Chalet OS

Hi Elena, thanks for bringing this subject in as I think it is a very pertinent one. Speaking from my experience with teaching IT for years to kids in areas with limited access to computers (i.e. students mostly don't have computers at home ... it could actually be the case of a good portion of edoovillages), I was always thinking of the Linux vs Windows in the classes. People who have limited access to laptops tend (my observation) to have limited ability to adapt to new IT environments (OS, programs). Now the big question for me was: "if I use Linux when teaching, what will my kids do when they get to another school or will work in offices etc. where Windows is usually present?" My conclusion, supported by actual experience with students and also adult school staff, was that they would usually need to learn the new system nearly from scratch. From practical point of view then teaching them on Windows was more beneficial for them on long term then using Linux. Sure, I am not factoring here anything else than the actual usefulness of using Linux vs Windows in real conditions for real students. Now ... having a Linux distro that closely imitates the way Windows UI works, it would be actually interesting to experiment and see if the kids having used that are actually better capable with handling the omnipresent Windows-running computers.

Wendy Lu and I were talking about Linux distributions, and she pointed me to this thread.

I'd read someone on the Refurbishers Google Group wax enthusiastic about ChaletOS, and it sounded interesting. As I looked into it more, it seemed to have some shortcomings for organizations. (It still might be fine for individuals.)

It is modelled on Windows 7
https://www.linux.com/learn/chaletos-linux-those-who-miss-windows-7%20%20

Windows 7 is being phased out (last security update will be in January 2020).
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2475079,00.asp

Windows 8 and Windows 10 are very different from Windows 7, so there is going to be a learning curve anyway. Rather than search for the perfect distro, it seems better to settle on something *reasonable*. Otherwise one gets whipsawed towards one distribution, then another. As Ralf says, Lubuntu is a good choice, though it's wise to monitor other options.

The other uneasiness I have about ChaletOS is that it apparently is the work of one person,Dejan Petrović.
https://sites.google.com/site/chaletoslinux/Author

DIstros created by one person or a small group have a habit of disappearing when their authors run out of energy. It does not seem to have a large community behind it yet. It's in 52nd to 71st place on the DistroWatch list of distributions, and it's only been going since August 2015.
http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=chaletos

A final problem is that it is not closely connected to Ubuntu. It is based on Xubuntu (Ubuntu with the xfce desktop), but as far as I know, it doesn't have any organizational ties to the Ubuntu organization. In contrast, the "flavors" of Ubuntu (Lubuntu, Xubuntu, Ubuntu Mate, etc.) are closely connected. This makes it easier to resolve the inevitable problems that come up.

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuFlavors

For what it's worth, I use Ubuntu Mate and LInux Mint Mate on the computers I personally give out. They have large communities and are designed with new users in mind. They are somewhat heavier than Lubuntu, but are still considered "lightweight." I have used Lubuntu and Xubuntu, and those are good distributions too.

Thank you, Ralf. Very interesting about the talk by the main developer of Mate! (Martin Winpress?) It would be good to hear your impressions. Can we discuss that here, or should we start a new thread?

I personally don't feel stongly about the Mate desktop by itself. It may be that the Windows theme and icons you added will meet people's needs.

What appeals to me about the Ubuntu Mate distribution is the programs that accompany it. I think they reflect a concern for new users and a spirit of innovation. For example:
- the Software Boutique which enables new users to comfortably install popular programs.
- the Welcome program, which has useful tools and information for new users.
- Mate Tweak - which enables you to quickly transform the interface so it looks like Window, Mac, Unity, etc. That feature might help with the desire for a Windows interface that Dominik describes.
- Libre Office suite

These features are described further in an enthusiastic review by new-user advocate Joe Collins:
https://freedompenguin.com/articles/opinion/ubuntu-mate-16-04-redefines-...

