ArchE17

As its name suggests, ArchE17 is an open-source operating system that uses the modern, futuristic Enlightenment E17 desktop environment/window manager on top of a stable Arch Linux base.

The distribution is split in two Live CDs

The distribution is split in two Live CDs, one for 32-bit (i386) architectures and another one for 64-bit (x86_64) hardware platforms. They have approximately 600MB in size each, and are designed from the ground up to be deployed to either blank CD discs or USB thumb drives.

You can only boot the live system from the boot prompt

This must be one of the most minimal boot prompt we’ve ever seen in an Arch Linux-based system. It only features the ability to start the live system, a function that will be automatically activated in five seconds from the moment the user boots the Live CD from the BIOS of a PC.

Beautiful, attractive, modern and easy to use graphical environment

Enlightenment is well known for being a beautiful, attractive, modern and easy to use graphical environment for Linux-based operating systems. In this distro, it features a transparent taskbar on the bottom edge of the screen, which has been designed to allow users to easily launch applications or to interact with running programs.

Includes free, open source applications

As expected, the distribution includes only free, open source applications. Among some of the most important ones, we can mention Iceweasel web browser, Wireshark network scanner, XChat IRC client, FileZilla file transfer client, Wicd network manager and Gedit text editor.

A great distribution with a rock-solid background and a beautiful interface

In conclusion, ArchE17 is great distribution of Linux with a rock-solid background, powered by Arch Linux, and a beautiful graphical desktop interface built around the Enlightenment window manager. It is a low on resources operating system suitable for computers with old and semi-old hardware components.

What is new in this release:

• Updated kernel to 3.7.3-1
• New Arch-Angelic theme, special thanks to Agust!
• Re-designed layout to use Engage.
• i686 version should be out later this week.