Linspire
Linspire (formerly LindowsOS ) was a Debian based Linux distribution whose appearance resembles the Microsoft Windows operating system.
The company that developed and sold Linspire, Lindows was from 2001 to 2004, then from 2004 Linspire, each according to the name of the distribution. In 2008 she was renamed Digital Cornerstone and bought on 1 July 2008 by the company Xandros, in which they came up completely. Since then, no other version of Linspire is more appeared. The latest version 6.0 was released on 10 October 2007.
History
The U.S. company Linspire, Inc. (formerly Lindows, Inc. ), headquartered in San Diego, California developed the same operating system on Debian GNU / Linux - based. Michael Robertson founded probably in August 2001, the company made MP3.com out. On 20 July 2005 Robertson was presided as CEO to the President and founder of Linspire, Kevin Carmony, from. But he himself remained CEO and devoted himself beyond other projects. On June 30, 2008 Kevin Carmony announced the sale to Xandros in his blog. In the summer of 2008, the expected consolidation of the distributions made by Xandros. As a result, Linspire has been set.
Name dispute with Microsoft
Already during the development of LindowsOS Microsoft went against Michael Robertson for alleged likelihood of confusion and similarity of names before the court. As a result, U.S. courts have held that the term Windows may not be protected because " window " is a general term. The judge denied 2002, the suit inter alia on the grounds that Microsoft itself used the term Windows already used as the Windows operating system was not yet on the market, and the graphical windowing ( GUI) was earlier already by Xerox and Apple as been developed and marketed by Microsoft.
The process ran from 2001 to 2004 so far, however, Microsoft had always appeal to the next instance, the next trial date for the lawsuit against Lindows name has been postponed to 2003. The court wanted to see more evidence of Microsoft first. For LindowsOS this shift has been no production delay means; however, the publicity associated brought the new operating system certainly more attention than it would have hurt him.
In Belgium, Finland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Sweden the courts against Lindows and Microsoft decided. The operating system may only be received under the name " Lin --- s " (pronounced Lin -dash ) are distributed, as one may not visit the original website " Lindows.com ". In these countries, this website " Lin --- s.com " means. For these reasons, the company and its product called into Linspire in April 2004.
In July 2004, Microsoft and Linspire agreed out of court. Linspire received from Microsoft 20 million dollars, in return all legal disputes between the two companies were hired.
Product
Linspire should ease the transition from Windows to Linux and therefore had its focus on the straightforward use opportunity in schools, businesses and the private sector. Linspire sought a Linux distribution that is determined by the average user easy to use.
Linspire is based on Debian GNU / Linux. As a special feature in the first version of Linspire, the possibility was touted to be able to install Windows Applications Wine - support and use. Since version 5, this priority was abandoned just because of the now almost limitless appearing amount of open source software.
On a positive count is that Linspire allows for easy installation of programs that was called by them " Click'n'Run " (CNR, based on Debian's APT).
CNR
APT is indeed free software, however his operation appeared the developers of Linspire Linux newbies as too complicated. Therefore, a very easy to use interface and a slightly modified package system for an annual fee was provided. CNR is no longer based on APT now. The installation files with the extension. Cnr are only packages. Deb format (Debian package files ) with a DRM -like encryption. Linspire requested before installation if the package has been legally acquired. After this query, it can be installed.
Linspire's CNR Service ( jokingly "Collect New Revenue" ) allow users supposedly unlimited access to software stored in the CNR Warehouse. The service allows you to install all applications with a single click. CNR also contains the CNB Click 'N Buy, which only contains a lot of additional commercial or proprietary software, exclusively for paying members. At times the CNR contained a range of over 2500 different products - starting from very simple applications to large commercial applications such as main win4lin and StarOffice. The programs were provided with mostly editorial comments and reviews from the community. Supposedly caused the broadband Download the high cost producers. Linspire offered two different price ranges for its annual CNR service:
- CNR Service ( basic): The CNR basic service was recently available for free (previously $ 20 ) and allowed the users to download applications with a single click from the main server and install.
