Lindows.com, Inc., maker of the low-cost, Linux-based operating system LindowsOS , announced today the release of LindowsOS 2.0 available now to Lindows.com Insiders. Michael Robertson also writes about it in his column. LindowOS 2.0 uses the Keramik KDE theme (and possibly KDE 3.x), and it includes many new tools like wireless configuration, laptop support, printer network scanning and more.
Lindows 2.0 Released to Insiders
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But I still won’t pay $99 for it.
what? they haven’t even actually release 1.0 yet?
why the jump to 2.0 all of the sudden
I agree that the version bumping was to soon, only a few months after they released their walmart version (which is the one that someone could think of as version 1.0).
It seems that the 2.0 version numbering is just purely a marketing decision. Now you will see articles about it on news.com and elsewhere because of this.
dont know, maybe they broke compatibility with gcc 3x or something to warrent a new point release?
> dont know, maybe they broke compatibility with gcc 3x or something to warrent a new point release?
Such decisions about versioning, for companies like Lindows, are mostly feature and marketing driven, not development driven. The marketing and the kind of customers they have, don’t really care if there is gcc 2.9.x or 3.x. Lindows is not your average linux distro. They do have quite some new features though, like the wireless config.
I just confirmed that LindowsOS general release later this year will be labelled version 3.0. I can only ASSUME this is because they’d like their product to sound more mature. Either way, they are apparently adding features at an incredible pace.
what new features are they adding at an incredible pace?
the wireless thing maybe, and click-n-run but what else?
>but what else?
http://www.lindows.com/lindows_michaelsminutes.php
except what i listed before
Didn’t they say when they were going to release 1.0 that they would also release the source code.
Well what the community needs is a free Click N Run type interface that users can plug into no matter what distro they run. One of the biggest problems for linux is installing software. Sure at times it’s as easy as double clicking an RPM for DEB file.. but most the time it’s not that easy because there are dependancies to resolve.
Debian has a system of their own I believe it’s Apt-Get
Lycoris has or is going to have their own system
Ximian has Red Carpet Installer.
Why not one basic standard? Why not a repository for linux apps that operates much like the Click N Run? I know the arguments as to why it hasn’t/won’t happen… but it would really benefit the community.
I invision a front end that would sit on your computer and a repository of apps on various FTP servers.
You would open the front end and it would connect to a central server and your front end would give the server the info about your computer.. such as is it x86 or PPC… what Distro you’re running and what WM you’re using. Then you would surf through a library of apps and choose what one you wanted and select it for installation. The front end would ask you if you wanted a link on your desktop and or your launch menu and you’d hit OK and off it would go. It would check dependancies and resolve them and install the software. After it’s done.. you hit finish and away you go.
It really doesn’t seem like it’d be all that hard to do.. it’d just take a good standard that every one could go by and a little dedication.
Oh and I forgot one more thing..
In my example above, if the system was built right developers could upload the actual source code and then your front end could compile it for you and install it. This way there wouldn’t be 10 binaries for the various CPUs and Distros but just one source code that abided by rules that your front end could then easily compile and install without the need to do all that ./config make make install stuff.
“Well what the community needs is a free Click N Run type interface that users can plug into no matter what distro they run. One of the biggest problems for linux is installing software. Sure at times it’s as easy as double clicking an RPM for DEB file.. but most the time it’s not that easy because there are dependancies to resolve.”
I think many Linux users would be willing to subscribe to something like this, for a reasonable fee (certainly less than $99 per year).
Gentoo has that – its call portage – no having 40 different kinds of binaries.
I won’t be suprised if the next big version after 3.0 is called 3.1 instead of 4.0…
I can’t wait for Lindows XP.
I think these guys are doing a good job. I’ll definately give it a try and even pay $99 for the subscription just to support them.
I’ll have to check out gentoo. It would be great if every one would come up with a standard and go with it. Not just gentoo or red hat or mandrake.. but every one. Have something like the W3.org. I know there is united linux but it doesn’t really seem to have the right direction on some things.
