PCLinux OS

[Shadow Death]

PCLinux OS is available at this site: http://www.pclinuxos.com/

PCLinuxOS is a free easy to use Linux-based Operating System for x86 desktops or laptops.

PCLinuxOS is distributed as a LiveCD, and can also be installed to your computer. The LiveCD mode lets you try PCLInuxOS without making any changes to your computer. If you like it, you can install the operating system to your hard drive. Locally installed versions of PCLinuxOS utilize the Advanced Packaging Tool (or APT), a package management system (originally from the Debian distribution), together with Synaptic, a GUI frontend to APT for easy software installation. PCLinuxOS has over 12,000 rpm software packages available from our software repository.

PCLinuxOS has a script called mylivecd, which allows the user to take a ‘snapshot’ of their current hard drive installation (all settings, applications, documents, etc.) and compress it into an ISO CD/DVD image. This allows easy backup of a user’s data and also makes it easy to create your own custom live CD/DVD.

PCLinuxOS has additional support for over 85 language through our simple Addlocale interface.

PCLinuxOS is safe and secure. You never have to worry about viruses, adware, malware or trojans infecting your computer with PCLinuxOS.

The PCLinuxOS distribution was founded October 24, 2003 by Texstar and headquarters are located in Houston, TX USA.

Quote Pulled from PCLinuxOS.com

This distro of Linux comes in multiple flavors:

KDE Desktop - http://www.pclinuxos.com/?page_id=180
LXDE Desktop - http://www.pclinuxos.com/?page_id=188
XFCE Desktop - http://www.pclinuxos.com/?page_id=213
GNOME Zen Mini Desktop - http://www.pclinuxos.com/?page_id=186
Enlightenment Desktop - http://www.pclinuxos.com/?page_id=186
OpenBox Desktop - http://www.pclinuxos.com/?page_id=542
GNOME Desktop - http://www.pclinuxos.com/?page_id=184

I have ran the GNOME Desktop distro in a virtual machine via Virtualbox on my desktop and it runs very fast and reliable so far. It takes some getting used to switching from Ubuntu to PCLinuxOS but the changes are fairly easy to become accustomed to.

Example: If you want to use "sudo" you have to add your user name to the list. It's actually easier to login as root using "su" and then using the root password via terminal.

PC linux comes pre-installed with a firewall and everything you need to set the computer up.

 

[LoftedAphid86]

Use the KDE desktop.
I haven't used PCLinux OS, but I have used Kubuntu and I like it a lot more than the Gnome interface.

 

[Shadow Death]

I don't like KDE, they did a bad job at copying windows for one... the other is it sucks up way more resources than GNOME.. Gnome feels like it gives you more control anyway.

 

[HeffeD]

I don't mind KDE, but it definitely takes more getting used to than GNOME. Some things that are easy to get to in GNOME are kind of buried in the KDE desktops.

If anybody wants to give PCLinux a try, the repository URL's supplied with the current distro won't connect due to a hosting change by the company hosting the repositories, so if you want to update the software, you won't be able to.

Open a terminal and run this command to find the fastest valid repositories.

apt-sources-update.sh -w -s http://distro.ibiblio.org/pclinuxos/synaptic/sources.list

Don't pick anything from ibiblio.org as those are the ones in transition.

 

[LoftedAphid86]

I don't like KDE, they did a bad job at copying windows for one... the other is it sucks up way more resources than GNOME.. Gnome feels like it gives you more control anyway.

Actually, Windows 7 basically ripped off KDE's interface. KDE is almost as old as windows.
KDE is more customisable than GNOME.

 

[eXPerience]

I think I'm gonna test Enlightenment Desktop

eXp

 

[Shadow Death]

The KDE project was founded in October 14, 1996. Windows 95 was released in August of 95. I think it's fair to say they took Microsoft's idea.

 

[jamescv7]

I never knew it that KDE was in 1996 exist, all I know before was Windows.

 

[LoftedAphid86]

The KDE project was founded in October 14, 1996. Windows 95 was released in August of 95. I think it's fair to say they took Microsoft's idea.

With hardly a resemblance.
Windows 7 came out after KDE, and the two looked rather similar.

