gOS Review

[Dman]

Okay I know I don't post often, but I figured I would make a review of
my experience with gOS Rocket (the new version).

gOS is an Ubuntu Varient that has a load of links to google online
based programing that runs through the browser. (gmail, calender, docs
and spreadsheets, etc.) and can be found on a computer that you can
purchase from walmart (see gPC and Cloudbook) However I installed this
OS in a virtual machine on my computer. I Used the program called
Virtual box for this.

On first boot I found that the system seemed very Mac like in it's
design. sort of reminiscent of a mix between mac classic and mac OS X
in the way that the menu and the dock (called Ibar) are there.but I
have noticed a few glitches right from boot. when a program is
maximized, it covers the two transparent panels that are positioned at
the top. so instead of maximizing I went with just stretching the
window to the size. So after I messed with that I decided to try
mounting a flash drive to the virtual machine (this is easily done)
however the OS saw it, but would not mount it saying that gnome mount
wasn't there. Now for someone that has no experience with linux, I
can see this being an annoyance that they would be calling tech
support for. But I easily fixed that. As I went I found that there
was a severe lack of controls due to the lack of a full gnome. I can
understand this for a system that is for someone that doesn't have a
lot of experience with linux in trying to be user friendly for the
average user. But with someone that has some linux experience, they
are quickly wanting to get rid of those silly (and for that matter
pointless) firefox links that clutter the menu and that Ibar along
with wanting more control over the look and feel. Oh and another note
is that the ibar gets covered by opened windows by default settings
unless you change them.

So I say that to the average user that doesn't want a windows machine
and can't afford a mac, and has a friend that knows linux, or have
some patience to fully set things up, this is a very nice system with
a lot of nice links (if you have broadband). Otherwise it leaves a
lot to be desired. I myself found myself installing XFCE4 to ease my
annoyance after five times of running the truncated gnome. (I would
have installed the full gnome if I could find out what packages were
missing.)

Deeman

[Dman]

On a side note it has flash preinstalled, a multitude of gnome games,
Open office, firefox, skype, thunderbird, pidgin, and the gimp
installed with a base install.

[Mike]

I don't really see how those programs being preinstalled can actullay
make up for where it seems to fail in you review. If it is trying to
target new linux users then having to actually mount a usb drive is a
big deterant. Users switching from windows to linux do not want to
have to do any changes to the settings of their system unless it's for
cosmetic reasons. Things like installing themes or changing their
wallpaper.
If you force them to have to get down and dirty with the command line
most will say screw this I'll find something different. Hopefully they
will try a different distribution but if they are like my wife they
will just put windows back on and leave linux in the dust. I will
admit that there is room for different distributions of Linux, more
choice is always good, but I think one should think about why they are
making another distribution. If it is packaged for a sepcific group/
type of person then make sure it fits that niche perfectly.

Also if it's going for the let's use Google's apps instead of local
stuff then having open office and thunderbird kinda pointless and
really little more than wasting space.

[Dman]

What I'm saying is that there were links to those google programs.
they were not installed on the system, just firefox links. Now I
really didn't look to hard but I didn't see a way to remove them from
the menus. the Ibar wasn't hard though. not as easy as Mac OS but
works easily enough. I suppose that my biggest issue with the link to
google apps is that those programs aren't exactly dial up friendly.
And that is what I happen to be stuck with. So ignoring the google
apps I guess it is a good OS even with the minor bugs of the windows
overlaying the top panels and the lack of controls over the panels.
(another thing I discovered) I tried to add something to one of the
panels and it would act like it was and then not do it. It could be
that it was running on a virtual machine instead of a physical
computer. Who knows... give it a try and tell me waht you think, you
can get it at www.thinkgos.com

[Dman]

Speaking of the command line, it is not easily accessed through the
menus, you have to go to the find thing and type in Terminal. and it
only has a root terminal, no user lever one.

but I guess as you said, a linux for a specific niche is what this is.

[Dman]

Interestingly from the reviews I see of the gPC's. a lot of the
people are unhappy with the OS and quickly dump it for windows or
return the system. It's like they expect to be able to pick up a disk
and install the software. But I am sure that it was made clear on the
pages that the systems are available that these are not windows
machines. So what can I say... they don't know what to expect. It
must be that they see cheap computer and think they can save some
money. Which of course they could if they could cut their ties to
proprietary software they are using and try the free stuff
preinstalled.