StartOS (formerly known as EmbassyOS) is a graphical, browser based Linux distribution for servers by Start9. It offers users the ability to install and host a variety of services with a single click. On traditional servers, hosting services usually requires some level of specialized knowledge, tinkering on the command line, and spending time with perusing documentation. StartOS aims to simplify this process by providing an intuitive menu with which you can manage every aspect of your server, as well as anything you have decided to host from it.
Its focus is on being easy to use, so it is a graphical only operating system. Everything is managed from a browser – literally everything; even the installation of the operating system is done in Firefox. This is an interesting design choice, which makes sense for simplifying the management of the server, but does bring about some limitations. Seeing as everything is managed from a local web server, it makes integration with your phone or other devices dead simple: you just connect to the web server. For someone that wants to host a service or two with as little hassle as possible, this distribution might be the perfect choice.
We have downloaded StartOS, got it running on a server, and have done a few tests with the goal of reaching some conclusions about the efficacy of this Linux distribution. In this article, we will go through an in depth review of StartOS, and share our findings about performance, user experience, and compatibility. With this information, we hope to help you make an informed decision about whether or not StartOS from Start9 is a good choice for you, your needs, and server environment. Join us below as we uncover the pros and cons of StartOS.
In this tutorial you will learn:
- How does StartOS stack up for Performance, user experience, and compatibility?
| Category | Requirements, Conventions or Software Version Used |
|---|---|
| System | StartOS |
| Software | N/A |
| Other | Privileged access to your Linux system as root or via the sudo command. |
| Conventions |
# – requires given linux commands to be executed with root privileges either directly as a root user or by use of sudo command$ – requires given linux commands to be executed as a regular non-privileged user |
StartOS Performance
Performance is one of the most crucial aspects of any operating system. Our impression of StartOS is that its target audience is probably one that is not ultra concerned with performance. Those that crave top notch performance from their system usually do not install a GUI because of the additional overhead, and want full customization options available so that they can fine tune every aspect for the best performance possible.
StartOS does not really cater to performance enthusiasts. It is necessary to run a local web server just to manage the operating system, and while it is possible to SSH into the system and use the command line for some administrative tasks, you will inevitably be interacting with the web interface at one time or another. Instead, StartOS’s target audience is one that craves simplicity. So what if the operating system uses an extra gigabyte of RAM and needs a graphical interface? It is a small price to pay for a list of applications that can be installed with one click.
StartOS User Experience
It is hard to summarize the user experience of StartOS, because the experience will likely vary a great deal depending on who is using it.
Seasoned Linux veterans will probably find its oversimplicity to actually be cumbersome. Once you are accustomed to working with the Linux command line and doing most tasks manually, a list of one click install programs just feels incredibly limiting. Using web menus to tweak settings is not an efficient way to administer a system that many users rely on. StartOS seems to find its niche in home networks where the user just wants to get up and running as simply and as quickly as possible.
On the other hand, novice users that want to harness the power of self hosting services – without actually learning the minutiae of Linux administration – will find StartOS fabulously inviting. It feels a lot like an app on your phone: just a list of simple options that do exactly what they say, without the fuss of complicated service setups or configuration.
While delightfully simple, the user experience still feels relevant for only a niche audience. After all, there are already a plethora of user friendly Linux distributions out there. And with the quest for all this simplification, something was lost along the way. The operating system left us, highly experienced Linux administrators, searching helplessly for a way to change the screen resolution. How can something that has always been so simple now be overlooked in what is supposed to be one of the simplest server operating systems available? We are still searching for the option, by the way.
Installation and Configuration
When it comes to installing and configuring applications, StartOS could not be simpler. Again, this simplicity will not be appreciated by experienced Linux users, but those without the time or interest in becoming experts will love the user friendliness of the web menus that present installation and configuration options.
Software updates, backups and restores, and system monitoring are also neatly tucked into a system panel that is straightforward and easy to find. The learning curve for StartOS is almost non-existent for most everyday desktop users, which is something that we honestly can’t say for just about any other server operating system on the market.
StartOS Compatibility
Most things on StartOS work exactly as you would expect. The developers have done a good job on making sure that potential kinks of the installable applications are preemptively worked out. However, it is not easy to change granular settings for installed services. If you do find that something is not natively compatible, and needs some additional configuration, well, good luck. You can always resort to SSHing into the system and manually editing files, but then what is the point of StartOS if you resort to that?
As a test, we installed BitCoin Core from the built in “marketplace” (the page where you browse for programs that you want to install). After installation, there is a configuration menu where it allows you to edit a lot of additional settings. This works pretty well for the majority of situations, but advanced configuration is still not possible from the web interface.
Should I Get Started With StartOS?
To sum it up as simply as possible, if you want to host services yourself, without the burden of learning the ins and outs of Linux server administration, then StartOS will probably be an amazing fit. If you want to further your Linux knowledge while taking full control of your server environment, then using a traditional Linux distribution will suit you better.
You have nothing to lose by downloading and installing StartOS. After using it for just ten minutes, you will already know whether or not it is right for you. It is vastly different from using a traditional server operating system, which you will either love or hate.
You can download StartOS over on the GitHub page or check out the Start9 website.