And I agree that it wouldn’t have to be free.. but it would be better that way. More people would use it/adopt it/contribute to it if it was free. Look at source forge.. it doesn’t cost me any thing to download from their server.. so if an open source group could make a front end and have a bunch of people helping them out.. it shouldn’t be hard to come up with a stanrdard and build a front end for it and get the big companies on board with it.
I’m not too fond of the overly bright icons and theme but otherwise I must say I am very impressed. Just thinking how much work I would have to do to get all those things running on my debian box…
It seems that I was too quick to judge Lindows.. But they should have waited with their release until this version.. THe first one really sucked.
From Lindows site:
“Hurry! This special price to become an Insider will be ending soon. Once the General Release is out, pricing for LindowsOS and one year of Click-N-Run will be $129 and the Insider’s program will be going to $299.”
They are tripling the price to sign up and tacking on another $30 (to the already high $99) to download free software. Sure, it may be a newbie distro and there may be people willing to pay those prices. Maybe it’s me but it really feels like Lindows is whoring the hard work of the Free Software community. And since they haven’t “officially” released a 1.0, they can claim that they aren’t making their product publicly available and therefore don’t have to release any source code. I’m all for newbie/simplified/windows clone linux distros, anything to open people up to new opportunities. This just feels like a way to exploit both developers and users.
“Ximian has Red Carpet Installer.”
Ximian GNOME runs on several distros. So, users do have an interface they can all plug into regardless of what they use…if they chose to do so.
My only problem with the Ximian idea is that you’ve then got two sets of updates to worry about. For example, if you install Ximian on Mandrake, then you’ll be doing system & app updates with MandrakeUpdate and app updates with Red Carpet. Having system updates built into Red Carpet for your particular distro would be cool. Of course, that’s what I had to deal with in the days of Mandrake 7.2/8.0; things could have changed by now.
That’s most importants update, because of network and printer. A lot of companies/home users care about easy automatic network and printer by just one-click-bingo. So far from what I read, it seems like Lindows have maken very good step for the market, but I need to try it.
Have anyone tried Lindows? I always think, Lindows is slower than Windows and Linux, because of based on WineX for allow Windows apps work on Linux.
That AOL IM client doesnt look too shabby either!
For example, if you install Ximian on Mandrake, then you’ll be doing system & app updates with MandrakeUpdate and app updates with Red Carpet.
No, Red Carpet installations are sorted by channels. There’s one channel for your distribution (including all system and security updates), another for the ximian desktop, and several more for different applications, some of them not provided by Ximian (like the Codeweavers channel). Of course, only one instance of Red Carpet is run to manage all the channels.
You should try Red Carpet, I too was surprised to notice they managed the distribution updates in the same package. And though in the early days there were some bugs because of dependencies, now it’s very hard to find a single one (I can’t wait for Ximian 2, Gnome2 ready
).
“That’s most importants update, because of network and printer”
I would just like to point out that the screenshot of searching for a network printer is actually PART OF KDE 3.0.3. I think it has been there since 3.0 but I can’t be sure (but it sure as hell is on the 3.0.3 sitting in front of me right now in Gentoo).
In fact the graphic on the left side of the dialog box has been changed to remove the KDE branding (used to say “KDE Print” at the top – now it just says “Printer Setup”).
The KDE printing system by itself is nothing short of incredible. We have a very widely distributed printing system here at my university – and KDE’s printing setup screens (with the aid of CUPS of course) handle it beautifully.
Derek
Nothing in Lindows is new (i will admit i have not seen the wireless config thing…)
like the above post KDE printing system is awesome!…
but not a thing only in Lindows, Lindows has nothing to do with it AT ALL, it’s available on all systems.
and Lindows has nothing to do with the support of HP printers…HP opensourced most of it drivers for linux:
http://hpinkjet.sourceforge.net/
There at TONS of AIM clients for Linux, even an official AIM client that can be downloaded from AOL…big freakin deal!
and no, Lindows is not based on WineX or even wine anymore they have dropped the lame “we run windows apps” marketing gimmick.
lindows is ONLY marketing hype!
lindows is ONLY marketing hype!
