New Linux Distro, Tests, & Reviews!

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New thread to test new Linux distrobution OS software.

First test candidate, the new version of Parrot Linux 4.5, with Mate desktop, and new Kernel 4.19.13.
I have it loaded Live.
It is built on Debian, is quick and snappy, has lots of features.
It is using the Mate desktop, is similar to ubuntu, and other debian distros.
It comes with LibreOffice suite, and is compatible with MS office document file types.
It comes loaded with a dark border theme, but is fully customizable to other theme types.
It can be downloaded for free here.
https://distrowatch.com/?newsid=10448
**I give it a grade of a B.

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Fedora FC-29 Workstation

New Test candidate is Fedora Workstation 29, running kernel 4.18.16.
Fedora is the open source, and test software for and owned by Redhat Linux.
I liked the live load so well, I installed it on the hard drive.
Fedora Workstation comes with the Gnome Desktop, which is my current desktop of choice.
Fedora workstation , is very similar to Ubuntu Gnome.
Fedora uses Yum as the package manager, Ubuntu uses Apt as the package manager.
Fedora workstation 29 can be downloaded for free from here.
https://distrowatch.com/?newsid=10357
Burn it to a USB stick or burn it to a DVD, and try in live mode.
That allows you to try it on your computer, without loading it to the hard drive.
Great OS software, and I grade it an A.
Here's some screenshots of Fedora 29 Workstation!

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Ubuntu-Gnome

Here's Ubuntu's version of gnome desktop, their version used since scrapping their Unity desktop, in Oct. 2017.
This is the preview of 19.04, that will be released in April.
I loaded it in minimal configuration. It seems to have loaded most things except LibreOffice.
Ubuntu version of gnome, has the builtin dock bar on the left.
I have the dock bar, set to autohide, when other programs are running, like Firefox, it retracts out of the way.
It is very fast, and so far works great.
You can get the free download here.
https://www.ubuntu.com/
screenshots of this OS.

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ZORIN-15-Beta

Todays Linux live test load trial candidate, is ZORIN-15-Beta.
I am running it live, from a San Disk USB-3 thumb drive.
It has a desktop that is a cross between XFCE, and Gnome.
It has the panel on the bottom of the screen, and resembles the old Windows 98 desktop.
It is built from the Ubuntu 18.04.02 LTS platform. Giving it a 5 year support life.
Since it is Debian/Ubuntu based, it uses the apt package manager, and is very easy to run, & use.
Zorin uses the 4.18 kernel.
This would be a great first time linux for a linux newbie. Fast, clean and easy to use.
Enclosed is a few screenshots.
It can be downloaded free from here.
https://distrowatch.com/?newsid=10498
Give it a live trial on a DVD or USB Flash Drive.

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Mageia 7 Beta3

Here's a live review of Mageia 7 beta 3, with Gnome 3.32.1 desktop.
You can get it free here:
https://distrowatch.com/?newsid=10518
Mageia is built from Mandriva, which started as Mandrake in France.
Original Mandrake was built off of Redhat issue 5, in 1998.
I'm running it live, so there are limitations on a live load, but looks great so far!
It comes with the new Kernel 5.0.7, and has the new Gnome 3.32.1 desktop.
It is a very slick distro, and comes with latest firefox, and LibreOffice software.
Here are some Screenshots.

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SuperX 5.0 KDE

Here's a Linux I've not run or tested before, called SuperX 5.0.
It is built from Debian/Ubuntu, with KDE Plasma desktop.
I am running it live, from a San Disk USB-3 thumb drive.
It has the panel on the bottom of the screen.
It is built from the Ubuntu 18.04.02 LTS platform. Giving it a 5 year support life.
Since it is Debian/Ubuntu based, it uses the apt package manager, making software easy to add, or remove.
It has a fresh clean look, is easy to run, and it all seems to work without issues, so far.
It runs off of the 4.18 kernel, has built in LibreOffice, some games and other software.
You can download it free from here.
https://distrowatch.com/?newsid=10542
See Screenshots.

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Fedora FC-30, Cinnamon

I'm reviewing live, Fedora FC30, with the Cinnamon Desktop.
It is very nice, has a great slick look, and the desktop is very easy to use.
Cinnamon, looks to me like a cross between the Mate, and KDE desktops, but is much easier to use than KDE.
I am running it live, from a San Disk USB-3 thumb drive.
It has the panel on the bottom of the screen.
Fedora FC30 comes with kernel 5.0.9, and comes loaded with the LibreOffice 6.2.3, LibreOffice is compatible with MS office Documents.
Fedora uses the DNF package manager, (Dandified Yum).
DNF is easy to use, and updates the OS with a single command.
# dnf update
You can download the free live distro, from here.
https://spins.fedoraproject.org/en/cinnamon/
BTW, the Distro comes with a very dark theme, I have trouble seeing the dark theme, so I changed it to a lighter one, much easier for me to see.
You may like the dark theme, if not, it is easily changed.
Fedora FC30 is a very polished looking professional grade Linux Distro.

Heres a few screenshot of the os.

