The best looking Linux is nearly here - and it's not Ubuntu

David M Williams
Wednesday, 08 April 2009 18:46

Opinion and Analysis

Ubuntu Linux 9.04, otherwise known as Jaunty Jackalope, will be released later this month. Forget Windows 7, this is going to be the hottest operating software release of 2009. Yet, the muddy brown and orange theme doesn't do it for me which is why this time I'm eyeing off something else from Canonical's stable.

I wasn’t keen on the Intrepid Ibex wallpaper and Jaunty Jackalope is set to continue the fashion.

Ok, maybe the default theme and wallpaper is a pretty trite gripe but hey, everyone likes a nice bit of eye candy now and then.

When you say to your friends, “Hey, this is that Linux I’ve been telling you about” they’re not going to grok just from looking that it has a terrific widespread community, that it advocates principles of freedom.

Thus, a flashy interface is, for some people, the necessary hook that makes them want to know more.

While Ubuntu gets all the press, Canonical actually release three Linux distributions – Ubuntu, Kubuntu and Xubuntu.

You might guess these are linked in some way, and you’d be right. Everything under the hood is identical. Where they differ is that different desktop and windows managers are used.

So let me tell you - and show you - which one I think wins the best-looking prize.