Blag Linux 30000
Yet another solid distro based on Fedora
Blag Linux, or the official Linux of the Brixton linux action group, is:
"BLAG is a Linux distribution based on Fedora Core and reduced to one CD. It includes
useful applications missing from Fedora Core (e.g. mp3, p2p, apt, etc...), as well as a
suite of graphics, Internet, audio, video, office, and peer-to-peer file sharing applications.
BLAG is up-to-date with all Fedora errata fixes at time of release and uses synaptic for
easy upgrades. The name stands for Brixton Linux Action Group, which works to
overthrow corporate control of information and technology through community action and
to spread Free Software."
Installation:
Installation is standard Fedora fare, using Anaconda which is more than able to handle the job. You are asked the standard issue language, keyboard, time zone, root password, network, and partition questions and off it goes. Anaconda just simply works and works well. The one place that Anaconda bothers me is it's latest version does not ask for a user account, that is left to be done latter. I cannot say that this is a bad thing, just a personal preference.
First Boot:
On boot you are presented with the Grub bootloader which has likely correctly identified your windowz install if applicable, and of course Blag. You boot up looking just like Fedora, and than are presented with the opportunity to add a user. This is also where you set up screen resolution and monitor configuration. Once done the log in screen is presented. Gnome, blackbox and Xfce are offered with Gnome being the default. Everything goes smoothly and efficiently. The desktop in Gnome is odd to say the least, my wife hated it and asked me to change the background. I cannot say what it is about it but it does feel disturbing (screenshots here). The icon set is fun and different from what I have seen elsewhere with squared off icons that really set the desktop apart.
What it has:
Clearly the intent of Blag is personal entertainment, the majority of the software installed is directed at music, video and Internet. Including several file swapping programs such as Bittorrent and aMule, streamtuner is included as well. An Ipod syncing app, xmms, and mplayer are all included. Gnome Office is the just about the only bow to the need to work. The included kernel is a Fedora 2.6.10-1.770_FC3, it is quite solid and reasonably quick, although it did cause a large slow down on some secure web sites. X.org 6.8.2 for the X server and Firefox and Thunderbird are here too. Fedora's update system has been ditched in favor of Synaptic. To me this is a good thing, I very much like synaptic and the way it handles things. Fedora would do well to investigate this idea. Like most distro's with synaptic, there is a huge amount of software to be gotten through it.
What it has not:
Open Office is the most conspicuous app that is missing, however as mentioned above, Gnome office is here, and Open Office is available via Synaptic if you need it.
Usage:
Being Fedora based, everything works quite well together. Everything you need is either installed by default or easily available in Synaptic. Installs work well updating the menu system every time (not all do this!!). Windows open quick, the feel is good and there were no major issues.
Conclusions:
As much as I really liked Blag, there are not a lot of risks taken here, at least not yet. For a group that really sounds like they want to take over the world one desktop at a time, I kind of expected more than a cool icon set and a semi-disturbing wallpaper. With the exception of the change to Synaptic, this looks and feels like Fedora, to the point that a co-worker was complaining about Fedora's update system and without realizing what I was implying I suggested he get Blag instead. He really likes Fedora, and wants to use it but without Fedora's update system, that to me pretty much described Blag. It is solid, usable and likable with a great deal to offer. I do recommend trying it.
"BLAG is a Linux distribution based on Fedora Core and reduced to one CD. It includes
useful applications missing from Fedora Core (e.g. mp3, p2p, apt, etc...), as well as a
suite of graphics, Internet, audio, video, office, and peer-to-peer file sharing applications.
BLAG is up-to-date with all Fedora errata fixes at time of release and uses synaptic for
easy upgrades. The name stands for Brixton Linux Action Group, which works to
overthrow corporate control of information and technology through community action and
to spread Free Software."
Installation:
Installation is standard Fedora fare, using Anaconda which is more than able to handle the job. You are asked the standard issue language, keyboard, time zone, root password, network, and partition questions and off it goes. Anaconda just simply works and works well. The one place that Anaconda bothers me is it's latest version does not ask for a user account, that is left to be done latter. I cannot say that this is a bad thing, just a personal preference.