My experiences

I've been running Ubuntu Mate on a Dell D630 (Core 2 Duo) as my main work computer for about 6 months. Also, Linux Mint Mate on a desktop for 1 year and 6 months. Both feel very comfortable, very complete. They felt well designed, as if somebody had paid attention to designing it. I can't think of any problem I've had with them. Boot-up to the desktop takes about 45 seconds with Ubuntu Mate. I tried an SSD and it booted up very quickly, maybe 15 or 20 seconds.

The interface is traditional (like Lubuntu and Windows XP) with menus, a task bar, etc.

Ubuntu Mate includes programs that make it helpful for working on hardware. There is a performance monitor, a list of "what's inside your computer," and access to the Disk utility (for performing self-tests and reading SMART information).

I haven't had much feedback from the people I've given laptops to. They are long-time computer users, and didn't have any trouble with the interface. I did hear that running the old Skype and some Flash applications didn't work well, The 16.04 Ubuntu Mate didn't support some of the old Broadcom wi-fi modules out-of-the-box. But neither did 16.04 Lubuntu.
(Fix: http://askubuntu.com/questions/55868/installing-broadcom-wireless-drivers ).

Ubuntu Mate is heavier on system requirements than Lubuntu, so it may not be suitable if donated laptops are very old. I haven't run into that limitation, even when I was running Mint Mate on a 1-GB Pentium M laptop.

In any case, I think it's worth keeping on eye on Ubuntu Mate since it is designed with new users in mind.
best wishes, Bart Anderson

UPDATE: I found a good YouTube review in German. Looks better than anything I've seen in English:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wPEhP0h04g

Hi,

yes, it were Martin and Allan from UK, nice guys. We did a 15 minutes interview about Labdoo.org and they plan to broadcast it during the next weeks in their blog / channel (ca. 5.000 followers in UK and US). After that interview they told me who they were :) and explained about Mate and included features for disabled users.

@Wendy, image a Linux systems is build out of 3 parts, the Linux kernel (is the same for every GNU/Linux based OS), next part is a layer containing the operating systems, drivers, Ubuntu add-ons, programs etc., in our case always Debian and (L)Ubuntu, and next is the desktop (what you see on screen; there are LXDE (Lubuntu), Xcfe, Mate and more). All 3 parts together are called the "distribution / distro". These 3 parts build a Linux system. Linux experts will have much more to say to this, but this picture give a rough idea of the architecture.

Which desktop you prefer is an endless discussion. My favourite is KDE, but it is like a discussion which car you like best, a Ford, GM or Honda. People will never agree to one solution. So we are able now to add 3 desktops (LXDE, Xfce and Mate) to a Labdoo system. This will cost some disc space, but will not slow down the laptop. When you come to the log-in screen there wil be a switch, which desktop you want to use. And the laptop will remember, which desktop you selected last time.

As now you can either decide to install a pre-packed Linux, where all these 3 parts are linked together, called distribution. Lubuntu = Linux + Ubuntu (light weight) + LXDE; Xubuntu = Linux + Ubuntu (a little bit more) + Xfce; Ubuntut/Mate = Linux + Ubuntu + Mate and so on, there are much more...). Each package has Pros and Cons. Labdoo s focussing on light weight distros to run fast on older hardware. So, for instance, using Ubuntu (which requires more resources than Lubuntu) plus Mate would be asking "too much".

The middle layer (between Linux and desktop) and the desktop itself make the difference between the distros, some add modules and programs asking for more or less resources. That is a reason, why LibreOffice is not part of Lubuntu from the beginning, you have to add it by script or manually. Lubuntu comes with a light-weight word processing instead of LibreOffice, but can be added.

Martin, the Mate designer, agreed as a good idea just to add Mate desktop to our Lubuntu based system/image. This would just add 400 MB instead of 1.100 MB for a full Mate installation. As Bart listed some useful programs he would like to find as well, I will add them, too. Next step is to make Mate look similar as possible to the other desktops LXDE and Xfce (Windows 10 theme, panel at the bottom of the screen, same icons added to panel, usage of the same system tools) to minimize the learning curve when switching between desktops.

This work will be done in the next weeks and become part of the images for cloning. So it will be very easy to add Mate.

Thanks, Ralf