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| Review: LindowsOS 4 | December 2003 | ||||
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Reviewed by Joe Casad If you tune into Slashdot or any of the other high-tech sources, you may have noticed that Microsoft Corporation, which has emerged relatively unscathed from many titanic battles with corporate giants and national governments, could very possibly receive a crippling blow from an upstart company with the big idea. That company is Lindows.com, and their big idea is that maybe the name "Windows" shouldn't be protected by a trademark. The creators of LindowsOS were so certain that Windows shouldn't have a trademark that they gave their product a name that infringes directly on that trademark. And when the inevitable litigation began, they didn't flinch at a full-scale legal assault from a company with the worlds largest cash reserves but, in fact, seemed to take a certain relish in it. The copyright notice on their Web site bears the words: "Lindows is not endorsed by or affiliated with Microsoft Corporation in any way — in fact, we don't even really like them because they are suing us." We know that Microsoft is mad at them. But Lindows has never exactly been a darling on the Linux world either. Its purported goal of making Linux more like Windows rankles the sensibilities of the Linux purists, and its unabashed for-profit mindset makes it less than popular with the ascetic open source crowd. I took a closer look at LindowsOS 4 and discovered that behind all the hype and the litigation is a real product that has slowly been getting better and more competitive. What is Lindows? The question of what Lindows is should perhaps begin with an explanation of what Lindows isn't. The world may be justifiably confused about the nature of Lindows due to some bold statements from marketers in the early days of the company. Despite its name, Lindows is not a hybrid of Windows and Linux. Lindows is also not a new Linux-like operating system that comes with the power to run Windows software. Lindows has decided to downplay its original dream of Windows compatibility and, instead, now focuses on its role as an extremely simple and user-friendly version of Linux. If you dig deep enough through the documentation, you will find that Lindows defines itself simply as a "Linux distribution." It would be more accurate to say that Lindows is a preconfigured Linux environment optimized for the amateur user and shipped with a set of built-in tools for accessing software and support services at the Lindows.com Web site. Lindows is built on top of Debian Linux. The choice of Debian may seem strange, since Debian has a reputation for being exceptionally versatile but difficult to use and Lindows is (by design) not very malleable but exceptionally easy to use. It is likely the Lindows developers chose Debian because of its status as the leading non-profit Linux. But it is also worth noting that Debian's popular package system was probably a good fit for Lindows's crucial Click-N-Run software installation feature, which I'll cover later in this review. In any case, when I say Lindows runs "on top" of Linux, I do not mean that Lindows is a desktop or windowing system that fits neatly above the Linux kernel in a classic block diagram. Actually, KDE is the default desktop for Lindows installations, and the Lindows desktop looks very much like an ordinary KDE desktop, with some necessary customizations for accessing Lindows resources. Lindows is best understood as a product that uses Linux as a raw material. Every product has a buyer, and in the case of Lindows, the buyer is the non-technical user who wouldn't spend five minutes on the kind of system hacking that is the birthright of the Linux user. Most Linux distros have only the vaguest conception of the user. Some offer a few configuration profiles at installation (e.g., Workstation or Server) and add a mix of components accordingly, but for the most part, the emphasis in Linux is on preserving the user's ability to customize the system. Lindows, on the other hand, has a much more refined idea of what its user wants and can therefore deliver a set of services and components for the prototype Lindows user with almost no discussion or bewilderment. It doesn't ask which desktop you want to use or how you want to partition your hard drive. It simply makes the necessary assumptions and delivers an end-user system with the fewest possible places to get lost. Lindows adds value for its target audience through:
The interaction of the Lindows operating system with the mother ship at Lindows.com is perhaps the most innovative part of the Lindows environment. This tight interaction of the operating system with the Web is the holy grail of the Internet age, and it is a major reason why hardware vendors were so adamant about wresting control of the desktop from Microsoft in the last round of antitrust litigation. Almost any new computer now includes some kind of links to Web resources, so much so that it is sometimes difficult to tell where the local computer stops and the Web site starts. The thing I like about the Lindows approach is that the Web resources are presented practically and sensibly, without a lot of hype or excess multimedia noise. Lindows' Click-N-Run feature, for instance, makes finding, downloading, and installing software as simple as picking a box from the shelf of a grocery store. Lindows.com is a dot com in the truest sense. I don't think the operating system could or would exist without the Web site. Lindows and Windows Compatibility When the Lindows project began, the consensus of experts was that the huge body of software written for the Windows environment kept non-Windows operating systems out of the market. Consequently, Lindows founder Michael Robertson, flush with confidence and cash after his successful role in the development of MP3, invested heavily in the WINE Win32 API, hoping to integrate WINE into Lindows as a seamless extension for running Windows programs. After this initial investment, however, Lindows has taken a different path and now downplays Windows compatibility. According to Robertson, "Lindows.com came to the decision that it was better to invest in helping with the advancement of native Linux software rather than investing more into WINE." WINE is no longer even included in the basic Lindows package. They do make WINE available through their Click-N-Run warehouse, but they make no promises about it. According to the Lindows Web site, "Because WINE is still unstable and under constant development, it is not recommended for less-technical users, and Lindows.com cannot offer support for those who install WINE from the Click-N-Run Warehouse." Actually, the Windows compatibility option recommended by Lindows.com is the commercial Win4Lin package, which they are happy to sell to Lindows customers for the member price of $69.99. Installing One of the more pleasant surprises for me was that Lindows 4.0 installed very easily. It was, in fact, one of the easiest installs in my recent memory — much easier than setting up Linux and easier even than my last few runs at installing Windows. I was expecting a much rockier time, especially when I read the caveat at the Lindows Web site, which stated:
