The hype around "convergence" just won't die it seems. We have heard it from Ubuntu a lot, KDE, even from Google and Apple in fact. But the dream of true convergence, a uniform OS experience across platforms, never really materialised. Even behemoths like Apple and Googled failed to pull it off with their Android/iOS duopoly. Purism's Debian based PureOS wants to change all that for good.

Purism, PureOS, and the future of Convergence

Purism, a computer technology company based out of California, shot to fame for its Librem series of privacy and security focused laptops and smartphones. Purism raised over half a million dollars through a Crowd Supply crowdfunding campaign for its laptop hardware back in 2015. And unlike many crowdfunding megahits which later turned out to be duds, Purism delivered on its promises big time.


Later in 2017, Purism surprised everyone again with their successful crowdfunding campaign for its Linux based opensource smartphone, dubbed Librem 5. The campaign raised over $2.6 million and surpassed its 1.5 million crowdfunding goal in just in two weeks. Purism's Librem 5 smartphones will start shipping late 2019.

Librem, which loosely refers to free and opensource software, was the brand name chosen by Purism for its laptops/smartphones. One of the biggest USPs of Purism devices is the hardware kill switches that it comes loaded with, which physically disconnects phone's camera, WiFi, Bluetooth, and mobile broadband modem.

Meet PureOS, Purism's Debian Based Linux OS

PureOS is a free and opensource, Debian based Linux distribution which runs on all Librem hardware including its smartphones. PureOS is endorsed by Free Software Foundation. 

The term convergence in computer speak, refers to applications that can work seamlessly across platforms, and bring a consistent look and feel and similar functionality on your smartphone and your computer. 

"Purism is beating the duopoly to that dream, with PureOS: we are now announcing that Purism’s PureOS is convergent, and has laid the foundation for all future applications to run on both the Librem 5 phone and Librem laptops, from the same PureOS release", announced Jeremiah Foster, the PureOS director at Purism (by duopoly, he was referring to Android/iOS platforms that dominate smartphone OS ecosystem).

Ideally, convergence should be able to help app developers and users all at the same time. App developers should be able to write their app once, testing it once and running it everywhere. And users should be able to seamlessly use, connect and sync apps across devices and platforms.

Easier said than done though. As Jeremiah Foster himself explains:

"it turns out that this is really hard to do unless you have complete control of software source code and access to hardware itself. Even then, there is a catch; you need to compile software for both the phone’s CPU and the laptop CPU which are usually different architectures. This is a complex process that often reveals assumptions made in software development but it shows that to build a truly convergent device you need to design for convergence from the beginning."

How PureOS is achieving convergence?

PureOS have had a distinct advantage when it comes to convergence. Purism is a hardware maker that also designs its platforms and software. From its inception, Purism has been working on a "universal operating system" that can run on different CPU architectures.

"By basing PureOS on a solid, foundational operating system – one that has been solving this performance and run-everywhere problem for years – means there is a large set of packaged software that 'just works' on many different types of CPUs."

The second big factor is "adaptive design", software apps that can adapt for desktop or mobile easily, just like a modern website with responsive deisgn.


"Purism is hard at work on creating adaptive GNOME apps – and the community is joining this effort as well – apps that look great, and work great, both on a phone and on a laptop".

Purism has also developed an adaptive presentation library for GTK+ and GNOME, called libhandy, which the third party app developers can use to contribute to Purism's convergence ecosystem. Still under active development, libhandy is already packaged into PureOS and Debian.

Not many might remember HP's capable webOS. The open source webOS operating system was HP's answer to Android and iOS platforms. It was slick and very user-friendly from the start, some even considered it a better alternative to Android for Tablets at the time. But like many other smaller players, HP's webOS just couldn't find enough takers, and the project was abruptly ended and sold off of to LG.

The Open Source LG webOS

Under the 2013 agreement with HP Inc., LG Electronics had unlimited access to all webOS related documentation and source code. When LG took the project underground, webOS was still an open-source project.

After many years of development, webOS is now LG's platform of choice for its Smart TV division. It is generally considered as one of the better sorted Smart TV user interfaces. LG is now ready to take the platform beyond Smart TVs. LG has developed an open source version of its platform, called webOS Open Source Edition, now available to the public at webosose.org.

Dr. I.P. Park, CTO at LG Electronics had this to say, "webOS has come a long way since then and is now a mature and stable platform ready to move beyond TVs to join the very exclusive group of operating systems that have been successfully commercialization at such a mass level. As we move from an app-based environment to a web-based one, we believe the true potential of webOS has yet to be seen."

By open sourcing webOS, it looks like LG is gunning for Samsung's Tizen OS, which is also open source and built on top of Linux. In our opinion, device manufacturers preferring open platforms (like Automotive Grade Linux), over Android or iOS is a welcome development for the long-term health of the industry in general.

From the most consumer focused distros like Ubuntu, Fedora, Mint or elementary OS to the more obscure, minimal and enterprise focused ones such as Slackware, Arch, openSUSE or RHEL, I thought I've seen them all.

Linux eco-system is extremely diverse. There's one for everyone, for every use-case imaginable. And then there are those which are straight up nonsensical. Let's discuss the weird and wacky world of niche Linux distros that represents the true diversity of open platforms.


Puppy Linux: An operating system which is about 1/10th the size of an average DVD quality movie, that's Puppy Linux for you. The OS is just 100 MB in size! And it can run from RAM making it unusually fast even in older PCs.

You can even remove the boot medium after the operating system has started! Can it get any better than that? System requirements are bare minimum, most hardware are automatically detected, and it comes loaded with software catering to your basic needs. Experience Puppy Linux.

Suicide Linux: Did the name scare you? Well it should. 

