14 DAY TRIAL // elementary OS is definitely one of the stars of the Linux ecosystem right now and with good reason. It's one of the most beautiful operating systems out there, and you would think that that's enough, but there are as many reasons to hate it as there are to love it.
elementary OS is a Linux distribution based on Ubuntu that does things a little bit differently. First of all, the developers have gone to great lengths to improve all the visual aspects of the distribution, which is something that most other devs don't really do. Most Linux teams focus on functionality and stability, but don't want to refine the interface, which almost always has low priority.
The elementary OS makers are some of the few that consider the visual aspect to be just as important as the rest of the distro, and they work hard to show that in their releases, which come by very rarely. They don't have a launch date, and they just plow away at the OS until it's ready. The Linux community is used to know everything about an OS, like dates and progress, but elementary OS is famously ignoring this kind of policy.
Reason to love it
No operating system will ever manage to please everyone, and elementary OS definitely falls into this category, but that doesn't mean that it's not hitting all the right notes. Pretty much everything is spot on, starting with the customized installer. Also, everything in the interface is carefully arranged and refined, the themes are beautifully crafted, and even the font used in the system makes the OS easier to recognize.
It feels like a smooth experience and it's a pleasure to use it, from start to shut down, not to mention the fact that it's going to turn heads. You know you're using something interesting when people stop to ask what that OS on your laptop is and from where they can get it.
Reasons to hate it
There are a few things that will really annoy any new user. The most prominent is probably the lack of a desktop. The folder itself exists, but you can't use the desktop space. It's not the first distro to make this choice, but it makes it almost impossible to enable. The previous elementary OS release could be tweaked with great effort, but it's unclear whether the new version will allow it.
Another problem that will make you climb walls is the fact that you can't upgrade any of the major components, like the Linux kernel or the video drivers. In elementary OS 0.2, upgrading the kernel or the Intel video drivers would almost ensure a poor performance (at best) or a guaranteed recipe for success. It's true that developers had their reasons for choosing a particular kernel, but it's strange to have this in Linux distro.
Last, but not least, it is the developers' attitude, who are basically saying it's our way or the highway. You either like it or you don't. We'll do as we please and you're free to do the same. It's not something usually found in the Linux community, so it's easy to understand why some people might have a problem with the OS in its entirety.
So what do you think about elementary OS? Are you conflicted about using it or do you feel that the developers know best? Also, why do you like it? Is there any particular reason? Feel free to comment below.