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openSUSE Leap 15.1

I download and review new linux often, but I only show, & review here the better ones, that work and have promise.
I'm reviewing today, the most unique live linux I've tried to date.
It is openSUSE 15.1 Leap live.
I am running it live, from a San Disk USB-3 32gb thumb drive.
What sets it apart from the rest of the live linux is the additional partition, that saves all your settings.
So if you look at screen shot 1, a view of the thumb drive.
Partition 1 is the live linux, partition 2 is efi boot, and partition 3 is the persistence partition labeled cow (your settings are saved here).
Most other live linux usually only has the partition 1 & 2.
On regular 2 partition live linux, each time you reboot the live usb, you lose all of your custom changes, and settings.
With openSUSE 15.1 live, it remembers all of your custom settings, shortcuts, pictures, browser settings, additional programs, etc.
openSuse uses the zypper package manager, which is very similar to dnf, and apt.
So far all additional programs needed have been found on the openSuse repositories.
It can be downloaded free from here, available in Gnome or KDE desktops, I personally prefer Gnome.
https://software.opensuse.org/distributions/leap
By being able to save your changes, and with it loaded on a USB, you can load a full OS on any computer that is USB bootable.
Making it a full portable hard drive on a USB thumb drive.
Power off computer, boot to openSUSE usb linux.
When done with linux, power off computer, remove your USB, and reboot to windows.
This is the perfect Live linux for a new linux user to experiment with.
Give it try! I recommend it.
https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=opensuse

Here are screenshots of my customised 15.1 openSuse Leap live linux.

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Here is a pretty good comparison video of Ubuntu 19.04 vs Fedora 30.
Though his english is a little rough, I agree with most of his results.
I use a variation of Ubuntu Gnome, and the stock Fedora FC30 Gnome.
I use and like both Ubuntu and Fedora, on all my Laptops.
T

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Mint-19.2-Beta

Todays Linux live test load trial candidate, is Mint-19.2-Beta Cinnamon.
I am running it live, from a San Disk USB-3 thumb drive.
It has a Cinnamon desktop.
It has the panel on the bottom of the screen.
It is built from the Ubuntu 18.04.LTS platform. Giving it a 5 year support life, starting april 2018, expiration is 2023.
Since it is Debian/Ubuntu based, it uses the apt package manager, and is very easy to run, & use.
It uses the 4.15 kernel.
It can be downloaded free, from here.
https://www.distrowatch.com/?newsid=10616
Below are some screenshots of the Live Mint Cinnamon.
GL,
T

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MX-19 Beta-1

Todays Quicky Linux live test load review, is MX Linux 19-Beta1 XFCE.
I am running it live, from a San Disk USB-3 thumb drive.
It has a XFCE desktop.
It comes with the panel on the Side of the screen, but I moved it, to both the bottom and the top of the screen for testing.
The MX debian used, is based on Debian 10.
The MX debian installer is more complicated, and can be more dangerous, than the Ubuntu, or Mint installer.
It is easy to format the whole drive if you let your guard down, and let the MX installer have its way.
Read it all carefully, if you Install this OS.
MX comes with an older 4.19 Kernel, used by debian.
It looks fine, and is doable, but I would only use it, if you can't get your hands on Ubuntu, Mint, or Fedora.
You can get it free from here.
https://distrowatch.com/?newsid=10648
GL,

T
See the screenshots.

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Intel Clear Linux Project

Here's some Live Screenshots of Intel Clear Linux.
It has a Gnome desktop, and outside of the .iso.xz file compression, it was straight forward.
# unxz clear-30940-live-desktop.iso.xz
It can be downloaded free from here.
https://clearlinux.org/

T

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Pop!_OS Linux!

Here's an overlooked Distro, that I really like, and will use a lot in the future.
It is Pop!_OS, regular Ubuntu with the traditional Gnome desktop. that I use.
Ubuntu, uses their proprietary gnome purple desktop, with non-removable docking bar!
Pop uses the clean classic Gnome version, with autohide hot left corner docking bar, that I prefer.
PopOS is currently using Ubuntu 19.04, with all the Ubuntu Repositories.
It is very easy to install, with a simple installer.
It can be downloaded free from here.
https://system76.com/pop
Since it is built from Debian, & Ubuntu, it uses the standard Debian/Ubu package manager, apt.
I highly recommend this OS!
I GIVE IT A GOOD SOLID GRADE, of an A.
See Screenshots.
T

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Majaro 18.1-Gnome

Here's the new distro of Manjaro 18.1 Gnome Desktop.
I have it loaded on the test computer.
It is based on Arch linux, and uses the pacman package manager.
Has a very sharp graphic, comes with a lot of software, including the new office suite, called FreeOffice.
When I loaded it on the hard drive, it ate my Grub bootloader, and I had to reload Ubuntu, to get it back.
After reloading the Ubuntu and bootloader, Manjaro would not boot from the grub bootloader.
It you hold F9 at power up, you can select the Manjaro efi boot file, and it will boot from there.
I wish all the linux distros would get together, and standardize the Grub bootloader process.
After getting it booted, it does look and work nice.
It can be downloaded free from here. Excercise caution!
https://distrowatch.com/?newsid=10667
See Screenshots below.

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Ubuntu-19.10-Official

Here's the new Ubuntu-Gnome-19.10-Official Version, released today.
It being the first day available, it took a while to download.
It comes with 5.3.0-18 Kernel, 3.34.1 Gnome Desktop.
It seems to be very fast and so far no issues.
I downloaded it on my test computer, Partition 2.
It is built off of Debian, and uses the APT package manager.
Lots of software available to download from the Ubuntu Repositories.
The Desktop comes with the Ubuntu Docking bar on the left side.
Some changes can be made to the desktop, that I will go into at a later time.
It can be downloaded free from here.
https://distrowatch.com/?newsid=10702
Here are some screenshots of the new stock distro.