Vic,
For workstations look at XandrOS (
http://www.xandros.com/) out of Canada.
It's not free as in beer. However, they used to have a free version sans
things like CrossXover, the license of which did not allow commercial use (I
think).
Actually XandrOS has the server stuff also. It's just that XandrOS's
strength is in the workstation arena.
They used to be COREL. COREL invested 54 million is developing a "just
works" distro. COREL had a reputation for just installing and working. It
was my first successful Linux install (before I found PLUG). Frustration
level 0. Asked maybe 6 or 7 questions ... loaded ... worked. Good
experience. When the Web bubble burst COREL sold it to this Canadian co and
it was renamed XandrOS.
Some time ago, in the XandrOS 2.0 days, I bought the XandrOS Business
version( top of the line at around $100.00 US). It has a Windows XP look
and feel.
The install asked maybe 6 or 7 questions. (i.e. are you right handed or left
... where on the map do you live ... what is the Host name), found the
corporate DNS and DHCP servers and router and joined the domain (the IT
folks had given me a host name for their Domain).
The Business version came with CrossXover and Star Office which explains
most of the price.
A lot of download packages are available with grate ease. IIRC they had a
current version of MS Office (probably unlimited distribution) that just
loaded and just runs (under CrossXover).
It has a graphical interface for everything I could think of, including
changing the IP address, Changing the Host Name, download new releases etc.
(with a learning curve next to 0).
The biggest frustration you might experience has to do with which version to
get. In the 2.0 days they offered 4. One was free while the other cost
differently depending on the goodies included. Fry's seems to carry the two
lower end (for pay) versions. I just saw them at Fry's two days ago.
Didn't pay much attention but, it seems they did not have the Business (top
of the line) package.
They now offer a version 3.0. It's got to be better now.
The upside is that XandrOS won't make you learn Linux. The downside is that
XandrOS won't make you learn Linux. But, it can help you learn Linux if you
want it to.
Hope this helps,
George
On Date: Fri, 13 May 2005 09:22:04 -0700
Victor Odhner <
vodhner@cox.net> wrote:
> Subject: Linux for Users
>
> What is the closest thing, in the Linux world, to a
> distro that just works, where new releases of apps
> are available promptly and just fall into place?
> I'm enough of a hacker to get the results I want
> in specific cases, and to build special tools to
> do non-standard things; but I don't want every
> install, and every update, to become that kind of
> exercise.
>
> ... speaking of which, it's time to make the donuts.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Vic
>
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