cleaverb s computer life

Vector Linux 6.0 KDE Classic is A++++

I have been dual-booting windows and Vector Linux 5.8 for over two years now.

I never really got into the ‘nuts and bolts’ of Linux. It just plain worked on my computer. This probably sounds silly, but my main reason for using Windows has always been , to play games. Games that require Direct X or a Windows environment.

Since www.pogo.com came out with Risk on their website in late March, things have changed. I like it. It has replaced my favorite CD game with an online version.There are over 1,00 people playing Risk on pogo almost all the time; night and day. Of course, the ability to play the game requires an internet connection.

The other day I started updating my VL 5.8 , and I realized one flaw; You cannot go beyond Flashplayer 9 on VL 5.8 . A serious flaw ? No. There are only a few websites that I ever went to that ‘required’ flashplayer10 . MySpace and Hulu .

I was looking around for other Linux distros that incorporate KDE into their desktop environment, and i found MintLinux. Then when i went to download a version I discovered that it was over 1 gigabyte to download. Not having a spare DVDR on hand, i chickened out. I resumed a search for other KDE distros.

Then I found it; Vector Linux had made a version of VL 6.0 with KDE ! I was thrilled, and went about installing it on my laptop, over the VL 6.0 install from last month. The regular VL 6.0 uses xf** something other than KDE, and I didn’t like it.

What is KDE ? KDE is a powerful graphical desktop environment for Unix workstations . It’s not so modern looking, which is great if you liked Windows 98 or the other programs of that era. Yet that is just the style, underneath they are just as powerful as every other application on the market these days.

I tell you what, i read in the Vector Linux forum about this new version before I installed it. I was already impressed before the 699MB .iso had downloaded . It fits onto a CD-R !

The installation was over in 10 minutes. I was booting up a new operating system by that time…try that in ANY Windows. not even 3.1 could compete with a 10 minute installation time. All my hardware was setup with out a problem.

I had to tweak a few things, mostly the ‘look and feel’ .

The Firefox 3.5 was out-of-date, but easy to update. Had to setup a mount for my personal data partition. Flashplayer 10 comes installed. java version 6 is installed. I mean, these guys thought about it and put together an excellent product. It makes me wonder - when will people quit paying hundreds of dollars for a bloated MS product, and search for alternatives ?

Vector Linux runs awesome on my computer. I will get into the improvements of VL 6.0 over VL 5.8 in the next post.  The news release for VL 6.0 KDE Classic is at:

http://vectorlinux.com/news/vector-linux-6.0-kde-classic