Here is OSNews’ review of Xandros Desktop Home Edition Premium version 4.0 (a mouthfull). Xandros Systems was so kind as to provide OSNews with the top of the line version of their product, which includes, among other things, complete copies of Versora Progression Desktop, CrossOver Office, and various non-Free drivers and utilities. Read on for the complete review. Xandros 4 comes with the following versions of common software packages:
Other interesting applications you usually do not see on Linux distributions are the already mentioned Versora Progression Desktop and CrossOver Office; besides these, Xandros 4 comes with Skype (with 30 SkypeOut minutes), RealPlayer, iPod compatibility (using Amarok), Xandros AntiVirus protection, and much more. The distribution’s tagline is “The platform for your digital life”. Xandros comes in clean packaging, reminiscent of Apple software. It also comes with a 400-page manual.
I installed Xandros 4 on a Dell Inspiron 6000, which has the following set of specifications:
Xandros 4 installed fine. Xandros 4’s installation routine is easy, and requires little to no knowledge of partitioning– provided you do not choose the ‘advanced’ method. It can automagically resize Windows partitions to make way for Xandros; I, however, chose the ‘advanced’ method since I needed to install Xandros over my Vista RC1 installation (my Broadcom 4318 chip does not work in Windows Vista, how’s that for irony?). The installation took about 25-30 minutes, which is acceptable; not outstanding, but acceptable.
A few problems existed as well. One of those problems is omnipresent on all Linux distributions (that I know of) when installed on laptops: touchpad tapping. They all enable it by default, and this is probably a sane setting since most people would prefer it. The problems, however, lie in two facts: there is no easy way to turn this off, and the default setting is oversensitive (OpenSUSE is the worst at this, by the way). There are 3rd party GUI configuration utilities for this, but that is besides the point: this is a setting any operating system which calls itself modern should be able to change via a GUI, instead of diving into xorg.conf. Distribution people: fix this! It is getting tiresome to have to manually edit xorg.conf to set “MaxTapMove” to value ‘0’ (I Detest tapping).
Another problem is that my Bluetooth USB dongle was not detected, even though it is supported by Linux and works fine when using other distributions. Xandors also failed to make my built-in SD card reader work; no distribution so far has ever configured that thing out of the box, and I’m too lazy to fix it myself. My digital camera, as was to be expected, worked fine from the get-go. After installation, the first thing you’ll notice is how… Outdated Xandros looks. Seriously. They selected Keramik as default window border, which in itself already feels as if it was made in the stone age. The various Xandros-specific artwork images also feel very outdated, making the entire distribution feel like a blast from the past. I’d be overdoing it if I’d say it reminded me of Mandrake 8.0, but it is not far from it. If I were testing the corporate version of their distribution, I could understand it a little better; however, this is their flagship home operating system, yet it looks like Windows ME beaten with the ugly stick. I think SLED 10, among others, has shown us by now that there is no reason for Linux distributions to look like wet cardboard. Of course you can configure KDE to look exactly how you want it, but I want good defaults. Defaults matter.
To apply updates and install new applications, Xandros comes with its own apt frontend named Xandros Networks. In order to apply for updates, you first need to register at Xandros’ website, after which you get an activation code; this code is then entered into Xandros Networks. Xandros Networks is in effect very similar to Linspire’s CNR. Xandros Networks is fairly limited, as the amount of applications is small. Of course Xandros is ‘just’ Debian underneath, so you can easily add more repositories; however, that is besides the point. I expected more applications on offer from the official, supported repositories.
Xandros also comes with a Security Suite, modeled after the Windows variant. It includes access to firewal settings, the antivirus program, a system file protector, and the update applet. Using this Suite, you can configure all security-related setting. Better put– you must configure security related settings, as it will nag continiously if you do not. It can be turned off, of course, but again: defaults matter.
Conclusion
Xandros 4 is a difficult distribution to form an opinion about, simply because it is so contradictory in nature. It outshines any other distribution when it comes to Windows compatibility, and it has the best file manager of any distribution I’ve ever seen. The installation is easy, and the hardware recognition is outstanding, and having my bcm43xx chipset work right out of the box is very, very welcome. The downsides, however, are not to be downplayed. The distribution looks like used toiletpaper, the amount of applications in Xandros Networks is too small, and the security center can be annoying.
