BleepingComputer.com: Linux with Windows Distro?

I was complaining about how much the new XP costs.
Then someone told me, I could get Linux with Windows distro.
That is all I know.

SO WHAT IS THIS LINUX WITH WINDOWS LIKE DISTRO? Does it look and perform reasonably well compared to XP?

There are no Linux distributions which run just like Windows. There is Linspire (formally Lindows) which aims to look like and act like Windows in some respects. But, just like all other Linuxes, it won't run Windows apps natively (though you can try WINE.

There is a project which aims to reimplement the Windows API, called ReactOS, but it's not nearly complete (but it boots!)

Visual Aide: Linspire Desktop:

This post has been edited by Amazing Andrew: 06 May 2009 - 01:17 PM

I gave you the advice to find a windows-like linux distro. That is, as AA explained, a distro that looks like windows.
Have a look here to find out which distro would be fit for you.

Hi everyone,

I took a look at the Linspire wedsite and it transfered me to the Xandros wedsite. Apparently they are not marketing Linspire but instead are trying to market Xandros. I must say I too am looking for a Windows like Distro that will look and feel like windows but has all the great benefits of Linux so that I can convert my family. I am already convincing my son I just need to get my daughter and wife on board and then we can get rid of windows. For me I am very satisfied with either Ubuntu or OpenSuse and even Mandriva but what can I do to get a Windows like distro for my family? I also peeked into the ReacOS site and I must say that it is a lot like Windows so much that it looks like pleasurism, if I am spelling that right. I don't want something contravirtual but something that has linux as the main operator. What is out there?

You can make any Linux distro look like Windows, helpful for
showing people what Linux can do.
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/ind...post&p=6894
As you can see by the caption I was running Mandriva 10, but the theme will work on any
Linux system as long as you have SuperKaramba.
For easy use and excellent hardware detection I use and recommend PCLinuxOS.
http://www.pclinuxos.com/

Wow, I saw your Mandrake 10 screenshot and I must say "Not too Shaby!" I loved it, by the way did you have anything to do with LinuXP? I am checking into that distro in order to use it but if what you say is possible, which apparently is. I am going to look into Mandriva KDE. I have not used KDE before but it looks like it is just as good as Gnome. I am a big TUX fan and I look forward to finding my niche with the Penguin. Love those screen shots. So what's with PCLinuxOS? Is it also as good as Mandriva? As you know I am a newbie and I am still exploring options. Thanks again for that look into my possible future and the hope that I will be totally rid of Windorks. I am by all means an explorer and experimentor so I do have a computer that I will test these distroes on and then I will use that to move into where I want to go. I hope that made sense. Anywho, thank you again. Oh what is Super Karamba aside from it being a Spanglish expression?

Quote

No. My distro is currently in "mid-project" status due to lack of time
to actually sit and code.
I created the LinXP theme for Superkaramba - http://netdragon.sourceforge.net/ssuperkaramba.html
because I like to code and I wanted to show my clients Linux in a way they would be comfortable.
The theme is based on WinBar. I liked what WinBar offered as a base theme, but
recoded almost the whole thing. The name is just a coincidence. Like the post says,
the toolbar is fully functional. The QuickLaunch icons open the Linux equivalent program.
IE=Firefox, Outlook=KMail, MSN Messenger=Gaim (now Pidgin) and yes, even AOL. (no flames)

PCLinuxOS: back in the day a guy by the name of texstar would create RPM packages
for the Mandrake distro. Around MDK 9 texstar decided to create PCLOS from the MDK base.
Fast forward a few years and PCLOS has little ties to Mandriva and has become a mature
distro with focus on ease of use. I use it daily and have for a few years now.
I highly recommend it to any one who wants to get their feet wet.

PCLinuxOS 2009 screenshots: http://www.thecodingstudio.com/opensource/...2009%20Beta%203

Hi Raw,

Quote

Is it possible to use your theme in any other distro other than Mandriva? I am going to look into PCLOS, it seems interesting and it looks to me very easy to use. I am still experimenting but this may narrow my search. Thank you.

raw, on May 27 2009, 08:46 AM, said:

hi.. i agree..love it

always have a livecd on hand! too. pclos is a very handy recovery tool.

triple booted vista/ xp pro, pclos but haven't tried it with win 7 rc yet.

This post has been edited by TallyHo: 28 May 2009 - 10:52 PM

It works on any distro running KDE and SuperKaramba. [b][BUT/b] (always a "but")
The theme might need to be configured for location on your screen (to position it at the bottom)
and you need the correct apps installed for the quick launch to work.

raw, on May 29 2009, 09:45 PM, said:

Now, I did download a current copy of PCLinuxOS and a copy of Freespire, I am now going to burn them into CDs and then I am going to check each one out. I was wondering how do you go about configuring the screen to work properly on any linux distro. I don't remember if I mentioned that I also have a copy of Mandriva, should I just install that and add Superkaramba with the KDE environment and then do the configuration of the screen? You wouldn't happen to have some instructions on hand for that would you? In either case, I would love to thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you RAW.

This post has been edited by Fat2000: 31 May 2009 - 01:33 AM

I have burned the ISOs into CDs and I have tried running the LiveCD for PCLOS and it stops on the screen no action except for the Caps Lock and Scroll Lock LEDs flashing on my keyboard and the Optical drive just flashing it's operation LED. Basically it froze and I did not get a message, all I see is the Splash Screen for PCLinuxOS which is nice by the way but no other action or processing at all. What could be causing this? I went ahead and tried it with the disk of ReactOS and the one for Freespire as well as the KUbuntu and got the same reaction. Just flashing LEDs and a frozen screen. Now the PC I am loading it in already has Edubuntu 7.10 configured in it and here are the following specs for this PC;

• Pentium III 866mhz
  
• 1gig of RAM
  
• 40Gig HDD
  
• PGA 370 Socket
  
• Mother board is an Asus CPbx, "I think"
  
• Geforce 200 Nvidia Card

I know, I know it is an oldie but it is still a goodie. "I hope".

So, what could be going on or should I start a new thread with this?