DistroWatch reports that a new development release of Lycoris Desktop/LX is out, Build 75. Several package updates have been noted; the more prominent among them are gftp 2.0.14, licq 1.2.6 samba 2.2.8a, wget 1.8.2 and xawtv 3.85.
Development Release: Lycoris Desktop/LX Build 75
About The Author
Eugenia Loli
Ex-programmer, ex-editor in chief at OSNews.com, now a visual artist/filmmaker.
Follow me on Twitter @EugeniaLoli
These Lycoris guys just keep plodding on! How are they surviving, financially? I still don’t know what they are up to! They’ve invested so much in KDE 2 I hope it won’t be too much trouble moving to KDE 3.
Speaking of KDE 3, whatever happened to Lindows? They used to release a new version every two weeks, but have been silent for a while now. I guess they are trying to move to KDE 3.1 or something??? Or are they trying to spin a surprise?
Lycoris: i’m glad you realize that they HAVE invested a lot in Kde 2.2.2. These betas that keep rolling out are the betas for Amethyst Update 3. Beryl will start being developed after update 3 is released. Beryl will be the next version of Lycoris that features KDE 3 and i do not think they will have a hard time moving to kde 3 at ALL. I’m glad that your not “trolling” Lycoris like many oher people do.
Lindows: no idea, i have version 3, and haven’t heard anything else…
Do these guys release anything besides development/beta releases ?
Yes. Update 1 and 2 and the upcoming 3. Unlike other distros, they try to have a new version of their products every ~8-10 months (with intensive testing), as opposed to companies who bump whole version numbers every 3 to 5 months.
These Lycoris guys just keep plodding on! How are they surviving, financially?
I think they only have 4 full time employees, as I recall. I think it is impressive the work they have done with that small of team. I didn’t use it long, but I was fairly impressed.
I am not completely for the idea of making linux look like windows xp, but if you are going to do it, you should do it right. Lycoris does.
I think when Lycoris incorporates KDE 3 I might try it then, That way I can have my themes, as for Lindows, not hearing from them is a good thing.
will there be a free to download version of this Lycoris release? I visited the site a few days ago but didn’t find it.
t.i.a.
btw: Lycoris is very good in what it intends to do, making linux easy for the average MS users.
there is a free download of it. here’s a link: http://www.lycoris.org/download.php?op=viewdownload&cid=8
just select a mirror, and btw, the sweeden mirror is pretty fast.
Cheers!
D3M0N
Even if Lycoris was the best desktop distro, I am not sure I see the market. The average home MS user? Why will he buy Linux, he probably doesn’t even know what it is! Them he has to install it! And let’s suppe he survive all that, he will be surprise that the latest game he bought at WallMart does not work on it!
The geek is not interested. So where is the market for Lycoris?
you find it. obviously you don’t really like linux (from your post) so why bother posting. its a waste of everyones time.
sorry about my last post. it was a little harsh. i just don’t like comments like what you had said
Hey, this is not to cause controvercy or anything, but what is so great about KDE3? More specifically, how does KDE 3 differ from KDE2.2? I have used both (only in passing) and I don’t remember noticing a stark difference. Granted that I used RedHat’s version of KDE3 so I might have just chalked some things up to RedHat. I was just wondering if KDE3 had significantly different features or a great speed/reliability enhancement. Is application compatibility the big issue?
Sorry to ask a potentially stupid question.
i’m glad you brought this up. Most people don’t get why KDE 2.2.2 is still in Lycoris, well Xandros has it also and they don’t get all this critism, but thats beyond your questions.
KDE 3 offers more eyecandy and “stability”. When i say stability, yah they fixed bugs the plagued kde 2 but also kreated more. Lycoris has applied over 1000+ (i think thats correct) patches to kde 2.2.2. Lycoris is all for stability and the patches they applied make KDE 2:
1) much much much more stabler than stock kde 2 and kde 3
2) visual appearance
3) speed
4) and others.
KDE 3 also offers better configuration, but Lycoris excellent Control Center is very good for configurign KDE and hardware.
Redhat has been blamed to criple KDE, but i’ve never agreed and i am an avid kde user myself. No question is stupid
Cheers!
People really miss the fact that Lycoris DE is different from KDE 2.2.2 in many ways and as such cannot be called KDE 2.2.2 . BTW if you compare LDE from KDE 3.1.1 the pros and cons are just equal. People should not stray away from Lycoris beacuase of the DE. Its just plain unfair and goes to show ones ignorance with regards to Lycoris! People should try using it first before saying anything negative about LDE.
umm, i don’t agree with you there pudlidzz.
it is still kde 2 and will be. but i do like that name LDE-Lycoris Desktop Environment. lets change it-hehe
D3M0N
Well whatever market there is I fit into it nicely. I finally migrated to a linux-only system this past February using Lycoris (having dabbled with it off and on since the Redmondlinux days). The product is stable, and I have had very few issues at all. It does what I need it to do, and don’t have to tinker with it unless I want to.
Also the user support forums are probably the clincher for me as there are people with all different levels of knowledge helping each other in a rather friendly manner.
Is this a stable biuld? as far as I am aware, there has only been one stable biuld since this project was started. Not that I can say much about Lycoris, because the only version I have tried was a very early beta of it when it was still called RedmondLinux. I belive it is biuld 14 or somewhere around there. It was pretty usable, but needed ironing out before becoming a decent desktop OS. Also, does this include Mozilla 1.30? I would be interested in trying out this distribution if I knew a bit more about it than just the propoganda that is posted on the Lycoris website, and the fancy screenshots that look like a second incarnation of Windows XP Home.
no, this is not stable. it is a beta on the way to stable. the stable version, Update 3, is expected to be out soon. Lycoris has had much much much more improvements than whne it was Redmond Linux. Not even comparable. And there has been more than one stable build. There has been 2. As Eugenia said, Lycoris tends to release new stable every 8-10 months, and rigorous beta testing in that period. and i’m glad to here that overall you liked it!
