Longhorn Linux? Really?

[reactosguy]

http://www.longhorn.tk/

These people are introducing Longhorn Linux, a Linux distro with its GUI customized to look like Vista's Aero. 

Do YOU think it's great? Fail?  :

[Aloone_Jonez]

Why Vista?

Isn't Windows 7 better?

I don't know since I've used neither OS.

Wow Vista has been out for over three years now and I still haven't even used it; should I be proud of that?

[Refalm]

There's been a lot of these kinds of projects. And they aren't always as popular as the project members think they will be.

Ubuntu is popular because of GNOME, which is a simple and beautiful GUI, and Ubuntu's apt front-end which makes it easy to install applications and run updates.

The Longhorn Linux team should have tried to mimic Windows 7. At least Windows 7 has Snap, and the Longhorn team could've written a Compiz plugin to introduce that feature in Linux.

But now, there's no real advantage of mimicking Vista in Linux.

[reactosguy]

There's been a lot of these kinds of projects. And they aren't always as popular as the project members think they will be.

Ubuntu is popular because of GNOME, which is a simple and beautiful GUI, and Ubuntu's apt front-end which makes it easy to install applications and run updates.

The Longhorn Linux team should have tried to mimic Windows 7. At least Windows 7 has Snap, and the Longhorn team could've written a Compiz plugin to introduce that feature in Linux.

But now, there's no real advantage of mimicking Vista in Linux.

I agree that they aren't popular.

But they couldn't mimic Windows 7. It started in the beginning of 2009 and mimicking Windows 7 would've taken longer.

But in the future, ReactOS shall take the role of Windows 7 mimicking.

[davidnix71]

If they really want to make it look like Windoze, it needs some fake virus scans to randomly popup when the user is surfing the net telling the user that their computer is infected and they need to buy anti-virus protection now from someone in the Ukraine. And Blue Screen at random intervals that force the user to reboot. Maybe a system tray popup that says the OS may not be "Genuine." and ask for a cd key and permission to call home to authenticate.

They should add security popups like the really annoying UAC Vista hits you with every time you actually try to do something..

[worker201]

I'm sure I've mentioned before that Aero looks like somebody at Microsoft gave a 4-year-old kid a box of crayons (only 9, with no sharpener) and told him to make it look like Aqua.  And the kid failed, but by then it was too late.  I really don't see the point of making your OS look like the crappiest UI design of the last 5 years.

[piratePenguin]

I'm sure I've mentioned before that Aero looks like somebody at Microsoft gave a 4-year-old kid a box of crayons (only 9, with no sharpener) and told him to make it look like Aqua.  And the kid failed, but by then it was too late.  I really don't see the point of making your OS look like the crappiest UI design of the last 5 years.

I recall hearing a similar comparison when windows xp went mainstream..

I fucking despise microsoft designs. Of windows, of windows mobile (the new one of which may even be impressive technically, but is a shit departure from an iPhone-esque interface).

[Aloone_Jonez]

Xp should've had media centre, the Zune theme or even luna in silver as the default setting.

Fortunately it wasn't long before fix for uxtheme.dll was developed so people could make their own themes.

[Lead Head]

While these projects seem "neat" at first. I think they actually do more harm then good. Whats the point of even trying to get *Nix popular, if people will just think they are using windows anyways?

[piratePenguin]

While these projects seem "neat" at first. I think they actually do more harm then good. Whats the point of even trying to get *Nix popular, if people will just think they are using windows anyways?

Microsoft doesn't have any control over *nix?

Btw, I don't think these projects are "neat" in the least.

[reactosguy]

Plus, it's Linux. You can't run Windows apps unless you have WINE (which does poorly anyway).

Look at the system requirements. 3GB Hard drive space filled up, sounds good? Ah, but it uses 512MB of RAM. Enough to clog your PC?

Conclusion: If there's an operating system to mimic Windows' basic functionality, it's ReactOS (because they are working to make their OS neat and run many of the Windows apps).

[Lead Head]

Wine actually does pretty good now a days. React OS works very closely with the WINE project. React OS has a A LOONNGG way to go however before its even remotely useable.

But anyways, my point was that I think these type of projects to make Linux look and act like Windows do more harm then good.

[jman6495]

hi ,
i started the longhorn linux project a while back , and i would like to tell you , it is not to mimic vi$ta's shitty interface , but more the concepts of vista , from the pre-reset period (wikipedia search it )

we are aiming , finaly for a interface that resembles this :

oxygen :

Double-decked taskbar

plex :

Longhorn concept

aero :

Windows Longhorn (with DWM enabled)

to make a professional , free linux based os , with the ideas of this wonderfull creation , well ... until it became the horror today that we know as vista!

[worker201]

In those videos you posted, I saw a lot of "too flashy to be useful" shots, which were probably done in AfterEffects for the demo reel.  I suppose if that's what you want in an interface, then more power to you.  That's what Linux is all about, anyway - make it however you want to make it.  Still, I don't think it will be the right product for me.

As a side note, I found a really succinct comment on one of the other Longhorn demo videos seen at YouTube:

Was waporware then, is waporware now, will probably forever be waporware.

This is the standard MS tactics, show something "soon we will be this good" to prevent customers from buying competitors products, then quickly back-pedal to mediocricy at release date. Worked like a charm every time until now. My god, amazing that so many people fall for it every time.[sic]

[Lead Head]

hi ,
i started the longhorn linux project a while back , and i would like to tell you , it is not to mimic vi$ta's shitty interface , but more the concepts of vista , from the pre-reset period (wikipedia search it )

we are aiming , finaly for a interface that resembles this :

oxygen :
Double-decked taskbar

plex :
Longhorn concept

aero :
Windows Longhorn (with DWM enabled)

to make a professional , free linux based os , with the ideas of this wonderfull creation , well ... until it became the horror today that we know as vista!

I got the feeling from your website that you essentially wanted to create a Vista GUI clone in Linux. But if you're going for the "old" Longhorn style interface, then I suppose its not all that bad.

Also, welcome to the site!