Elive is a non-commercial[1] Linux distribution based on Debian. It uses the Enlightenment desktop environment, offering a live DVD and a persistent USB image for 32- and 64-bit computers with Intel or AMD x86 processors.

Elive
Screenshot of a customised Elive Beta using E16
DeveloperSamuel F. Baggen
OS familyLinux (Unix-like)
Working stateCurrent
Source modelOpen source
Initial releaseJanuary 2005; 19 years ago (2005-01)
Latest release3.8.30
Latest preview3.8.32
Repositoryhttps://github.com/Elive
Available in75 languages
Package managerapt
Platformsi386, AMD64
Kernel typeMonolithic (Linux kernel)
Influenced byKnoppix
Default
user interface
Enlightenment
LicenseVarious
Official websitehttps://www.elivecd.org/

History

edit

Elive was established in early 2005 as a customized Knoppix Live DVD running the Enlightenment desktop. The first version to appear publicly was called Elive and referenced multiple times by DistroWatch's Ladislav Bodnar and Susan Linton.[2][3][4] It was also distributed by UK-based LinuxFormat magazine in 2007, as well as being offered on their cover-disc.[5]

In July 2007, Susan Linton wrote for Distrowatch, "I love Elive and version 1.0 is a wonderful first full release. Just about everything works and works well." At the time, the review was somewhat mixed, with certain criticisms pertaining to laptop usage, such as (at that time) lack of CPU throttling, or WEP when connecting to WiFi.[6]

Controversy regarding payment model

edit

In 2010, version 2.0 was released with improvements like upgrade mode, the "nurse" and more. Linux Magazine and Linux Journal especially touted the tight integration of the E17 window manager in their reviews.[7][8] However, this version required a payment for installation to hard disk which seriously impacted the initial popularity and was subsequently changed to a voluntary donation. A March 2010 article by Koen Vervloesem of LWN.net criticized Elive 2.0 for requiring payment partway through installation to a hard drive.[9]

Eight years after 2.0, version 3.0 was released.[10][11][12][13] Elive was no longer pay-to-install, but its prolonged development cycle[14] and certain other factors lead to mixed reviews of the project.[15]

Releases

edit

Three separate versions are currently available, as of 1 July 2023:

  • Stable (version 3.0.6), based on Debian Wheezy and E17. It has a 32-bit release only.[16]
  • Beta (now at version 3.8.30), which offers a 32- and 64-bit release. It is based on Debian Bullseye and uses the E16 desktop environment.[17]
  • Retrowave Stable based on 3.8.32 Beta[citation needed]
edit

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ F.Baggen, Samuel (2013-08-31). "Elive homepage: What is Elive". www.elivecd.org. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
  2. ^ Bodnar, Ladislav (2006-01-01). "Distrowatch: Download servers jammed by fans - Distro release teams caught off-guard by demand. Plus: Elive 0.3, distro upgrade tools". www.linuxformat.com. Retrieved 2020-04-19.
  3. ^ Linton, Susan (2009-07-01). "Distrowatch: Deal with the devil? - SUSE Linux Enterprise 11: Novell's commercial release. Plus: Elive, Parsix and kernel 2.6.29 features". www.linuxformat.com. Retrieved 2020-04-19.
  4. ^ Linton, Susan (2010-06-01). "Distrowatch: Elive Topaz 2.0" (PDF). www.linuxformat.com. Retrieved 2020-04-19.
  5. ^ "DVD 92 Elive - slick Live distro mixing Debian power and Enlightenment glitz. Plus: alternative OS megapack". www.linuxformat.com. 2007-05-01. Retrieved 2020-04-19.
  6. ^ Linton, Susan (July 9, 2007). "First look at Elive 1.0". distrowatch.com. Retrieved 2023-05-27.
  7. ^ "Become Enlightened | Linux Journal". www.linuxjournal.com. Retrieved 2020-04-19.
  8. ^ Hilzinger, Marcel. "Elive 1.9.22 Ecomorphs Compiz with Enlightenment Linux Magazine". Linux Magazine. Retrieved 2020-04-19.
  9. ^ Vervloesem, Koen (March 17, 2010). "Elive 2.0: Where Debian meets Enlightenment [LWN.net]". lwn.net. Retrieved 2023-06-10.
  10. ^ Wallen, Jack (2018-05-25). "Elive-brings-enlightenment-linux-desktop". www.linuxjournal.com. Retrieved 2020-04-19.
  11. ^ Sharma, Mayank (2018-11-01). "Elive 3.0 review". www.linuxformat.com. Retrieved 2020-04-19.
  12. ^ Perkins, John (2020-07-03). "Elive Review: For the Enlightened Linux Users". Make Tech Easier. Retrieved 2020-11-23.
  13. ^ Speed, Richard. "Dust off that old Pentium, Linux fans: It's Elive". www.theregister.com. Retrieved 2020-11-23.
  14. ^ Jack M. Germain (2019-05-10). "Elive Elevates Linux With Enlightenment". LinuxInsider. Retrieved 2020-04-19.
  15. ^ Smith, Jesse (September 24, 2018). "DistroWatch.com: Put the fun back into computing. Use Linux, BSD". distrowatch.com. Retrieved 2023-05-27.
  16. ^ Speed, Richard. "Dust off that old Pentium, Linux fans: It's Elive". www.theregister.com. Retrieved 2023-07-01.
  17. ^ "Elive Beta With Enlightenment Is Brilliant, but Don't Get Lost in the Maze". LinuxInsider. 2020-03-06. Retrieved 2020-06-13.
edit