Condensed Freespire 1.0 Review

[ImNeat]

Both sides have valid points - but "debate" is tough, because everyone is looking for something different. Something to fit himself/herself.

For example, for my desktop I want an idiot proof distro - and Linspire gives it to me. I can't say that for Debian, Fedora Core, SuSe or Ubuntu. I have not yet needed to tweak or edit anything under the hood.

For my laptop I want a do-it-yourself distro - and Arch gives it to me. I have to do everything manually.

I think reviewing distros is productive - but debating them is pointless. Everyone weighs the costs and benefits of a distro - but people have different opinions on what's a "cost" and what's a "benefit."

[techieMoe]

I think reviewing distros is productive - but debating them is pointless. Everyone weighs the costs and benefits of a distro - but people have different opinions on what's a "cost" and what's a "benefit."

This is true. Simply because I don't like Slackware for instance doesn't mean it's not a perfect fit for someone else.

[deanlinkous]

Good point, nicely put! Let someone say whatever they want about a distro and instead of challenging them on it, go ahead and have your say also. One is just as valid as another.

That being said I have not had to tweak or edit anything for etch either that I can think of....

[deanlinkous]

I wonder how they have "legal" MS codecs when this is part of the lawsuit settlement:

2. Use of Windows Media Files

a. LindowsOS version 4.0 and LindowsOS version 4.5 (now
renamed Linspire 4.5) include the following copyrighted files owned by
Microsoft: wma9dmod.dll, wmadmod.dll, wmspdmod.dll, wmv9dmod.dll, wmvdmod.dll
(collectively, the "Windows Media Files"). Within ninety (90) days of the
Effective Date of this Settlement Agreement, Lindows shall cease any further use
or distribution of the Windows Media Files in any product or by any method of
distribution. Lindows, its successors in interest, and present and future
subsidiaries agree to make no further use of the Windows Media Files in any
product at any time.

b. Within ninety (90) days of the Effective Date of this
Settlement Agreement, Lindows shall offer to its Distributors a modified version
of its renamed Linspire operating system product that does not include the
Windows Media Files.

c. Within ninety (90) days of the Effective Date of this
Settlement Agreement, Lindows shall inform its Distributors to discontinue all
further use of any versions of Lindows products that contain the Windows Media
Files and that any authorization or license from Lindows to distribute versions
of Lindows products that contain the Windows Media Files is withdrawn and
replaced with Lindows' authorization or license to use the modified version that
does not contain the Windows Media Files.

d. To the extent Lindows does not have the contractual
authority to require Distributors to discontinue the use of versions of Lindows
which contain the Windows Media Files, Lindows shall within ninety (90) days
inform its Distributors that it has entered into a settlement agreement with
Microsoft providing that it will cease distribution of the Windows Media Files,
that Microsoft alleges that unauthorized distribution of the Windows Media Files
infringes its copyrights, and that Lindows will not provide Distributors with
indemnity against claims brought by Microsoft arising out of unauthorized use of
the Windows Media Files.

e. Within ninety (90) days of the Effective Date of this
Settlement Agreement Lindows shall review the following products distributed by
Lindows to assure that the Windows Media Files are not included with such
products: Lindows DVD Player, MPlayer, and Xine Lindows. Lindows, and successors
in interest, agree not to post on its website any links or directions to other
locations from which users may download unauthorized copies of the Windows Media
Files from other sources.