22 LXF257 December 2019 http://www.linuxformat.comREVIEWS Linux distribution
A desktop
-orientated
distribution,
originally based
on an old
favourite but is
now making its
own way.
Targeted at
home and small
business use.Minimum
CPU: Modern
Intel or AMD
64-bit
Mem: 2GB
(4GB preferred)
HDD:
15-20GB; XFCE
and MATE
desktops
require less
Build: 64-bit
KDE, MATE and
XFCE desktop
versionsIN BRIEF
SPECS
VERDICT
a fairly typical range of media players, editors, file
management tools and so on. On the KDE version, many
of these are from the KDE environs, so they integrate
nicely – plus you get the usual suspects like LibreOffice
and Firefox. Interestingly for a KDE system, email is
handled by Thunderbird and KMail is not installed, an
understandable decision. The other desktop variants
have a similar range of capabilities, but with different
tools for some of the tasks. There are also a few less
obvious but welcome additions, such as zuluCrypt for
point-and-click hard drive encryption and Nitroshare for
simple file-sharing between computers running various
operating systems.
Overall, PCLinuxOS works well without any post-install
tweaking. The environment feels a little old-school, but in
a familiar and comfortable way, rather than feeling dated.
But the software itself is right up to date with very recent
versions of the Linux kernel (5.2.15) and the user software- for example, KDE is at the latest release. If you are one
of those (us?) who wants to always have the latest
software, PCLinuxOS should keep you happy.
his distro has
been around for a
long time, starting
life as a fork of Mandriva,
although it has been
developed independently
since 2007. That’s a long
time for a small distro to be
around without leaning on
one of the major players, so
how is it doing? Well, the
short answer is “Very well,
thank you”.
PCLinuxOS is designed
primarily as a desktop
system for home and small
business use. Of course
you can use it for server or
other applications – it is
Linux, after all – but other distros may be better suited to
such tasks. PCLinuxOS is released in the now standard
Live distro plus installer format, as popularised by
Ubuntu. What many may not remember is that
PCLinuxOS actually pioneered this approach; early
Ubuntu releases had separate Live and install images.
This makes the installation process quick and simple, as
it is basically dumping the contents of the Live distro to
your hard disk, with a handful of configuration questions
thrown in along the way.
There are a choice of three versions to install, differing
in the desktop; the choices being KDE, Xfce and MATE.
The first two also have lighter alternatives, which are
basically missing LibreOffice and associated software. We
concentrated on the KDE version, as this has always been
the desktop of choice for PCLinuxOS. Many distros that
use KDE provide their own configuration and theming, as
the default settings of KDE are a bit naff. PCLinuxOS is no
exception, and their KDE has a comforting retro feel to it- reminiscent of the much-missed KDE 3.5, but with
KDE5 goodness underneath. In fact the whole distro
looks and feels a little retro, with its administration tools
still showing their roots in the Mandrake Drak* programs
and its window gadgets reminding me of an earlier
macOS look. This may sound like a criticism, but we liked
it – and it is KDE after all, so you can change anything you
don’t like.
The administration tools not only look like the
Mandrake/Mandriva tools, they work like them too, and
that is a compliment. Before Ubuntu came along,
Mandrake was one of the most popular distros for
introducing newcomers to Linux, and deservedly so. The
Control Centre is home to anything to do with setting up
or administering the system, and is clearly laid out and
easy to use. The range of software included is as you
would expect to find on a distro aimed at desktop use:
PCLinuxOS 2019.09
Neil Bothwick revisits a forgotten friend with an eye on the good old days,
but with a very modern collection of software.
T
An independent distro that is quick to install and easy to use,
yet has more than enough to satisfy more demanding users.FEATURES 9/10
PERFORMANCE 9/10EASE OF USE 9/10
DOCUMENTATION 7/10Rating 9/10
DEVELOPER: Texstar
WEB: http://www.pclinuxos.com
LICENCE: Various open sourceDon’t let the comfortable appearance fool you, PCLinuxOS is a very capable distro.22 LXF257December 2019 222Decmbr 019viDs09
REVIEWS Linux distribution
Adesktop
-orientated
distribution,
originallybased
onanold
favouritebutis
nowmakingits
ownway.
Targetedat
homeandsmall
businessuse.
