28 LXF260 March 2020 http://www.linuxformat.comROUNDUP Beginner distros
he focus of this Roundup is to
identify a distribution that’s
best suited for newbies. We are
looking for an option that’s easy to use,
while still offering users a chance to
learn and enjoy themselves horsing
around. This, we feel, is the key for any
distribution looking to retain and attract
novice users.
By a quirk of fate, and admittedly
deliberate deviousness in selecting the
KDE edition of Manjaro, our selection
of distributions has provided us with
five different desktop environments.
Each of these comes with their own
pros and cons and are an important
factor for newbies when deciding on
a new distribution to go for.
But you can’t look at any one
element, such as the desktop
environment, to gauge the overall
usefulness of a distribution. The
complete distribution is greater than
the sum of its parts.Deepin 8/10
This distro is fast and responsive. Its best
feature is its home-grown desktop and the
myriad applications for everyday use. You
can type Deepin into the launcher for a list
of all the custom applications. Run the
Introduction tool for a video intro to the
distribution. You can also make cosmetic
changes to the desktop, such as enable/
disable window effects, switch the desktop
mode from the default Fashionable to
Efficient, etc. These changes can also be
accomplished from the settings manager.
The absence of a live environment, is
unfortunate. Also disappointing is the lack
of focus on hosting quality documentation
on topics other than the desktop
environment and the home-grown apps.
The project was originally based on
Ubuntu but has shifted to Debian now. This
means that the project features thoroughly
tested applications to provide a stable and
robust desktop experience.Elementary OS 8/10
Elementary OS’s claim to fame is its
custom desktop environment, called
Pantheon, and an assortment of desktop
applications to go with it. It favours a pay-
what-you-want model, letting you decide
what amount, if any, to pay for the distro. It
also lets you pay an amount for many of
the apps available in the App Center.
The distribution features a curious
selection of default applications, such as
the Epiphany browser. The selection is a
further attempt to provide a fast and
lightweight distro. Based on Ubuntu, its
quite easy to flesh out the distribution with
additional and more popular applications.
You don’t have to launch the App
Center to search for an application. Click
Applications on the top-left of the desktop
and type. All results will be displayed, and if
no matches are found, the distribution
recommends searching for the specified
keyword in the App Center.User experience
What sets these distro
contenders apart?
T
VERDICT
ovice users must learn to navigate not just the new
appearance of the desktop, but also the different way of
doing routine things, such as configuring graphics cards,
connecting to internet radio stations, installing new software, etc.
In this Roundup the projects must provide extensive and easy-
to-grasp documentation to help acclimatise new users. Additional
resources, such as forum boards, mailing lists, wikis, etc. to tap
the collective experience of the community is also appreciated.
The First Steps section on the Manjaro website is a primer for
new users. A comprehensive user guide is also available as a
downloadable PDF, and the wiki is full of information on every
topic, including installation, customisation, software management.
Solus has a neatly arranged help center with documentation
on different topics, such as gaming, hardware configuration,
software management, and more.
In addition to the forum boards, Zorin OS provides thorough
guides spanning installation, software management, upgrading
the distribution, etc. Although it pales in comparison to theDocumentation and support
Man overboard! What happens now?
N
DEEPIN 6/10
ELEMENTARY OS 6/10
MANJARO 10/10SOLUS 8/10
ZORIN OS 8/10offerings of Manjaro, it’s a sight better than what’s offered by
Deepin and Elementary OS.
Elementary OS provides to-the-point and easy-to-understand
documentation on the website, covering the installation and a
quick introduction to the desktop.
Deepin’s wiki features bare-bones guides on using some of its
native apps, such as Deepin Movie and Cloud Scan. The forum
boards can be used to tap the wisdom of the user community.
The Deepin Manual app is installed by default and provides a
quick rundown of the DDE and many of the home-grown apps.Manjaro also has a very vocal and helpful user community, so you’ll never
want for help.28 LXF260March 2020 2226March 0Depi6n0e
ROUNDUP Beginner distros
hefocusofthisRoundupisto
identifyadistributionthat’s
bestsuitedfornewbies.Weare
lookingforanoptionthat’seasytouse,
whilestillofferingusersachanceto
learnandenjoythemselveshorsing
around.This,wefeel,isthekeyforany
distributionlookingtoretainandattract
noviceusers.
