14 DAY TRIAL // Peach OSI, a new Linux distribution based on Xubuntu that aims to be friendly towards new users and to provide all the software that regular users need, has been released.
Peach OSI has been in the works for a couple of years, but only now did the developers release a stable version of the distribution. It’s based on Xubuntu, but the main interface is somewhat different from what you can find in that particular Ubuntu flavor. In fact, it resembles Mac OS X a little bit, although it's very crowded.
The developers have outlined who the users targeted by their operating systems are, which includes people worried about viruses and other online problems of this sort, kids who want to learn something new, users with older computers who want to resurrect their systems, users with low-end netbooks, and even users who just want something that runs straight from USB.
“Linux has proven to be safer online. Avoid all those attacks designed specifically to target the Windows(r) operating system. During installation, Peach OSI can install itself alongside Windows(r) for truly a dual booting system with OS options displayed at boot time. You can also run Peach OSI directly from a DVD or a USB stick or install it as a stand alone operating system.”
“With Peach OSI's special visual application Dock and SlingShot Launchpad, children who haven't quite learned to read should have no trouble learning to navigate their Peach. Peach is also equipped with applications to aid those with visual and physical impairments. One of our upcoming projects includes creating a complete Peach just for kids!,” say the developers on the official website.
The distribution includes some of the regular applications such as Firefox, but the devs have also implemented Midori, which is a weird choice. Users will also find KeePassX for passwords, Ubuntu Software Center, the LibreOffice suite, digiKam, Entangle, GIMP Blender, Banshee, Ardour, Brasero, wxBanker Finanace Manager, and a few others.
Now imagine that all these applications have shortcuts in a small Xfce panel and you will understand just how crowded this distribution is. The good thing is that the dock can be cleaned and users will find all the applications safely tucked away in the main launcher. Peach OSI integrates two launchers, which is a little bit of an overkill.
You can download Peach OSI 14.04 from the official website. It uses the installation manager from Ubuntu, so it won't be a problem to install it next to your current system.
