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Wolvix Linux 2.0 Beta 2 Review

Posted by caitlyn on · 5 comments
ExtremeTech; By Jim Lynch
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This week I decided to take a look at a lesser known distribution called Wolvix Linux. Wolvix is based on Slackware and, according to the Wolvix site, is geared toward the home user. Wolvix uses the lightweight Xfce desktop environment and provides a somewhat greater range of apps than some of the other distributions. But how well does it really work for home users? Is it worth downloading and installing it to your system? We'll find out in this review. Please note that the version I looked at is a beta.

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Comments (5)

caitlyn Story submitter ·
Quoting:But how well does it really work for home users? Is it worth downloading and installing it to your system? We'll find out in this review.


No, we won't. First, judging an OS by a beta is intrinsically unfair. You know there are bugs that haven't been fixed yet.

"Home users" aren't likely to install into VMWare. I also wouldn't judge the installer based on the Wiki. It's actually dirt simple and has minimal steps. The claim that it's something that only an experienced Linux user can do is ridiculous.

He next lists a long list of included apps without explaining what any of them are. Next, he complains about the lack of "a certain office suite" without mentioning OpenOffice.org by name. Why not if that's what he means? Wolvix is designed to be lightweight. Wouldn't including OpenOffice.org be entirely contrary to that goal?

He then complains that he has to read instructions to find out how to log into the live CD. This makes Wolvix difficult to use in his view. Heaven forbid somebody actually has to read instructions.

My conclusion: This is more about the author's preconceptions and desire to judge something as unworthy than an actual review. Try it for yourself once the release is finalized.
He ran the LiveCD in VMWare. Whyyyyy....."I wore my Burberry raincoat swimming. It was heavy and bulky and I still got wet."

His reviews are foofy install-and-dink-around-for-a-few-minutes recitations, with lots of copy n paste specs.
caitlyn Story submitter ·
That pretty much sums it up.... BTW, the initial boot screen says to read instructions on how to login if you're new to Wolvix in big, bold capital letters. It takes exactly one keystroke to get those instructions which are in very clear English. This is somehow difficult or counterintuitive?
Shameless plug--- Susan Linton (of Tuxmachines.org) wrote a great Mepis review for LinuxPlanet based on several weeks' of daily usage. http://lxer.com/module/newswire/view/120189/index.html

Imagine, a review based on actual experience.
Quoting:Imagine, a review based on actual experience.


Those are the kind I actually try to write. :) This week's review for DistroWatch was supposed to be about Absolute Linux 12.2.4 which I did use for a few weeks. Then they went and came up with a new, minor release that was seriously broken and I had to shift gears quickly. Oh well...

Susan has written a number of excellent reviews. She always does a good job of it.

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