I’ve been neglecting the ‘experiment’ for the last couple of days. So, I’ve decided to post the things that will be considered when we review the 5 picked desktop distributions of Linux. This will not be a “normal” Linux review in the sense of that word…instead we’ll opt for a largly ‘new user look’ at how each desktop distro performs for a new user and how it asthetically feels for that new user because, let’s face it, if something doesn’t work or looks unpleasant for a new user right away…they’re going to run back to Windows quick fast and in a hurry. It is also important to note that my wife who knows little of Linux will be taking these distributions for a drive from install to remove. Here I am rambling again! Ok, without further adieu, here it is:
- The Feel/Look – How does the desktop layout ‘feel’? Is it pleasant to look at? How is the organization in the menu’s? Do you feel as though you are ‘in control’ of this desktop (i.e., windows control panel gives a one stop place for users to go…is there something similar?). Does the OS make you feel comfortable when you perform your regular tasks? Is it easy to change the look and feel of your desktop?
- The Perfomance – How does the desktop perform when you tax it (i.e., when it has multi-apps open and running)? Is it quicker or slower than ‘normal’? Can you perform your regular tasks without any intervention? Do things, ‘just work’ out of the box? Do you notice any difference in speed (overall such as browsing, burning, listening, copying, etc)? Is it scalable?
- Hardware/Software – Does the distro detect everything? Does it have all the software you may need? Is it clear up front how to get software? Does it offer visible help if hardware doesn’t detect?? added based on reader comments:? How easy is it to install and use software not included on the default install.
- Upgradeability/Security – Is the distro upgradeable? Does the distro make it clear how to patch your system? Does the distro make you feel secure? Does the distro have options for firewall? Does it provide help with setting a firewall up?
- Documentation – Is there a clear place to go for documentation on the distro? Are there supportive forums or websites you can visit to get started? Does the existing documentation make you feel good about using the distro? Is there a lack of information available?
- The Installation – Was the installation clear and concise? Did the installation complete with minimal interaction? Did the install process have a good look and feel? Did the installation take a long time? Were there any downsides to the installation process?
Ok…so there are the six main points I’ve come up with thus far to rate the distros on. We’re not going to go in depth with most stuff and we’ll post 3-5 screenshots from each distro doing different stuffs. I don’t have a screen capture card so I won’t be able to provide screenshots from the installs. Anyway, as stated earlier, we’ll go into detail with how the distro feels/looks and performs and concentrate on whether or not eveyrthing ‘just works’ out of the box because that is what a new user would do. Hopefully, one of these distros will stand up to that challenge…afterall, they are the top distributions available for free currently right?
I still can’t kick the nasty habit either. That darn windoze just doesn’t seem to be that easy to shake. While I’d like to get rid of it entirely, there are certain applications that I need that can’t be run on Linux. However, there is a nice program that most of you have heard of called 
Managing photo albums with programs or flat files can be time consuming and tedious. However, there is an alternative. Through the use of Imagemagick and album, two fantastic programs, you can build your own photoalbum and even design your own skins utilizing CSS (cascading style sheets). I gave this tutorial a try and I had a sharp looking photo gallery in a matter of minutes. The great thing for me is that it was all command line so I didn’t have to have an Xsession to have it build an album on my server. I just SFTP in, drop the photos, open up a telnet session, executed the command, and viola! A sharp and clean photo album in the directory I executed the code.
No problems with the Knoppix install tonight. Very nice interface and I love the way it detects everything. It really lets you see the detection process and how it goes. This makes you really think that Knoppix is something different from most distros…however, it didn’t detect my monitor and sound card. It was the first distro to not detect the monitor…odd considering that all others did. But other than that, it seems to be a very solid distro…an excellent way for people to try out Linux.