On the net we can find a large number of Linux distributions of all kinds, from complete distros, simple and for advanced users to Linux systems that imitate other systems, such as Windows, so that users feel more familiar with them. Within this second type of Linux distros is where Endless OS comes into play, a strange project, but one that has become very popular, which seeks to bring the experience of a mobile operating system, such as Android, to the PC.
Endless OS is a Debian-based Linux operating system that offers users an ordinary and simplified experience thanks to its EOS Shell desktop, derived from GNOME 3. Thanks to this, this distro goes one step further by demonstrating that a Linux operating system It does not have to be complicated to use, but can be as much, or more, than Windows even for inexperienced users.
This distro is committed to using a read-only root file system managed by OSTree, which allows managing the applications of the distro in a much easier and safer way, avoiding any user having the slightest doubt about how it works.
Endless OS, the free operating system of some laptops
The most common when we buy a laptop is that it comes with a Windows 10 OEM license. However, there are some manufacturers that offer cheaper laptops without an operating system, or install other free operating systems as FreeDOS or Endless OS as standard.
Specifically, this operating system may be installed by default in some Acer notebooks that are sold without an operating system. However, that does not compel users to use it, but it is possible at any time to install another operating system, such as Windows, to replace Endless OS, or even use it together in a Dual Boot configuration.
Endless OS Features
Endless OS is yet another distro that wants to end the myth that Linux is difficult to use. Therefore, this distro offers a desktop inspired by the launchers of Android and iOS applications (especially on tablets) so that from the first moment users, even those who enter Endless OS for the first time, can use the distro without problems.
In addition to its ease of use, this system comes with more than 100 free programs and applications that we can use from the first moment. Among them we find a web browser (Google Chrome), an office suite (LibreOffice), a multimedia player (VLC), basic system tools, games, etc. If we have an Internet connection we can download more applications completely free of charge.
This distro has no cost . Any user can download it and use it for the purposes they want, both personal and professional. In addition, it has completely free periodic updates to keep it up to date and, being based on Linux, it is less vulnerable to viruses than other systems such as Windows.
Basic version vs full version
Endless OS offers users two different versions. The basic version is the smallest version of this distro, occupies about 2 GB and comes with a few pre-installed applications. It is the recommended version for users who have an Internet connection, since it allows us to download and install other apps through its software center. To use it, it is recommended to have a USB with at least 8 GB of free space and we can use it in Live Mode.
On the other hand, the full version comes with more than 100 programs of all kinds installed by default. Among them we can find games, productivity programs and even resources to learn to cook or make health consultations. This version occupies 16 GB and a USB of at least 32 GB is required to test it. If we do not have Internet access, this is the version that will give us the most service.
Does not allow running Windows programs
We must make it clear that we are talking about a Linux distro, with all the good and bad that this entails. Unlike other distros that usually bring software (such as Wine) that allows you to install and use Windows programs , Endless OS does not have this feature. Mainly because the support is not perfect, and in addition to the fact that many applications do not work well with this program, its configuration can complicate things a bit.
Endless OS wants to offer the best performance possible, and the only way to achieve this is to turn its back on advanced programs and offer native Linux alternatives to all Windows applications. In case you need Windows programs, from Endless 3.0 it is possible to install this distro together with Windows in a Dual-Boot .
Download Endless OS
This distro is completely free and we can download the latest version from its website . We are going to be able to choose several ways to download and install this distro. If we already have Windows on our PC and we don’t want to format, we can choose the ” Side-by-Side ” option. This allows us to install Endless OS together with Windows through an installer that we must run on Windows. This will copy all the necessary files to the hard disk and modify the boot so that, when we turn on the PC, it asks us what system we want to load.
This is the easiest way, since if we get tired of this distro and want to uninstall it, we can do it like any other program, from the “add or remove programs” section of Windows 10.
In case you want to download an image to manually install the distro (for example, to format and work only with it) we can choose whether we want to download a desktop version of this distro, a version for a virtual machine (ideal to be able to test it before nothing) and even an image that will allow us to install it on a Raspberry Pi 4 .
Minimum and recommended requirements
In order to use this distro, the first thing we must have is a 64-bit processor , since there is no official 32-bit image. Any CPU sold after 2007 will smoothly meet this requirement. Although its developers do not specify speed or cores, it is expected to have at least a Dual-Core CPU of at least 1 GHz.
As for RAM memory, this distro can work perfectly with 2 GB of memory. And we will need about 32 GB of storage space in case we want to install the most complete version of it.
Finally, this distro loads the graphics drivers of any graphics card, both Intel and AMD or NVIDIA, although in case of using one of the last two it is recommended to update them after installing the distro to take better advantage of its performance.
Of course, we must take into account that there are a number of components not compatible with this operating system:
- Smart card readers.
- Fingerprint readers.
- Internal modems.
- Expansion ports.
- Asus Number Pad.
- Asus Screen Pad.