Linux Format - UK (2019-12)

http://www.techradar.com/pro/linux December 2019 LXF257 23

Linux distribution REVIEWS

A lightweight

distro with its

roots in Debian

that provides

a fast yet

functional

desktop

environment

for older

(and newer)

hardware.

IN BRIEF

CPU: 32-bit Intel

Pentium II or

later; or any

Intel or AMD

64-bit

Mem: 192MB

minimum,

256MB

recommended

HDD: 3.8GB for

full install

Builds: 32-

and 64-bit

SPECS

VERDICT

The AntiX Control Centre groups together all settings,

making the task that much easier compared with a raw

IceWM setup, which we had to go through a few years

ago and which wasn’t much fun.

Some of the choices of default software are a little

surprising for a system aimed at older hardware. For

example, the default mail program is the lightweight

Claws Mail, but the browser is Firefox and the office suite

is LibreOffice. There’s nothing wrong with either of those,

but there are certainly lighter alternatives. They may be

less familiar, but AntiX is already taking its users into

unfamiliar territory with IceWM, so why not go further?

If you want something that runs well on more

restricted hardware, or you just prefer to use your

computer power for computing rather than eye candy,

AntiX is well worth considering. It requires some initial

investment if you want anything other than the default

setup , but you will be rewarded with a fast and effective

Linux desktop experience. However, we wouldn’t

recommend this for a new Linux user unless they had

someone to hold their hand at the start.

here are many reasons

for choosing a particular

distro: you may want

something stable and predictable,

you may want the latest software,

or you may just like the look of it.

One factor often considered is

whether it will work on older

hardware. We are constantly told

that Linux is good for revitalising

older hardware, and AntiX sounds

like it should be a good distro in

these circumstances – but is it?

As befits a distro intended for

older kit, AntiX is a member of

that ever more exclusive club of

distros that fully support 32-bit

processors, with all ISOs available

for both CPU variants. We tried the

full size, though there are smaller ISO images: core,

with just the basic programs, and the even smaller

netinst for a network install. Those would be useful on

really constrained systems as you can minimise the

install to only what you need. The 64-bit DVD ISO is still

only just over a gigabyte.

Installation was quick and easy; just answer the usual

questions about where to install it and who will use it and

off it goes. Once installed, AntiX boots – very quickly –

into a desktop using the IceWM window manager,

although you also have the option of using Fluxbox or

Jwm. IceWM is the most conventional of these choices

and so is a good choice for the default.

Ice ice, baby

IceWM is a lightweight window manager yet still has

plenty of features. Accessing those features is not

always as easy as with larger desktop environments,

sometimes requiring editing configuration files by hand,

but if you want lightweight, you have to sacrifice

something. Having said that, the configuration files are

usually well-commented, making it much easier to get

to what you want.

Sometimes, though, it’s less than intuitive; for

example, setting a different screen resolution in the

Control Centre only changes it for the current session.

To make it permanent you need to save the setting, which

creates a script file, then add that script file to the User

Desktop-Session option in the Control Centre. Once you

understand this way of working it soon becomes second

nature, and it does offer a lot of flexibility. In most cases

this only needs to be done once anyway.

It will take longer to get AntiX and IceWM working

exactly the way you want than with a full-fat desktop

environment, but you will get that time back with interest

as it is so much snappier, especially on older hardware.

AntiX 19

Linux is often suggested to breathe new life into old computers,

so Neil Bothwick spins up a distro that is said to be ideal for this.

T

AntiX may not the easiest to get started with – although it’s

not difficult either – but it is an excellent distro for making

the most of limited hardware.

FEATURES 8/10

PERFORMANCE 9/10

EASE OF USE 7/10

DOCUMENTATION 7/10

Rating 8/10

DEVELOPER: AntiX Linux

WEB: https://antixlinux.com

LICENCE: Various open source, mainly GPL

Configuring AntiX can be a little scary, especially if you’re new to Linux as a whole, but the result

is a joy to use once it’s all working the way you want it to.

DDDecmbr 202 eb193L 13inuxs December 2019 LXF257 23

Linux distribution REVIEWS

Alightweight
distrowithits
rootsinDebian
thatprovides
afastyet
functional
desktop
environment
forolder
(andnewer)
hardware.

