Xandros or Ubuntu?

as candtalan asked, why must you only choose between those two distributions?

when starting out with linux, you dont just pick one distribution and try to make it work for you, you find the distribution that already works for you. you might spend a few weeks to a few months trying to find that right distribution, but once you do, everything will just click.

personally, i dont like either of those distributions, Slackware and Fedora are what i use the most and am most comfortable with.

I've never tried Xandros, though I was intrigued by it in the past and wanted to, but I don't like installing lots of distros on my main PC, and I didn't want to pay. My research and experience with Mandrake has led me to believe Debian systems are the best basis for a future Desktop system, and since I like to think of the long term, I eventually settled on Ubuntu over Mepis due to the larger developer base and community. As a Debian distro, Xandros fits the bill, except I prefer the concepts of Gnome. Both Linspire and Xandros seek to make the transition easier for Windows users with a customised KDE interface and proprietary extensions. Something about Linspire, not least its name and attempts to copy the look of XP as closely as possible, irks me.
As for Ubuntu, I'd say try the latest version 7.04 purely for the latest bug fixes and features, especially for things like wireless and codecs etc. If for business, 6.04 is a Long Term Support version for those with commercial support contracts. I've no idea what the Xandros community is like, but the Ubuntu community is very active. That also means packages etc are more likely to be available for it.

Hello, David,

A reader of the Xandros User Forums posted that you were looking for some info on Xandros, so I thought I'd try to reply to your question. I'm a Xandros 4.1 user (Home Ed. - Premium) and a relatively new Linux user. I have been very pleased with Xandros and it runs great on my used PC (a desktop machine whose hardware is less sophisticated than yours).

I haven't used Ubuntu nor any other distro with the Gnome desktop, so I can't comment on the differences between them. However, I can say that Xandros' KDE desktop is easy to use and makes for a painless transition from Windows to Linux. Xandros is Debian-based and is stable (even if it does not have all the "bleeding edge" programs out there in its repository). Xandros has the reputation for being a good distro for Windows refugees and newbies; that has been true, in my experience thus far. Their proprietary installer was incredibly easy to use (I was up and running in about 20-25 minutes) and its hardware detection is excellent.

I did some searching of the Xandros User Forums and it appears that your hardware would work with Xandros 4 (although it might require some tweaking to get your wireless capability functioning). I'm posting some links below which provide additional info and which I hope will be useful to you.

Also, feel free to drop by the Xandros User Forums (a friendly place with some very knowledgeable folks) and post a query there. I'm sure people would try and answer your question(s).

On a final note, Xandros does not have a Live CD but you could download the most recent OCE (Open Circulation Edition, i.e., it is free of charge) and try installing it--assuming you have a fast Internet connection. Just remember that some of the functionality you get in the for-pay versions of Xandros is not available in the OCE.

Whatever you end up choosing, the main thing is to use Linux and have fun using it!

Hope this helps, =david

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http://forums.xandros.com/search.php

Type in Search Query box: inspiron e1505

Then, check the radio button "Search for all terms"

Display Results as: "Topics" (radio button)

Click the "Search" button.

You should see a total of 8 topics.

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http://support.xandros.com/hclv4/desktop_hcl.php

Xandros Desktop OS 4 Hardware Compatibility List

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Xandros System Requirements

http://www.xandros.com/support/system_requirements.html

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FAQ for Xandros Desktop 4

http://support.xandros.com/desktop-faq.php

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http://forums.xandros.com/

Xandros User Forms

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* Xandros 4.1 OCE (Open Circulation Edition)

http://www.geekconnection.org/downloads.htm

(You can download it from here. Note that it is a DVD, not a CD.)

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For additional info see:

http://www.linux-on-laptops.com/dell.html

Running Linux on Dell Laptop and Notebook Computers

http://tuxmobil.org/dell.html

Linux Laptop & Notebook Installation Guides: Dell

(This might help in your consideration of other distros.)

P.S. Sorry, I didn't see a way to convert the URLs into working hyperlinks.

Xandros is really strong in the networking department, you should have no trouble connecting to your existing network. Dave

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@dsonyay wrote:

All I ever heard about Linox was how much better the OS is over Windows, but then now that I'm reading various forums on the diferent distros, it seems just have many people have problems with the Linox systems crashing or not able to recognize this or that piece of hardware. BUT- I'll press on and keep trying to get off of Windows.

David

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The nature of support forums is you only really hear from people with problems. same goes for the Ubuntu forums, as for Windows forums I've been on. Or on Apple's support forums. Nature of the beast. I just got my Dell, and there's been a number of Vista compatibility issues, mostly sorted out now, which required getting the latest updates, drivers etc for my software and peripherals. But for some things, which are too old, no Vista drivers are forthcoming.
That said, unlike PCs which are sold certified Windows-compatible with all the drivers, or Macs where the OS is made by the hardware maker, Linux is on its own; being a small minority community with limited manufacturer driver support (proprietary ones are a controversial thing among Linux users, gratis or not). So, things like "WinModems" (cheap software-based modems) are an issue. General hardware support is an ongoing thing that may need research. That's where cummunity forums like this are useful for finding out any issues with particular models.

Also, be wary of zealots. They will tell you how much better Linux is than "M$ Windoze" and how cr4ppy the latter is. Take it with a grain of salt. It depends on the individual, if they're tech-savvy or shy away from learning anything new, or they have particular needs. Your software choices are much more restricted, as there's very little commercial support, so it all depends on whether the Free/OpenSource alternatives are acceptable. In some areas they are as good or better, in some areas they are not. Personally I use OpenOffice on Windows, though it does not have all the features of MS Office or is as slick. But I am not an advanced user, and is all that I need and looks better than the old version of Word that I have. I use FireFox for browsing and now Thunderbird for email. They are all very good. On Ubuntu, Evolution looks very good for email. And so on. Increasingly there are some good multimedia tools too, for playing video or music, though it requires getting the right codecs, as they cannot be supplied with a free opensource OS. There is a lot of learning and experimentation with new software. If you are not prepared for that, then it is not better. If you are a gamer, it would probably not be for you, either. Or if you were into Graphic or Web Design. There are Linux alternatives, but not professional ones comparable to the Adobe offerings.
If you're unsure, dual-boot.

Message Edited by msandersen on 05-23-2007 01:23 AM