Is your grandmother still running Windows 9x/ME? If so, Xandros 4 might be a perfect choice, as it gives them a solid Linux distribution, which will play nice with all their Windows files and even programs (through Crossover Office). The inclusion of Versora also facilitates the switch.
However, for more experienced users like you (I guess?) and me, Xandros is simply not the best distribution you can get.
Hardware recognition is where Xandros 4 really shines. All my hardware was autodetected and configured, including my Ati video card and my Broadcom 43xx wireless chipset! This is the first Linux distribution to properly install and configure my BCM43xx chipset out of the box; other distributions needed either a lot of cli magic (Ubuntu), or needed only the Windows driver to be downloaded (Mandriva 2007 just needs the Windows driver, after which it installs automagically). I obviously know the limitations Free distributions run into concerning this matter, but still, this is a notable fact. Xandros also installs the Ati non-Free driver perfectly (version 8.25.18). Applications such as OpenOffice.org and Adobe Acrobat Reader are installed using the ‘Applications’ CD, which will be autodetected when you insert it into your CD-ROM drive. You will then be presented with the applications available on the CD, and tick those you wish to install.
However, what Xandros lacks in looks, it makes up with the Xandros File Manager. As said, it looks outdated, but it is such a breath of fresh air to have Windows networking taken care of, to have Windows partitions mounted and working with Windows drive designations, to have shared Windows printers detected, all out of the box. This is simply perfect for Windows converts (and for the rest of us too), and the likes of Ubuntu and OpenSUSE can learn a great deal from how the Xandros File Manager works. Xandros deserves a lot of praise for this.
I also tested Versora Progression Desktop. Versora is a utility which collects settings of various programs and of Windows itself while you are running Windows; it will turn this into one big file, which you then need to transfer over to the Linux side, where Versora will apply those settings to various Linux programs. Versora works well, is easy to use; however, I did encounter a few irregularities. The most important one: Versora does not seem to transfer rules and filters from Outlook (in my case, 2003) to Thunderbird. This is a major downside, as my set of rules and filters is huge, and it sucks to have to enter them all manually. I had hoped Versora would ease the pain.
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You’re right Thom, Xandros 4, under the hood is fantastic. Why o why did they ditch Plastik for Keramik? Is there ANYONE who thinks Keramik is preferable to Plastik in the year 2006??
Yes, there is.
I think Keramik looks great, it’s actually one of the first things I change from default KDE.
Not just to contradict you but really, I cannot stand Plastik, not in 2006 and probably not even in 2060.
Keramik took a long time to grow on me, but now I think I would be happy with either.
And unless Xandros doesn’t provide Plastik, as we all know, You Have The Choice[TM]
I’m with Thom as well. Xandros looks like a good distribution for somebody migrating from Windows – but that look!? .. eek…
“Is your grandmother still running Windows 9x/ME? If so, Xandros 4 might be a perfevt choice, as it gives them a solid Linux distribution, which will play nice with all their Windows files and even programs (through Crossover Office). The inclusion of Versora also facilitates the switch.
However, for more experienced users like you (I guess?) and me, Xandros is simply not the best distribution you can get.”
Exactly my feelings.
Auto-working SMB in File Manager doesn’t make it the best…
I bet there are many things I can do with Nautilus or Konqueror that can’t be done with it!
P.S: I’m only betting since I never tried it
What? Their File Manager it is still Konqueror, even if a little bit tweaked.
Actually, that’s not true. It’s written with the kds libs and uses a few kparts but it’s not konqueror. When they acquired Corel Linux, they also got the corel file manager in the deal. This was a custom piece of software that xandros has continued to develop over the years.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xandros_File_Manager
Based on this review and some others like it, it seems that commercial distros seem have an easier time with hardware detection and overall just making sh*t work than the free distros. Why is this? I mean, it’s all still Linux underneath, right?