I’ll give Lindows this… it’s one of the few distributions I’ve seen that has managed to make KDE not look like ass.
I mean, it still has a very rough, discontiguous look to it, but it’s certainly better than, say, RedHat Null, which looks atrocious.
i will agree it looks nice, but that’s becasue they are using the keramik theme and crystal icons theme (and a few icons of there own)
which i may remind you IS the default look for KDE 3.1 and most distro’s like mandrake usually just use the default themes for Gnome and KDE…Lindows has just jumped the gun…not that that is bad, it does look nice…just nothing
totally new
Good to see that they’ve realised that while konqueror is an ok file manager it can’t compete with mozilla/netscape as a proper web browser – Looks like lindows is getting better (slowly)
and even better they’ve replaced Kmail with netscape mail – so now they have a serious mail client and a serious web browser.
Nice version of the Keramik theme, I just wished the Keramik themes had only slight rounded title bars. IMO it is too rounded.
I understand that Linux is usually associated with free everything. But Lindows from the beginning was designed to be a cheaper product than MS Windows that’s all.
But I agree the price they are charging for software that is generally free is outrages. Since most of the programs you will ever need for simple functionality are already included in the Lindows.
To pay $99 US (approx. $200 Australian)year after year I could purchase legal academic version of MS Windows XP and Office XP. Which is the basic of what most people need there computer to do.
If they wish to be successful they really need to lower those price alot more. Probably the only way they could do this is by having more subscribers.
Another option is to provide more than just “click n run” for the same amount. For example a lindows.com email address (do they have this?) and also a dial in account to get access to this via Mozilla Mail. They could create a range of services that doesn’t cost them that much, thus being able to keep a low price for users who wish to use the services.
“Nothing in Lindows is new (i will admit i have not seen the wireless config thing…) ”
From looking at the screenshots at their site and comparing the screenshots in an earlier Xandros article here, it looks they are just using an older version of the wireless config thing from Xandros. So you are right … Lindows is nothing but stealing pieces from everywhere and making a lot of hype about them!
Beware young men in a hurry.
Yeah they are :-). Yet for the amount of employees they have, they are slower than companies like Lycoris and ELX……
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Dan: Didn’t they say when they were going to release 1.0 that they would also release the source code.
No, they said when the final stable release is made, they would release the source code.
Torrey: Well what the community needs is a free Click N Run type interface that users can plug into no matter what distro they run.
http://www.ximian.com/products/redcarpet/
Only difference is that Red Carpet doesn’t back up your list of apps, and allow the download of distributions (and it upgrades) via its program.
Besides, Debian apt-get and Lindows CNR isn’t the same. One is an bare bones dependancies reteriver and the other is an front end to Lindows’ server, similar to Download.com and Red Carpet mixed together.
Vince: Gentoo has that – its call portage – no having 40 different kinds of binaries.
Can you download Portage your your Red Hat box? Read his post again 🙂
torrey: I’ll have to check out gentoo. It would be great if every one would come up with a standard and go with it. Not just gentoo or red hat or mandrake.. but every one. Have something like the W3.org.
Yet most of the commercial web doesn’t follow any of W3C recomendations. Besides, LSB is making great strives into standards, but I doubt centralized application download app is in their plans.
krammit: They are tripling the price to sign up and tacking on another $30 (to the already high $99) to download free software.
Plus the fact that most people, unless those really desperate to download free software with a nice app doing it for them, and refuse to go to the stores of the manufacturer’s site itself, wouldn’t buy into Lindows.com because on the long term it is more expensive than Windows.
Rude Turnip: or example, if you install Ximian on Mandrake, then you’ll be doing system & app updates with MandrakeUpdate and app updates with Red Carpet.
IIRC, you can do system updated on Red Carpet. Never tried it before though because most packages on my Mandrake install isn’t standard anyway 🙂
Anonymous: Have anyone tried Lindows? I always think, Lindows is slower than Windows and Linux, because of based on WineX for allow Windows apps work on Linux.
