Ubuntu is one of the most popular distros right now. Yet, it has lost its touch in matter of speed and performance for me and my machine. Now, why would I chose Zenwalk over Ubuntu? Lightweight, XFCE adaptation and friendly community.
I've been using Ubuntu for around 3-4 years, it has given me the opportunity to grow to know more about computers and Linux itself. Nonetheless, I think Ubuntu accomplished its mission to bring linux for human beings. Once a user have been with Ubuntu for a year or so, he can decide whether to stay with it or hop to another distro. In my case, I decided to go because I wanted to learn more.
It's no mystery that there are more distros out there. I encountered with Arch Linux, is it lighter than Zenwalk? Who knows, but it really didn't leave much of an impression to me. I can't say it was slow, quite an speedy one, yet for some reason I just couldn't quite fit into it.
Zenwalk ISO is around 482 Megabytes. Quite a stud to do that because it brings you a complete desktop for the average user. What does it brings? Abiword, GNU Image Manipulation Program, GQView, gFTP, Iceweasel (Firefox), Icedove (Thunderbird), Geany, Evince, Brasero, MPlayer. We have a Word Processor, an image editor, image viewer, a FTP Client, Web Browser, Mail Application, an IDE editor (which is also used to read text files and so on), PDF Reader, CD/DVD Burning Program, Video/DVD Player. It's almost as if they took their time to choose, if they did, awesome work guys.
Preferences and availability of your favorite programs is important for you and the user. I installed OpenOffice (2.4.0 which is the last stable version), Adobe Reader, Audacious, XChat. Most of them are the last version and some are the previous last version. In general, you can install packages from Slackware if you can't find yours, it's not recommended to do so but it quite works out. Not to mention that Zenwalk also have a section for users submitted packages and they give you your own section to upload your packages to make them available.
I've covered a bit on packages and the packages Zenwalk brings. Now, let's take a look at our desktop:
Multimedia
Who doesn't love music? I do! I'd also like my favorite programs to run my favorite movies and music. In this screenshot from left to right I'm running: Audacious, GNOME Mplayer, Brasero, WINE (CVS), Conky. I think everyone knows what these applications do alright. Conky is an alternative system monitor, also one of my favorites.
Word Processors
The last thing you wanted to see is OpenOffice running with Micro$oft Fonts, yet I did this to show the users that it can be done quite simple with a few commands. The launching speed takes almost 3 seconds, in my ubuntu it took around 7 seconds. Things you should know: DejaVu fonts is a derivate from Bitstream Vera Sans with a fortified unicode support. If you installed Zenwalk, don't go all crazy. I can't say Zenwalk installs a wide selection of fonts from the CD Installation, you can grab them later on.
Restricted Drivers
It's probably one of the most important things for NVIDIA users. There are NVIDIA Drivers in the restricted area, mine installed flawlessly and didn't ran into any problems. Despite that, Geany wanted to be in the screenshot to let you know how it looks.
Digital Cameras
I can't say that your camera will just work as a plug n' play. Mine didn't, yet I didn't worry much. Truth is that some cameras does plug and play in Zenwalk. As for me, Zenwalk have gphoto2 as a default package and the manual is pretty straightforward to use. You can also get gtkam, gthumb and other applications for this. They'd just work out.
Back me up with games pal
As default, there is Grsync to back up your things. Zenwalk does not install games when you do a fresh installation, which is actually a good thing if you don't care about them. Yet I grabbed a copy of Nexuiz from netpkg (the package manager of Zenwalk), Enemy Territory, old school Cube and SuperTux 2. Overall, they should keep the games away from the installations since it's just a waste of space.
Welcome to my jungle
As default, Zenwalk brings you Asunder, a CD Ripper. I inserted my Guns n' Roses CD to give it a test. Queried the CDDB. In matter of minutes I had my CD ripped out.
Image Manipulation
Yes people, you all know about this one. One of the most "underrated", "hated" and underestimated program. That is the GIMP. As a GIMP enthusiast I must start by saying that "yes, GIMP does gradient overlays, Bevel and Emboss, Inner Glow, Inner Shadow", please just look at this article. I don't have to say much on this. I've been using this tool for several months and I love it. If you are a user that just take an hour to check a program out and then bash it later, then sir, please do your homework complete.