Commercial distros can include commercial software and closed-source drivers. It’s a short-term convenience: 10 or 12 years ago Linux didn’t have LVM; then someone took the (closed-source) HP implementation and built a work-alike.
Edited 2006-10-06 00:51
For me, the main reason I would pay for a Linux distribution is to have more things “work out of the box” and not to have to fiddle around setting up various basic functionality myself.
Sadly, this is not the case with Xandros – you pay a hefty price and still things don’t work (e.g. DVD playback, multimedia playback within the browser, etc.) There are hacks to get these things working in Xandros, but if you still have to do this then you may as well just hack around in Freespire or Ubuntu for free.
As also noted in the review, Xandros is badly behind the times in terms of its choice of packages and software, most are not the latest versions and therefore lack much of the functionality that other very stable distros with more up-to-date packages can offer. If you try to update to the latest stuff within Xandros, you seriously risk breaking the many customizations and tweaks Xandros have made (e.g. the Xandros File Manager).
Then there is that whole issue of “product activation”, which leaves a nasty taste in the mouth for many.
Given the great strides being made by distros such as SLED and openSuse, Fedora, Mandriva, PCLinuxOS, Freespire, Ubuntu, etc., I don’t really see what Xandros has to offer which would justify the high entry fee they charge. Maybe most of the “cost” is covering included commercial software like Crossover Office and Versora, but then it makes more sense to buy independent copies of these which can then be installed on any distro and are not just tied to Xandros.
Not necessarily the case. Kanotix, for instance, has one of the best hardware detections and yet it is free.
Making things work out of the box is generally long tedious work that requires access to a large collection of test hardware. Basically it’s the type of work that volenteers working for free can’t do as well as companies how can afford to buy lots of different hardware and pay people to do the boring work.
It’s only the window decoration which is Keramik, the rest is still Plastik. The windows stand out more that way; I actually don’t mind the way they’ve mixed the two.
“However, for more experienced users like you (I guess?) …”
What do you mean “I guess?”!!! Why I oughta!
Xandros does indeed make Windows refugees feel quite at home. They even include Activation. I picked Xandros over Lindows for my mother’s WinME machine OS replacement, found out about the Activation, and immediately returned the product for refund.
… found out about the Activation, and immediately returned the product for refund.
I really don’t get this … Why would you dismiss a perfectly good product because of activation?
Because he feel it is wrong and refuse to support the companies who implement such features? I think it is nice to see someone put their money where their mouth is for a change, instead of the many who just moan without doing anything.
If everybody who grumble about the Windows XP activation scheme and the WGA scheme actually voted with their wallet instead of simply grumbling, then it is not entirely unlikely that they would have taken it out.
“””I really don’t get this … Why would you dismiss a perfectly good product because of activation?”””
I can understand the sentiment. I used to have to work with software that required activation. In fact, I still do, but not nearly as often.
A significant amount of time (time that my client was paying for) went into activation, registration… and the inevitable *problems* with activating and registering. (When things go wrong, and they do, it can take *hours* to get the problem resolved and the program “activated” so that the customer can start using the thing that they have *ALREADY PAID FOR* and are now paying more for, by the hour, in support time!)
The companies requiring the registration are saying, in a rather explicit fashion, that they care more about the possibility that someone might steal from them than they do about inconveniencing their own customers.
So, while I find the concept of “activation” distasteful, I also have purely practical reasons for disqualifying any product that requires it… *if* I have an alternative.
As it happens, right at this moment I have a client that I set up with software that requires activation. I registered and the activation key was supposed to have been emailed to me two days ago. It wasn’t. Time to get on the horn and get the company, which in this case sells accounting software, to cough one up.
I shouldn’t be upset, I suppose. It’s all billable time…
Edited 2006-10-06 13:35
(When things go wrong, and they do, it can take *hours* to get the problem resolved and the program “activated” so that the customer can start using the thing that they have *ALREADY PAID FOR*
++
I’ve jumped through the hoops due to a valid XP license failing activation on more than one occasion, with client’s computers. But if it had been one of my own computers, then my reaction would have been “Flush 35 minutes down the toilet because of a broken anti-piracy system, or find an Anti-WPA crack… tough call.”
and are now paying more for, by the hour, in support time!)
