Microsoft's rivalry with Google heated up considerably this past year when rumors surfaced that Google might release its own operating system to compete with Windows. Has Google finally jumped into the fray with its own OS?
Unfortunately, no; gOS is not a "Google OS" nor is it affiliated with Google (though Desktop Linux has reported that Google has seen gOS and approved inclusion of the Google toolbar with the operating system).
gOS is developed by Good OS LLC out of Los Angeles. It's based on Ubuntu Linux 7.10 and runs the Enlightenment E17 interface instead of KDE or Gnome. Despite not being created by Google, the focus of gOS is Google's online applications such as GMail, Google News, Google Maps, Google Calendar, YouTube, etc. It's a neat concept for a Linux distribution, but how practical is it? We'll find out in this review.
The gOS Desktop
After your install finishes, the first thing you'll notice is that the gOS desktop looks very different than your standard Ubuntu desktop. Since gOS uses Enlightenment instead of Gnome or KDE, you'll be treated to an interface reminiscent of Mac OS X. The gOS desktop reminds me of Mac OS X in some ways, particularly the way that its iBar behaves. Note though that the iBar functions similarly to Windows' "Start" button menus. If you click on an icon on the iBar, it gets slightly larger and you can scroll through icons by moving your cursor right or left. It's a nice touch and folks new to this distribution will get a kick out of it. The icons are nicely designed and visually appealing. It also reminds me of the Windows taskbar since you get a Windows-like menu that pops up when you click the green leaf button.
The menu is simple to navigate and includes the following options:
- Favorite Applications
- Applications
- Run Command
- Files
- Desktop
- Windows
- My gOS
- Configuration
One thing that might be a turn off for some folks is that the buttons to close, maximize and minimize a window are in the upper left corner and not the upper right. For Mac users that's not a problem but Windows users might find it awkward to adjust.
gOS ApplicationsAs I mentioned earlier, gOS is focused mostly on Google's applications. Here's a list of what you'll be able to easily access from gOS' iBar:
- GMail
- Google News
- Google Docs
- Google Calendar
- Google Maps
- YouTube
- Blogger
- Firefox
- Skype
- Wikipedia
- Xine Movie Player
- OpenOffice.org
- Various Games
- The Gimp
- Mozilla Thunderbird (Mail and News Client)
Configuring Your gOS System
To change the settings of your gOS system, click the leaf button and choose Configuration > My Settings. The categories are broken down as follows:
- Appearance
- Applications
- Screen
- Keyboard & Mouse
- Windows
- Menus
- Language
- Advanced
- Extensions
- File Manager
Problems with gOS
The downloadable version of gOS doesn't include what's necessary to play DVDs and MP3s (like most of the Linux distro). So you don't have to worry. For that you need to install it yourself or get gOS by buying a gOS-based computer. Another problem is that there seems to be no "recycling bin" available on the desktop. I looked in the FAQs and found that apparently the recycling bin is still in development—somewhat ironic given the nature/green theme of gOS.
Beyond that I didn't find any real problems with gOS.
I suppose that some folks will say, "Hey, we have Ubuntu, why do we need this distribution?" Well I'll answer that by pointing out that one of the things I like most about Linux is that it provides such a wide range of distributions for all kinds of needs. gOS isn't going to dethrone Ubuntu but it does add a bit of spice to the Ubuntu-based distribution selection. When it comes to Linux distributions, the more the merrier.
The Verdict
I like gOS and I would recommend checking it out if you're in the market for a new Linux distribution to play around with. It's pleasing to look at and is unique with a theme and implementation that sets it apart from other Linux flavors. If you're someone who simply doesn't use any Google apps then you might want to look elsewhere (though you can still use gOS and opt not to use any Google apps but that would defeat its purpose).
Since gOS is a free download, give it a shot and see what you think. If you run into any problems be sure to check out the support FAQ.
Linear Mode
