The second part of the extensive Linux Tips for Free Mandriva Linux 2006 review has been published, going into details about the state of Linux hardware support and compatibility, hardware configuration and software with a whole section on digital photography.
Mandriva Linux 2006 Review – Linux Desktop Showcase pt2
About The Author
Eugenia Loli
Ex-programmer, ex-editor in chief at OSNews.com, now a visual artist/filmmaker.
Follow me on Twitter @EugeniaLoli
If all PC hardware working with the OS were a requirement you couldn’t say any OS is desktop ready. I’ve seen a few pieces of hardware that did something no educated person would qualify as “working” on a Windows desktop
. Of course, we call that “junk” and tell our friends to never buy that brand. Usually though, I think, it’s not the electronics that were broken but the drivers (I’m just going by odds based on relative complexity).
The title was supposed to be: “Nothing would be ready”
Edited 2005-11-15 01:00
Good in depth review. I look forward to the next part.
Anyone know what font that is on the desktop (Home etc icons)?
I remember in 2003 or so looking at screenshots of KDE-based distros with crystal themes and rounded widgets and think, wow…that looks great! It really did look futuristic and slick at the time. Now it looks quite dated and unfriendly. When I just used Windows XP and and KDE on Mandrake, KDE looked leaps and bounds ahead of XP. But now that I use OS X almost exclusively, these Mandriva screenshots just don’t look very inviting or exciting. It’s time for people who are passionate about the look and feel of the desktop to get involved in linux desktop development. Right now everybody who participates in KDE or Gnome development is a coder. I’m sure the people who are responsible for the look and feel of the OS X interface don’t write any code for OS X.
I agree 100% with you. The thing is that appealing and exciting widgets/colors/icons are often quite uneasy on the eyes after some time using it. I’m sure you’ve read some of the GNOME bashing about “Fischer Price” icons, they are partialy right with the KDE stock icons.
Mandriva did realize that and proposes a more relaxing theme in my opinion.
Right now everybody who participates in KDE or Gnome development is a coder.
Not true. KDE has artists and usability experts working on plasma (KDE4 interface).
I would think GNOME has people like that as well, but I’m not sure.
I still think KDE looks decent, but you are right about it not stacking up to OSX. And it sounds like Vista is adding a lot of eye candy as well, although we have yet to see what the final product will look like.
Actually, I feel the same as you when I upgrade Mandriva for my converted users … except that I compare the Mandriva default theme to my Nuvola desktop, or even to the default KDE plastik blue theme.
So don’t be too quick to come to conclusions : yours are completely wrong.
Mandriva desktop does NOT display the state of Linux desktops. You make the same mistake as every people new to Linux : you are overwhelmed by so much power, and want to suggest things to us, things we should do, when these things already exist (hint : kde-look.org).
My wife has a KDE desktop (she is computer illiterate). Before the plastik theme, she had the mosfet-liquid theme (OS X like). She much prefers the Plastik one. So OS-X look is surely not the best for everyone.
I agree that default themes and windows decorations are not as nice as they could be. However, it’s quite easy to beautify it.
Personally, the first things I do on a new install is a) Install the Nuvola icon theme, b) Install the Lipstik widget style, and c) Use Plastik as the Windows Decoration.
These make up for a really striking desktop – in my taste, of course.
Really, who cares? When both KDE and Gnome are so easy to customize the way you want!!
KDElook.org may help you in having the most beautiful KDE you’ve ever dreamt of. You can even make it look like OSX if you are so inclined.
So, who cares about the default look’n feel of any distro since it’s the first thing I’ll change after install.
At OSDir: http://shots.osdir.com/slideshows/slideshow.php?release=472&slide=3…
the Mandriva default theme
The widget theme are not too bad, but the Galaxy(?) window decoration are probably one of the ugliest there is. What are they thinking? In the KDE packages you are hard pressed to find anything worse, perhaps the OpenLook, CDE and KDE2 decorations. But all of those have some redeeming qualities, Galaxy on the other hand is just ugly.