Byaquirkoffate,andadmittedly
deliberatedeviousnessinselectingthe
KDEeditionofManjaro,ourselection
ofdistributionshasprovideduswith
fivedifferentdesktopenvironments.
Eachofthesecomeswiththeirown
prosandconsandareanimportant
factorfornewbieswhendecidingon
anewdistributiontogofor.
Butyoucan’tlookatanyone
element,suchasthedesktop
environment,togaugetheoverall
usefulnessofadistribution.The
completedistributionisgreaterthan
the sum of its parts.
Deepin 8/10
Thisdistroisfastandresponsive.Itsbest
featureisitshome-growndesktopandthe
myriadapplicationsforeverydayuse.You
cantypeDeepinintothelauncherforalist
ofallthecustomapplications.Runthe
Introductiontoolforavideointrotothe
distribution.Youcanalsomakecosmetic
changestothedesktop,suchasenable/
disablewindoweffects,switchthedesktop
modefromthedefaultFashionableto
Efficient,etc.Thesechangescanalsobe
accomplishedfromthesettingsmanager.
Theabsenceofaliveenvironment,is
unfortunate.Alsodisappointingisthelack
offocusonhostingqualitydocumentation
ontopicsotherthanthedesktop
environmentandthehome-grownapps.
Theprojectwasoriginallybasedon
UbuntubuthasshiftedtoDebiannow.This
meansthattheprojectfeaturesthoroughly
testedapplicationstoprovideastableand
robustdesktopexperience.ElementaryOS 8/10
Elementary OS’s claim to fame is its
custom desktop environment, called
Pantheon, and an assortment of desktop
applications to go with it. It favours a pay-
what-you-want model, letting you decide
what amount, if any, to pay for the distro. It
also lets you pay an amount for many of
the apps available in the App Center.
The distribution features a curious
selection of default applications, such as
the Epiphany browser. The selection is a
further attempt to provide a fast and
lightweight distro. Based on Ubuntu, its
quite easy to flesh out the distribution with
additional and more popular applications.
You don’t have to launch the App
Center to search for an application. Click
Applications on the top-left of the desktop
and type. All results will be displayed, and if
no matches are found, the distribution
recommends searching for the specified
keyword in the App Center.User experience
What sets these distro
contenders apart?
T
VERDICT
ovice users must learn to navigate not just the new
appearance of the desktop, but also the different way of
doing routine things, such as configuring graphics cards,
connecting to internet radio stations, installing new software, etc.
In this Roundup the projects must provide extensive and easy-
to-grasp documentation to help acclimatise new users. Additional
resources, such as forum boards, mailing lists, wikis, etc. to tap
the collective experience of the community is also appreciated.
The First Steps section on the Manjaro website is a primer for
new users. A comprehensive user guide is also available as a
downloadable PDF, and the wiki is full of information on every
topic, including installation, customisation, software management.
Solus has a neatly arranged help center with documentation
on different topics, such as gaming, hardware configuration,
software management, and more.
In addition to the forum boards, Zorin OS provides thorough
guides spanning installation, software management, upgrading
the distribution, etc. Although it pales in comparison to theDocumentation and support
Man overboard! What happens now?
N
DEEPIN 6/10
ELEMENTARYOS 6/10
MANJARO 10/10SOLUS 8/10
ZORINOS 8/10offerings of Manjaro, it’s a sight better than what’s offered by
Deepin and Elementary OS.
Elementary OS provides to-the-point and easy-to-understand
documentation on the website, covering the installation and a
quick introduction to the desktop.
Deepin’s wiki features bare-bones guides on using some of its
native apps, such as Deepin Movie and Cloud Scan. The forum
boards can be used to tap the wisdom of the user community.
The Deepin Manual app is installed by default and provides a
quick rundown of the DDE and many of the home-grown apps.Manjaro also has a very vocal and helpful user community, so you’ll never
want for help.