Test-Drive a Linux Desktop From Windows 27
debiansid writes "The Open Soucre Region Stuttgart is now offering a free demo of the Linux Desktop to users through their web browsers. They had earlier launched a German version before which received more than
100,000 responses, after which they decided to launch an English version. The website requires you to download and run an exe - it does not install anything on to the hard drive. The demo system is Debian based with a v2.4 kernel and KDE."
FP ? (Score:1, Offtopic)
Slashdotting their X server (Score:2)
It worked on the 4th try though. Got a full working desktop.
Not Install??? (Score:2, Insightful)
How is placing a copy of an executable binary on your hard disk, with the intention of copying said binary into RAM and executing its instructions, not installing something on your hard drive? Am I missing something here? Are they assuming your browser saves to a RAMdisk or removable media or something?
Re:Not Install??? (Score:1)
Re:Not Install??? (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Not Install??? (Score:2)
And that's a big problem (Score:4, Insightful)
I could accept that the software is not "installed" if it were sandboxed in some way.
And here's a solution (Score:2)
Re:usefull, but (Score:2)
Re:usefull, but (Score:2)
Re:usefull, but (Score:3, Funny)
Re:usefull, but (Score:1)
NoMachine? (Score:4, Informative)
NoMachine [nomachine.com] and their NX server also allows you to testdrive a linux desktop on windows, over a remote connection. I found my FreeNX server [fedoranews.org] usable even over dial-up, and could show my parents what my linux desktop looked like, and think it might be a useful migration step for some users. It's even bundled with Knoppix [tinyapps.org].
Re:NoMachine? (Score:4, Informative)
It's far worse... it uses a heck of a lot of bandwidth compared to NX... (It was maxing out my downstream on this broadband connection 130KBytes/s). It would be impossible to use it over dialup...
Re:NoMachine? (Score:2)
The Open Source Region Stuttgart is using a proprietary non Open Source tool from Tarantella, a company previously know as Santa Cruz Operation (SCO).
Tarantella is now being bought by Sun [tarantella.com].
Test Driving Linux (Score:3, Informative)
I'm increasingly seeing the words, "Test Driving" associated with Linux. I think it is all the live CDs out there, as well as these web accessible desktops. Ways to try out Linux without installing anything.
O'Reilly even has a new book called Test Driving Linux: From Windows to Linux in 60 Seconds [amazon.com] that appears to be written for people trying out a Linux desktop for the first time. It uses the Mandrake Move live CD as the basis for the book, and practically everything covered in the book can be done using the live CD. That is why it only covers KDE.
Though the book lacks an installation chapter (one isn't needed when using a live CD) it provides coverage of all the other typical desktop chores like web browsing, file management, email, OpenOffice.org, and even GnuCash for money management. It is the only introductory book that I have seen that goes into great detail on how to accomplish tasks or use interesting features of the programs. Most other introductory Linux books gloss over how you actually work with the program.
Just a remote connection... (Score:4, Informative)
Is it a coincidence that Sun just announced yesterday they are buying Tarentella [tarantella.com]?
Re:Just a remote connection... (Score:1)
A better alternative - DamnSmall Linux and QEMU (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Is this terminal service (Score:3, Informative)
Test drives don't translate to reality (Score:2, Interesting)
As great as the book is, as helpful as it is, most non-tech people aren't going to be able to make the leap from playing around in a live CD to installing, configuring, and using Linux.
Now if the desktops are on a massive multi-user server remote from them, with paid techie admins, and they simply log in remotely and use it that way, well a lot of these people do
fun at the expense of others (Score:1)