No kidding. I recently gained a small organization as a new client because several of their copies of *a certain popular Anti-Virus suite* kept de-activating themselves (and refusing to re-active, naturally). The response they got? “You’re past the end of your free support period. If you want us to attempt to resolve this for you, that will be $35 minimum.” They might as well have added “Oh, and would you like the number of our nearest competitor?”
Because I paid for the program and the activation is an insult to me that I refuse to accept. Her machine currently runs Freespire. The only thing they have is an EULA left over from its Lindows roots.
This is really lame. Xandros is commercial software. If you think you’re being tracked and refute that, fine. If your beef is with commercial software, you shouldn’t have been using WinME. But if you don’t like activation in general, then I submit that you’re being suspicious — are you a thief? Why is activation bad?
Either go for free software, or accept that people who sell legal commercial software have a right to protect their product.
There are two facets to this. Firstly, why should people have to “activate” a product they’ve already paid for? Would you accept Toshiba coming to your house to check whether you’re only viewing legally-obtained DVD’s on their player you just bought? Or Epson coming to “activate” your printer, or to check that you’ve not been printing off copies of “Pride and Prejudice”? No? I sure as hell wouldn’t.
Secondly, why should customers trust companies who don’t trust their customers? It’s not as if they’re whiter than white. In fact in their quest to “make money” they will do things that are unethical, immoral, and illegal, quite happily, and quite often. Check the recent news stories on Enron, Apple, HP and Microsoft for evidence.
You’d have a point if we were talking Microsoft or Apple; they’re HUGE multinationals to whom one more or less legal copy would mean fairly little.
Now, however, we are discussing a small company, one that falls into complete insignificance compared to Microsoft/Apple. Hence, they have every right to defend their probably smal revenue stream. Without this activation thing, it would be extremely easy to pirate Xandros and leech off of the work of others.
In fact, I am happy Xandros is doing whatever it takes to ensure revenue. They owe it to their shareholders as well as to their customers, because no revenue = end of company = you as customer are f–ked.
People should learn that NOT all companies are the same, and that there is more to think about than just yourself.
You’d have a point if we were talking Microsoft or Apple; they’re HUGE multinationals to whom one more or less legal copy would mean fairly little.
Sorry, I disagree. There shouldn’t be one rule for small companies and one rule for big ones, even if you switch ’em so that unlike now, small companies get the better part of the deal.
Now, however, we are discussing a small company, one that falls into complete insignificance compared to Microsoft/Apple. Hence, they have every right to defend their probably smal revenue stream. Without this activation thing, it would be extremely easy to pirate Xandros and leech off of the work of others.
I have no objection to any company “protecting it’s revenue stream”. What I object to is what I see as them putting the law into their own hands and going WAY over the top. As a private citizen, if someone steals from you you go to the police; you don’t demand the right to sneak onto the property of everyone you know and everyone who lives near you to check whether they’ve stolen something, without even checking whether something has been stolen.
In fact, I am happy Xandros is doing whatever it takes to ensure revenue. They owe it to their shareholders as well as to their customers, because no revenue = end of company = you as customer are f–ked.
People should learn that NOT all companies are the same, and that there is more to think about than just yourself.
Any company that mistrusts its customers, in the absence of any evidence of wrongdoing, is in my view JUST as bad as MS. They have the right not to trust them, I suppose; but we have the right not to trust those companies, too.
n the absence of any evidence of wrongdoing
So there is no evidence that piracy in the software world exists?
Thom, don’t be silly. There is evidence that software piracy exists, and that crime exists. That doesn’t mean you or I can legitimately accuse the other of being a software pirate, a thief or a rapist without any evidence that the other has in fact pirated, stolen, or sexually assaulted some{thing,one}.
Thom, don’t be silly. There is evidence that software piracy exists, and that crime exists. That doesn’t mean you or I can legitimately accuse the other of being a software pirate, a thief or a rapist without any evidence that the other has in fact pirated, stolen, or sexually assaulted some{thing,one}.
