What a week! I’ve been working on my podcast so I’m a bit behind on posting. Here’s an interesting compilation of Linux distribution which resemble Apple’s Mac OS 10. They might not be identical, but you guys who like Apple’s design might appreciate the fact yu can get something like it, with the nice-on-the-inside GNU/Linux kernel, out-of-the-box. For free.
These are only short descriptions, with screen grabs. You will find a lot more info and full screenshots on the official web pages of each distro.
A Brazilian distribution, full of multimedia tools, oriented at people who like to create. The XFCE Desktop with Rocket Dock makes a nice desktop environment with Mac-like traits. The installer is pretty sleek, because you only have one configuration page. Another good point of Dreamlinux is the Debian base, which is a bit lighter than Ubuntu.
gOS’ user base sky-rocketed because of Walmart’s phenomenally well-accepted gPC. Although it doesn’t have the ’smart blue’ look (the developers went for a greenish look), gOS still feels pretty sleek (apart from the boot time). I’m not sure the new gOS Gadgets uses Rocket Dock or AWN, but with LXDE, gOS may become a good choice for net-books. Software-wise, the distro relies heavily on Google Apps.
Enlightenment’s official distro is based on Debian Linux. Even though its mission is showcasing the latest E17 Desktop Environment modules, this OS X-like distro has a lot of regular users (at least according to Distrowatch). You can find some cool Enlightenment DR17 goodies, including the ibar dock.
Puppy Linux is an awesome distro for old computers. A person from the community decided the default desktop isn’t sleek enough and created this genius OS X mod. This modified Puppy gives you speed, simplicity and a tasty Apple, with those cool little Puppy Apps.
More: If you have time and wish to change your own Linux distro’s theme to something more Mac OS X-like, you can maybe take a look at my list of Linux Docks.
August 18th, 2008 at 22:42
This has to be a joke, because if you’re serious….
August 19th, 2008 at 00:44
Linux is not Windows, Linux is not Mac either.. stop comparing them..sheeeshh..
August 19th, 2008 at 00:59
[...] 4 Linux Distros Which Look Like Mac OS X [...]
August 19th, 2008 at 20:37
Thanks for the post. I agree with ubuntumix that Linux is not Mac (thank goodness), but I am glad that it is easy for people to get Linux in a “Mac flavor”.
That’s one of the great things about Linux — the DE can become pretty much whatever the end user wants it to be.
August 19th, 2008 at 21:02
Why can’t Linux create its own style? People tend to copy everything from Windows/ Mac OS X to Linux and say “hey I can have what you have too, and it is FREE!!!”. Yes, free, but still a photocopier.
I think *box is great, simple and high performance.
August 20th, 2008 at 03:47
Elive does NOT use rocket dock, just the standard E17 launcher called “ibar”… there is a module that is MUCH lighter than rocket dock called “Itask-NG” based on code from the old E16 (standalone) launcher “Engage” with icon zooming, etc.
Elive’s development status is currently at 1.8.3 and has a much newer E17 version now… the dev releases are more than good enough to take for a test drive!
August 20th, 2008 at 03:48
Gundamdriver: How is Vista different from XP or 2000?
Barely.
I set all my boxes the same way so honestly you cant tell when I fine tune it to how I use it.
But overall, its all the same thing with some small different visual cues.
The docking bar isnt exactly rocket science and most of the stuff has been the same since Parc’s groundbreaking work.
Rounded buttons and corners is a personal esthetic choice and like most themes, hardly groundbreaking.
Vista? Please. they changed the color of the bar to black, changed to the START for a button and added the yahoo widgets Ive been using since it was called Konfabulator. That is the extent of the change along with a maximize/minimize window effect.
Free software desktops are often rehashing the same concepts just like everyone else is but Vista being black isnt a technical achievement. Mac having the idiotic red,yellow,green buttons is nothing more than visual finition. Themes are a dime a dozen with Linux and some like KDE overwhelm you with choice but themes and style are only a part of the desktop experience.
The various FLOSS desktops have their strenghts and differences with the advantage of using open source licenses like the GPL, they very often take from each other if something is good. The advancements are constant and updated regularly. You dont have to wait 7-8 years between XP and VIsta or OSX and the putrid OS 8 and 9. You can either update your desktop environment when a new version is released or wait until you update your distro. So who has the most up to date and modern desktop? The ones with plenty of choice and taht is regulary updated or the close ones which give no choice and which are changed every decade or so?
Gnome is rock solid but limited, XCFE is great for old hardware and KDE is for those who love to tweak absolutely everythnig so the desktop looks and feels like THEY want, not what others think you should like. In particular, the new KDE4 version is truly the only that is trying groundbreaking concepts and ideas. It is light years ahead of the others in this respect.
But when it comes to eye candy, nothing beats what the Linux world has with Beryl/Compiz/Fusion. I barely touch the stuff except for the cube but whenever I hear some fanboi tell people about how superior the visuals are with their overpriced toy, I turn on the Compiz on my P4 laptop (not the latest Duo Core) and show them what eye candy is really about.
Anyways, the main reason I like KDE is that I can make it look like people want it and when you have people switching desktops, you want them to have reference points so I understand the need for this article. Its always easier if people use software that is the same on various browsers, Firefox, Thunderbird, VLC, OpenOffice, Skype, IM so when they switch they can function as before but many people take their visual cues from their desktop so you try to make them feel at ease.
Switching people to a different OS is much harder than starting them off with a clean slate, so I see no problem with this. I asked an uncle who we switched to Linux/KDE/Compiz what color he wanted his taskbar at the bottom and showed him the transparency look but he wanted it to be grey and to disappear like it did in his Win2000 machine. Not my first choice but that is what he wanted. 2 years later and he is using Puppy Linux on his old laptop
and PCLinuxOS on his desktop and he doesnt feel teh need for his security blanket and has modified his desktop beyond recognition through the kcontrol center.
And my neighbor bought an Acer One 2 weeks ago and when I told her she was running Linux, she had no idea what I was talking about. The Linpus Lite she was running was working, it was easy to learn and she was told she wouldnt have to worry about anti-virus update, virus, trojans. That’s all she cared about.
And that’s ALL you should care about.
August 20th, 2008 at 04:13
[...] Publicado Agosto 19, 2008 GNU/Linux Tags: Distribuciones, GNU/, GNU/Linux, Mac En InternetLing han hecho una recopilación con las 4 distribuciones que más se asemejan a Mac OS X 10 (Sólo por [...]
August 20th, 2008 at 07:31
Thanks for the info, roxville.
August 20th, 2008 at 07:34
[...] 4 Linux Distros Which Look Like Mac OS X » Linux, open source and me at Internetling dot com (tags: nice distro linux mac) [...]
November 8th, 2008 at 21:46
MICROSOFT SUCK BALLS!