First Boot:
On boot you are presented with the Grub bootloader which has likely correctly identified your windowz install if applicable, and of course Blag. You boot up looking just like Fedora, and than are presented with the opportunity to add a user. This is also where you set up screen resolution and monitor configuration. Once done the log in screen is presented. Gnome, blackbox and Xfce are offered with Gnome being the default. Everything goes smoothly and efficiently. The desktop in Gnome is odd to say the least, my wife hated it and asked me to change the background. I cannot say what it is about it but it does feel disturbing (screenshots here). The icon set is fun and different from what I have seen elsewhere with squared off icons that really set the desktop apart.
What it has:
Clearly the intent of Blag is personal entertainment, the majority of the software installed is directed at music, video and Internet. Including several file swapping programs such as Bittorrent and aMule, streamtuner is included as well. An Ipod syncing app, xmms, and mplayer are all included. Gnome Office is the just about the only bow to the need to work. The included kernel is a Fedora 2.6.10-1.770_FC3, it is quite solid and reasonably quick, although it did cause a large slow down on some secure web sites. X.org 6.8.2 for the X server and Firefox and Thunderbird are here too. Fedora's update system has been ditched in favor of Synaptic. To me this is a good thing, I very much like synaptic and the way it handles things. Fedora would do well to investigate this idea. Like most distro's with synaptic, there is a huge amount of software to be gotten through it.
What it has not:
Open Office is the most conspicuous app that is missing, however as mentioned above, Gnome office is here, and Open Office is available via Synaptic if you need it.
Usage:
Being Fedora based, everything works quite well together. Everything you need is either installed by default or easily available in Synaptic. Installs work well updating the menu system every time (not all do this!!). Windows open quick, the feel is good and there were no major issues.
Conclusions:
As much as I really liked Blag, there are not a lot of risks taken here, at least not yet. For a group that really sounds like they want to take over the world one desktop at a time, I kind of expected more than a cool icon set and a semi-disturbing wallpaper. With the exception of the change to Synaptic, this looks and feels like Fedora, to the point that a co-worker was complaining about Fedora's update system and without realizing what I was implying I suggested he get Blag instead. He really likes Fedora, and wants to use it but without Fedora's update system, that to me pretty much described Blag. It is solid, usable and likable with a great deal to offer. I do recommend trying it.
A few follow up notes:
Added 04/23/05:
It has been brought to my attention from Jeff, one of the Blag developers, that the Kernel in the final release has been updated to 2.6.11-1.14, and that the background has also been changed to "Tux's cousin. He's standing on an ancient petrified forest, to boot."
Jeff also went on to explain
"I'm not trying to fork off in a completely different world--interoperability with Fedora packages is desired, so completely changing things would break that compatibility (e.g. Ubuntu vs. Debian). But I think the package selection is far better--remember this is a single CD... :) If I wanted a different world, it would be based on OpenBSD instead. ;)
Tor, mplayer, xine, amule, streamtuner, etc. won't make it into Fedora, yet 'everyone' wants them."
I do agree with Jeff, that maintaining a solid connection with the base of the distro is important unless you are willing to become the total source of all packages for the distro Ubuntu being a great example of this as Jeff mentions, they have taken it apon themselves to re-invent Debian in their own image and are giving damn little back to Debian in the process (note to self: a good topic for another day).
Again, this is a very good distro, if you like Fedora, you will really like Blag.
Added 04/23/05:
It has been brought to my attention from Jeff, one of the Blag developers, that the Kernel in the final release has been updated to 2.6.11-1.14, and that the background has also been changed to "Tux's cousin. He's standing on an ancient petrified forest, to boot."
Jeff also went on to explain
"I'm not trying to fork off in a completely different world--interoperability with Fedora packages is desired, so completely changing things would break that compatibility (e.g. Ubuntu vs. Debian). But I think the package selection is far better--remember this is a single CD... :) If I wanted a different world, it would be based on OpenBSD instead. ;)
Tor, mplayer, xine, amule, streamtuner, etc. won't make it into Fedora, yet 'everyone' wants them."
I do agree with Jeff, that maintaining a solid connection with the base of the distro is important unless you are willing to become the total source of all packages for the distro Ubuntu being a great example of this as Jeff mentions, they have taken it apon themselves to re-invent Debian in their own image and are giving damn little back to Debian in the process (note to self: a good topic for another day).
Again, this is a very good distro, if you like Fedora, you will really like Blag.
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