Xandros O.C edition 2.0.1

As such I'm writing this review or at least the text part under said system. I felt that is should be used since this is a review on a Linux distro that is geared to the average joe and the average joe will want to type letters ,play games,use the Internet etc.My use of Linux in a whole is limited you will not see me telling you how to run everything via the cmd(command line).

I've use so far theses distros on 2 -3 machines :

• Mandrake 7.1(cheap bytes edition only worked standard install)
• Knoppix 3.6,3.3,3.4(3.3 was the only one the Internet works on)
• Demo Linux(didn't work at all buggy)
• Xandros O.C 2.0.1(this distro)

Most users that want to try Linux will want to for their own reasons the curve from windows isn't so steep but it does have it's bumps in the road.

So far not all hardware is supported under Linux nor are all games which is a big thing to me and some other gamers I know.

Hardware support is getting better as well as games too but it is not all there yet.

Review System specs:

• MSI k7m4m motherboard
• 512 PMI dual channel ram 3200
• 40gig Maxtor 7200rpm drive
• Asus 5700 256meg nvidia card

This is a low end system to say the least , but it let's me play theses games under windows:

• Freelancer
• Doom3
• UT2004
• Far Cry

This os so far is long to install or seems so even after install it gives you a boot menu to choose from .

The open source version is free and can be downloaded by anyone that has access to the Internet and a burner(free beats windows there).

I must say I compare all other distros now against Knoppix which is a live cd(whole os boots from cd-rom no install) that just plane works for you and has a very good hardware detection .Knoppix is to me what all other distros should live up too.

That being said in the newer version the Internet has not worked for my setup but besides that all else works.

Basic features test:

I will test what i can due to the hard drive is borrowed from a family member who needs it for xmas.

Internet

worked through the wizard is even more easy to use then Knoppix and better then in windows I feel.

Sound

under Xandros works off the bat as well I'm useing on board sound because i have no other sound card at the moment.

System updating

is very nice it installs all items needed .

I've tried this in mandrake and you need this lib or this xfree86(the gui)or something else it was a bit of a turn off .

All in all I think this is a winner for the new Linux user and for the Linux community as a whole it shows that Linux is ready for the desk top and at least catching up to the normal ease of use that all windows users are use to.

Now if only their were more Linux games on the scene it would be perfect.

Pros:

• Works out of the box
• Comes with nvidia driver
• internet setup is easier then in Xp(2 clicks i think).
• onboard sound works(may vary on motherboard and chipset)

Cons:

• Not too many Linux games that you can get like on Windows FPS,ETC
• more of a annoyance no easy short cuts to the cd-rom
• Unlike most distros the defacto paint program The Gimp isn't there at all.
• your drives should be where you can get too them if you have a file manager give us a set of icons for all hardware and don't make us hunt for a how to online or in the docs.