Xandros today announced the release of the of Xandros Desktop 2.0. With a strong user focus, Xandros Desktop 2.0 offers a graphical environment that’s easy to use, and installs with 4 clicks of a mouse. Based on Debian Linux 4.0 and a Xandros-enhanced KDE 3.1.4, Xandros Desktop 2.0 provides seamless compatibility with Microsoft Windows programs, including MS office and MS networks. Read more for pricing and for the free download trial edition.
Xandros Announces Desktop 2.0 Linux OS
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Eugenia Loli
Ex-programmer, ex-editor in chief at OSNews.com, now a visual artist/filmmaker.
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Debian 4.0? Thats a new one on me!
They obviously mean the unstable version of Debian.
Probably “Debian Testing” doesn’t sound very nice from a marketing point of view!
As for me, I can’t wait to purchase Xandros 2.0
I know what they mean, I was being sarcastic.
Anyway I have never had any experience with Xandros.
Considering it’s Debian based I give it a try, if there is a free download version.
>The retail Standard and Deluxe editions are also available >for download.
and where would that be??? just had a look and cant find anything on xandros.com
Sources are available here:
http://www.xandros.com/sourcecode.html
But if you want the actual distro, you will be paying
LW.
“>The retail Standard and Deluxe editions are also available >for download.
and where would that be??? just had a look and cant find anything on xandros.com”
RTFrienlyM 😉
The download-edtiton will be started when Xandros 2 is released
->
Xandros Desktop 2.0 will be available directly from Xandros online December 9th”…
Xandros looks pretty good overall – but what’s with those icons? They look hideously amateurish in the current product. I hope they’ve improved them for version 2.0. Why not just use the standard KDE crystal icons?
I know it seems like a small thing, but it just spoils the whole look and feel of the product.
> Sources are available here:
> http://www.xandros.com/sourcecode.html
These sources are from 1.0 version, they didn’t ever published the 1.1 ones.
I tried Xandros 1.1, and even still I prefer more open and complete distros like Fedora or real Debian, I think Xandros is the best distro of the Lindows/Lycoris/Xandros family.
Are there KDE improvments Open Source ? Did these guys contribute some of their past improvements to the open source projects they borrowed from ?
I am just asking, I have no idea.
I have no objections to Isos not being available for free download, but they should really make a live CD version so that we can have a look.
There is *no* Debian 4.0
According to the website “Sarge” will become Debian 3.1
It looks like Xandros has responded to some of the criticisms/suggestions on the forums:
1. There is a significant discount to people who purchased Xandros 1.0
2. There will be an ISO download. People outside of NA previously had to pay for shipping (although Xandros paid for it initially)
3. The software is much more up to date at the time of release.
4. There is a trial version. This was a BIG issue, as many people refused spend $99 on an untested product.
5. They have made their own user friendly cd-burner. (Xandros 1.0 included x-roast which many people didn’t like).
6. The deluxe version in US$10 cheaper (and with the weaker US$ even cheaper still for those outside of the States).
Anyway that’s all good to see, and I think many of us Xandros old timers will be happy.
What would be great in version 3.0 would be for them, as suggested by Ashley, the need for an easy to use CD writing tool, however, this needs to be taken further. For example, KOffice is a great piece of software but needs a good investment of money and developers to really push it to the same amount of features that OpenOffice.org.
If KOffice does improve then there will be the required “integrated” Office suite which people are looking for.
If there is a completely integrated solution, which KDE can provide, there will be a rock solid replacement for Windows, however, IMHO, I think if we keep up at the rate of development KDE 4.0 and KOffice will get to the same level which MacOS and Windows provides, probably more inline with the level MacOS provides.
what is really the point of improving Koffice when you have openoffice.org … seems like a waste of time to me. who cares if it is integrated, openoffice has a way better featureset, if you want integration, work on integrating openoffice more with kde, or just use gnome
isn’t integrated with gnome…
it uses its framework and its toolkit, that’s why it’s so slow to load, just like mozilla, duplication and duplication…
KOffice is a beautiful idea/piece of code to be realized over time. OpenOffice.org has had a long time to mature. It is a very nice office suite, but it is good to have an integrated office suite. It makes the desktop more cohesive. For relatively simple uses (writing papers, writing letters, writing memos), KDE Office already fulfills this role.
The only thing I would like to see is KDE Office be able to import OO.org’s files and vice versa.
RE: <what is really the point of improving Koffice when you have openoffice.org>
i agree completely, KDE’s R&D resources could be better spent working on their other desktop projects like KDE’s Kontrol centre, K3b, Konqueror, Kmail, and all their other Kmultimedia and Kgraphics Kapps, Kgames, etc…
this post was brought to you by the letter K…
The only thing I would like to see is KDE Office be able to import OO.org’s files and vice versa.
The upcoming version of KOffice will in fact use OpenOffice-style files as its default to follow the Open Office XML format TC of as per the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards ( http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/office/charter.php )
From their web site:
http://www.xandros.com/downloads.html
“Downloads
Xandros Desktop OS is not currently available for download but a 30-day trial version will be available when the product begins shipping on December 16. The 30-day trial version is a fully functional version of Xandros Desktop OS version 2 Standard Edition. “
and if I do, I will be getting it for sure!!
does anyone know what was tweaked in the ACPI code when it was back-ported to the 2.4 kernel? I don’t get sound from having it on any longer.
Samir,
Thanks for the info and just to be perfectly clear. Will it use the same format or an OO.org inspired XML format?
In other words, will documents produced with Kword open in OpenOffice writer with no loss of formatting and viceversa?
If so, this news completely rocks.
