You know you are onto something when you are trying very hard to find anything you dislike about an operating system, and nothing comes to mind. I find myself looking through the menus, running top in a terminal to see if something is burning up the cpu, waiting and waiting for the other shoe to drop, watching for bugs, and then you finally realize--what did you expect when running Debian Stable? This is Not some half-baked computer operating system.
The only problems with Debian Stable are that it can be a pain to install, multiple steps are involved with the Debian installer and even if you get everything correct you can still end up out of luck regarding a video driver or other necessary drivers. The other main issue with running Debian Stable is that you end up with very old software applications on your system. SolusOS has overcome both of those issues.
I'm using SolusOS as I write this and it has Firefox and Thunderbird 12, which is unheard of on Debian Stable, which is running Firefox (Iceweasel) 3x if memory serves. So out of the box SolusOS has new software applications, including LibreOffice 3.5, you almost have to remind yourself that this is Debian Stable.
As mentioned, the other big issue with Debian Stable is getting it installed on your computer in the first place. SolusOS has an excellent installer that should make even the most timid feel that this operating system is holding their hand during the installation process, nothing to fear here. A few easy steps and you are in the midst of a beautiful operating system.
I came to SolusOS after using Ubuntu 12.04 since its release. Having tried Ubuntu 12.04 and its offspring on my desktop computer I got crashes, bugs, and a freezing desktop. It would work well for awhile, then go buggy on me, and sometimes it would not get past the startup before freezing and needing a reboot. In frustration, I remembered there was a newly released Debian Stable called SolusOS. In a "wtf moment" I decided to bulldoze over my Ubuntu 12.04 install with SolusOS, and then...there was a glowing light at the end of the tunnel, and birds began to sing, and...OK, maybe it wasn't "heaven on earth", but it was so nice to have an easy, quick install, followed by no bugs, no freezing, everything functioning well out of the box. I held my breath in disbelief for a few moments with the realization I had something on my desktop computer that I did not need to baby sit. I didn't have to cross my fingers, keep one eye on the thing at all times, for here was a truly Stable and reliable operating system.
For all the shouts of, "Gnome 2 is dead!" you would have to tell that to the SolusOS developers, because Gnome 2 is alive, and well, and looking awesome on SolusOS. Only Gnome 2 offers a desktop with so many features, functions, and the ability to configure and run flawlessly on a computer. I think one must work very hard to dislike Gnome 2 on their computer desktop. True, Gnome 2 has been discontinued, but I'm perfectly happy to live with it through its final glory days on SolusOS. Yet it will be interesting to see what the next desktop iteration will be once the new Debian Stable arrives. From what I've seen so far, I am confident SolusOS will offer us a fine desktop in the future.
Right now I'm using SolusOS on my netbook and it too is working flawlessly. I'm trying very hard right now to resist a full install on my netbook, having promised myself to leave its hard drive alone for awhile, but if I click on "install" by accident, well, stuff happens.
I think the success of SolusOS is written in stone if the developers will keep this great distro alive and the community gives it support. I can usually find at least two or three things wrong with an operating system out of the box, but right now I'm not seeing any. It will be exciting to watch how the interest in this new Linux distribution will grow as the word spreads that Debian Stable, via SolusOS, is here and available to everyone. Know that Debian can be easy to install and use, and thanks to SolusOS, Debian is no longer just for the computer geeks.
Glowing review KBD. Thanks for the good words and the further exposure of SolusOS to Linux users. I fully agree with everything you said. It almost hurts that it is so stable. I have to find other things to do with my computer instead of fiddling with the operating system.
ReplyDeleteYes, what will we do with all the time we used to spend fixing our computers :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the feedback!
KBD
I agree with you 100% I've been using SolusOS since rc2 and each version has been rock steady and worked great for me.
ReplyDeleteI have been running SolusOS for a while also. Since RC2. I love it.
ReplyDelete+1 amazing good distro
ReplyDeleteHave Clem and Ikey kissed and made up yet?
ReplyDeleteI went ahead and also installed SolusOS on my netbook tonight. I'm hoping it will be there a long time, and I think the odds are very good that it will be :-)
ReplyDeleteExcellent review. Aside from the review itself, the most important part I took away was...
ReplyDelete"I think the success of SolusOS is written in stone if the developers will keep this great distro alive and the community gives it support."
Thanks David! I think for only being around a short while, SolusOS already has more support than many distros that have been around for years. I hope its success continues to grow :-)
ReplyDelete