Elementary OS isn’t your typical linux distribution. Some would say it isn’t a distro at all. Elementary’s developers pitch their creation as a free and open alternative to windows and macOS.
That description is apt, and with the latest release, version 0.4 Loki, Elementary has blossomed into something beautiful. I love it, and I highly recommend it for new and experienced Linux users alike.
What Is Elementary OS?Elementary OS is an open source operating system that you can install in place of Windows or macOS.
Technically, Elementary OS is a Linux distribution, and there are hundreds of others that you can choose from. But the project doesn’t view itself this way, and the result is a desktop that feels vastly different.
For the most part, everything just works. The default applications are functional and easy to understand. You can browse the web, check email, manage your calendar, organize photos, listen to music, and write notes without having to install additional software. When you do need more, Loki makes doing so a painless experience.
What’s Special About Version 0.4 Loki?Elementary OS is based on Ubuntu, another distribution aimed at relatively new Linux users. Piggy-backing off another’s work is common in the open source world. This enables developers tocreate something new without having to start from scratch. Ubuntu itself is based on Debian.
You could use Ubuntu without having any idea what Debian is, but before now, Elementary couldn’t hide its dependency on Ubuntu. When you needed to install additional applications, you did so by opening a program called the Ubuntu Software Center.In Loki, this is no longer the case.
AppCenterThis isAppCenter, your new destination for installing software and managing updates.
In Linux terms, AppCenter is a package manager. Its existencegoes a long way toward making Elementary OS feel like its own thing. Not only that, but AppCenter is a significant improvement over the previous solution. Software categories are easy to explore. Updates are very straightforward. If you know how to install apps on a phone, using AppCentershould be a walk in the park.
New System IndicatorsRather than using an existing desktop environment It's Your Choice: The Top 10 Linux Desktop Environments It's Your Choice: The Top 10 Linux Desktop Environments From Gnome to KDE, from MATE to Unity, there's a lot of choice out there. Where should you start? Overwhelmed? Start here. Read More , theElementary OS team created Pantheon. The panel at the top is called Wingpanel. The app launcher is Slingshot. The dock isPlank. But one corner of the screen relied onUbuntu: the indicatorsalong the top.
Loki brings new system indicators created for Elementary OS. Not only do these look better, but they make life easier. The date & time, volume, internet, Bluetooth, power, notification, and session indicators each let you open relevant system settings directly from the menu. The volume indicator includes playback controls when you have music playing.
Expanded System Settings
Elementary OS is not one of the more configurable Linux desktops. The interface is meant to get out of the way, not be something you tinker with. But there are some settings thatmake or break whether some users can consider Elementary OS. One such change impacts dual monitor users. Now you can choosewhich screen the dock appears on.
A new Notifications section lists which applications show alerts. You can tweak whether these notifications appear in pop-up bubbles, play sounds, or appear under the notification indicator. Thanks to helpful illustrations and giant toggles, these settings take little work to understand.
The entire System Settings application now lets you search for keywords. This saves you from having to know which section a setting is located under. Just type in the keyword, and the option should appear.
Parental ControlsTechnically located within System Settings, the parental controls option is worth highlighting on its own. Instead of installing specialized software or replacing the entire operating system with something aimed for kids Simple & Friendly: 4 Great Linux Distros For Kids Simple & Friendly: 4 Great Linux Distros For Kids Turn an aging computer into a kid-friendly machine that's both educational and entertaining. Thanks to open source software there are a variety of complete operating systems designed to let you hand down computers to kids... Read More , you can restrict what children have access to within Elementary OS.
The parental controls let you limit when children can use the computer to certain times of the day. You can prevent them from using certain apps, and you can block specific websites from loading in any web browser.
These controls give parents a reason to choose Elementary OS over many other Linux distros and older versions of Windows. That’s great, because there are many reasons to consider starting kids off with Linux 6 Reasons to Start Your Kids Off With Linux 6 Reasons to Start Your Kids Off With Linux Computers, and their operating systems, are not created equal. The OS they use matters, and Linux might be the best one to start them off with. Let's talk about why. Read More rather than a commercial operating
Better Default AppsThese days, an operating system needs to ship a decent web browser. Elementary previously came with Midori, one of our favorite lightweight options. That said,it uses an aging version of WebKit, and many sites don’t load properly. And when they do, they sometimes load slowly. This didn’t give Elementary OS the impression of being a speedy system.
Loki replaces Midori with Epiphany, the default browser of the GNOME project. The experience is more stable, the browser better blends in with the rest of Elementary, a