“The widget theme are not too bad, but the Galaxy(?) window decoration are probably one of the ugliest there is. What are they thinking? In the KDE packages you are hard pressed to find anything worse, perhaps the OpenLook, CDE and KDE2 decorations. But all of those have some redeeming qualities, Galaxy on the other hand is just ugly.”
To each his own, I guess.
To me, Mandriva’s Galaxy theme is the best theme out there. I like it better than KDE’s Plastik (which is excellent), Gnome’s Clearlooks (which is also excellent), Red Hat’s Bluecurve (another great theme), and finally SuSE’s default theme (I don’t know what it’s called, but it’s very slick). IMHO, Mandriva’s Galaxy beats all of them.
I also think that Mandriva’s Galaxy, along with all of the aforementioned themes, is better than both XP and OSX. First, XP is too Fischer Price-ish. Second, quite frankly, OSX is by far the most overrated DE/Theme I’ve seen. People just rave about it, but I’ve played with it at Best Buy and Fry’s (I don’t own a Mac, don’t need to, or really want to fork out the extra money to do so), and, while I think it’s nice, it’s definetely not “all that and a bag of chips”. Yes, OSX is slick and modern and attractive, but it’s not that great. I even find it to be a bit to toyish, or Barbie-ish (I have a 3 yr old daughter who has some Barbie stuff 😉 ).
So, No thanks to OSX or XP. I’ll take Mandriva’s Galaxy theme, for it’s simplicity, balance, attractive blue, rounded buttons, comfort, intuitiveness, and over all beauty.
But I do realize that it is in vogue to bag on anything Mandriva at OSNews.
Tweak, Tweak tweak; a linux lovers favorite word. Try the Galaxy squared window decoration with the plastic theme in Mandriva and I think you’ll discover that Mandriva can look very polished. Kde-look.org/Gnome-look.org, are a great sites to help you transform your desktop. With a little know how, you can transform your desktop into something that easily mimics or surpasses the default appearance of OSX and XP.
Surely you all realize this is merely a matter of personal preference. I’ve worked with OS X and see nothing overall impressive about it. The icons in particular look cartoonish and rather primitive. Plus you have to factor in that KDE is more easily customized for appearance than any other DE.
It’s true, plasma is just a pipe dream to head off the Vista eyecandy look. Now I see more and more people saying, “I also think that Mandriva’s Galaxy, along with all of the aforementioned themes, is better than both XP and OSX. First, XP is too Fischer Price-ish. Second, quite frankly, OSX is by far the most overrated DE/Theme I’ve seen”
And crystal icons are not?, sorry but even baghira is no OS-X and Mandriva’s Galaxy dont even come close so dream on.
Actually, I find it quite amusing that 99% of the posts here are about the look of Mandriva. First of all, looks are a matter of personal taste. Second, OSX is not better than any other DE in terms of usability /looks (I work with an OSX system) and third stability and usablility is more important than the look of icons, windeco and wallpapers (to a certain degree, of course).
The Mandriva desktop is imho very usable, clean, practical. I switched from Mandriva to Debian some time ago (I was curious… shame on me
), but I will switch back to Mdv 2006 because:
1.) the auto-setup of folders for documents, downloads, pictures, etc. is a very good decision and will facilitate my job of setting up desktops for several users
2.) the hardware detection in Mandriva was always one of the best
3.) the system is easy to maintain, powerful, extremely customizable (make it as lean or bloated as you like. Very easy even for beginners). I don’t need to explain a lot of things to new users
4.) it is available for free (many people calimed that there is only the Mandriva-club option … what a nonsense)
5.) the userbase is extremely friendly and knowledgeable and entertaining
6.) easy and fast installation (some 15 minutes)
Okay, what I wanted to say basically is that the review was very, very good. I would appreciate it if we get more reviews like that one instead of the many flame-war like reviews that were there in the past.
Just my 00.2$