Linuxbeginner.org spent a week with Linspire 4.5 and they have written down their experiences.
A Week with Linspire 4.5
About The Author
Eugenia Loli
Ex-programmer, ex-editor in chief at OSNews.com, now a visual artist/filmmaker.
Follow me on Twitter @EugeniaLoli
yes Linspire is very easy to install and it is my view not targetted towards tinkering brains but to average joe for whom computer means Windows
http://images.linspire.com/screenshots/ss_tutorial1_big.jpg
That image makes me want to rip my eyes out. It is absolutely HIDEOUS.
I have used most distibutions of Linux fedora, suse , mandrake and debian . I tried linspire and i was pretty impressed . Lindows team has done real good work when it comes to installation . For the first time i got every software installed properly . Lsongs is one great software. I will prob continue using lindows on my laptop .
I have mixed feelings about Linspire, and the Lindows company. I understand that Linspire is targetted at Joe Public who just wants to switch on pc and use it to do whatever. He will also want an easy way to install new software.
I like the IDEA of click and run, a repository of software that has been tested with the distro, that will install at the click of a button. I also accept that although most of cnr packages are free elsewhere, if you are going to use it, you will of course be paying for the work that has gone into the testing etc.
However, I do not like the fact that cnr is running from boot, has a destop icon, has a kicker icon and has a submenu under every menu. It just makes it appear that either Lindows is a greedy company who are only after your cash, or that Linspire is a incomplete system that will only work properly if you go to cnr and fill up the menus with all the missing software.
Neither is the case. Linspire is very good out of the box, and once you remove cnr from start up, and the menus, it is a very good system for bringing people away from windows.
I did not have the same experience with Mplayer, mine worked out of the box and even played a divx5 movie with ac3 sound, without asking for codecs etc
So, like I said, personally I have mixed feelings about Linspire, I would not use it, but I would have no hesitation to recommend it to my ms windows loving friends
http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/04/28/1413258
How can you trust these people?
“That image makes me want to rip my eyes out. It is absolutely HIDEOUS.”
I agree. I think I’ll stick with PCLinuxOS. It looks much cleaner.
You guys do understand that the image linked is a flash presentation of the FUNCTIONNALITY of the desktop but not the desktop itself.
You guys nead to RTFA and most of all RTFWS (RTF..website)
I’m not all for or against Linspire but you have gotta be fair before posting such lies. Here is a proper link to some screenshots http://www.linspire.com/lindows_news_gallery.php?image=screenshot
Just when you’re saturated with Lindows reviews, the Linspire review wave starts. 🙂
I suggest that you read directly from the site of the person who is supposedly the “wronged” party. Here is his comment:
“IMPORTANT: Recent controversy involving Lindows/Linspire Recently Slashdot posted an article that accuses Lindows of violating creative commons license, this is not true. I posted the CC license in response to learning that Linspire was using my graphics without permission. The reason for that was to make things clear for future problems, not linspire.
The truth is that linspire was using my graphics without first obtaining permission. I’m currently in talks with them to get this issue resolved. But just for the record, this is not an issue involving the newly posted creative commons license. I still hold authorship rights to the graphics.
That pretty much sums it up. Nothing to see here move along.”
Yes, they were using his art with out permission and that is now being straightened out. But there was never a isssue with the creative commons license. His website with the statement is http://dugnet.com/klown/
Now now, you didn’t get it right either. Or it just changed.
IMPORTANT: Recent controversy involving Lindows/Linspire Recently Slashdot posted an article that accuses Lindows of violating creative commons license, this is an incorrect statement. I posted the CC license in response to learning that Linspire was using my graphics without permission. The reason for that was to make things clear for future problems, not Linspire.
The truth is that Linspire was using my graphics without first obtaining permission. I’m currently in talks with them to get this issue resolved. But just for the record, this is not an issue involving the newly posted creative commons license. I still hold authorship rights to the graphics.
In short, the slashdot headline was false – as well as posted prior to Linspire being notified, but Linspire was using the graphics without first requesting permission. As soon as they were notified, the graphics were removed from the promotional animation.
Although this does not clear Linspire of copyright infringment.
Firstly, the writers of this review are leeching images from Lindows servers
That’s not on, its downright rude as well as unprofessional as they’re making Lindows/Linspire pay for most of the bandwidth costs of this third-party review.
Secondly, I’m amazed that there’s no tool to disable services in Lindows – how do you do it? Safety as well as common sense demands that any unused services on a machine be turned off.
I’m not sure whether I like the default icons or not. They all look similiar to one another and that could confuse people.
i agree that Linspire is good for avarage Joe user however what worries me is that the company lacks direction. at first they were claiming support for MS products out of the box then they were focusing on CNR. well however they have somewhat made possible to put linux on desktop, however it isn’t there. another note is that linspire/lindows woudn’t have been so much popular if they haven’t got the Lindows name in first place
I think they’ve found their identity now though.
Centre around CNR, and to provide apps like Lphoto, Lsongs, Nvu etc all to make the desktop experience as simple as possible.
