Customer Reviews

Linspire Five.0

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Quick Summary:
Linspire is a linux based OS that provides an easy means of converting from a Windows platform. Installing and getting application software is made easy through a database named CNR (Click-N-Run) and installing those programs is streamlined. It is great for people unfamiliar with Linux but may not be the best distro for people looking to become knowledgable in Linux. There are other Linux OS's that are free of charge, more open (less restraints) and have a number of forums for support. Linspire charges you for software that may be free! outside of Linspire's Click-N-Pay system. Linspire comments out or limits package repositories - which is essentially trying to make you use their way of doing things - and make an educated decision before purchase. If you want the easiest possible transition from Windows to Linux and don't mind the restraints - go Linspire.

More Details:

PRO's:
If you're a beginner to Linux - don't know much about Operating Systems - and don't plan on learning a whole lot about them - then Linspire is probably your best choice. It offers the stability and security of a Linux system with the familiar Windows atmosphere. Install is easy and getting around will be as well. You can find a lot of software in their Click-N-Run database and program install is painless. If your familiar with Linux or OS's - or you are willing to learn and you will work around the restraints in Linspire - then go for it! BUT...

CON's:
If you want to learn Linux, tweak the system and enjoy the freedom that is open source OS - then you should check out Ubuntu or SUSE. Both of those are free for download and install (SUSE will even mail you an install CD!). Linspire charges ~$50 for their OS and they keep on charging for all kinds of things. The aformentioned CNR (Click-N-Run) has a lot of the programs which you pay for that are free otherwise! So you pay for a Linux OS (rather than use a free one) then you pay to install programs (rather than download and install the free one yourself). The aim here, other than funding, is to provide people with the easiest means of Linux. The downfall is that you are restrained and seem to pay for things that you could get for free. Slip a DVD into the drive and if you don't have Linspire's commercial DVD player installed - a window opens up and informs you that you'll have to pay Linspire to play DVDs. You'll also notice that every time you put in an application program CD, you get a similar pop-up from Linspire reminding you that you could be paying them money instead of doing things your own way.

I realize the world runs off currency, but I also realize that there's an alternate means to a more stable OS than Windows without a Click-N-Pay backbone. Go Linux! Less intrusive, more stable and secure, more freedom! Choose your distro!

Sidenote: If you get Linspire, you can alter it to be less restrained - as lucidly pointed out by Jem Matzan.

I installed Linspire Linux on three of my computers at home and I have never been happier! This is the version of Linux that I have been waiting for. It's easy to install and use even for a big dummy like me. You don't have to do any complicated computer geek stuff to get it to work. You just install it and click on buttons to make things work. I purchased a $20 / yr. subscription to their Click and Run warehouse service and I got to say it's worth every penny. You just browse for programs you like and click on them to install. If you are fed up with Windows and are looking to get away from it then I highly recommend giving Linpsire a try!

Have you ever wanted to try Linux but were afraid of the all the techno geek speak you hear about it? Well then grab Linspire five-o and leave all that geek speak behind. This will be one the most exciting and easy computing experiences you have have ever had. installation takes about 15 minutes and just works right out of the box. Once you log in your surfing the Internet, reading e-mail and playing games. linspire makes it easy to install additional software with click and run and offer 1,000's of programs. In fact anything you can do in windows you can do in Linspire Five-O! Looking to do somthing with that old PC?
Give Linspire Five-O a try. You wont regret it.

those of us more experienced with operating systems may want to consider other linux distros which are available at no cost. I have Debian installed and it has the same capabilities as Linspire. If you really must try Linspire, download the free live cd version (available as ISO, just burn the image to a cd and you can try it without installing it.) If you like it, then go ahead and purchase it. The live cd is available at http://tracker.linspire.com/torrents/linspire_live_5.0.69.torrent.

I have been using the Linspire product for just over a year and a half now and I must say that I'm quite impressed with the product. Before trying Linspire, I knew very little about Linux, other than it was supposed to be a bear to operate.

I purchased a computer that had Linspire (Lindows at the time, I started with 4.0, went to 4.5 and now to 5.0) installed on it and decided to give it a try. What I found was very pleasantly surprising. Linspire is very easy to install and very easy to operate. After using Windows for so long, I just simply didn't want to learn a new OS. Linspire made their OS very intuitive and very easy to use. It was as if they knew which questions I'd be asking as user migrating from Windows, and answered them before I could ask.

I find CNR to be a great service for those like me who knew nothing about Linux or how to install programs. One click of the mouse and the application I wanted out of the 1900 program library was installed on my computer. I have learned more about Linux and how it operates, and my comfort level has grown exponentially since my first time booting into Linux.

Now, while I'm out surfing the web, opening e-mails, or just computing in general, I no longer have to worry about all of those viruses that plague the Windows Operating System.

If you have ever thought about trying out a version of Linux, I'd suggest you try Linspire, they make it easy.

Linspire is the only operating system I use at home. I gave up on Windows months ago. The benefits are clear:

* Installs in under 20 minutes, that includes drivers!
* plays ALL major media formats
* comes complete with a FULL Office Suite which is compatible with Microsoft Office.
* Has an amazing Music player - LSongs, if you like iTumnes you'll love this, complete with online music store!
* An amazingly polished look, with high details, exclusive Icons and desktop wallpapers.
* NO viruses OR Spyware OR Malware
If you want to get even more from Linspire then for a small charge of $50 you also get access to nearly 2000 applications via Click-n-Run. Find what you want, click on it an dits automatically downloaded and installed for you - no hassle leaving you free to do other things.

This is THE ONLY operating system you'll EVER need.

In my opinion, this is what pc's have been waiting on!

Absolutely Brilliant. I cant recommend this enough, it really is THAT GOOD!!

This book is fairly easy to use but it does get somewhat complicated at times, especially if you have never used Linux before. It does look somewhat like windows though and for that I am thankful or I believe I would be totally lost!
Old Goat

Ever sense Microsoft has updated windows 98 we have had to suffer through one problem after another. Now you can build a computer with a reliable system, Linux. Non computer Geeks has been scared to try this OS. Linspire offers a well organized OS that can be easily installed and put online in minutes. Why continue to pay tribute to Bill Gates when for a fraction of the price a better system is available.

If you need easy to use, well composed Linux distro take Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Fedora, OpenSuSe or debian. This distro has no much to offer, plays as trojan and way thinner than better developed distros. Don't waste your time with his one. If you need start fast get Ubuntu and it offers MUCH MORE for MUCH LESS!

I bought Linspire 5.0 for my IBM Thinkpad laptop, but was never able to run the evaluation mode or "Live mode" on this machine. It ran on my desktop, and was sufficiently windows-like to a long time Windows user. Since I could not effectively test it on the laptop I acquired another Linux distro, which ran on the laptop in live mode and am now using this second Linux distro. I'd be willing to look at Linspire again sometime, but do not have the need to right now.