Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Linspire really is the easiest-to-use desktop Linux., December 22, 2004
My eight favorite things about Linspire Linux:
1. It installs in 10 minutes without any complicated questions along the way. No computer experience needed at all to install and run Linspire.
2. Comes with "Audio Assist Tutorials" that walk you through, step-by-step all the basic operations, such as setting up email, connecting to the Internet, printing, etc. You can see an example of them here: http://linspire.com/howto
3. CNR (click and run) lets you add, remove, manage, and keep updated all the software on your computer with one click. Choose from over 1,800 software programs: http://linspire.com/warehouse
4. No Viruses or spyware!
5. Never crashes like Microsoft Windows!
6. Great support (http://support.linspire.com) and the Linspire Community is tops (http://linspire.com/community).
7. I appreciate how Linspire supports open source projects (http://linspire.com/opensource).
8. File compatibility. Linspire comes ready, right out of the box, to work with .doc, .xls, .ppt, Quick Time, Windows Media, .mp3, .avi, .pdf, Flash, Java, etc., without installing a thing.
Linspire brings the wonderful world of Linux and open source software to the masses. I highly recommend.
You might also want to visit http://tryoutlinux.com if they're new to desktop Linux.
KC
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Everyone's Linux, December 23, 2004
I've tried most all flavors of Linux and this is by far the most user friendly version I've ever used.
If your new to Linux, this is the version for you. It will take you approximately 10 minutes to install and away you go.
The CNR is the is bringing Linux to the everyday user. It's a warehouse of programs that you can install on your Linspire system with only "one click". That's right one!
You will find the forums one of the most friendly on the web. The people there help you without all the attitude and "RTFM" comments. Amazingly enough, the Linspire staff frequently answers forum posts, and are quite helpful and friendly. How often does that happen with your present OS?
If your looking for a secure OS for a friend, family member, or even yourself....look no farther, this is the OS for you. It has a very small learning curve, as it's designed for the desktop user, not the computer gurus. Don't get me wrong, the gurus will have a blast with this OS, but it's primary purpose is to bring Linux to the everyday person.
Give this one a go, you won't be sorry.
Kkru
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
My Linspire review, December 23, 2004
It's a shining moment. You are in front of your computer, diligently plugging away at your work. Your mind and your hands working together without conscious thought as your fingers fly across the keyboard. In that moment your operating system and software have fulfilled their true potential: The transparent interface between technology and task, between human being and machine. And what desktop operating system most consistently delivers this experience for me? Linspire.
Yes, I said Linspire. Built on the Debian Linux core, Linspire is designed for simplicity of use and it delivers this in spades. I can download and install almost two thousand programs from their Click and Run Warehouse with a single click of my mouse. There are no dependencies to check, no package managers to worry about, that single click does it all for me right down to automatically putting an icon on the desktop for me. The five dollars a month I pay for this convenience via the Click and Run service is nothing compared to the value of the time I haven't had to spend configuring the software, recompiling the kernel or otherwise doing what virtually every other Linux distribution requires for software additions and updates. And if I couldn't afford the monthly service I can still use Synaptic, Apt-Get and the other familiar Debian tools. The choice is mine.
Booting to the Linspire desktop is a often a pleasant surprise for seasoned Linux users, as the hardware detection routines are really top notch. Many of the common trouble spots for Linux such as printers, USB keychain drives and DVD writers are recognized and installed automatically; no need to hunt for obscure libraries and drivers. Linspire is also one of the very few distributions to offer a legal DVD software license to their users. Support for laptops is equally as good, with touchpad and hibernation support for most models offered right out of the box. The KDE desktop offers a familiar and comfortable launching point for Windows users, complete with a My Documents folder and dozens of polished Flash tutorials to help get you up and running.. There's a host of Linspire-ized Linux applications loaded with the OS. Highlights include the Linspire Internet Suite: a unified Mozilla-based web browser and email client extended with in line search, spell checking and pop up blocking capabilities, a version of the Gaim instant messenger software enhanced with Sipphone technology for free internet based calling, and a broad assortment of utilities and tools. The Open Office suite is included as well to help bridge the Linux / Microsoft document format gap. I routinely use Open Office for my word processing and spreadsheet work, and have had no problems sharing and collaborating with colleagues using MS Office. The Linspire - sponsored website creation toolset Nvu is also included. Frontpage and Dreamweaver folks will feel right at home in the open source alternative. The Palm Pilot tools had my data synch setup within minutes, and the excellent networking tools made connecting to my peers at work quick and simple. In a nutshell, the ten minute Linspire installation will provide you with everything you need to enjoy virtually all of the common PC tasks, and will do so without requiring the installer to do anything except occasionally click their mouse. As Linspire is marketed as a Linux operating system for 'regular' people, the benefits of easy installation and use can't be understated. With the emphasis being placed on reliability, Linspire often will not immediately offer the most bleeding edge software versions, preferring to extensively test prior to offering them. This delay is a common complaint from experienced Linux advocates, but my opinion is that stability and reliability on my daily use PC is more important than having the latest experimental version of something. I'll happily leave the skydiving to someone else.
When I first began to explore the possibilities of using a Linux-based operating system one of my largest concerns was where to get help. Linspire tackles this in a three pronged approach. First, each installation comes with dozens of easy to use, technobabble-free Flash tutorials covering just about every aspect of the system. Next, add in toll free phone support manned by real people and available 24/7. Finally, the Linspire forums round out the support solution. Unlike many other Linux forums, you won't be belittled for your lack of knowledge and experience. There is a strong Company presence on the forums, where it is quite common for Linspire engineers, marketing personnel and even the man behind Linspire Michael Robertson to personally answer questions. (When was the last time you saw Bill Gates on a forum or have him write the answer to your question?) It's really something when you realize that this sort of company involvement is the rule, not the exception. The Linspire forums are the most active Linux OS forums on the web, and are an outstanding resource .
Over the years I have used almost every imaginable desktop operating system available, and I continue to come back to Linspire. I'm almost forty, and at this point in my life I have stopped worrying about wanting to have infinite opportunities to build and compile everything myself, spend hours fine tuning applications and making everything just-so. What I am interested in is a consistently reliable, professional computing environment that doesn't stand in the way of what I need to do but rather provides me the tools to get the job done. Linspire does this for me, every day.
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