**Update: This review is for GnackTrack Final. I’m downloading the R2 as I’m typing this so expect some updates to the review if anything is changed.
When I was recently browsing for new Linux distributions to try out, I ran across one that caught my eye: GnackTrack. A Gnome-based-Ubuntu-child, this distro gave me the chills when booting it up for the first time. Not only is the entire system designed to look amazing, it’s also designed for security testing. The list of tools is too long to go into here but let’s just say that BackTrack finally has some big competition. If you’re one of those people who likes trying out the next-best-thing, this would be it!
I have a feeling this is going to be one of those Ubuntu forks that takes on a face of its own and grows immensely. Based on Ubuntu 10.04 LTS, you can expect this system to have full support for quite a while. In fact, I’m going to install it on my external harddrive as soon as I get a chance. There’s not much more to say other than; if you have virtual machine software or an extra flash/usb drive laying around, try it out! (I’ve provided a screenshot below but it doesn’t do the system justice, you have to see to believe.)
(click for larger preview)
One of my favorite flavors of Linux was released recently but taking a new approach. Perhaps they got tired of the corporate-minded ideals that are finding their way into Ubuntu or perhaps they just wanted to start a fresh branch. Whatever the case, Linux mint has now released a crisp new branch in their family tree: Linux Mint Debian. Debian itself is the parent of Ubuntu and the grandparent of Mint, now she becomes the parent of this new system. Below I’ve uploaded screenshots of the system running by itself and with an added wallpaper from Gnome-Look. Although the new OS has just been born I can see great potential. The image file and further infomation can be found on the Linux Mint website.
**You can expect to see a post about my business cards fairly soon!
Still working on getting that new website domain, should have it in a week or so. It’ll be fun to backup this whole site and move it to a new domain. Of course Viper Amped will stay functioning right up until the second *censored* is fully available. And you thought you were going to get a peek at my new domain name!
And now I’ve officially tempted you with the lure of a new site, I would like to say that I’m working on my book, although once I have a dedicated laptop to the book’s production, it’ll go more smoothly. Hoping to use Gnome 3 but the new prototype (don’t even know if that’s the right word for it), read some article somewhere and they had a lovely little screenshot of a pleasant desktop. If you have no idea what I’m talking about or what Gnome even is, don’t worry. Neither does anyone else.
Gnome Shell is the new project that is underway for the Gnome window manager (WM). Currently it is in a beta-type state but may be avaliable in either the new Ubuntu release or the one after that. (Below is a nice screenshot of it running on my computer.)
Several people (including myself) are opposed to the idea of implementing it as the default Ubuntu WM since it is quite hard to get “under the hood” of the system. I would not recommend it for business use but it’s kinda fun to play around with.
As you might be able to see from the screenshot, you can add or remove virtual desktops to create more space. One is also able to drag programs between virtual desktops. It is very similar to Compiz’s exposition effect. I might do a screencast of it in use for a better demonstration.