I’d consider supporting Xandros, if they contributed back to the source pool. I see no evidence of this. I could be wrong, I haven’t looked too hard. To me it’s important that the company invests some its profits in the software.
Hence I usually buy SuSE, I know they contributed back sufficiently often that I considered them worth sponsoring.
you claim to have seen no evidence, yet you also clim to not have looked.
nice.
Xandros complies with the GPL just as much as any other company does.
There is no KDE’s R&D department, every volunteer developers works on what he likes. And that can be also KOffice.
Eu,
From my understanding, which could be totally off-base, OASIS took the Open Office format wholesale, or at least OpenOffice and OASIS came to an understanding what the format should be. Subsequently KOffice decided to use the OpenOffice/OASIS format for its upcoming file format.
What this should do is allow you to interchange files between KOffice and OpenOffice without loss of formatting.
Does the standard edition include Windows emulation for running Office?
If so I’ll definitely be giving it a go.
I have just RTFA
It doesn’t
“I’d consider supporting Xandros, if they contributed back to the source pool. I see no evidence of this. I could be wrong, I haven’t looked too hard.”
Wow. And you actually admit to this?
I agree with Debman’s response to your post. You throw out an allegation without even bothering to find out the answer. That’s like presuming guilt. Gee, that’s fair.
:rolleyes:
but the old technology it contained kept me held back, it was the first distro that my boss (die hard windows man) would let me integrate into our network
I hope 2.0 rocks so I can lose MS on my work pc
Is KOffice any better than OOo with *.DOC formatting? I still have lots of problems with Tabs / Carriage Returns with OOo 1.1
I’m currently using version 1.0, which already does things that no other Linux distro does. I’m not saying it’s the best Linux distro, or that it’s for everyone, but it is one of the best, if not <u>the</u> best distro for Windows refugees. It would also fit perfectly in a corporate environment; little or no retraining. Version 2.0 looks like a solid winner. And it’s still real Debian with all the power of Linux.
I have a zt1130 hp laptop, and I use to be able to get sound working on it under debian before ACPI was put in the kernel. all I needed to do was patch the kernel with the ACPI patch and sound worked right away.
but now, under debian and fedora, I have tried to get sound working and it will not work. what did they do when they merged it into the kernel tree?
Look at this: http://www.xandros.com/images/ss_xdsk_v2.jpg
Are they still using this bland boring look with even more dull icons?
Don’t be silly, Windows 98 never looked that good.
They COULD also work on the icons you know, like that for Crossover, Accessories and Xandros File manager in that screenshot.
I use KOffice for all my word-processing, KWord to be specific. Mainly because KWord print to PDF always gave me working PDF’s, while OpenOffice gave me dog turds.
That aside, I am currently using KOffice 1.3 CVS (1.2.94) and it pulled straight text MSFT Word files without a hitch.
Upon saving the file in native KWD format it shrunk the file-size by 75% or more.
I have not yet tried more complex MSFT Word documents.
Xandros 2.0 works very well on my HP Pavilion zt1185. I haven’t tried to use the SD card reader or anything goofy though. Sound works OOTB, which was a problem on Redhat for this laptop.
“what is really the point of improving Koffice when you have openoffice.org?”
Because it’s a memory pig, and it’s based on Java. (Maybe there’s a relationship there?) All KOffice needs are better read and write filters for Word, Excel and PowerPoint (and maybe better table handling) and it’ll be a real winner.
OpenOffice is not based on Java, it just uses it for a few applets.(which? never quite worked that out)
I run it on this system without any JRE installed without any problems.
I have too, but I’ve never been able to make OOo run as fast as KOffice. I just assumed it was because the installer was unable to find JRE (even tho it WAS present on my hard disk), and so was sort-of ‘making do’ without it. Plus the fonts look crappy. I use KDE and not Gnome, so if the solution is, as someone else suggested, just to use Gnome instead, I’ll pass.
1. Is there anything new in v2.0 besides updated stuff?
2. If you buy the Deluxe version online, will you get the 300+ page manual in pdf form (or whatever)?
3. What does Xandros use in place of Click ‘n Run? Do they have anything other than synaptic ?
On a related note:
Does anyone know if apt-get works using Xandros with standard Debian testing/unstable sources?
“Does anyone know if apt-get works using Xandros with standard Debian testing/unstable sources?”
YES – no problem at all! Im using xandros 1 dexule since half a year – including testing and unstable sources for my favourite appliactions like sodipodi, the gimp and so on…
also farious sources from apt-get.org are working fine…
as its debain-based – you have full access to apt-get
Really? When I was running Xandros 1.0 and I tried to update KDE It broke the Xandros File system.
were you using the Technology Preview?
Anyone know if Xandros 2 uses prelinking to make applications start faster?
Please, post them if you do.
Take a look at http://forum.xandros.com/viewtopic.php?t=708&sid=fa3ec2511bff8445c4… this shows how to pin Xandros so it’s packages take precedence over Debian’s.
Hi debman and anonymous,
the reason I said I hadn’t looked too hard was because I was hoping someone would know better and correct me. Instead, much in the spirit of OSNews, you both attacked me claiming I had accused Xandros of not contributing back to the community, however all I said was “I had seen no evidence of it.”
Maybe I should have phrased my post better. So I will now:
I think Xandros offer a very promising product that I have in the past considered purchasing. However being a contributor to the open source community myself I consider it important that companies who profit from the efforts of myself and my peers give something back to the community. Do Xandros strive to improve the open source pool? Can anyone point me to something they have contributed back? I would go look myself but that is time consuming and I was hoping someone would be kind enough to offer some assistance.
Many thanks,
MxCl