Freespire Beta 1

[Michael]

The free Linspire distro -- Freespire, has finally come out with Beta 1. Has anyone tried it out yet?

Release Notes: http://wiki.freespire.org/index.php/Release_Notes

Downloading now to give it a try, for whatever its worth.

[Rob Williams]

I'll pass. Usually when the commercial version is crap, it carries onto the free version.

Looking forward to your thoughts on it though.

[Michael]

Installer: Just like the one on Linspire Five O. Easy to use, takes practically no time at all, doesn't allow selecting individual packages to install. Took only like 4 minutes for install (though that was on a beefed up quad core system).

Desktop Usage: Just like Linspire.... They did do a nice job with the theme to attract beginning users and what not. Some of the icons I think are simply awful. It comes bloated a lot with CNR items.

Need I say more on this matter? From what I had done with it so far. I can only see Freespire working out for those that are definitely computer illiterate.

[Licaon]

pretty colors... not!

[Rob Williams]

Is there a reason sites like that save images as a GIF? I mean... they are dithered as heck, and a JPG would not take more space.

Either way, that does look like a rather boring distro, unless you are a complete noob and are unwilling to learn actual Linux.

I don't know what it is... that OS has always been appalling. Of course, I've never actually used it, so I may not have a ground to stand on.

[Michael]

Here are some of the Phoronix ones -- http://www.phoronix.com/vr.php?view=7011