Also I’d like to add that buying CNR one year + StarOffice costs as much as just a single copy of StarOffice anywhere else.
http://www.neolinkcomputers.com/linux/linspire_4.5.html
Check this one out. More than one opinion out there for Linspire it seems.
That image makes me want to rip my eyes out. It is absolutely HIDEOUS.
What are you talking about? The image is great!
I remember when Lindows were about to launch, they did promise to make moving across from windows to linux. They were going to try to get the windows apps to run under linux. Although there have been massive advancements with wine since, it is still not the solution needed.
Although… it is not really the apps that the user needs, it is the data that the apps produce. You do not use your computer just to use a program, you use your pc to actually DO something !
Now get the data into the system and you don’t need the apps.
Linspire is one distro that includes Open Office, it also massivly discounts StarOffice for cnr members. These programs will let you use your data.
Now, Lindows inc is one of the companies that are investing $$$$$ into open source projects that let you use your data that has been created on windows pc.
It might not look like MS Office, it might not look like MS Outlook, but it is the letters I need, I need my workbooks, I need my mailing lists, I need my catalogue of porn, I need my mp3 and maybe old emails, give users that, that is all they need.
cnr…it might be cheap, and if you look at it with the discounts on commercial products, (yes windows fans, there is commercial software on linux), it is a good deal.
and it is an excellent all-in-one solution for the average guy in the street.
It does NOT need to be plastered all over the system, there is a thing called discretion. Lindows could have had a single icon on the desktop for click and run, and maybe a click and run menu… what is not nice, is that click and run are in every menu !
Oh, and one more thing, you do not actually need to pay to use click and run, there is an isle with a selection of software. it might not be the best thats around. but it will give you a taste of how easily click and run works.
as you can see, I am totally divided about if I like/dislike linspire.
It might not look like MS Office, it might not look like MS Outlook, but it is the letters I need, I need my workbooks, I need my mailing lists, I need my catalogue of porn, I need my mp3 and maybe old emails, give users that, that is all they need.
That is all YOU need.
I absolutely need fabulous graphic programs like Photoshop and out-of-space music DAW like Logic or Cubase.
It is all I need….
it is a selfish view, but I don’t want a system that is set up with programs you, or anyone else needs, I want the output from programs I have used before or am using now.
Photoshop ? I am glad you touched on that. I am currently 3/4 way through a degree in photography, and use Photoshop almost extensively for that. Of course I run it flawlessly under wine, BUT, it is not the app I need, it is the pictures it produces, The Gimp… everyone seems to slag off the gimp as a free photoshop wannabe, however, if they actually took the time to learn it, it has far surpassed photoshop.
Dont believe me ? download it and have a look yourself. it might take a few weeks to get used to it, but once you do, you will see what I mean.
I have not got a clue about music apps at all, and I doubt that I ever will, my taste in music is black sabbath and iron maiden, so computer created music will never appeal to me. I leave that stuff well alone.
So to sum up. I will use a system that allows me to do what I want, and if it does not, I want a system that is easily tailored to do what is needed.
If you can only use windows to do some tasks, and you are happy enough with windows, then fair enough, I am not the sort of person who would ram linux down anyones throat.
What most people who post here seem to forget is that there is a thing called DUAL BOOT…
I would have been better able to analize Click N Run if Linspire had offered some sort of “trial” for it… [It’s] tough to make a call when you can’t even try one of it’s most touted features….
I understand that the reviewer was loath to sign up for Click-N-Run, but to review an OS and fail to even try its main selling point is irresponsible. Sure, an end user doesn’t want to sign up for Click-N-Run without knowing if it’s worth the money–that’s why we read reviews. Except this reviewer didn’t consider it important enough to review the single most important feature of the Linspire operating system.
The reviewer should try Click-N-Run and then update his conclusions of Linspire. Here’s a tip for him: there is a free trial for Click-N-Run. It’s pretty limited if I recall correctly, but it exists.
raver31 – they are just looking for something to bitch about. reguardless if it is reality or not. They also want their mommies to change their dirty diapers. “Waaaa. I want everything for free”
BTW: I fully agree with everything you say.
Kenneth Martens: Totally true.
What bothers me the most is when people already has an opinion without even trying it. Linspire is great. I never had any problems using it and if you do their forums are great for asking question. Try it and then make your comments. BTW, it’s not ugly at all.
Raver31, you can turn off the CNR More thats all over program menus via CNR client than go to Configure CNR-Client than go to CNR Membership Service and than uncheck the box for Add CNR More.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder I was once told and this is true even for an OS. I like the way Linspire looks and works. I have used everything from Redhat to Debian and Linspire is the first that makes me feel at home. Sure I still tinker around with other distros on my tinker box, but Linspire has found a permanent home on my main PS, my Daughters PC (9 years old) and my very hard to convert teenage son (15 years old). And CNR just works, don’t knock it until you try it.
Is it only me, or have you also noticed that the feedback on Lindows stories has got alot more positive and friendly recently?
