looking in on bodhi

I've never installed Bodhi Linux here, but I've mentioned it here before, a couple of years ago. Recently, I downloaded bodhi-2.4.0-64.iso, used Unetbootin to get it onto a flash drive, and fired up a live session. I used the "Default" boot option.

As you boot into the live session, you're presented with several "Profiles" to choose from: Bare, Compositing, Desktop, Fancy, Laptop/Netbook, Tablet, and Tiling. I chose the Laptop/Netbook profile.

As well, there's a choice from six themes. I chose the "A-EB1-Moonlight" theme.

Here's the desktop:

Navigating the desktop takes a bit of getting used to if you aren't used to Enlightenment E17, but it isn't really much of a problem. E17 in Bodhi looks great, too.

Bodhi kinda keeps to the minimum with the default apps. The .iso weighs in at about 690 MB. There's no office suite -- no LibreOffice, not even AbiWord or Gnumeric. There's Leafpad for text editing. Terminology is the default terminal emulator. The system comes with the Enlightenment File Manager.

For web browsing, they include Midori.

The Synaptic package manager is also included; I tested it out by installing the Chromium web browser. No problems there.

Bodhi 2.4.0 is based on Ubuntu 12.04; the next Bodhi release, presumably based on Ubuntu 14.04, is still in the beta stage. But 12.04 is an LTS (Long-Term Support) release that will be supported for a few years yet, so Bodhi 2.4.0 should be fine to use for quite some time. I took a look at Bodhi's /etc/apt/sources.list file; as you can see (I've included only the lines that are uncommented by default in the live session, below), everything comes from Ubuntu 12.04 ("Precise"):

deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise main restricted
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates main restricted

deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise universe
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates universe

deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise multiverse
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates multiverse

deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-backports main restricted universe multiverse

deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu precise-security main restricted
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu precise-security universe
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu precise-security multiverse

deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu precise partner

deb http://packages.bodhilinux.com/bodhi precise stable
deb http://getdeb.bodhilinux.com/getdeb precise-getdeb apps games


Good-looking distro, from what I can tell, but I guess it's basically Ubuntu, when it comes down to it. For those who like E17, Bodhi's worth a look.

considering bodhi

I keep reading wonderful things about a fairly new distro, Bodhi Linux. Bodhi comes with the Enlightenment (E17) desktop; it's based on Ubuntu LTS, so there's no re-install necessary for at least two years. Blogger V.T. Eric Layton, a respected poster over at the Bruno's All Things Linux forums, seemed quite impressed by it (see: "Bodhi Linux -- It's About Time").

Another well-known Linux veteran, Carla Schroder, wrote: "Bodhi Linux is gorgeous, functional, and very customizable. It just so happens that's what grumpy old Linux nerds like me think Linux is always supposed to be." Check out her recent article, "Bodhi Linux, the Beautiful Configurable Lightweight Linux."

Bodhi's DistroWatch page says:

The default Bodhi system is light -- the only pre-installed applications are Midori, LXTerminal, PCManFM, Leafpad and Synaptic -- but more software is available via Bodhi Software Center, a web-based software installation tool.

Sounds like something worth looking into. Here's a link to the Bodhi Linux home page. You'll want to take a look at the links under "About."

I think Canonical should have put out something like Bodhi Linux. There's Ubuntu Minimal, which also seems quite interesting, if you don't mind having to install everything yourself, including the desktop manager and network manager. I found a nice guide at maketecheasier.com: http://maketecheasier.com/install-a-minimal-ubuntu-on-old-laptop/2012/02/24.

That looks nice, but I think something like Bodhi would be a better starting point for me. From my point of view, there's a lot to like. I love using E17 (I've got it installed in PCLinuxOS); the LTS versions are the only Ubuntu versions I normally use; and it's always great having the vast Ubuntu repos to work with. I've got a feeling I'll be adding Bodhi before too long.