Customer Reviews
Xandros is Great 
2007-05-20
Xandros 4.1 has out done it's self. I would and have recommended this OS to everyone I know.
Ideal and stable Linux distribution for the business user! 
2007-05-17
Xandros Desktop is a Debian based Linux distribution which is intended for business users. As such, it is stripped off the usual "geek-ware" found in most Linux distributions but includes applications most commonly used by business users, including OpenOffice (a full featured office suite which is file compatible with MS Office) and Code Weaver Crossover Linux, which actually lets you run your MS Office and other Windows applications natively!
I have been using Linux since 1997 and have used many flavors and distributions, including Red Hat, Slackware, Mandrake and Caldera OpenLinux.
Xandros 4.1 Desktop (Open Circulation Edition) was by far the easiest to install. It installed painlessly on my Toshiba Satellite P100 laptop and spared me of the usual trick questions during installation. It recognized my Window XP installation, resized the Windows NTFS partition painlessly and installed its own boot manager - allowing me to dual boot with Windows XP. (Xandros also supports dual booting with Vista, and the information is in the website FAQ). I was quite pleased with its plug-n-play capability. It even recognized my Targus PA095 port replicator, and allowed me to use an external keyboard and mouse connected to the port replicator.
The only problem I had with my installation was the sound did not work on my Toshiba Satellite P100. I found that the problem was with Toshiba's Differentiated System Description Table (DSDT) in the BIOS. Detailed steps to fix this are posted in the Xandros user forums under the Sound category. Now, with sound working, I am able to enjoy DVD movies and listening to CDs.
If you are a Linux geek, or a quasi Linux-geek like me, then all the geek-ware you need like C/C++ Development environment, Linux source code, KDE Dev tools, etc. are available in Xandros Networks, accessed by an icon on your Desktop. Installing them is a breeze. Just a couple of clicks, max. You can also use the familiar Debian "apt-get" command to get other tools you may need.
The Xandros KDE Desktop is the most intuitive Linux Desktop I have experienced. With in-built as well downloadable custom themes, wallpapers and screen savers, the Desktop experience is a rich and elegant one. It is certainly better than Windows XP. Initially I thought the Desktop was not as good as Vista. Boy was I glad to be proved wrong!
My laptop has an nVidia GeForce Go 7300 video card, which supports 3D graphics acceleration. After upgrading the nVidia driver in my Toshiba laptop pretty painlessly with instructions in nVidia's website, I got the Linux 3D Desktop to work wonderfully. (Type '3ddesk' in a terminal window). I also got the "3D Effects" feature to work by just tweaking a couple of files. (Search for Compiz and nVidia in the Xandros forums). This feature allows you to rotate the desktop as a three dimensional cube. It also has the cool "wobbly window effect". Check out the "Customer Images" under the Xandros image at the top left of this page. This Desktop experience puts Windows Vista to shame!!
Overall, I am pretty pleased and will definitely keep Xandros in my laptop to dual-boot with Windows XP. I would have rated Xandros 5 stars, but took away one star for the problem with the sound - which required a manual procedure to resolve.
Fantastic! 2008-05-03
After evaluating many Linux distributions for my employer and for use at home, this is the only one that I found to be user friendly enough to recommend. A critical area for home dialup users is the modem issue. Many distributions require you to find and download drivers, as well as executing difficult (for the average user) command line routines. Not so with Xandros. It doesn't support every modem, but I had no trouble with it recognizing a 3Com external, and a number of PCI internals. Setting these up was extremely simple. I believe a novice would have no trouble whatsoever.
As for the business environment, recognizing and communicating with an existing Windows network was the downfall of every Linux distribution I tried except this one. Even the highly regarded Fedora/Redhat flunked.
I've converted almost entirely to Linux with this distribution, both at work and at home. I'm now in the process of converting some of our other employee's desktops also.
If you like problems buy it, if not stick to Windows or MAC 
2008-03-10
I purchased this as a replacement for 98se and it installed well, but that is about all I can say for it. Functionally works nice for the Internet most of the time although problems with the system make for troublesome anoyances like crashes - just like 98se. Yah, I know some of the reviews say this is a stable system but out of the box its not even close. Applications don't always open and can crash without warning. If the screen saver activates sometimes the only way to get the system to work again is to re-boot.
The there in the lack of hardware compatability. If your printer is ten years old and made by HP you have a chance it will work. If it is a current model and you want to print images you can just forget it since software for this distro is practiclly non-existant. Beyond basic text printing, I wish you luck.
As for software? It does comes with a decent office program as well as a suposably good imaging program but since I can not get a really good print I have not wasted my time exploring it. It also includes CrossOver which lets you run Windows programs. And while I got PS to work it is real clunky and slow.
It come with two disks, one with the OS on it and one with additional software. The software disk would be nice if all the software would load. However when you go to install it Xandros hooks up to the web for assistance which is all well and good except about a third of the Apps did not install because of errors. I did not try to get assitance as this is supposed to be a PROFFESIONAL edition and I should not have to.
So bottom line is that this is a pretty good copy of Windows 98se -crashes alot and makes you spend hours screwing with it to get it right(which it still is not). If working on your computer is fun I say go for it. If having a system that works buy a MAC or Windows XP. At least then you can be reasonably sure you can do what you want even though both those systems cost much more.
Just goes to show you really DO get what you pay for!
Still Falls Short 2008-02-11
If what you want is a Windows-like experience from Linux, then this distribution will only get you part of the way there.
Good (Specific to Xandros):
-Easy installation
-Desktop is much like Windows, and offers some nice extras
-Comes with some applications which install with a button-push
Bad (Specific to Xandros):
-Poor audio hardware support
-Extremely poor technical support from Xandros
Good (Shared by all Linuxes):
-Freedom from MicroSoft and Apple
-Stable operating system
Bad (Shared by all Linuxes):
-Application installation is still needlessly complicated
Xandros may meet your needs if you're already a Linux-type who wants to tinker with the innards of the system, but I would suggest trying something else if you need a Windows replacement for average users.
Excellent Product 2007-11-14
Installed without a hitch on its own hard drive. Recognized all hardware and internet connections. Partitioned hard disk. User manual excellent. Downloading applications through Xandros Networks is a snap. Installation or removal of applications is easy. Technical support has been fast and excellent. My only minor gripe is that Networks needs to make available most recent versions of KDE and OpenOffice products. Also, despite excellent tech support, can not get KOffice applications to open. Other KDE products, such as Kmail, KPIM, Konqueror work fine.
Dual boot software for Xandros and Windows works well. I am having fun learning Linux, although a bit of a challenge to me. File management utility takes a little learning. I have not yet tried all the applications, like video playing, photo downloads, disk burning, music, Crossover, so my limited experience to date allows only for a 4-star rating. Have used product for two months.
The first Linux distribution that works right out of the box. 2007-11-04
I have been using Linux several years now at both work and home. I highly recommend Xandros if you do not want to pay the high price for MS Windows. If you just want to replace MS Windows with a less expensive Operating System then Xandros is the answer. If you want to dual boot your current MS Windows computer and you are willing to read, learn and spend sometime getting Linux to work the way you want, then I highly recommend Ubuntu and Red Hat Fedora.
I also recommend you get the paid membership to Xandros if you want to get support and software application discounts. Purchasing Xandros from Amazon and paying for extra support directly from Xandros, will cost you less than half of what you will pay for any version of MS Windows.