So let me get this straight– by having an activation scheme in its OS… Xandros accuses me of being a pirate? I’m sorry, but that makes no sense.
In The Netherlands, students get subsidised by the state. The amount of this depends on whether I live with my parents, or alone; when I live alone, I get a lot more money from them. The government checks whether I *really* live on my own. Does that mean the government thinks I’m a fraud?
Of course not.
So let me get this straight– by having an activation scheme in its OS… Xandros accuses me of being a pirate? I’m sorry, but that makes no sense.
In The Netherlands, students get subsidised by the state. The amount of this depends on whether I live with my parents, or alone; when I live alone, I get a lot more money from them. The government checks whether I *really* live on my own. Does that mean the government thinks I’m a fraud?
Of course not.
In England, when students were subsidised by the state, you would also get different money depending on your circumstances. If you were later found to have falsified your claims as to those circumstances, there would of course be penalties, just as if there would be penalties if you drank and drove, or were involved in a hit-and-run accident. That doesn’t mean that a government inspector came to live with you to make sure you lived with your parents, or sat in the car with you to make sure you drove legally.
But what REALLY galls me about product activation is the stupid way it’s implemented. Rather than calling them up, giving them a code, and then having a clean slate, you have to do it *every time you do a hardware change* or a reinstall, depending on the program. Or you do as I do and avoid such products.
*every time you do a hardware change*
To prevent (or try to prevent) more than one copy running on multiple pc’s.
In case of xandros it’s fair they don’t want to waiste bandwith on non paying customers.
If you don’t like it,don’t buy it.
Without changing the current patent legislation it’s likely that watching an encrypted DVD on a platform like linux will never be legal.A company such as cyberlink will want you to provide a rough estimation on how many packages with the propietary software included will be sold.the easiest way of enabling a close ( any,gets cracked anyway) estimation is by an activation mechanism.This is hypocryte because we all know there’s hardly any activation that can’t circumvented.
to play the “devils advocate”:”Why should a regular custom be treated as a regular criminal,with a activation or other anti pirating mechanism which we all know isn’t going to work (it’s going to be cracked shortly).
“But what REALLY galls me about product activation is the stupid way it’s implemented.”
You’re right it eventually boils down to the way in which the activation mechanism is implemented.But i’m afraid legal usage will forever have a penalty upon while hardly any anti piracy mechanism works.
Edited 2006-10-06 16:36
If you don’t like it,don’t buy it.
I don’t, so I won’t. I was simply pointing out that whilst for some people, it may not be an issue, for others, like me, it is.
Without changing the current patent legislation it’s likely that watching an encrypted DVD on a platform like linux will never be legal.A company such as cyberlink will want you to provide a rough estimation on how many packages with the propietary software included will be sold.the easiest way of enabling a close ( any,gets cracked anyway) estimation is by an activation mechanism.This is hypocryte because we all know there’s hardly any activation that can’t circumvented.
To the best of my knowledge watching DVD’s on Linux is not illegal in the UK. Even in jurisdictions where it is illegal, to suggest that anyone watching a legally-obtained DVD on legally-obtained hardware and software is committing a crime by not watching it on Windows is, imao, way beyond a joke.
To the best of my knowledge watching DVD’s on Linux is not illegal in the UK. Even in jurisdictions where it is illegal, to suggest that anyone watching a legally-obtained DVD on legally-obtained hardware and software is committing a crime by not watching it on Windows is, imao, way beyond a joke.
Indeed.Why shouldn’t patents be time limited just to prevent these “bad jokes”?
This way all platforms can play dvd’s without having to install libdvdcss.
Thom,
In a community this cozy, if you treat your customers right, and show them that you trust them, there is every reason to expect that they will deal straight with you. Possibly even sending a little more money than required.
By requiring activation, Xandros is setting the tone for the relashionship. And it’s not a good tone.
I’ll admit there is a gamble involved. Xandros is on the conservative, conventional side of the gamble. But, in this case, I suspect it is also on the losing side.
