Granular Linux

Granular Linux is a user-friendly, easy-to-use and freely distributed operating system based on the PCLinuxOS distribution of Linux and built around the KDE and Enlightenment open source desktop environments. It is designed as a desktop oriented distro suitable for newbies and regular users alike.

Available only as a 32-bit Live CD

The distribution can be downloaded via Softoware or from the project’s website as a single, Live CD ISO image that has been tagged only for the 32-bit (x86) instruction set architecture, but will also run on 64-bit hardware platforms.

Boot options

The Live CD provides users with a comprehensive boot menu, allowing them to start the live environment with default options or in safe graphics mode, use the safe boot environment or drop to a shell prompt, as well as to copy the content of the CD to RAM and run the operating system from there, ejecting the bootable medium.

Furthermore, the user can check the integrity of the disc (only if using a CD media), perform a system memory (RAM) diagnostic test using the powerful Memtest86+ utility, change the default language, as well as to add additional kernel parameters.

Powered by KDE and Enlightenment desktop environments

As mentioned, the operating system uses two of the most beautiful open source desktop environments, KDE and Enlightenment. However, before you can access them, you must select a keyboard layout and login using the root/root or guest/guest username/password combinations.

Keep in mind though, that you must manually choose between the KDE or Enlightenment (E17) desktop environments from the login manager, simply by pressing the “Session” button. While the KDE session uses a single taskbar located on the bottom edge of the screen, the Enlightenment session features a bottom dock/panel.

A plethora of powerful open source applications

Default applications include the Mozilla Thunderbird email and news client, Mozilla Firefox web browser, Pan news reader, Skype VoIP client, FileZilla file transfer client, Bluefish HTML editor, GIMP image editor, DeVeDe DVD-Video creator, SMPlayer video player, AbiWord word processor, Amarok audio player, and Synaptic Package Manager.

Bottom line

Dubbed “Linux Made Easy,” the Granular Linux operating system delivers an easy-to-use and user-friendly Linux-based operating system that can be used as your only OS. Too bad that it doesn't support 64-bit applications!

What is new in this release:

• This release brings with it solid stability, out-of-the-box usefulness, great multimedia experience, support for running Windows software, and much more in the size of a CD (live CD). Features: major packages include Linux kernel 2.6.26.8, KDE 3.5.10, Enlightenment 0.16.999, Firefox 3.0.4, Thunderbird 2.0.0.14, KOffice 1.6.3, Compiz Fusion 0.7.6, GIMP 2.6.3 and Wine 1.0.1; our own new repository; out-of-the-box support for audio and video files (xine and MPlayer); multimedia plugins for Firefox are now pre-installed; support for running Windows applications, and games; support for multimedia keyboards and the extra laptop keys; ATI and NVIDIA drivers included....