Suggested replacement for XP.

[jojo]

Not sure why anyone would want to do this. The author doesn't say.

[mikkh]

The assumption seems to be, that without official support and updates Windows XP is dead in the water

If you're the sort of Microsoft die hard who uses and trusts them for security programs too ('defender' and MSE) then that assumption is correct, but by that very token, they're also the sort who would be wringing their hands in despair at the thought of using Linux with no comforting 'My Computer' or 'My Documents' available.

XP users have already been forced to use an alternative browser, media player etc because the newest versions simply aren't available for XP and haven't been for years. So I would guess not many use their security software either - leaving XP as a viable system still.

The video maker has the right idea, he's just gone about it in the wrong way. Most people still clinging to XP have old hardware that isn't capable of running any other Windows
And if they have very old hardware, adding even the lightest security programs has a big impact on performance. And that's the idea he should be pushing really.

Get a modern system that runs faster, is more secure and is totally immune from Windows nasties (which is 99% of them)

I'm downloading it now to test on a real machine - not a virtual one like he used.

[mikkh]

Tested it on a machine which is not typical XP fodder - it actually had Windows 7 on till I started doing my own Linux experiments on it
Anyway, it was hooked up and ready to go, so I used that for my first test. I'll be trying it on real antique stuff tomorrow.

Reasonably quick boot for a 'live' CD and a pretty rapid install. It took ten minutes in total, but it was helped a bit by me already having Linux partitions in place on the hard drive.

I'm impressed, especially because it's (L)Ubuntu origins meant I was prepared to hate it before I'd even seen it!

I'll give credit where it's due though and for normal PC's it's a fast no nonsense OS with a sensible minimal set of installed programs
Easy access to Google Chrome, which is essential in a modern Linux if you want the latest Flash and a nice no clutter layout.

It remains to be seen if it will still be impressive on a lesser machine, but I have high hopes for it

[mikkh]

Tried it on a Dell Dimension 2400 (1GB RAM, 40 GB HD, on-board graphics), which is real old school hardware and definitely only capable of running XP on the Windows side of things.

The install time doubled to 20 mins on this venerable old beast, but compared to XP which takes at least 40 minutes for a base install and then (I'll be generous) quite a while to install the drivers it didn't find automatically, that's still a whole lot faster. No drivers to find with Linux Lite, they're already there - as is a whole range of software, including a full office suite, professional quality graphics package, CD/DVD burning etc etc. Windows XP (or any Windows) comes with virtually nothing as standard. All that extra guff (mostly trial versions and hand holding stuff you don't really need) is supplied and installed by the PC/laptop manufacturer when you buy a new one - it's NOT part of a Windows install.

Back to the point, In my newly installed Linux Lite I decided to check for updates before doing anything else and found there were 152. In Windows, you'd be booking a holiday and hoping it was done when you got back if confronted by that number of updates. But Linux is not like Windows in that respect and there's no rebooting after nearly every one either. Linux is much tighter programming and the files are tiny compared to Windows. Those 152 updates were completed in just over 5 minutes

I installed Chrome and the 'restricted extras' that Ubuntu likes to keep from you by default - basically the ability to play music and video files that other distros just (sensibly) give you without asking. Another Ubuntu quirk is no root account (administrator) as standard, which is touted as a security measure. I just find it annoying myself, but I guess it's safer for newcomers and I know how to get round it anyway.

So, is it a replacement for XP? Yes it is in my opinion for machines of a certain age like the Dell. Faster, more secure and it looks trendy - what more could you want?

[hawnik]

Have come across a positive review on Linux Lite 2 in the summer issue of Linux Format however, I would like to point out that older hardware/machines that are originally running Windows XP - especially laptops that are using Pentium M or Centrino processors will not run Linux Lite at all due to PAE (Physical Address Extension) issue.

Anyone who may be considering installing Linux onto these machines may need to find another distro that supports Non PAE instead.

[johnnybee]

Well thanks for the review of this distro, Mikk; as I said in another post, Mint works very well with older machines, but it's still distictly "Linux-ish" in construction and the appearance GUI-wise - somewhat off-putting for regular Windows users.
This partic'lar distro might well be the answer; as you all know, I've always slated M$ and other software writers for "following the cartel", whose efforts always seem to be slanted towards forcing users along the upgrade route despite the fact that their equipment is still perfectly useable and functional.
Okay, that's how capitalism works, but some of us just don't have the spare shillings to continually upgrade their bits 'n bobs, never mind upgrading MS's OS's; I've already mastered the black art of renaming some of the apps with more familiar terms - Word, WMP etc. - which sort of softens the image a bit and retains the familiarity syndrome.
I'll give this one a try and see how I get on with it on another old'un of mine, an Acer 775/P4 that I resurrected for a great-niece of mine for her college work; if an old dinosaur like me can get my head round something entirely new, Anneya can!

[jojo]

The singular problems remains though, program compatibility.

I have a number of programs I've collected over the years that do exactly what I need them to do. An old copy of PhotoImpact from the late 90s for example.

Moving to Linux would mean starting again.

[mikkh]

Lot's of things will run under 'WINE' if you really can't let go of some Windows programs

PhotoImpact for a start

appdb.winehq.org/appview.php?appId=298

The comments on 8 seem encouraging (re - simply copy folder from Windows and run iedit.exe)

This new version of Sparky Linux (game over edition) contains Steam, Wine and a whole host of pre-installed games, hence the large size

distrowatch.com/?newsid=08757

Games are objectively good or bad, but these special gamer editions invariably pick the same games without putting much thought into it. IMO 80% aren't even worth loading or lack the polish of a real game like Billiard-GL - a great looking pool game with annoyingly fiddly controls and a work in progress feel for as many years as I can remember, which is a shame

[jojo]

That's great mikkh. Sparky Linux sounds really good too.

I can't speak for others, but I really like games because they tend to be somewhat more interesting than watching endless repeats on 200+ TV channels.

Retirement isn't always as good as it's cracked up to be. (Actually it is, but I don't want to rub it in. )

Currently I'm getting into a game called Elite Dangerous. It's finally working well after a year or so of Beta. I'm building my relationships with a section of the Empire known for trading in slaves. My cunning plan is to get a load of them, on the pretext of shipping them somewhere and taking them to a Federation planet, realising them and improving my relationship with them!

That, sadly, won't work on XP. W7 is so very unstable, but I'm stuck with it. It seems unlikely, but worth a try, to see if it will run on Linux Wine.

[mikkh]

I like games too, there are lot's of very involved real strategy games available via facebook. There's one I play called Battle Pirates I've been playing 3 years. It's always evolving - sometimes too fast, but it's essentially free if you're patient or very expensive if you're not (like all facebook games) And obviously via a browser the OS is immaterial. It's finding the good stuff from all the crap on facebook though

Don't bother trying to get Elite going via WINE, it won't work at a satisfactory speed and probably not at all is my guess