A step back into Linux: LXLE

Posted by jaslar
Apr 4, 2015 at 06:17 AM

I happened to pick up a bargain machine today - a used Lenovo ThinkCentre All In One PC for $70. It came without an operating system, so I tried LXLE 2014.04.01 (based on Ubuntu’s latest Long Term Support distribution, but with the LXDE desktop environment). Easiest install I’ve had in years, and very little post-installation work (thanks in part to bundled licenses to support Flash, music, and video). Three things of note, here:

1. It’s also very easy now to install nvPY - a cross-platform Simplenote client that works much like Notational Velocity.
2. Chrome apps on Linux. I set up a Unity-like panel for apps on the left side of the monitor, and can put things like the Chrome version of Workflowy, which now is very easy to launch as a separate app.
3. Now my go-to-apps look like this:

- Files (PCMANFM 1.2.0, included)
- Chrome (had to add - default is Firefox)
- Haroopad (added)
- LibreOffice (included)
- Notecase Pro (added)
- nvPY (added)
- Software Center (included)
- Workflowy standalone Chrome app
- XMind

After using Windows 7 exclusively for the past few months, Linux is, strangely, a relief, requiring far less maintenance than Windows. All of the tools except Notecase Pro are free, too. I recommend LXLE (http://www.lxle.net) unreservedly. It’s getting great reviews as a terrific way to rejuvenate older PCS. It’s modern, fast, polished, and stable. And forum readers will recognize a lot of famliar names in my favorite apps - mostly because this was where I found out about most of them. Those of you with older PCs (particularly any still running abandoned XP), this might be worth a look. And I love this huge monitor!