4 Linux Distros Which Look Like Mac OS X
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.
This has to be a joke, because if you’re serious….
Linux is not Windows, Linux is not Mac either.. stop comparing them..sheeeshh..
[...] 4 Linux Distros Which Look Like Mac OS X [...]
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.
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.
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!
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.
[...] 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 [...]
Thanks for the info, roxville.
[...] 4 Linux Distros Which Look Like Mac OS X » Linux, open source and me at Internetling dot com (tags: nice distro linux mac) [...]
MICROSOFT SUCK BALLS!
Well, I agree with alot of the posts here that linux ”is NOT” mac or windows os. I dont see anyone making just ONE standard form for linux (you know like how mac is). I think it makes alot of sense to have look alike os of linux. If there isnt people who have little computer expeirence will kind of get a shock from when they transfer over. I mean thats also why they have devolped prgrams like Wine and other. THERE IS NOT JUST ONE BEST DISTRIBUTION OF LINUX!!!
This is also coming from a DreamLinux user who ”’HAS”’ installed many other versions of linux, such as redhat, ubuntu and slax. DL just so happens to be my favorite for my powerful desktop!(before linux I have no expierience about macs and thought microsoft rox, now i have to say i have ”slightly” different opinions about it!)
[...] go linux. Then you can still build your own computer, and not even have to pay for an OS at all. This article shows some linux versions that are very much like the Mac OS. windows: build a good system [...]
Seems most developers think if they slap a dock in the bottom of the screen they have a mac-like os. It is not so. The difference is in deeper level, how user interface is designed to work. I have used a mac for 20 years and I do NOT use dock in my mac.
Menubar behaviours and to a lesser degree ugly UI typefaces make all linux distros more or less distasteful.
nemam ti ja pojma, ali znam da je macpup totalno i neosporno zakon!!!
i think linux is best for hacking and mac os and windows are best for working playing , is not true that linux wanna copy mac or win , this 4 distros yes loock like mac but they are shitty , are based on linux distros that are uite very good : like debian , this fagets who make this distros , the only use the platform for exemple of debian and contribuite with some shity staff like a theme or and free gnu software and that is all , escuse my english by the way
)
oh and olso mac os x is based on darwin
There is one linux that tryin’ to look and feel like OSX out of the box. And get close to it. It’s Lin-X
http://lin-x.info/
It’s Ubuntu based. Quite good for a newbie like me.
I like Mac OS X look and feel, it’s funcionality and design, but don’t like Appe’s policy as well as MS’s.
Linux is a solution for people who don’t want to be ripped out of cash and freedom.
I like freedom that PCLinuxOS (MiniMe edition)give.
Customize yourself.
Lucky reaserch!
Greets!
-gavrill-
Yeah gavrill,Lin-X is released as a live dvd.Here is a review about it
http://143sachin.blogspot.com/2009/06/lin-xa-linux-os-with-mac-os-x-look.html and screenshots at
http://143sachin.tumblr.com/.Its very nice
[...] You can get Mac looking Distro or make your own custom one very easy also the gOS is one of them. 4 Linux Distros Which Look Like Mac OS X | Internetling Richard [...]
Mac OS X (10.0 – 10.6) is based on the BSD Linux Kernel. So…. If you look at it one way… Mac is a sort of Linux. It doesn’t look like it, but if you can’t take my word for it Google “OS X BSD” Without Quotes of course. Also in the code there are some references to C:\ on OS X. Strange but true. If you don’t want to pay for OS X go to http://developer.apple.com/Darwin/
and see what I mean. OS X is ‘free’ when you go out and buy it you are paying the developer and packager. Not the OS.
I want a MacBook but my budget won’t cover it. it’s $999 and I want an external mouse/keyboard, 500gb HDD so that’s more…. Plus if it’s free it’s good to me… But… Darwin (free OS X) is for testing only. Not for major use. many apps like iLife check the OS before running. If it’s Darwin, it won’t run. That said.. If you want an apple go buy one (you can get a used one for about $700 but that is set hardware..)
“Mac OS X (10.0 – 10.6) is based on the BSD Linux Kernel”
BSD Linux Kernel???? WTF?!?!?!
OS X is based in mach kernel, with some roots in BSD, Linux is not BSD, is a *nix system.
in my opinion based on my research apple=unix and it has its own kernel named “darwin” it is bsd and more powerfull i guess . linux is called gnu “gnu not unix” the name itself tells theyre diffrent however commands are almost the same
If You want to have MacOSX on Your pc then makin’ up the linux to look like it is stupid. The same about coverin’ windows with some mac like skins. Try out OSX86 or Hackintosh in google. I’ve done that, it worked for me with asus notebook(f5rl) and iDeneb distro(os10.7), but it should on most of pcs, even with amd. It was great fun to play with this installer and then with os itself, it found my notebook as macbook pro.. hyh.. Unfortunately no proper drivers are developed for my audio, video, network, bluetooth, wireless and so on… only basic native ones… I found that linux guys mostly are crazy about hackin’ or programmin’ so there’s plenty of space to show your skills with Hackintosh. Have fun – I did.
Get real dude! Microsoft rules.
Wow, there are some idiots here. Obviously none of the people here even know what Mac OS’ are, which are UNIX. Which Linux is a derivative of UNIX with less power hungriness. Windows is great for an inexperienced dummy who is told what they like. Mac is for those who are too stupid to realize that they are using outdated hardware with a UNIX based OS. And Linux is for those who would rather own their OS, than to sell their souls to big corporations for a sub par OS.
Flame wares…if you don’t like linux, fuck off. If you don’t like microsoft, good for you. If you don’t like mac, good for you. If you are a mac fanboy, that’s great. If you’re a windows fanboy, that’s also great. But wait…we don’t give a fuck! So stop flaming!
Note to the idiots: this article is for people who want the sleek look of mac without needed to buy a mac. Okay? So shut the fuck up? Thanks.
acctually mac os x wa built upon a linux patform
No it wasn’t!
It is based on the BSD version of UNIX.
Or…I should say… on ONE of the BSD’s
I triple-boot, ubuntu 10.04, OSX 10.6 Snow Leopard & win 7 ultimate…
I use osx for media editing & design…
ubuntu for crappy activity(xxx, messing around, file editing…)
For the rest, I use Windows…
Believe me, Window is the best…Mac 2nd & linux distros 3rd.
for stingy people:
if you are students, you get free microsoft software -> dreamspark
if you are entrepreneurs, free microsoft software -> bizspark
if you are web designers/developers, you get free microsoft software -> webspark
&
windows 7 is the stablest of em all.. I don’t use ny antivirus eidr..(battery life way betta as compared to any linux distro too)
I only like mac because of it’s stability as far as multimedia is concerned
Moreover my windows & osx both play HD videos(1080p) without any glitches… Linux distros lag my videos…(don’t tell me about codec packs, accelerators… I havi it optimised, yet windows/osx beat linux anyday)
Final word – Linux -> (People who neva had the ability to develop an OS, get to mess with 1…)
for People who dunno TPB…
for people who’ll never use their pc as their pc…
Fragmentation(principally) & Unstability to the core -> Linux distros
Best for browsing p0rn…
Thank you Linus T. Salute. Bet you love the chaos.
In context-
Nice article though. Lin-X version 2 is coming. Beats all of these.