Netrunner GNU/Linux

[Welly Wu]

I downloaded the Netrunner 16 "Ozymandias" 64 bit GNU/Linux ISO file and I used VMWare Workstation 12 Pro 64 bit to install it in a guest virtual machine. It is based off of Ubuntu 15.04 64 bit GNU/Linux. It has this cool Egyptian theme going on. Otherwise, it has a pretty unique set of default software packages that are not typically found in most GNU/Linux distributions. It is an interesting selection of software packages to say the least. I find it to be pretty stable with no kernel panics so far. It's a bit slow especially during boot up phase, but it handles pretty smoothly and it is responsive. It uses the KDE Plasma 5 desktop environment and window manager. It's not my favorite GNU/Linux distribution, but it is one that I will be using more frequently. I won't switch Ubuntu 14.04.3 64 bit LTS GNU/Linux for Netrunner 16 64 bit GNU/Linux anytime soon, but using it with VMWare Workstation 12 Pro 64 bit is nice. I was wondering if anyone else here has tried or currently uses Netrunner regardless of which specific version that you use or used in the past. I think that it is a good GNU/Linux distribution with a lot going for it.

[mikodo]

I installed the default Netrunner by Blue-Systems, http://www.netrunner.com/about/ that was using then, Kubuntu/Ubuntu I believe, a little over a year ago. That was in a multi-install scenario, with my main Xubuntu install and others. It was pleasant and my lasting impression of it from a possibly ~ 2 day install was, that it has potential, (seems to me, it was still possibly Beta then). To what it has evolved to, I don't know. I haven't installed it since.I don't know the corporate aspirations of Blue-Systems. Being developed by a corporation, might, I say might, push it in development, faster.

Back then, I was interested in having and keeping a second install of Manjaro Linux. I was interested in it, and wanted to learn it more. I didn't see the value of having another Xfce desktop with it so, hence the interested in the more cutting-edge, rolling release of Netrunner with Manjaro.

https://wiki.manjaro.org/index.php?title=Main_Page

I see now the regular install is based on Kubuntu/Debian and they still have the rolling release of Manjaro Netrunner.

The Netrunner OS is intriguing. A more direction focused KDE desktop, that is aesthetically pleasing, and not overwhelming to new KDE desktop users, as KDE can be for some. Also, it seemed then, to be very similar in ways to earlier MS desktops in some design functions. That might be appealing to MS Window refugees. For myself, I have decided to stay with just Xubuntu installs only now, because of time constraints, and trying to budget my computer time.

http://www.netrunner.com/netrunner-overview/

Welly Wu. I will certainly be interested in reading more, if you share more of your experience with it.

[Welly Wu]

1. http://www.netrunner.com/netrunner-16-ozymandias/

These are the new features found in Netrunner 16 "Ozymandias" 64 bit GNU/Linux. KDE Plasma 5.3 is visually attractive, but I just can't get my head wrapped around it when I am used to Ubuntu Unity. Most of the advanced new features are not appealing to me and it is not yet stable enough for me to trust it. The other default software applications are interesting including Microsoft Skype which I pay for each month and I never saw that in another GNU/Linux distribution by default. GMusicBrowser is okay, but it won't compete against JRiver Media Center 21 yet. The inclusion of Handbrake is another interesting choice as I use it occasionally to rip and encode DVD-Video discs. Otherwise, Netrunner 16 is another GNU/Linux distribution among many others to consider. Beyond the unique theme, Netrunner 16 64 bit GNU/Linux is another distribution among many others competing for my time and personal usage. KDE Plasma is too advanced for my needs. It has a ton of advanced features and capabilities that make it unnecessarily complex to use on a daily basis. I could spend days and weeks configuring it to make it work exactly the way that I want to and never be satisfied ever. The other problem is that the control settings are too complicated. There are simply too many things that can be configured that can go wrong especially for a new KDE user like myself.

Don't get me wrong. KDE and Kubuntu have their share of loyal fans. I get that. I'm just not one of their power users yet and I don't plan to be either.

Ubuntu Unity strikes the right balances among usability, flexibility, and customization. It's locked down enough to allow some changes to be made based on different usage case scenarios yet it stays familiar enough for pretty much any Ubuntu user to get straight to work on his or her desktop environment and window manager. There are enough third party Ubuntu Unity tweak tools to configure it to meet my needs and no more. Canonical poured a lot of time and money into improving and refining Ubuntu Unity to where it stands today with Ubuntu 15.04 64 bit GNU/Linux and that ain't such a bad thing to behold. It's reliable, stable, and mature. It rarely crashes. Recovering from a crashed desktop environment is pretty simple: just log out or restart your PC and it will be back up and running again. It doesn't go wild with configuration settings and customization either and it doesn't get too locked into place leaving users frustrated with fine tuning it to meet their needs.

Otherwise, Netrunner 16 is more for GNU/Linux geeks looking for the familiarity of Ubuntu with the set of default applications and theming that only Netrunner can provide. It's a twist off of Kubuntu 15.04 64 bit GNU/Linux if that's your thing. If Kubuntu is too vanilla and stock by default, then Netrunner will be more to your preferences and liking as a power Kubuntu distribution for KDE enthusiasts. It's an interesting GNU/Linux distribution and it is solid. I do recommend it only to power KDE users.