[ltp] Xandros

[Donald B. Altman]

** Reply to message from SOTL <sotl155360@earthlink.net> on Sun, 2 Jan 2005 08:49:10 -0500

Hello,

I'm sitting next to an A21p on which a friend has installed Xandros 2.  I'm running on a Thinkpad
using SuSE 9.1.  Here are some of my impressions....

Xandros installed easily - a couple of clicks.  But it gives you much  less choice over what
you install.  That comes later when you use their "Xandros networks" tool both to update
and to download whatever you're missing.  Things like kernel source are not installed
normally, so if you're going to use anything that compiles its own kernel modules, like
VMWare, be sure you're near a wideband connection.

I don't know whether you have to spring the full $80 for the professional edition if you're
not planning to use their support.  I think much of what you don't get is available through
Xandros networks.  Also, you can always go outside their structure and download your
own CD burner if you want one that's faster than 4X.  So if cost is an issue, you have
alternatives to paying.

(I've not had much time to play with Xandros, though, so some of what follows may be coming
from lack of familiarity rather than actual shortcomings.)

Xandros has rearranged the configuration and log files somewhat.  We're having a problem
with the ethernet driver (3Com again, sigh.)  'Dmesg" does not give much output and one ends
up chasing from log  to log for answers.  The logs, as shipped, are less complete than SuSE.  That
may be a deliberate design decision to keep your machine from filling up with cruft if you're
a newbie and don't even know or care about the logs.  There's probably a way to turn them on.

Xandros seems, overall, to be good for newbies to Linux.  It looks more like Windows than
most other distros and works well with a point and click approach.  For anyone who wants
to get into the system, though, it keeps things more hidden.  At my level of expertise, I prefer 
SuSE.

Re SuSE...
I know it better.  I just installed 9.2 on a box last night with no real problems.  It got video
working (I have an old Nvidia GeForce 256 card) right out of the box.  That's an improvement
over prior versions, which couldn't handle the NVidia easily.)  I had a problem with the 3Com
card when I tried to install it on my A21p, but was more comfortable tracking it down than in 
Xandros.

I'll try installing SuSE 9.2 on my T42p next week and so may have more specific feedback after
that.

BTW - I think you can do much better on hard drives.  Check outpost.com or pricewatch.com.  I
got a 60GB 18 months ago for under $200.  Currently, the 80G Toshiba notebook drives are going
for about $121.

Good luck,

Don A

-- 
Donald B. Altman
Singular Technologies
Croton-on-Hudson,  NY