In matters of performance and speed, Zenwalk is your next stop. I'd hope it grows as much as other distros and be well embraced by the linux users and new users. If you are still in doubt whether you should change to Zenwalk or not, give it a real try. Something I didn't like about Zenwalk is that they use LILO as the boot loader. It's just a matter of installing everything you need and be set
Do I regret moving from Ubuntu? No. I think users should explore new grounds. There is also Gentoo, Arch Linux, Damn Small Linux. It's a matter of learning, once you have everything you need in your computer, then applaud yourself for your efforts and start helping others so the movement continues.
Fine, but I would really suggest you try Debian Testing. With a good sources.list, you have literally everything !
If you like Xfce, download the Xfce Cd1...
It is worth the install, as it is a rolling release, you don't have to re-install twice a year, and it is noticeably faster than Ubuntu...
Some links:
http://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/weekly-builds/i386/iso-cd/
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/debian-26/post-your-source.list-330913/page10.html
http://www.debian.org/
http://www.debian-administration.org/articles/432
t is very easy to make something fast by cutting out essential features.
Thunar can't even browse networks shares. It doesn't even have useful search feature.
Then there in the XFCE sound applet which can't support surround settings.
Debian's XFCE doesn't have Xfburn (at all! Ubuntu and Mandriva do have it), and Zenwalk is not using it either!
Zenwalk's Brasero (0.7.0/0.7.1) is *broken* for some DVD/CD burners (including LG models), whereas Brasero 0.6.1 worked very well, and Xfburn works too.
Nice story.
If you have time, try Wolvix, another Slackware (11.0) based little distribution. It's even faster than Zenwalk 5.0.
Between Arch and Zenwalk, I would say Arch is lighter because you choose what to install in Arch.
I like Slackware and Slackware based distros but the package management is still not as good as apt, pacman and portage.
@ Caraibes: I don't have any extra computer atm to test. I'll be sure to give it a try :). Still for my main computer I think I have been in the debian environment for too long.
@ pt: Yea, I know. Thunar network sharing has been claimed a lot, yet I don't know why they are waiting for someone to write a library(or was it a framework?) =/
@ Béranger: I'm pretty sure you can change the programs, although I'd get your point.
@ nuxrl: Yea, I also wish it could be more "enhanced" in some places, it doesn't bother me much.
Great read david, thanks :)
ps. like the new layout.
Zenwalk can be nice, but it is really not great. I found it to be VERY restricted in comparison to any other distro I have used. Archlinux on the other hand is optimized and minimalistic and is perfect provided you are willing to get your hands dirty.
I found Xubuntu and Debian to also be a lot better than Zenwalk.
I have to ask: Did you actually try Archlinux (i.e. download the base, build it up to what you need)? Because if you did you sure as hell wouldn't be asking if it was lighter than Zenwalk.
kahrn, I did try Arch Linux. I used to run it with GNOME. The bad news is that like you said kahrn, "found it to be VERY restricted in comparison to any other distro I have used" I also find it very restrictive. I'm going to be moving to Arch Linux this weekend then give my kuddos to it when I finish getting all the packages with pacman. (Writing my official thoughts)
It was a good experience. To say the least, Arch Linux was actually the distro that fits me most, although in the post (which I will leave unedited) I said that I sorta asked that out of the blues.
Oh and, I had to remove the PRE html tags you added. I hope you don't mind, they were eating your comments.
Not to mention a full manual in several languages, an active forum in several languages, and full blown localization projects.
ZW 5.02 (kernel 2.25.4) is supposed to be released tomorrow!
I've tried a good few distros on my seven-year-old Dell and only VectorLinux comes close to what Zenwalk can do with it. Don't knock thinner distros before you try them! The community is helpful and friendly, though small, and I never see flaming there.
Spend some time with it, then make your decision. Why not try [url=http://www.zenwalk.org/modules/tinycontent/index.php?id=11]Zenwalk Live?[/url]