Xandros Desktop 2 Deluxe

This Linux distribution is ideal for the use on the home desktop as well as in the office.

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Price: £51

Manufacturer: Xandros

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Verdict

Pros:

Simple to install and use; professional feel.

Cons:
Not much software on CD.

Verdict:
Ideal for home and corporate users, easy to use with lots of useful features.

Barry Shilliday, Personal Computer World 23 Mar 2004

Highly Commended - Personal Computer World.

Last year Xandros released the first version of its desktop product to much praise. Originally based on Corel Linux, some of the original developers took the distribution and transformed it into Xandros Desktop, a Debian-based commercial operating system. One of the main criticisms was its use of the old KDE 2.x desktop, but this new second release has moved ahead to the much improved version 3.1.4.

Xandros seems rather small, coming on just a single CD. The installation gets under way quickly, with a high-resolution blue display. The first decision is to follow an express or custom install path. If you choose the express path, and the disk has free space, all you need to do is enter an administrative password, a name for the computer and create a new user. For custom installations there are more stages: first up is the disk configuration. Xandros allows resizing of NTFS and FAT partitions, ideal for dualbooting your computer. This installer was alone in finding both onboard network controllers on our test PC, allowing each to be configured. Next you can decide on which packages to install.

On the first boot-up, the KDE login manager appears with a sensible resolution at a high refresh rate. After logging in, like most distributions, a wizard pops up to configure some more settings. Here we could set the automatically configured mouse to right or left-handed and add a printer. The printer manager was especially intuitive, and handled the set-up impressively.

The KDE desktop Xandros uses is not as aesthetically pleasing as some others, the 'Launch' button was drab. The colourful menus are, however, laid out well in a Windows style, with the standard KDE menu structure under 'Applications'. A good selection of utilities and applications are installed by default, including Open Office 1.1.0. Web browsing and email is catered for by Mozilla 1.4, which also has plug-ins for Java, Real Player and Flash ready to go. Multimedia performance was as good as any other - video files, MP3 and other audio formats played effortlessly. Additionally, if Xandros finds any Windows partitions during the installation, it copies over the fonts and configures them for you.

Xandros provides an online service called Xandros Networks, similar to Click-NRun from Lindows, although this has no subscription charges. The GUI works well, giving access to fewer programs than Click-N-Run; but more is not always good: Xandros Networks has a clearer, less commercial and more professional layout, without the multiple and obscure entries found on the Lindows service.

Instead of the standard KDE file browser Konqueror, Xandros has developed its own file manager based upon Konqueror. It is similar in appearance to Windows 2000 Explorer, and lists network and disks on a tree menu. Xandros makes thorough checks for other partitions on the hard drive during installation, and creates mount points with sensible names. For any NTFS or FAT partitions, it uses Windows-style drive names, such as C:.

The deluxe version of Xandros includes Crossover Office and Plug-in from Codeweavers. These products let you run several major Windows programs, including Microsoft Office and Lotus Notes. Many other Windows programs will also run, though full stability isn't guaranteed. This addition is particularly useful to corporate users, where certain applications are requisite, and you can run these without having to purchase any Windows licences.

There is little in the way of administrative utilities, and Xandros could gain from having something similar to Drakconf or Yast. Basic tasks such as adding users and changing the screen resolution can be performed with KDE's control panel.

Xandros Desktop is not available as a free download. Boxed sets can be purchased from the company's website. The deluxe edition, with Crossover Office and Plug-in, includes 60 days of email support and a printed user guide, while the standard edition comes with 30 days email support.

Contact: Xandros 00 1 613 842 3494 www.xandros.com

System requirements: