Introduction

Vector Linux 5.9, released in late December of last year, is a Slackware 12.0-based distribution that uses Xfce 4.4.2 as its default user interface (“UI”). Generally speaking, Xfce requires less horsepower than other UIs, like GNOME and KDE, and so Vector Linux (“VL” for short) bills itself as an excellent operating system to install on older, lower-powered computers. I’ve been using it for the past two weeks, and like what I see.

VL comes in several free (i.e. “download the ISO and burn it yourself”) and non-free flavors. If you want to try VL before installing it, there’s also a live CD available. VL also produces a KDE-based “SOHO” edition, currently at version 5.8; and they’re working on a 64-bit version of VL 5.9 Standard, which is in beta as of this writing. Both the Standard and SOHO versions come in for-purchase “Deluxe” versions, which include extra software and email support. They’re available at the VL CD store.

While I am not a fan of slackware I do like Vector and have installed it a couple of times, well done distro, Baldy

Read the rest of the Review

Don’t look now, but the third volley in the second browser war is about to be fired, and it’s packing an impressive payload. Mozilla, the folks developing the Firefox Web browser, last week released a new test version. It’s the third beta of Firefox 3.0, and it’s solid enough that it could become your main browser right now, even before it’s formally finished. Regular readers know I usually warn mainstream users away from beta software, but Firefox 3.0 beta 3 is different. Not only does it seem to be very stable, but it fixes several problems that bothered Firefox 2.0 users.

Firefox 3 Beta: Good Enough Now and Getting Better