In other words, just because the installation worked flawlessly on my system, it doesn't mean it will work flawlessly on yours. Still, the computer I used was not particularly new or powerful — it was a 4-year-old HP Pentium II. If you're wondering whether your hardware works with LindowsOS, the Lindows.com Web site provides a handy search page that lets you search for Lindows-compatible hardware by hardware vendor or category. The installation process offers few options to the user. You can choose to "Take over the entire hard disk," which, as you might guess, means that Lindows reformats your hard disk, or you can choose the "Advanced Install" option, which lets you choose a partition for the Lindows installation. You get a prompt to enter a password, and a screen that lets you verify the necessary settings, but then you're all but finished with the installation. Of course, if the install program can't find a DHCP server, you'll have to enter the usual networking information before you're ready to work online. I have a hunch that, if your hardware isn't on the compatibility list, you'll have a bumpier ride. Lindows was never intended for special cases. But then, if you buy a pre-packaged Lindows computer, you won't even have to worry about installation. Looking Around
Lindows has its own version of the Windows Start button that provides a hierarchical organization of programs on the system. Like Windows, Lindows organizes some of the configuration utilities into a Control Panel application. The Lindows Control Panel lets you configure settings for network, file browsing, peripherals, power control, sound, and other areas. Perhaps the most intriguing innovation that Lindows brings to the Linux family is beneath a green icon in the taskbar with the figure of a running man. The Lindows Click-N-Run feature (see Figure 2) is a special link that leads to a repository of downloadable software at the Lindows Web site. When I first examined Click-N-Run, I assumed it was a marketing gimmick — a clever scheme for wringing some extra profits by selling software à la carte. And so it is. But, it's also a fast, practical, and simple technique for finding, installing, and configuring new software. The Click-N-Run software is organized by category (Games, Business and Finance, Audio and MP3, multimedia and Design, Software Development, Utilities). Click on a category and you will find an assortment of programs approved and preconfigured to run on Lindows. Some of the Click-N-Run programs are free for Lindows.com members. Others are available at a discounted price. In keeping with the Lindows philosophy of simplicity, Click-N-Run doesn't just download a tar file. Instead, it downloads, installs, and configures the software with a single click. Some of the programs are low-budget, term-paper-like open source ditties that evoke the earlier days of open source. The 3-D chess program, for instance, presents three 2-D chess boards that the user presumably has to assemble mentally into a 3-D stack. But Click-N-Run also includes many mainstream open source tools that experienced Linux user will want to have available, such as nmap, Satan, Apache, and Bind. By making these high-end tools optional through Click-N-Run, Lindows is able to shrink and simplify the base operating system for everyday users, and still make other tools available for power users. License Like much of the rest of Lindows, the Lindows licensing system is a precarious hybrid of the proprietary and the open source. Debian Linux is, of course, non-commerical open source software licensed through the GPL. Lindows, however, provides extentions to the base operating system that are not distributed under the GPL. Lindows claims that LindowsOS itself is not covered by the GPL. If you are a home user, Lindows grants what they call a "family license," which allows you to use a single Lindows license on all the computers in your household. If you are a business user, Lindows offers per-seat and per-simultaneous-user licenses. The digital download version of LindowsOS is available at the Lindows Web site for $49.95. The retail verson, which includes a LindowsOS CD and QuickStart manual, costs $59.95. Observations and Conclusions There is something very refreshing about LindowsOS. It found all my hardware without complications. And when I logged on, I could find my way around without having to refer to a thick book or manual. When I needed additional software — such as the screen capture program I used to capture the figures included in this review — I found and installed it (for no charge) very quickly through the Click-N-Run feature. The task of transforming Linux to a mainstreaming desktop operating system has been slowed by conventional perceptions of what Linux is or should be. LindowsOS brings Linux a step closer to the mainstream by disregarding some of the conventional assumptions about Linux. The Lindows less-is-more approach will help Linux reach a new market of home users. And, even as Lindows mimics the conventions of the Windows world, it offers streamlined practicality that has been missing from the last several versions of Windows. Since Lindows really is Linux, I don't see many reasons for a single user who is familiar with Linux to adopt Lindows. The niche for Lindows is with home users who don't know a lot about Linux. In that context, Lindows is not only a good alternative to the Linux distros, but also a good alternative to Windows. Unless you're heavily into multimedia and game technologies, you can do almost anything with Lindows that you could do with Windows. Open Office is very functional for word processing, accounting, and presentations, and the Mozilla suite is at least as good as Internet Explorer. Lindows may also eventually have a market with small to mid-range business users who are weary of Microsoft prices and need a simple, uniform way to transition from the Windows interface. Is Lindows for everyone? No, but that doesn't mean it won't find a niche. Joe Casad is an author and engineer who lives in Lawrence, Kansas. He has written several books on networking and systems administration topics, including Teach Yourself TCP/IP in 24 Hours (SAMS) and Network Professional Library: Active Directory (Osborne). He is the former senior editor of UnixReview.com and the former editor in chief of C/C++ Users Journal. |
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