A review of BeatrIX Linux

Introduction

Beatrix Linux is a fairly new, small live CD distribution that isn't listed on Distrowatch yet. I discovered it from an article on PCLinuxOnline. Beatrix includes the Gnome desktop, Firefox browser, Evolution email client and OpenOffice.org office suite. The website describes it as "a compact (Less than 200 megs), operating system aimed at both office and home users who want something simpler and superior to Microsoft Windows, and that will run on just about any IBM-compatible PC made in the past 10 years."

Using BeatrIX

A few seconds after starting to boot from the CD you are presented with a blinking cursor. Your options are just to hit "enter" to continue with a default boot or to use either the "linux26 toram" (for extra speed) or "linux24" (for Kernel 2.4) boot options. From this point it took one minute to get the complete Gnome desktop loaded. The desktop (below) is very Windows like indeed. "Computer" has the pre-mounted drives and is very similar to "My Computer." "My Files" is the users home directory and is the same as "My Documents." Shortcuts to Firefox, Evolution, OpenOffice and Gaim included descriptions saying that they are a web browser, email client, word processor and instant messenger. "Trash" is the receptacle for deleted items like the "Recycle bin."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Applications" launches the menu with "Desktop preferences", "Internet" (email client, Gaim and Firefox), "Office" (create presentations, draw, spreadsheet, web page editor and word processor), "System tools" (archive, configuration editor and terminal), "Help" and "Debian menu" (which doesn't do anything).

"Actions" opens the menu with "Run application", "Recent documents", "Take screenshot", "Lock screen" and "Logout."

Software

BeatrIX includes arguably the most popular and user friendly web browser (Firefox), email client (Evolution), office suite (OpenOffice.org) and instant messaging application (Gaim) available for Linux. It also includes an archiving tool and a terminal.

Overall

BeatrIX is a distribution that I could give to Aunt Jane and she probably wouldn't even notice that she wasn't using Windows. The whole distribution is 200 mb. The software included is just what you need to work, no more no less. The only bug that I found was that clicking on "Debian menu" didn't do anything.  For a 0.1 release this is very good indeed and I will certainly keep an eye on BeatrIX in the future. For the time being, if you are interested in more mature small but complete distributions, Damn Small Linux and Slax are worth taking a look at.