D3M0N
Me!: More specifically, how does KDE 3 differ from KDE2.2?
KHTML on KDE 3 is far better than in KDE 2, in addition to performance difference (can be optimized to be very fast – faster than KDE 2.2), a number of cool features, etc. The biggest feature IMHO is that it is using Qt3 as oppose to Qt2.
D3MON: 2) visual appearance
Prior to KDE 3.1, there weren’t a huge visual difference. Except much better fonts (installed with FreeType 2 and XFT2, configured properly), better use of XRender.
D3MON: KDE 3 also offers better configuration, but Lycoris excellent Control Center is very good for configurign KDE and hardware.
From what I have used of Lycoris (Update 1, however) is that KControl applets is used in Lycoris oh-so-famous Control Panel. But I wouldn’t really place this as a feature – KDE 3 (as well as later on in 2.x), the configuration is badly confusing – not because there is too much. It isn’t arrange properly at all.
pulidzz: People really miss the fact that Lycoris DE is different from KDE 2.2.2 in many ways and as such cannot be called KDE 2.2.2
Having a couple thousand patches as well as a little different UI doesn’t really qualify for it not to be called “different from KDE 2.2.2”. It is still based on KDE 2.2, its core features is from there, and is also based on QT2 like KDE 2.2.
this is nice. no flaming! awsome. i’ve never seen OSNews like this.
I would have to agree. I think this is great that there hasnt been any flaming. There isnt anything more annoying or time wasting than a distro flame war.
Well done.
Keep up the awesome job OSNEWS
Cheers!
“”The biggest feature IMHO is that it is using Qt3 as oppose to Qt2. “”
Joseph Cheek is going to make availble Qt3 libbs in IRIS after update 3 comes out.
It will be possible to run KDE3 apps in Lycoris with KDE2.2.2 + IRIS access
I installed it a long time ago, I’m going to have to take another look. 🙂
No flaming after you flamed topos about his “where is the market question” which was just a simple question. Good job.
Speaking of KDE 3, whatever happened to Lindows? They used to release a new version every two weeks, but have been silent for a while now. I guess they are trying to move to KDE 3.1 or something??? Or are they trying to spin a surprise?
Lindows is still hard at work on the next version. You don’t hear alot about it cause it’s closed beta testing. Us Insiders are currently testing 3.1 and should be getting 3.2 shortly with the next stable release being 4.0 to be released later this year. As for Lycoris? Sure is looking good!! Getting better every day!
Kreek
Lindows Insider
Joseph Cheek is going to make availble Qt3 libbs in IRIS after update 3 comes out.
It will be possible to run KDE3 apps in Lycoris with KDE2.2.2 + IRIS access
I listed one of the features of KDE 3 as *using* Qt3, not loading it to run Qt3 applications. Besides, having Qt3 on IRIS wouldn’t be sufficient for me. It is kind of a waste having Qt2 and Qt3 side by side, especially since both are almost source compatible.
yes, i know. And i did take it back.
I’ve had a few MS-centric people ask me about Lycoris. They’ve expressed an interest in Lycoris due to its UI. It look a lot like Windows, which doesn’t intimidate them. Kudos to Lycoris and others for trying to create a distro with the newbies in mind!
from the ‘My Products’ section:
“This is an UNSTABLE build, available only to Insiders who wish to help with Alpha testing for the upcoming LindowsOS 4.0 release, due out later this year.”
I have don’t know enough about the marketplace to say whether it has a market or not, but it’s the version of Linux I show n00bs even more clueless than myself. I really like build 71, I’ll give this one a shot too. For myself, I’m a former MDK user, right now I’m stuck on Gentoo – it’s great for curious n00bs, and both intermediate and advanced users seem to like it too. Might try Suse 8.2 to see how n00b friendly it is. Never have tried Lindows, portage works great and for free 😉
I’m loving OpenSource.
I really like Lycoris. At first, it does appear that they have simply tried to copy XP. And, to a degree, they have, to make it familiar to people. However, after using it for awhile, one notices that it is not *exactly* like XP and that they have created a certain look and atmosphere of their own. I also have the Productivity Pak and they have done the same with OpenOffice.org, added their artwork, etc. It really looks good.
I did find out something about the builds they are using in the Wal*Mart online store Microtel computers. They are not using the last “official” stable build or version (which is Build 46?). They’re putting in the latest beta instead. A friend of mine just got a Microtel from Wal*Mart with Lycoris pre-installed and it was Build 66 (which, as I recall, was not a particularly good one).
most of the users of the microtel pcs have been pretty happy. they had to use the betas for support of some components, notably the modem and sound.
i’ve used every build since 43, and it’s my favorite distro. everything is set up and ready to go imediately….not a lot of meesing around is required.
try it if you haven’t….it’s nice and easy to get going, and their forums are fast and freindly.
Someone stated earlier that they thought the last stable build was 14. The current stable build on Lycoris’ site and mirrors is Build 46. All since that are different development builds. Build 75 is the latest of the series.
I am currently using Build 46. Tried Build 71, but certain things were quite broken. The only problem I have with Build 46 is that I can’t get my sound card to work. Simple enough; the driver does not exist. Three different organizations are working on drivers, but they aren’t there yet.
OK? Hope this helps,
75 is way better than 71….much closer to being update three.
get the 75 iso and install it clean. it’s really good so far.