- CNR Gold Service: The Gold Service included the functionality of the basic services, only added extras like discounts on commercial Linux software (eg StarOffice, win4lin, Cedega and MyBooksPro ) were offered for U.S. $ 50 a year. Proponents of this service argued that those discounts could easily exceed the cost of the CNR Gold Service.
Criticism
Linspire was frowned upon by many Linux users, since - in the " CNR Gold Service " version - also for the installation of programs requires money that are available for free on the Internet otherwise.
A criticism of Linspire was that all users initially received a root status without being consequently informed by the distribution itself about the dangers involved. In particular, experienced users reported before the current version out that this would lead to a threat to system security. In this way, namely, to manipulate all files in the system ( from the outside ) of each user. This increases the risk of malicious programs such as viruses or Trojans. Michael Robertson himself argued that there was no significant difference between root and user. This is but now in the new version offered for download ( Freespire 2.0.6 ) avoided by not being more "root" in the default setting. It is here now explicitly asked if you wanted to change because in the "root " status, if you have the need to change basic things. Thus the main point of criticism has been fixed with the "root " problem.
While some Linspire and Debian as looking at each other very similar products, others argue Linspire different from Debian and other distributions significantly by dozens of proprietary programs on its installation CD, such as support for MP3, DVD, QuickTime, Java, Flash, Real, Windows Media, Adobe PDF and proprietary drivers. Some of them are licensed, others are third party products that require fees from the licensees and licensed legally by Linspire.
The standard Linspire installation does not Network Services. Likewise, a strict firewall installed that blocks everything but port 22 (SSH).
With Linspire 6.0 Linspire also began the way some Linux distributors to follow, and offered since licensed by Microsoft codecs that were integrated into the system.
Foreign language support
Linspire sponsored the IRMA Project: It is intended to enable users from around the world, Linspire translate into different languages. IRMA supports over 50 languages with the help of over 1,500 translators, such as English, German, Spanish, Japanese, Portuguese or Italian.
Support for Open Source
Linspire, Inc sponsored a lot of open source projects, such as Pidgin, Kopete (instant messaging ) clients, KDE - Apps.org and KDE - Look.org and the Nvu project, a development of a WYSIWYG Web page editor based on the Mozilla Composer provides source code. In the past, Linspire, Inc. has donated to the Wine project over $ 500,000 and also taught several Linux and open source events like the annual Desktop Linux Summit, debconf, and the KDE Developers Conference. Linspire was a member of the DCC.
Editions
Linspire offered the following editions:
- Standard - The standard edition of Linspire (from about $ 49.95 )
- Developer - This edition contained a lot of developer tools, such as text editors, compilers and libraries for software development
- Laptop - Optimized for notebooks Linspireversion
- LinspireLive! - LiveCD of Linspire ( $ 29.95 )
Freespire
In August 2005, a live CD was released called Freespire on the internet. Freespire was based on the Linspire - source Linux distribution. This distribution was generated by a fan and Linspire was published by Linspire neither produced nor himself. Therefore Freespire caused some confusion among users, who considered it a product of Linspire. The author joined voluntarily the name, to avoid such confusion. Along with the name change, the former Freespire project was given the code name " squiggle " and the idea to look for a new distribution name. Linspire immediately responded with the " free Linspire " offer to the user until 9 September 2005. Way, both projects made mutually sent to advertise themselves.
From the second quarter of 2006, however, there was a new, initiated by Linspire and funded project, which bore the name Freespire. Freespire was, as the name suggests, a free version of Linspire; his concept was similar to Fedora.
Versions
Action against Xandros
2003 Linspire struggled to a lawsuit against his former partner Xandros. Linspire claimed that Xandros refuse a repayment of a loan in the amount of $ 750,000, and that both this company and other defendants in misnomer, fraud and criminal misrepresentations were involved. During the negotiation of Linspire's investment in Xandros this information came to light on 20 April 2004. The two companies agreed out of court in July 2005.
Compare with Xandros, Linspire and Lycoris, follow a similar principle as Linspire.