14 DAY TRIAL // PCLinuxOS 2014.08, a free Linux distribution aimed at desktop computers and laptops, has been released and it's now available for download.
PCLinuxOS comes with many flavors, but the default is actually KDE. The developers also make a few other versions, like KDE MiniMe, LXDE, MATE, or FullMonty. All the flavors have images that are being regenerated once a month, which keep the level of updates new users have to perform to a minimum.
The distribution actually follows a rolling release model, which means that new major features and other changes are introduced regularly through the update channel. Every month, the download ISOs are regenerated with the new update; but if you already have the operating system installed, you only have to update it regularly. This method practically makes any kind of major updates useless, as long as you get the latest version of the distro.
Most of the differences registered from one version to another have to do with the desktop environment. The other major components, like the Linux kernel for example, are the same across the board.
The default desktop for PCLinuxOS 2014.08 is KDE, and in this case, it's the 4.13.3 version. “The KDE MiniMe iso provides a basic KDE desktop and is intended for advanced users who know how to fine-tune their system. To keep this iso small no printer drivers are included. The KDE Full Version iso provides a standard KDE desktop with many popular applications and out-of-the-box driver support for generic desktop computing,” reads the official announcement.
The PCLinuxOS LXDE flavor is the lightest of them all, but MATE is also considered to be a desktop with very few system requirements.
One of the most famous flavors in the portfolio is KDE-FullMonty, which is actually a beefed up version of the regular KDE.
“FM applies a new concept: activity-focused virtual desktop layout, which is designed to address typical user-needs/tasks, make their life easy, and working on the computer straightforward and fun. So, what does the typical user do with a computer?” says the official website.
PCLinuxOS FullMonty basically features six different desktops, which are aimed at different users. If you want to just surf the net, play some games, or use the office suite, users will find different desktops packed with the right applications for each task.
More details about this Linux distribution can be found in the official changelog. You can download PCLinuxOS 2014.07, LXDE, MATE, MiniME, and FullMonty right now from Softpedia.
