Linux Royal Xfce

Linux Royal Xfce is an open source and freely distributed operating system based on the world's most popular free distribution of Linux, Ubuntu, and built around the lightweight Xfce desktop environment. It is specifically engineered to be deployed on low-end machines and computers with old hardware components.

Still distributed as Live DVDs for 64-bit and 32-bit architectures

We must admit that we were expecting to see smaller ISO images for this edition of Linux Royal, especially because of its main design. However, it is distributed as two Live DVD ISO images of 2GB and 2.2GB in size, which means that the users will have to prepare DVD discs or USB flash drives of 2GB and 4GB respectively.

Once again, the boot loader is identical with the one found on other Linux Royal editions, allowing the user to start the live session with default options or in safe graphics mode, boot an existing OS from the first disk, run a memory test, and install the distribution without testing it (not recommended).

Lightweight Xfce desktop environment accompanied by XBMC

Unfortunately, the Live DVDs are designed to drop users to a login prompt instead of directly entering the graphical session. Therefore, you will have to type in the "royal" username and hit Enter in order to login. The default desktop environment is Xfce, but it is also possible to select the XBMC multimedia interface from the display manager.

Default applications include the Blender 3D graphics renderer, Inkscape vector graphics editor, Mozilla Firefox web browser, GIMP image editor, Camorama webcam viewer, Shotwell image viewer and organizer, HotShots screen capture tool, Google Chrome web browser, and BleachBit system cleaner utility.

Bottom line

All in all, Linux Royal Xfce is a decent operating system that can be used by anyone who want to turn old and semi-old computers into modern workstations. Also, do not hesitate to test the KDE, LTS Full, LTS Lite and MATE editions of Linux Royal.