Minimum
CPU:Modern
IntelorAMD
64-bit
Mem:2GB
(4GBpreferred)
HDD:
15-20GB;XFCE
andMATE
desktops
requireless
Build:64-bit
KDE,MATEand
XFCEdesktop
versions
INBRIEF
SPECS
VERDICT
afairlytypicalrangeofmediaplayers,editors,file
managementtoolsandsoon.OntheKDEversion,many
ofthesearefromtheKDEenvirons,sotheyintegrate
nicely–plusyougettheusualsuspectslikeLibreOffice
andFirefox.InterestinglyforaKDEsystem,emailis
handledbyThunderbirdandKMailisnotinstalled,an
understandabledecision.Theotherdesktopvariants
haveasimilarrangeofcapabilities,butwithdifferent
toolsforsomeofthetasks.Therearealsoafewless
obviousbutwelcomeadditions,suchaszuluCryptfor
point-and-clickharddriveencryptionandNitrosharefor
simplefile-sharingbetweencomputersrunningvarious
operatingsystems.
Overall,PCLinuxOSworkswellwithoutanypost-install
tweaking.Theenvironmentfeelsalittleold-school,butin
afamiliarandcomfortableway,ratherthanfeelingdated.
Butthesoftwareitselfisrightuptodatewithveryrecent
versionsoftheLinuxkernel(5.2.15)andtheusersoftware- forexample,KDEisatthelatestrelease.Ifyouareone
ofthose(us?)whowantstoalwayshavethelatest
software,PCLinuxOSshouldkeepyouhappy.
hisdistrohas
beenaroundfora
longtime,starting
lifeasaforkofMandriva,
althoughithasbeen
developedindependently
since2007.That’salong
timeforasmalldistrotobe
aroundwithoutleaningon
oneofthemajorplayers,so
howisitdoing?Well,the
shortansweris“Verywell,
thankyou”.
PCLinuxOSisdesigned
primarilyasadesktop
systemforhomeandsmall
businessuse.Ofcourse
youcanuseitforserveror
otherapplications–itis
Linux,afterall–butotherdistrosmaybebettersuitedto
suchtasks.PCLinuxOSisreleasedinthenowstandard
Livedistroplusinstallerformat,aspopularisedby
Ubuntu.Whatmanymaynotrememberisthat
PCLinuxOSactuallypioneeredthisapproach;early
UbuntureleaseshadseparateLiveandinstallimages.
Thismakestheinstallationprocessquickandsimple,as
itisbasicallydumpingthecontentsoftheLivedistroto
yourharddisk,withahandfulofconfigurationquestions
throwninalongtheway.
Thereareachoiceofthreeversionstoinstall,differing
inthedesktop;thechoicesbeingKDE,XfceandMATE.
Thefirsttwoalsohavelighteralternatives,whichare
basicallymissingLibreOfficeandassociatedsoftware.We
concentratedontheKDEversion,asthishasalwaysbeen
thedesktopofchoiceforPCLinuxOS.Manydistrosthat
useKDEprovidetheirownconfigurationandtheming,as
thedefaultsettingsofKDEareabitnaff.PCLinuxOSisno
exception,andtheirKDEhasacomfortingretrofeeltoit- reminiscentofthemuch-missedKDE3.5,butwith
KDE5goodnessunderneath.Infactthewholedistro
looksandfeelsalittleretro,withitsadministrationtools
stillshowingtheirrootsintheMandrakeDrak*programs
anditswindowgadgetsremindingmeofanearlier
macOSlook.Thismaysoundlikeacriticism,butweliked
it–anditisKDEafterall,soyoucanchangeanythingyou
don’tlike.
Theadministrationtoolsnotonlylooklikethe
Mandrake/Mandrivatools,theyworklikethemtoo,and
thatisacompliment.BeforeUbuntucamealong,
Mandrakewasoneofthemostpopulardistrosfor
introducingnewcomerstoLinux,anddeservedlyso.The
ControlCentreishometoanythingtodowithsettingup
oradministeringthesystem,andisclearlylaidoutand
easytouse.Therangeofsoftwareincludedisasyou
would expect to find on a distro aimed at desktop use:
PCLinuxOS 2019.09
Neil Bothwick revisits a forgotten friend with an eye on the good old days,
but with a very modern collection of software.
T
Anindependentdistrothatis quicktoinstallandeasytouse,
yethasmorethanenoughtosatisfymoredemandingusers.FEATURES 9/10
PERFORMANCE 9/10EASEOFUSE 9/10
DOCUMENTATION 7/10Rating 9/10
DEVELOPER: Texstar
WEB: http://www.pclinuxos.com
LICENCE: Various open sourceDon’t let the comfortable appearance fool you, PCLinuxOS is a very capable distro.