14 DAY TRIAL // elementary OS has skyrocketed to fame after just a couple of releases and it's living proof that users want quality above everything else. It's also proof that Linux systems are ready to take head on other operating systems, like Mac OS or Windows, on the desktop market.
Linux operating systems are famous for various reasons. Some users prefer customization options, others want something more stable, and others don't even need a desktop environment. This type of flexibility is actually the most appealing feature of the Linux systems, but things won't always be like this.
The Linux ecosystem is evolving, the user base is getting younger, and there are many people out there who want a quality product to show off or to enjoy. It matters less to them if the system is flexible or if it can be modified to suit their needs. I don't want to say that other desktop environments don't provide a quality experience, but the elementary developers are focusing mostly on the end user experience, and that means nice transitions, animations, effects, beautiful color palettes, and all kinds of trinkets.
Linux is a testbed for experimentation
elementary OS is not the first Linux distribution that tries to distinguish itself from the rest by using fancy effects and a powerful window manager. Many features have come and gone. In the end, most Linux operating systems have focused on function and not form. There are no more spinning cubes, no wobbly windows (for the most part), all the effects have been minimized or reduced entirely. We are now at a point where users have started to again appreciate effects in GNOME 3.14, although they are not exactly new.
Platforms like Windows and Mac OS X have one strength, and that is consistency. You can say many bad things about them, but in the end, we have to admit that they have been consistent in their design. They paid a big price when they moved too far from what users wanted (see Windows 8), but for the most part, things have remained largely the same.
Sure, some might say that consistency is also stagnation, but many users want to see things remain the same and not evolve. In any case, elementary OS provides something that the others distros won't offer. A quality end user experience that is much better than anything done before. And to make things more interesting, I think that it's an experience well beyond any kind of commercial solution.
If a Windows or Mac OS X user tries a random Linux distro, there’s a 50/50 chance that they will be impressed. On the other hand, elementary OS is so good that it's bound to convince many more people that it features an experience superior to anything they have tried until now.
The latest elementary OS Freya is still under construction and the launch date is not known, but one thing is for certain. When it is eventually released, it will be the most beautiful Linux distro, despite all of its shortcomings, and it will be the Linux flagship for users who want to try another operating system than the one they grew up with.
Note: please keep in mind that this is an editorial and it reflects the author’s personal opinion.