A year ago or so every story about Lindows ended up being commented by people who had never tried Lindows, but just *had* to say stuff like “Lindows suxxors since it forces root”, “Lindows is a greedy company”, “Lindows charges for free software and CNR sucks anyway”… etc etc
I know you can turn off cnr and I know that I can edit the menus…
but the distro is not aimed at me…
it is aimed at joe public, a typical windows user;
one who always accepts the defaults.
one who never tinkers with their systems
one who expects things to work with just one click
what I was saying is that it should not be EVERYWHERE on the system
I fully agree with this, and pointed this out in a previous review I wrote. The good thing is that it is not permanent and can be changed. Hopefully they will offer an option to tone it down with an wizard during the initial startup with Version 5.
“Lindows/Linspire is good only for Joe User, not for the average linux user (God forbid, the “geek linux user”)”
Well, how many times have we read that? It is only a half truth and it only contributes to the common perception that linux is only for geeks.
My personal situation, as an example: I am a lifetime member of CNR. Yet on my computer you’ll find only Suse Pro and Debian Sid.
Does it mean that I don’t really like Linspire?
No it doesn’t. At the moment the only reason why I don’t have Linspire on my HD on a permanent basis is because I am waiting for 5.0, which will have all the bleeding edge technology. The issue for me is mainly Kde. Being so old it causes a lot of compatibility issues with Debian.
Other than that Linspire is a FULLY featured operating system, with new apps being added all the time.
I installed Mplayer and quite a few more media players and I didn’t have any trouble whatsoever (other than having to download and install libdvdcss, big deal)
Every program you install, you can be sure that it will work out of the box. Real Player is one example. That is better than you can say of Debian Sid.
Who are the users of Linspire? Well, you only have to visit their forums to realize that there are tons of advanced, very knowledgeable users there.
The “average” linux user might like to tinker, but he/she doesn’t mind a production OS where to get a bit of handholding and where everything will work out of the box.
My Lindows/Linspire 4.5 experience:
Day 1: started instalation, jiffyboot refused to run. TOssed CD aside and re-installed mandrake 10
It’s tiring to hear the same old stuff about Linspire. I love it _because_ it’s easy to use. CNR is absolutely the best thing about Linspire and I agree that it was a mistake that the reviewer didn’t try it out. You get a 15 day trial and you can keep all the apps you install during that time. I just want an OS that works as well as one that I don’t have to patch every day. Linspire is great. If you are a die hard linux nerd then by all means run debian unstable or something like that. Personally, my PC works for me, not the other way around.
I have to agree. My story is similar, coming from Debian Sid.
Linspire does all I need it to and that’s more important to me than having the absolutely latest, buggiest apps that you need to tweak around with yourself til your satisfaction.
I’ve grown up from that and today I want my stuff to just work!
Btw, you don’t even need to install libdvdcss since “DVD Player” in CNR includes legal codecs for commercial DVDs.
When my friends come to me and asks for help on which distro they should install on their computer, I always tell them to go for Lindows/Linspire. And none of them had any trouble at all…once I’ve set it up for them…
My point is…Lindows/Linspire is as close to joe public friendly as they come…heck…try to get’em to install a Windows update and see if that isn’t hard as well.
Hallo Ealm
you are the living proof of a “very” advanced user who has chosen to use Linspire, gives a great contribution in improving it, and helps quite a lot at the forums.
You can’t recognize me here because I have chosen to use a different nick.
Of course I know about “DVD Player”, but I suppose I have been cheap 🙂
Apologies.
why does this site continue to let people post anonymously ?
the one that is modded down here is a prime example.
he slags everyone off here for slagging off previous versions and then goes on about everyone loving the new one just because it changes names.
This goes to prove that the poster has not got a clue about what has been going on, has not even gone to the site, and probably did not read the posting.
People like the linspire release, and a lot of people did not like the lindows releases.. there are a few reasons for this…
1: Linspire is a NEW release…
2: Lindows is the previous version
3: People were expecting Lindows to run Windows apps out of the box
4: More exposure to linux in general since the last release.
The last point here is an important one, there have been numerous virus,trojan etc attacks on windows, more and more spyware is being released, and some windows users do not want to accept this. So they look around at what else is available. There has been an awful lot of good media exposure of linux in the last few months. Joe Public gives it a try, but is unsure which distro to use… Linspire will do an amazing job for someone who is a total windows user, and I would recommend it to friends who want to use their computers for day to day work. Of course, anyone who builds up linux experience on Linspire, I will of course get them to use Mandrake 10, but others are fine with Linspire and they do not want to either move on or go back. It is a system that they begin to love after a very short time.
So mr/miss/mrs/ms anonymous, either, learn about what you are attempting to abuse, or shut up. If you had done any of those two things, I would not have to type all this !
And what has this to do with the topic being discussed here?
You are totally offtopic.
Sorry, I changed my mind: it has really got out of hand.
We need some form of registration.
Sorry for the typo in one of my posts (which now has been modded down, I don’t understand why)
Where I wrote: “a few pints” I meant: “a few points”, of course.