It's easy to get up and running with Elementary, and you can quickly install the software that you need. Final ThoughtsĪs I pointed out at the start of this article, Elementary OS is aimed at the ordinary user and not the techie. As I mentioned several paragraphs ago, I was pleasantly surprised at how zippy the software (and Elementary OS itself) was on a five-year-old laptop.
It's just like working on any other Linux distribution I've used - that wasn't a surprise. Working in Elementary OS is simple and smooth. The stock apps won't be enough, so you'll have to turn to the AppCenter. Yes, you can do real work in Elementary OS. If, for example, you install The GIMP then you'll get a menu bar. Note that this setup isn't true for all applications. Many of the stock applications also have a Settings button (which looks like a gear) that, when you click it, displays a list of commands and options. Instead, the title bar and the icon bar for each application is combined into a single entity called a header bar. You can right click on an icon and select Keep in dock to have it there rather than having to poke through the Applications menu.Īpplications that are written for Elementary OS don't have a menu bar. Whenever you fire up an application, it appears on the dock. It's reminiscent of the one on the MacOS desktop. You can also launch the applications that you frequently use from Elementary's dock, which is positioned at the bottom of the screen. Once you do, you'll have no problems with it. That view takes a bit of getting used to. That pop out contains links to the installed applications. When you click Applications, a pop out that resembles a word balloon appears. The Applications menu is unlike the ones found in most other Linux distributions. There is a minimum of clutter, and very little on the desktop to get in your way. Taking a Peek at the Interface and the ApplicationsĪs I've stated a few times already, Elementary's interface is very clean and very compact. If you do find an app useful, you should consider passing some money on to the developer to help fund its continued development. You're not obliged to pay the amount shown in the AppCenter, or anything for that matter.
Much of the software that's written specifically for Elementary is pay-what-you-can. That's a central location from which you can install both software that's written specifically for Elementary OS, and also quite a few Linux apps with which you may be familiar. You can also install more software using Elementary's AppCenter. Getting StartedĮlementary OS comes loaded with a basic set of applications, including a simple web browser an email app a file manager a calendar a calculator music and video players an image viewing app and a terminal app. If it doesn't, you'll need to go into your computer's setting and change the boot order of your drives.Īs I said, that desktop is clean, simple, and minimal. Your computer should run Elementary OS from the flash drive. Once you're done, plug the flash drive into and restart your computer.
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Now that you've got the ISO image, write it to the USB drive. While you're not obliged to pay what the developers are asking, or anything at all, I encourage you to support Elementary OS if you continue to use it. You have a choice of making a donation to the project before downloading, or downloading for free. That's what you'll put on the USB flash drive. You can download something called an ISO image from the main page. When you're ready, head on over to the Elementary OS website. And if you want to install it, you can right from the flash drive. Why do that? It's an easy way to run Elementary without installing it. You'll also need a piece of software to write Elementary OS onto that flash drive. You'll use that to test drive and maybe even install Elementary OS. Getting Elementaryīefore you get going, make sure you have a USB flash drive handy. It's been a while since I last used Elementary, so I figured it was time give it another look. As someone I know pointed out, Elementary OS carries forward the promise Ubuntu made, then abandoned, about being the Linux distribution for everyone. It's not for someone who likes to finely tweak their desktop or who edits configuration files within a centimetre or two of their lives. Elementary is for the ordinary person, the person who just wants to get some work done. It's not a Linux distribution for the techie. Since I first encountered it in 2013, I've had a soft spot for Elementary OS.