I have tried Lindows.com (Insder’s version, I don’t know which one), running on VMware with Windows ME and Windows XP. Lindows’ speed is around the same as any other Linux distribution with KDE 2.2.x, but Windows applications are significantly slower than the other two Windows.
Besides, Lindows doesn’t use WineX, it uses a little-modified Wine fork.
jon: That AOL IM client doesnt look too shabby either!
Yeah, but that theme (hopefully not the standard one bundled with Netscape 🙂 on Netscape is alsolutely ugly. Urghh…
Brad C.: and no, Lindows is not based on WineX or even wine anymore they have dropped the lame “we run windows apps” marketing gimmick.
They bundle WINE with the old version (not sure about the new one), only they don’t promote it anymore.
(Because most of the time, it doesn’t work).
Bascule: I mean, it still has a very rough, discontiguous look to it, but it’s certainly better than, say, RedHat Null, which looks atrocious.
This is your personal opinion. I left my IRC client running on #kde 6 hours while idle 3 weeks ago (or was it 2?), and from the logs, I see 7 different individuals asking how to get Null’s theme for KDE/QT.
What you have that is personal preferences. For me, Lindows looks okay (much betetr than Xandros for sure, but much more uglier than Null.
Anonymous: and even better they’ve replaced Kmail with netscape mail – so now they have a serious mail client and a serious web browser.
LOL, I think Lindows is stupid in this regard. I’m guessing Netscape 7 Mail is around the same as Mozilla 1.1, because it is so much worse than KMail on my ISP’s POP3 account.
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If there is any version of Linux I would recommend my friends trying it out, it is Red Hat 8.0 with RH Network. If there is any version of Linux I would recommend any company who is considering a move to Linux, it would be RH 8.0. Maybe Xandros, but I haven’t tried it.
One thing I don’t know is WHO THE HECK IS LINDOW’S TARGET MARKET? Is it consumers, who CNR is made for? Or the corporate market, whom Lindows once targeted with their version of Wine?
Wow, I see nobody bringing up the root by default issue….. suprising. Am I in OS News?
As an registered Insider to Lindows OS, I feel I must clear some missconseptions found it the comments here.
1st: Lindows is a move to a desktop Linux, not a Windows clone. It is true however that it contains an enhanced version of Wine that can run Office 2000 (Word,Excel,Powerpoint and Frontpage) and a few other things including Internet Explorer 6 (not that you would need it after you see Netscape 7 or Mozila on Lindows).
2nd: For 99$ you get first crack at the versions before the official release to the public. You also get 2 years of Click and Run (A nice way to install software without any hassle) and StarOffice 6.0 (That in itself costs 99$!! if you buy it without Lindows.).
3rd: So far there have been 3 stable versions: 1.1 which was in the Walmart PCs, 1.2 SPX which supported more hardware, and 2.0 which fully supports Windows Networks and has a lot more hardware support.
4th: Lindows installs in 20 minutes on a slow PC (under 300mhz) and in 5 minutes on a fast PC (PIII,IV or Athlon)
5th: The public edition 3.0 will not only be mature enough, but will be almost to the point that other Desktop linuxes have reached in their 8.2 edition (Mandrake for example).
6th: Licensing schema is very differend than the one for Windows or any other software. If for example you have 2 or more networked PCs at home, you only need to buy 1 Lindows License. That will cover all your needs in software.
7th: You don’t need to buy it for your computer to work. There are available Alternative OPERATING systems like Windows 🙂
1st: Agreed.
2nd: StarOffice cost $75, and cheaper if you get it via OEM licenses (like from Mandrake) or acedemic licenses.
3rd: These were considered by Lindows as unstable. Otherwise they are backsteping on their previous promise: releasing the source code on their first stable release.
4th: Small feat. Considering the amount of software it installs by default. It wants users to download most of otherwise standard components from CNR.
5th: Huh? You mean stablity? Ease of use? what?
6th: You need more than one CNR account, one for each machine, IIRC.
7th: Ahhh……. (Like I work anyway 🙂