Reviews

Apple's strategy is all about status and making you stand out as an Apple user, while Google's strategy is more about features and what you can do with its phones. In effect, Apple is more about form, appearance, and ease of use, while Google is more about function. Let's contrast Apple and Google s...

Zorin OS is one of the more endearing Linux operating systems available for both Linux veterans and computer users transitioning from Windows. But despite some stellar improvements, Zorin OS 16 falls short of offering wider user appeal to those looking beyond Windows-like computing. However, this la...

The latest release of POP!_OS Linux clearly shows that the in-house tweaking of the GNOME desktop to the COSMIC GNOME-based desktop is even more inviting. Developer System76 has made some bold moves to push this distro to the forefront and spark its popularity among newcomers to Linux -- as well as ...

Microsoft's new Cloud PC with Windows 10/11 service potentially offers a way for some Linux users to sidestep what could be the last barrier for businesses to adopt the Linux desktop without leaving behind must-have Windows applications. But if you lack a company's backing, for the time being you ca...

MakuluLinux Shift is a well-designed Linux distro that blends several mainstream design concepts with performance features not found elsewhere. One of Shift's most unique features, which is greatly expanded in this latest version, is the ability to modify major design elements effortlessly. Hence, i...

Intel's Clear Linux* has been on my radar for its ambition to sprint to the head of the pack. While it's certainly not the first distro developed by a tech heavyweight, it's a rare case in which a private company releases a distro with no direct commercial application. It's an experiment to prove wh...

MakuluLinux is an ever-changing family of Linux desktops built on its own base around several heavily modified desktop environments. Core, the latest release, is an evolutionary redesign well worth trying. Most distribution maintainers focus on annual or semi-annual OS updates. MakuluLinux creator J...

The Linux operating system is many things to many users. It is not a one-size-must-fit-all computing platform like Microsoft and Apple provide. A prime example of Linux's wide range of functionalities is easily found in Garuda Linux. Not typically available in mainstream distributions, its large ass...

When I last visited the ever-changing Netrunner distribution, I said that Netrunner Linux still went its own way. That was its twentieth rebirthday upgrade over its then 10-year history in late February 2020. The same is true for Netrunner 21.01 XOXO -- now with more modern trappings. This new relea...

MakuluLinux is an unusually creative operating system that developer Jacque Montague Raymer is constantly changing with each major upgrade. Some of these changes are radical and innovative. Trust me on this point. I have had my hands on so many Linux varieties that the really good ones are in a leag...

Trisquel Linux is one of those computing staples you wished you knew about much sooner. This Linux distribution has been around literally for years and is extremely polished. It offers a family of Linux editions that meet or exceed the needs of home users, small enterprises, and educational centers....

GeckoLinux is a unique distribution that goes a long way towards unifying the often-confusing array of workstation choices available to business and mainstream consumers looking for an alternative to other computing platforms. This distro is fully functional, offers some of the best Linux desktop en...

Two new Web browsing alternatives widen the field of browser choices for Linux users. The recent introduction of Microsoft Edge for Linux, and the Dec. 8 release of Vivaldi version 3.5 offer the freedom to experience a Google-free vehicle to navigate the Internet. Edge on Linux has the potential for...

The antiX distro offers a solid operating system that many other Linux communities fail to deliver. It is unassuming, but reliable, and focuses on performance rather than prettiness. That last element goes a long way to giving users distraction-free computing power. That does not mean antiX is not ...