 

[Shadow Death]

Really?

KDE 1.1

 

[LoftedAphid86]

Generic interface for that time.

 

[Shadow Death]

Generic? Then why didn't Gnome use the same generic theme? Oh, I made a mistake. KDE wasn't offically released until 1998.

Either way, the fundamental idea of locating all of the settings and programs in one menu location was originally in Windows 95. Despite any design changes that either made, KDE still used the ideas that Micro$oft had made prior to KDE's existence.

 

[silviu_c]

I would not go as far as saying MS ripped off KDE. GUI elements do tend to get borrowed across OS X, Windows and Linux. One could say Apple ripped off the idea of an app store from the linux world but who would care and why would that matter anyway ?

That picture really made me recall some fine memories from using KDE pre year 2000. It was a visual delight and Gnome was a mess. Unfortunately due to some licensing issues with Qt the industry heavyweights went with Gnome and Gtk and poured rivers of money in them and now it is a nice, mature and polished desktop environment.

KDE had a rough start with the 4.x version. Bugs began to get fixed somewhere around release 4.5 and now at 4.6 its quite pleasant to use. I did however encounter an issue where Chrome manages to kinda lock the system up with KDE running and I have to ssh in and restart the system. Does not happen with Gnome and Compiz. This quirk might very well be because I have both Gnome and KDE desktops installed.

At this time I do prefer Gnome for the clean interface and tbh I really don't care about configuring my desktop environment too much(I may change themes though). I just want to do my job and the gui should not be in my face too much.

 

[Shadow Death]

I don't really have a problem with KDE.. it's more of a personal preference.

 

[LoftedAphid86]

Generic? Then why didn't Gnome use the same generic theme? Oh, I made a mistake. KDE wasn't offically released until 1998.

Either way, the fundamental idea of locating all of the settings and programs in one menu location was originally in Windows 95. Despite any design changes that either made, KDE still used the ideas that Micro$oft had made prior to KDE's existence.

Of having the taskbar at the bottom of the screen?
GNOME has the same start menu as KDE used to have.
KDE's interface just defaults to this, you can change it in a variety of ways.

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Try to make your reply sound on topic.

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What is unique about PCLinuxOS, anyway? It's name sure isn't.

 

[Shadow Death]

From what I've tested, I've found that it has most of the odds and end drivers on hand already. I've noticed it also has most of it's settings centralized in one location. It feels like Linux Mint with a more advanced look and feel. It still gives you the full power of Linux like Red Hat and Ubuntu, but it also adds a friendly factor for those who are afraid to use Linux.

 

[LoftedAphid86]

From what I've tested, I've found that it has most of the odds and end drivers on hand already. I've noticed it also has most of it's settings centralized in one location. It feels like Linux Mint with a more advanced look and feel. It still gives you the full power of Linux like Red Hat and Ubuntu, but it also adds a friendly factor for those who are afraid to use Linux.

I find Ubuntu to have similar qualities and a similar goal.
What about it is unique?

 

[HeffeD]

What is unique about PCLinuxOS, anyway? It's name sure isn't.

It's really not any more unique than any other flavor of Linux build. As near as I can tell, it's just trying to get its menus to reflect more of a Windows XP experience, which I feel is completely unimportant.

Like Mint, some of their KDE implementation is a bit sketchy. Often menus will open just an empty rectangle instead of menu options and other miscellaneous oddities. (Out of the box with the KDE CD Iso, PCLinux's screensaver daemon requires manual starting... Not very user friendly)

Kubuntu and OpenSuSE have a much more solid feeling GUI with KDE.

One nice thing with PCLinux though, is that I like local weather conditions on my desktop. With the KDE implementation in Kubuntu and OpenSuSE, the standard weather plasmoids only get forecast data (No real-time conditions) from Wetter in Germany. Whereas with PCLinux, I'm able to use Accuweather or Weather Underground stations so I not only have a local U.S. forecast, but access to real-time conditions from a weather station less than a mile from my house. So I'm not sure what they've tweaked, but I approve. Definitely not something I'd consider a solid reason to run PCLinux full time though. Downloading YaWP as an alternative to the stock weather plasmoids is an easy enough fix.