Using Clear Linux As A Desktop Linux Distribution - It Works Well But With Some "Papercuts"

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Using Clear Linux As A Desktop Linux Distribution - It Works Well But With Some "Papercuts"

While I am a big fan of Intel's Clear Linux distribution for its raw performance on x86_64 hardware that for most workloads goes unsurpassed by any other Linux platform out-of-the-box, there has been a lot of Phoronix readers wondering how well it could function as a standard desktop Linux distribution. With upgrading my main production system earlier this month, I decided to try out Clear Linux and now with 200+ hours into using it as the OS on my main production system, I figured it'd be good to share my initial thoughts.

http://www.phoronix.com/vr.php?view=27555

[V1tol]

I was also wondering the same question and tried Clear Linux in VMware. I downloaded their official VMware image, increased disk size and installed default desktop package which has GNOME. It worked well until I discovered that os-guest-vmware package is broken (no shared folder support and mouse sticks inside VM window). When I tried to install official VMware Guest Additions ISO and mount it in GNOME I got permissions error and was forced to mount it manually via Terminal. Shortly saying, I failed to install Additions and put testing of Clear on hold. Who knows, maybe in VirtualBox I would have success but I definitely won't try it on bare metal, at least for now.

[ms178]

Let's wait and see if Intel is serious about bringing its performance-oriented Linux distribution to a wider audience. I haven't heard yet that that would be a new focus for them but I would welcome it. Sane defaults and more polish doesn't sound too hard to achieve. But the devil could be hiding in the details.

[sheepdestroyer]

V1tol, you should try with native linux virtualisation tech like libvirt/kvm, instead of proprietary or (worse) made-by-oracle tools. I would recommend you to try virt-manager if you want a GUI, it works great and is easy to use.

[edwaleni]

What I like is that Intel is listening to feedback on Clear Linux. I made a remark on the installer needing some improvements, they acknowledged it and 3 months later a new installer appeared. I can't say it was me alone, others may have made the same remark, but it does show people they are paying attention.

[edwaleni]

I was also wondering the same question and tried Clear Linux in VMware. I downloaded their official VMware image, increased disk size and installed default desktop package which has GNOME. It worked well until I discovered that os-guest-vmware package is broken (no shared folder support and mouse sticks inside VM window). When I tried to install official VMware Guest Additions ISO and mount it in GNOME I got permissions error and was forced to mount it manually via Terminal. Shortly saying, I failed to install Additions and put testing of Clear on hold. Who knows, maybe in VirtualBox I would have success but I definitely won't try it on bare metal, at least for now.

I followed their VBox Additions installation direction to the letter from the support site and I could not get them to work. This was last year.

I did import their VBox image and it worked just fine until the first swupd update and networking broke thereafter and I tabled it.

[M@yeulC]

the default behavior was to open the URLs inside of Gedit rather than a web browser

And steam somehow thinks that elinks is my default browser 25% of the times I click on a URL :/

I certainly tend to recommend rolling distribution for (semi-)experienced users, who tend to benefit from living on the living edge most.

On my next hop, I think I'm going to give Nix/Guix a go. Already trying to put NixOS on a raspberry pi, but I haven't had much success.

[Venemo]

I don't understand why they created Clear Linux instead of just contributing their perf improvements to any other Linux distro.

[Niarbeht]

I don't understand why they created Clear Linux instead of just contributing their perf improvements to any other Linux distro.

It's probably one of those things where it's easier for them to do it themselves and then just document how they did it than it is for them to muscle their way into some existing distro's package maintenance and package building process.

[andyprough]

When you consider both Clear and Solus began in 2015, and you look at how far Solus has come and how it has been a desktop trend-setter for years now, it's hard to justify Intel continuing to try to be a desktop player with such a hamstrung distro like Clear. Might want to stick with promoting it as a "benchmarking OS".