-Steve
I paid completely legitimate US currency for a product, and then activation is required to fully use this product in its intended way. No, I refuse. And I submit that your implication that I am a thief is uncalled for. Either accept that something I paid for should work fully, or I get my money back.
When you buy Tivo, you have to activate it to get the schedules.
When you buy music from iTMS, you have to connect to Apple’s servers.
When you get a credit card, you have to call to activate it.
This is life. Activation of commercial software is OK in my book.
I do not own a television. I would not RENT DRM-infected files. A credit card requires activation to ensure that the individual to whom the line of credit is granted is reasonably assumed to have received the card. I am NOT buying a credit card. Indeed, it is life. I refuse to activate software.
Edited 2006-10-07 05:58
“””I do not own a television”””
Glad to meet you!
I have a TV. It’s a 27″ Magnavox. Once or twice a year there is something compelling enough that comes to my attention that I decide to fire it up.
It’s almost like putting up the Christmas Tree. I’ve got to get it all plugged in, make sure the cable service is working, etc. I usually start a half hour before the scheduled start time of the program.
Come to think of it though, the last time I did this was a year and a half ago, when “Enterprise” did a “Mirror Universe” episode in which the original “USS Defiant” came to life again.
Suffice it to say that I’m not a big TV fan! 🙂
… it had a Celeron 466Mhz and 256MB ram.
Suse/Gnome was way too slow but everything worked, Debian Stable/Xfce suffered from X-crashes, so did DSL, and Feather. Fedora somehow didn’t get its kernel loaded, nor did PCBSD, and all *Buntus failed to load completely.
(All of the above installation media had been installed perfectly elsewhere.)
When I started thinking the laptop was no good, I downloaded and installed Xandros – something I never really considered (not fond of KDE) and everything works absolutely flawlessly. It’s not even way as slow as I feared. BTW that’s the “Open Circulation Edition”, which is free and doesn’t have all kinds of activation stuff. If you still want to end up paying for services, you can do that via a desktop icon saying “Xandros Networks”. Admitted, that feels a little scary for a Fedora user.
😉
I gave it to my dad, who didn’t realise it wasn’t Windows for quite a while.
Edited 2006-10-06 05:54
but just like windows, you have to wait for a few updates for them to get everything right. I will not be getting 4 because I just don’t need all the fluff at the moment. I use the Xandros OCE 3.01 version, and by adding some codecs and k3b I can do whatever 4 can….
I just wanted to say that I’m completely put off by the recent changes to this site, the huge ads to the left, the huge flash add on the top. Spare a thought for us on slower connections.
Whats worse is, the ones on the left frequently overlap the content!
Then there are the in-article “add-links”, which are a complete waste of time, and sometimes very annoying as they refuse to close.
You’ve taking this site, and tried to make money from it, but I tell you, because of these ads you’ll never get a cent from me.
[email protected].
I’ve been involved with Xandros since Version 2, I beta tested the lot of them, and recently Beta Tested Server Edition.
They offered me 4 for 30 bucks or so, I declined, the activation thing goes against everything that moved me from Windows to Linux in the first place. I don’t appreciate being treated like a criminal for the things I “Could” be doing with the software.
Ming Poon offered me a complementary copy to review (as I have in the past) and I declined, I cannot support a company that wants activation. While the OS will function fine without activation, you don’t get updates or anything without it.
When Activation Cropped up on the Xandros Server, I could understand that, server space is the Linux bread and butter, if you wanna protect your investment there, that’s good, because if people are using Xandros for server, they want the support, but the desktop? you’re supposed to be introducing people to the advantage of Linux, not more of the same.
Odd that activation causes such a stir. You know you have to activate (they call it register) Red Hat and you have to activate Suse as well. This is so that only paying customers get support. I have no issues with it and, after playing with the trial version, will be getting the premium edition soon.
To each their own.
I have SuSE, and I did not need to activate it. What version do you mean?
Oh, I reread. Well, yes, but many people get by without free support, either on Linux or Windows. Besides, you don’t have to register everytime you need to add hardware or reinstall the bloody thing.
Edited 2006-10-07 19:58
drives. It frustrates me to no end..xandros gets it right with Xandros File Manager, I agree.