The first distro is called SLAX -

From their website:

“SLAX is a small bootable CD containing the Linux operating system. It runs Linux directly from the CD (or USB) without installing. The Live CD described here is based on the Slackware Linux distribution and uses Unification File System (also known as unionfs), allowing read-only filesystem to behave as a writable one, saving all changes to memory.”

What this means is that anyone can run this CD and test out Linux without making any changes to their hard drive, or otherwise affecting their current Windows based machine. Take out the CD and reboot, and everything is back to normal.

The second distro is called XPde –

From their website:

“XPde is a complete desktop environment for Linux on x86. It tries to make easier for Windows XP users to use a Linux box. Nothing more, no clipboard compatibility between Gtk and Qt applications, no emulation of Windows applications, no unification on the widgets of X applications, just a desktop environment.”

XPde is made to look, as much as possible, like Windows XP. The idea was to ease the transition from Windows to Linux by designing an operating system that was visually familiar, with none of the extra things that might overwhelm a new user.

The third distro is called PC-BSD –

From their website:

“PC-BSD has as its goals to be an easy to install and use desktop OS, which is built on the FreeBSD operating system. To accomplish this, it currently has a graphical installation, which will enable even UNIX novices to easily install and get it running. It will also come with KDE pre-built, so that the desktop can be used immediately.”

The BSD family of operating systems is traditionally thought of as more difficult to install and operate than others. PC-BSD hopes to break away from this commonly held misconception and address these issues directly by focusing on simplifying the user’s experience. The result is a minimalist approach, with a clean, user-friendly feel.

I think that if you’re really nervous about installing a different (not Microsoft) operating system, or you’re just moderately curious, then you might go with the SLAX bootable CD. If you’re a Windows XP user, and you’re sick of all those browser vulnerabilities and viruses, you would probably like XPde best. Otherwise, if you’re looking for speed, stability, and all the functionality of a UNIX operating system, try out PC-BSD.

I have to remember to keep an eye out for this up and coming Linux Distribution. From the screenshots [ 1 | 2 | 3 ] on their site, it looks really different. It is still only in the alpha stages at this time, and i should probably wait at least until a beta version comes out before i try to install it / test it out.. but who know’s, maybe i’ll try it out sooner.

It kind of reminded me of what i had hoped the Project Looking Glass would be. Looking Glass is an Open Source Operating System described as an innovative 3D environment and is currently being developed by Sun Microsystems.

The Alpha 4 version is supposed to have some major improvements, it is due to be released sometime in july ’05. Will definitely check back soon.

Update: Symphony OS Alpha 4 version is now available for download (as of Aug 3, 2005). New features include: graphical package manager (Synaptic), better search capabilities (Beagle), new configuration tools, and more. Looking forward to the Beta 1 version, which is the next build to be released.