German distro based on Debian opts
to make it easy for Windows refugees
By Larry Cafiero
After a trying day last week while choosing a distro for this week’s column, augmented with an unusually wide variety of non-starters, Distro of the Week finally decided on this week’s Linux distro.
Direct from Germany, VailuxOS is a German desktop-oriented Linux distribution based on Debian’s “Stable” branch. The project’s primary goal is to make the transition from Windows to Linux as seamless as possible by maintaining familiar ways of working and workflows. The distribution uses the KDE Plasma desktop.
We took the latest version, 1.6.1.4, out for a test spin to see what it’s all about.
Installing VailuxOS 1.6.1.4
Before we start, it should bear mentioning that one of the main reasons for this distro, which is making it easy for Windows refugees to find a home with Linux. That’s an admirable proposition, of course, and with that in mind we downloaded the ISO.
The minimum system requirements for VailuxOS are fairly straightforward: A dual-core 64-bit or more CPU is required, as is at least 4 GB of RAM, and at least 25 GB of storage space available. In the graphics department, a 3D-accelerated GPU with at least 256 MB VRAM is required, as is a display of at least 1024-by-768 or higher resolution. Internet connection is also suggested in installing the distro.
At a relatively hefty 7.1 GB, the ISO took longer than usual to download, but once the process was complete and was installed relatively easily on a USB drive, we took the live USB to install this distro on a few laptops available.
The Calamares installer comes up quickly after clicking the icon on the desktop, and after installing the usual information – location for the time/date, keyboard type, disk partition, user login/password – and after checking everything out, we were on our way.
Kicking the tires on VailuxOS
Rebooting after the installation, VailuxOS came up relatively quickly with the KDE Plasma desktop environment, albeit modified, with the menu grouped with icons in the center of the bottom panel. On the left is a very convenient weather program while at the right are the usual suspects, icon-wise: Volume, Bluetooth, Display Brightness, Devices, Network, and Time.
There’s a good reason that the ISO was so robust. VailuxOS includes the various KDE-based tools which should be familiar to regular KDE users, like Dolphin file manager, Discovery software center, Ark archiver, and the Kate text editor, among others. However, there are a variety of software that is not often included in initial installations which is a feather in the distro’s cap: the LibreOffice suite of software, for starters, is available right off the bat, as is the VLC media player.
As far as web browsers go, VailuxOS bypasses some of the more popular browsers like Firefox and instead include Waterfox, a free/open source alternative which worked adequately. Email program? This distro opted for the KDE-based Kmail, which I tried unsuccessfully and failed to set up. So off to Discovery to install Thunderbird for ease of use.
Downloading GIMP for safe measure – even though VailuxOS comes with KolourPaint and ImageMagick – we were ready to both rock and roll.
Despite the unique look with the modified KDE Plasma desktop – the menu in the center took some getting used to – the Debian underpinnings and the spry performance that accompanies it was second to none. The Weather program that dominates the left side of the bottom panel is something one gets used to and, as it turned out, I referred to it from time to time.
The Waterfox web browser deserves special mention, as it performed flawlessly throughout the week, surfing the web and playing some online games, handling the latter with the same aplomb that Firefox would handle them; and that’s no small feat, since not all web browsers perform quite as well as Waterfox. Once again, the VailuxOS developers got this one right.
This may sound silly, but it bears mentioning. KDE produces a software program called KDE Connect which allows the user to “connect” their hardware to their phone, which might sound trivial but this software is an absolute blast to play with. But it’s functional as well, whether it’s transferring files between your computer and your phone (or vice-versa), and you can even control your mouse from your phone.
But back to the daily grind of use, VailuxOS hits all the high marks when it comes to performance and speed on a wide variety of hardware. As expected, all multitasking issues that arose were handled with the usual Debian-based je ne sais quois, with the RAM rarely reaching over 3 GB. While it barely broke a sweat in that department, it also bears mentioning that the distro plays nicely with online programs like Google Docs and Google Drive.
The final word
If the sole purpose of VailuxOS is to cushion the blow, so to speak, for new users escaping Windows to use an “acceptable” Linux distribution, then it succeeds on several levels. For one, the KDE Plasma desktop would make any Windows refugees feel welcome, and the variety of software available on the initial install makes adding other programs minimal.
That said, VailuxOS is an admirable attempt in making new users welcome to Linux, and it’s a wonder why it isn’t higher than the mid-60s in Distrowatch’s page-hit rankings, especially with all the problems associated with the Windows 11 rollout. If there is a “fault,” it’s this: The distro adapts Linux to Windows habits instead of forcing users to adapt a Linux zeitgeist, or even at least a Linux mindset.
Is that good or bad? That remains to be seen.
Nevertheless, VailuxOS 1.6.1.4 is solid top to bottom, and both beginners and more experienced users would each find things they would like about this distro.
Give VailuxOS a shot. Download the ISO from its download page.
Do you have a distro you think would make a great feature for Distro of the Week? Don’t be shy—let me know! Email me at larry.cafiero@gmail.com and I’ll make an effort to make your choice available to the wider public … No suggestion is too mainstream!