Windowsfx: Windows 10 look-a-like Linux distro

[Jason]

Curious. Are you testing the most recent version that was only released within the past week? I think it's a beta based on the 20.04, the latest LTS. Although it also says it's based on Linux Mint 20 so that's probably it's more direct parentage.

[Jason]

One other thing you could mention during your presentation is that like Microsoft, no password is asked for before updates. Doing one right now while writing in Windowsfx and listening to some great Heart guitar work.

That wasn't what happened in my case. It asked for my password before applying updates. I'm thinking that you already did something that required a password shortly before that and that state was saved for you. It does this in the terminal, too, so that you don't have to enter the sudo password every time you use it. It reverts after so much time. Most Linux distros do that. Do a restart and try it again.

[buster]

Might be the type of updates. I've done almost nothing to this install. I don't use it. Added some programs, changed to single click, and changed the wallpaper. Poked around and looked at things.

Or maybe it was just after I used my password to enter the distro, the update appeared, and the password is allowed a time limit.

[buster]

Happened again. Went in about 10 minutes ago. Played a card game. A little notice came up that said I had updates. Clicked and they installed. No password.

Which parallels Microsoft.

I have had this installed for awhile.

[Jason]

Here's a 13-minute YouTube video that takes a look at Windowsfx.

I think the review is objective. He explains what he appreciates about it as well as some flaws. Humorously, he brings up how he hates one design choice precisely because it looks the same as it does in Windows. He mentions, among other things, that it's probably great for beginners to Linux to ease the transition but that veteran Linux users will hate it.

[fox]

DistroWatch reviewed Windowsfx in last night's edition. View here.

[Jason]

I haven't looked at the full review yet but Jesse is mistaken about one thing. There are two versions, one of which is free. It can be downloaded by joining a Telegram chat supposedly. It's on this page. Doing that involves installing Telegram.

I don't know if he mentions it but the commercial edition doesn't have a set cost. I haven't installed Telegram yet so I can't tell if you can donate $0. Elementary does a similar thing on their website, it looks like a purchase cost, but it's actually not. And yes, I know that most distributions are free. But if someone liked a Linux distribution enough to use it on a regular basis, they should "buy" their distribution either by getting a commercial edition of it or making a donation. People should get some compensation for their work even if it's a pittance because the vast majority won't donate a dime (I'm not pointing fingers. I know several have made donations in the past to Linux projects.

[buster]

'There are two versions, one of which is free. It can be downloaded by joining a Telegram chat supposedly. It's on this page. Doing that involves installing Telegram.'

Odd. I just downloaded a torrent and installed a few weeks ago. Nothing unusual. No Telegram. Thought I would retest the download because of the comments and it was a bit unusual somehow. Got out of it and deleted. Had already deleted it form vmware.

Still don't like it. Think using it might be confusing. Better to know it's not windows from the beginning. Stuff is done differently.

Sounds as if I'm disagreeing with the world again.

[Jason]

Odd. I just downloaded a torrent and installed a few weeks ago. Nothing unusual. No Telegram. Thought I would retest the download because of the comments and it was a bit unusual somehow. Got out of it and deleted. Had already deleted it form vmware.

Jessie at Distrowatch noted the development happened soon after he downloaded it. The Sourceforge directory which previously had the files is now devoid of content.

Yes, you're increasingly unyielding, Buster. Why are you raving against the moon? That's my role in this organization.   

And where's your yarn, dammit? I'm eager to view the first installment of your composition.

[buster]

I liked Jesse's review. His lukewarm conclusion suited me. I like the jab with this comment:

" Is it a test to see how far an open source project can push before being sued? "

[buster]

Found this interesting in the weekly opinion poll:

Would you install Linuxfx for friends/family?

I would install Linuxfx:                 87 (9%)
I would recommend another distro: 794 (80%)
Unsure at this time:                        116 (12%)

[Jason]

I liked Jesse's review. His lukewarm conclusion suited me. I like the jab with this comment:

" Is it a test to see how far an open source project can push before being sued? "

I liked it, too. I assume it was meant in jest. Or do you think he was making an actual hypothesis? I often find it difficult to dessiminate between humour and seriousness online. But Windowsfx appears to be a serious distribution. If I recall correctly, it's several years old so they should have already received a 'cease and desist' order by now. I don't know if Brazil has similar copyright law as the US or even recognizes the DMCA so Microsoft may not be able to do anything. Regardless, the organization should drop the dual name structure and just call it Linuxfx so as to not raise their ire.

[Jason]

Found this interesting in the weekly opinion poll:

Online polls mean little. Just review many polls after mainstream news articles many of which we know aren't accurate as corresponding scientific polls don't concur . For example, "Who are you going to vote for?" or "Do you think the Liberals are on the right track?" They're skewed by the audience and the article's slant, particularly the summary since most readers likely skip to that.

However, I imagine it's not popular in the Linux community. Veteran Linux users, by and large, are biased against Windows and so anything that looks like Windows. If ZorinOS only came with the Windows look, I bet it would be viewed equivalently.

[buster]

But the poll was directed AT LINUX USERS because they are the one who would be installing it for others. In this case I think it gives a fair representation of whether Linux users would install it for others. Readers of Distrowatch present a fair cross section of our community. I certainly wouldn't install it for Marilyn. I can take many Linux systems and make them comfortable for how she uses a computer. She would like Mint. She used to use Mepis.

( I also upgraded a Win 7 to Win 10 for a friend about a year ago, and worked on how it does things. He has said a few times it seems pretty well the same as it used to. Which made me happy.  )

[Jason]

In this case I think it gives a fair representation of whether Linux users would install it for others. Readers of Distrowatch present a fair cross section of our community.

If you carefully read what I wrote above, you'll see that I admitted that most Linux users probably don't like it or wouldn't like it even if they tried it. But we can't know that based on a poll buried at the end of a e-zine. Online polls meaning little is not a controversial point. It's odd to me that you'd challenge a point in favour of something we both already agree on. Have a little more wine, Buster.

Your friend who upgraded from Windows 7 to Windows 10 and said it seems pretty well the same it used to be, is obviously a computer novice, no offence to him. I know nary a regular veteran Windows user who says "it's pretty well the same". There is very little the same other than that it still has a Start menu, but a very different one. One of my friends who used Windows 7 heavily but has also had to use Windows 10, asked me to install Linux on his computer because he hated the look of Windows 10 and refused to upgrade to it. Because of some genealogical software he uses, he still has to go into Windows so he relented and let me put Windows 10 on there because Windows 7 isn't safe to use anymore. But the Ubuntu MATE I installed on his computer, he can't believe how fast it is and he adapted to using it pretty quickly. That made me happy. I'll have to check on him again. It's been about six months.