INBRIEF

CPU:32-bitIntel
PentiumIIor
later;orany
IntelorAMD
64-bit
Mem:192MB
minimum,
256MB
recommended
HDD:3.8GBfor
fullinstall
Builds:32-
and64-bit

SPECS

VERDICT

TheAntiXControlCentregroupstogetherallsettings,

makingthetaskthatmucheasiercomparedwitharaw

IceWMsetup,whichwehadtogothroughafewyears

agoandwhichwasn’tmuchfun.

Someofthechoicesofdefaultsoftwarearealittle

surprisingforasystemaimedatolderhardware.For

example,thedefaultmailprogramisthelightweight

ClawsMail,butthebrowserisFirefoxandtheofficesuite

isLibreOffice.There’snothingwrongwitheitherofthose,

buttherearecertainlylighteralternatives.Theymaybe

lessfamiliar,butAntiXisalreadytakingitsusersinto

unfamiliarterritorywithIceWM,sowhynotgofurther?

Ifyouwantsomethingthatrunswellonmore

restrictedhardware,oryoujustprefertouseyour

computerpowerforcomputingratherthaneyecandy,

AntiXiswellworthconsidering.Itrequiressomeinitial

investmentifyouwantanythingotherthanthedefault

setup,butyouwillberewardedwithafastandeffective

Linuxdesktopexperience.However,wewouldn’t

recommendthisforanewLinuxuserunlesstheyhad

someonetoholdtheirhandatthestart.

herearemanyreasons

forchoosingaparticular

distro:youmaywant

somethingstableandpredictable,

youmaywantthelatestsoftware,

oryoumayjustlikethelookofit.

Onefactoroftenconsideredis

whetheritwillworkonolder

hardware.Weareconstantlytold

thatLinuxisgoodforrevitalising

olderhardware,andAntiXsounds

likeitshouldbeagooddistroin

thesecircumstances–butisit?

Asbefitsadistrointendedfor

olderkit,AntiXisamemberof

thatevermoreexclusiveclubof

distrosthatfullysupport32-bit

processors,withallISOsavailable

forbothCPUvariants.Wetriedthe

fullsize,thoughtherearesmallerISOimages:core,

withjustthebasicprograms,andtheevensmaller

netinstforanetworkinstall.Thosewouldbeusefulon

reallyconstrainedsystemsasyoucanminimisethe

installtoonlywhatyouneed.The64-bitDVDISOisstill

onlyjustoveragigabyte.

Installationwasquickandeasy;justanswertheusual

questionsaboutwheretoinstallitandwhowilluseitand

offitgoes.Onceinstalled,AntiXboots–veryquickly–

intoadesktopusingtheIceWMwindowmanager,

althoughyoualsohavetheoptionofusingFluxboxor

Jwm.IceWMisthemostconventionalofthesechoices

andsoisagoodchoiceforthedefault.

Iceice,baby

IceWMisalightweightwindowmanageryetstillhas

plentyoffeatures.Accessingthosefeaturesisnot

alwaysaseasyaswithlargerdesktopenvironments,

sometimesrequiringeditingconfigurationfilesbyhand,

butifyouwantlightweight,youhavetosacrifice

something.Havingsaidthat,theconfigurationfilesare

usuallywell-commented,makingitmucheasiertoget

towhatyouwant.

Sometimes,though,it’slessthanintuitive;for

example,settingadifferentscreenresolutioninthe

ControlCentreonlychangesitforthecurrentsession.

Tomakeitpermanentyouneedtosavethesetting,which

createsascriptfile,thenaddthatscriptfiletotheUser

Desktop-SessionoptionintheControlCentre.Onceyou

understandthiswayofworkingitsoonbecomessecond

nature,anditdoesofferalotofflexibility.Inmostcases

thisonlyneedstobedoneonceanyway.

ItwilltakelongertogetAntiXandIceWMworking

exactlythewayyouwantthanwithafull-fatdesktop

environment,butyouwillgetthattimebackwithinterest

as it is so much snappier, especially on older hardware.

AntiX 19

Linux is often suggested to breathe new life into old computers,

so Neil Bothwick spins up a distro that is said to be ideal for this.

T

AntiXmaynottheeasiesttogetstartedwith– althoughit’s

notdifficulteither– butit is anexcellentdistroformaking

themostoflimitedhardware.

FEATURES 8/10

PERFORMANCE 9/10

EASEOFUSE 7/10

DOCUMENTATION 7/10

Rating 8/10

DEVELOPER: AntiX Linux

WEB: https://antixlinux.com

LICENCE: Various open source, mainly GPL

Configuring AntiX can be a little scary, especially if you’re new to Linux as a whole, but the result

is a joy to use once it’s all working the way you want it to.