of heaps of other free this unique system, software tools. and versions are also We’ve a full review available for of PC-BSD 8 on page embedded devices 23, and you’ll find it on and mobile phones. the LXFDVD so you Be sure to take this can install and take it The desktop has a menu to open windows one for a test drive. PC-BSD has an extensive user manual on its for a spin yourself. for apps, file browsing and settings. www.igelle.com website to help with installation and use. www.pcbsd.org

Is Google evil? Hit list

Google continues its march into every Public Data Explorer to analyse user data The 10 most visited distro pages on DistroWatch.com, aspect of human existence. It recently more extensively. Am I just being overly 1–31 March 2010 (average hits per day) began testing broadband service in the US paranoid, or is there something more and has been granted permission to buy sinister behind these moves? I polled Distro Number of hits and sell electricity. It also has the means to users to see what they thought, and 1 monitor power usage with its online results suggest that I’m not the only Ubuntu 2,509 Google PowerMeter, and then rolled out its person who’s worried. 2 Fedora 1,600

3 Is Google evil? PCLinuxOS 1,482 4 Linux Mint 1,411

Benevolent 11% 5 OpenSUSE 1,308

6 Benign 8% Debian 1,146 7 Mandriva 1,093 Harmless 18% 8 Sabayon 1,031

Slighly evil 35% 9 Lubuntu 820

1 0 Mepis 795 Evil 13% DistroWatch.com monitors the popularity of E-VEEL! 15% distributions based on the number of visits to each of its distro-specific pages. While these figures don’t represent 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 Total Votes – 880 the actual install base, it’s an indicator of which distros were hot during each specific time period. LXF

www.tuxradar.com June 2010 LXF132 39

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