It's been some time since I've written a a review about a Linux distribution, in fact the last one I wrote was back in September. The reason I have taken a step back from writing these is because with my status as head of Bodhi Linux I feel I am no longer an impartial source for these reviews. That being said, since I am so involved in the Bodhi project I've been reading more reviews of the late and I've been astonished how many "reviewers" don't really even look at the distro they are reviewing!
Whenever I took the time to write a distribution review, I always made it a point to actually install the distribution on my system and use it as my main operating system for a minimum of a few days. Sure this takes a little bit more effort, but it is necessary if you are going to write an informed article. I amazes me how many people that write reviews simply boot a distribution in virtual box (some don't even install it!) take a few screen shots and then call it a day. Some don't even load any of the default applications or even look at the project's website. Sure it is OK to load the distribution as a virtual machine, but this should not be the only method of testing it for the purposes of a review.
I believe that if you are going to do something then it is worth doing right. I've been approached by distributions before to write reviews and if I didn't have time to write something of substance I just wouldn't write anything at all.
~Jeff Hoogland
Truth be told, I am guilty of some of the things you mentioned. Then again, the reason why I test in VirtualBox (the installation, though I try to test the live session on a USB drive if possible) is because I don't have a spare computer lying around with which to mess around, and I don't want to take chances with my only computer right now. The other nice thing about virtual machine testing is that I can tweak the settings: for example, I can progressively lower the allocated RAM to see just how lightweight a distribution is. And this final point is just my opinion, but I think that a distribution really needs to wow me for it to earn a place on my hard drive, and this has only happened 3.75 times aside from Linux Mint: Sabayon 5.2, Fedora 11 "Leonidas", (I know this isn't a distribution but) KDE 4.3 and 4.5, and #! 10 "Statler" (OK, I didn't actually install it, but when VirtualBox stopped working on my main Linux Mint installation, I turned to my #! live USB system for virtual machine testing).
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a Linux Mint user since 2009 May 1
@PV, As you I don't have a spare computer to mess around but I partitioned my hard disk in order to have some space for Windows, and for two different Linux installations. The first Linux partition is for my main OS environment, the second one is dedicated to trials. The double partition scheme is also invaluable when my distribution comes to a new release. Normally I don't upgrade may main OS, I just do a fresh install of the new release in my second partition and copy all my settings from my main home directory. If everything is ok, after a few weeks the previous 'main' partition becomes the one to mess with
ReplyDelete@Chaos: The issue is that I actually did try installing another Linux distribution alongside Linux Mint 7 "Gloria" GNOME and Microsoft Windows XP on my old desktop computer: Fedora 11 "Leonidas" GNOME. Not only was I not able to install it, it managed to somehow mess up my Linux Mint partition as well, meaning I had to reformat that part of my hard drive (thankfully the Microsoft Windows XP partition on which I stored all my data — on that computer I stored my data on the Microsoft Windows XP partition and only left enough space on the Linux Mint 7 partition for the base system and added applications — was untouched). Call me paranoid/crazy, but that has kind of scarred me to the point where I don't want to take a chance like that again. That's why I much prefer VirtualBox. The only time when I will install another Linux distribution on my hard drive is if I seriously consider replacing Linux Mint, which in all honesty seems rather unlikely considering that Linux Mint has just been so good to me.
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a Linux Mint user since 2009 May 1
The reason for this is that there are more and more casual Linux users these days. The gap between the hardcore geeks and the people who don't even realize they're using Linux is closing. Distros are becoming more and more like remix ISOs as time goes on, and people are reviewing them as such, rather than observing the reality of the situation.
ReplyDeleteIn other words, our geeks are becoming lazier than ever, and this complacence is damaging the chances of new software options.
I tend to agree with the OP. Sure, installing on a VM is fine, but it does not give any indication on hardware issues, which I am sorry to say still plague many Linux distributions. Of course any single reviewer has his own combination of hardware, but as more and more reviewers look at a distro, problems are easier signalled.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I agree that many reviews that I see, limit themselves to screenshots, eye candy and media-related applications. As a self-confessed geek, I am not interested in the n-th music player. I would like to know if the problems with HTML mail in evolution are solved, if there is any progress in syncing my PDA or if there are new applications in the distro that other distros do not offer.
So yes, I hope that all reviewers read this blog and the reactions.
Paai
You are right and that is why I have only made some few reviews myself, (4 to be exact) and two of them were published at distrowatch.com.
ReplyDeleteBut, I've only reviewed distributions I have used as my main OS for some weeks, even months before writing a review.
Ah! and I also read few other reviews and forums about the distro I'm going to review before writing mine.
To read other's reviews, I go to OSnews or Linux Today or distrowatch, where I know only the best ones will be, or at least I think that :).
This problem is far more pervasive than distribution reviews. Unfortunately, anyone with a dangerous amount of computer knowledge and access to a blog has become a critic. Even worse, they have become self-proclaimed experts - doling out advice and "hacks" to "fix" things according to their knowledge. Unfortunately these "fixes" and "reviews" generally cause more problems than relief and casual users end up turned off.
ReplyDeleteFor this reason I tend to ignore reviews and advice from anyone without some pedigree of knowledge. I really don't give a darn about how some 14 year old found out a way to run Ubuntu on his toaster or why SuSE is a bad distribution because an unemployed call center tech hates green....
Don't forget how many reviewers just review the installation process. That's as far as they get. It's pretty ridiculous, especially when big Linux sites then publish these "reviews".
ReplyDeleteWith respect, I for one have not missed your "reviews" as I have never, yet (although one can hope) read a decent review of yours. You skim the surface and make decisions after a brief run of a distro. It's a poor way to offer up reviews to your "readers".
ReplyDeletePlease try to be a bit more thorough and at least run a release in a "real" setup and not a Virtualbox setup as they just don't cut it for testing all components.
@Ano I've never just run a distro in virtual box and then posted a "review" on it... Which posts are you referring to?
ReplyDeleteI only review occasionally, and the reasons include:
ReplyDelete* I actually use this software to do work, so I can't roll distros in and out on a whim; it takes too long to get set up on a new system, both from a package/application standpoint and from a data-migration standpoint (everything from user files to e-mail profiles, browser bookmarks, etc.)
* I always install on actual hardware - I don't use VMs at all
I love the current Distrowatch review, also done in a VM. I commented in the Weekly that DW needs to establish some standards for reviews, like actually installing the distribution, but my comment was deleted.
ReplyDeleteI review distros not in VM, but mostly in Live environment. Yes, that does not give full impression of what distro can give. But it definitely highlights hardware issues if they are. As long as I have problematic WiFi cards on my laptops, Live version is enough to evaluate whether issues are solved in the distro or not. Also, Live is enough to understand what you get OOTB.
ReplyDeleteHi I have found a good read about bodhi in tech republic.. i really agree with the author about the e17 desktop.. "I find users either love E17 or hate it".. for me i just love it..
ReplyDeletehttp://www.techrepublic.com/blog/opensource/bodhi-linux-e17-and-ubuntu-make-a-great-combination/2339
its not a review about bodhi.. its just the opinion of the author about bodhi..