Any time - any time - you type anything remotely incorrect into your command-line, the interpreter creatively resolves it into rm -rf / and wipes your hard drive. Simple as that. I'm pretty sure no one here is stupid enough to risk their production machines with Suicide Linux. But here's the official warning anyway: DO NOT try this on production machines! The whole thing is available in a neat DEB package if you're interested.

PapyrOS: "Strange" in a good way. 

PapyrOS is trying to adapt the material design language of Android into their brand new Linux distribution. Though the project is in early stages, it already looks very promising. The project page says the OS is 80% complete and one can expect the first Alpha release anytime soon. We did a small write up on PapyrOS when it was announced and by the looks of it, PapyrOS might even become a trend-setter of sorts. Follow the project on Google+ and contribute via BountySource if you're interested. 2019 Update: Project seems to have lost steam.

Qubes OS: Qubes is an open-source operating system designed to provide strong security using a Security by Compartmentalization approach. 

The assumption is that there can be no perfect, bug-free desktop environment. And by implementing a 'Security by Isolation' approach, Qubes Linux intends to remedy that. Qubes is based on Xen, the X Window System, and Linux, and can run most Linux applications and supports most Linux drivers. Qubes was selected as a finalist of Access Innovation Prize 2014 for Endpoint Security Solution.

Ubuntu Satanic Edition: Ubuntu SE is a Linux distribution based on Ubuntu.

"It brings together the best of free software and free metal music" in one comprehensive package consisting of themes, wallpapers, and even some heavy-metal music sourced from talented new artists. Project doesn't look actively developed anymore. Ubuntu SE (Slightly NSFW).

Tiny Core Linux: Puppy Linux not small enough? Look no further.

Tiny Core Linux is a 12 MB graphical Linux desktop! Yep, you read it right. One major caveat: It is not a complete desktop nor is all hardware completely supported. It represents only the core needed to boot into a very minimal X desktop typically with wired internet access. There is even a version without the GUI called Micro Core Linux which is just 9MB in size. Tiny Core Linux folks.

NixOS: A very experienced-user focused Linux distribution with a unique approach to package management. 

In other distributions, actions such as upgrades can be dangerous. Upgrading a package can cause other packages to break, upgrading an entire system is much less reliable than reinstalling from scratch. And top of all that you can't safely test what the results of a configuration change will be, there's no "Undo" so to speak.


In NixOS, the entire operating system is built by the Nix package manager from a description in a purely functional build language. This means that building a new configuration cannot overwrite previous configurations. Most of the other features follow this pattern. Nix stores all packages in isolation from each other. More about NixOS.

GoboLinux: This one has a unique file system hierarachy.

What makes GoboLinux so different from the rest is its unique re-arrangement of traditional Linux filesystem. It has its own subdirectory tree, where all of its files and programs are stored. GoboLinux does not have a package database because the filesystem is its database.

In some ways, this sort of arrangement is similar to that seen in OS X. Get GoboLinux.

Hannah Montana Linux: lol WUT?

Exactly. This is a Linux distro based on Kubuntu with a Hannah Montana themed boot screen, KDM, icon set, ksplash, plasma, color scheme, and wallpapers (I'm so sorry). Link. Project not active anymore.

RLSD Linux: An extremely minimalistic, small, lightweight and security-hardened, text-based operating system built on Linux. "It's a unique distribution that provides a selection of console applications and home-grown security features which might appeal to hackers," developers claim. RLSD Linux.

Did we miss anything even stranger? Let us know in the comments.

GNOME is perhaps *the* the most popular Linux desktop envoronment out there. And GNOME 3.22 is the latest stable release from GNOME foundation. Yet, it is almost impossible to find a mainstream Linux distro that ships the latest and greatest from GNOME. Ubuntu 16.04 LTS for example has no plans to bring this GNOME release to its users anytime soon. Forget Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, the still-in-development Ubuntu 16.10 will have GNOME 3.20 by default. But there is this one particular distro that already has the latest GNOME 3.22!

Say Hello to openSUSE Tumbleweed!

Ubuntu 16.10 "Yakkety Yak" will have GNOME 3.20 by default. You might be able to upgrade GNOME 3.20 to 3.22 with some unofficial PPAs, but that is not a perfect solution, especially on productions machines.

Worry not, openSUSE Tumbleweed has you covered. The Tumbleweed distribution is a pure 'rolling release version of openSUSE containing the latest stable versions of all software instead of relying on rigid periodic release cycles.' Tumbleweed is based on openSUSE's main development codebase and is updated once the codebase's bleeding edge software has been integrated, stabilized and tested. In effect, openSUSE Tumbleweed contains the latest stable applications and is ready and reliable for daily use.

This image was tweeted by openSUSE Chairman himself. Less than 48 hours after the unveiling of GNOME 3.22 (Karlsruhe), openSUSE Tumbleweed users are getting the full upstream experience of the latest GNOME. Official announcement by openSUSE on GNOME 3.22 integration can be found here. Also read: Tumbleweed download and installation instructions. I have just completed the download, but haven't tested it on any of my machines yet. Will hopefully do a full review on GNOME 3.22 once that's done.

Keep in mind that, Debian Unstable and Arch Linux also have updated GNOME 3.22 packages. But as far as I understand, both versions are not really recommended for daily use. Since I have never used Arch, I can never be sure about this. Feel free to correct me if I wrongly assumed Arch's GNOME 3.22 implementation to be less stable. Thanks for reading. If all goes well, we'll be reviewing GNOME 3.22 with openSUSE Tumbleweed soon.

The upcoming PapyrOS is trying to build an entirely new Linux distro (based on Arch Linux) which will have Android 5.0's now famous material-design inspired look and feel.

When we laid out our featured article on things you need to do after installing Ubuntu 14.10, we shared a few little issues we have had with the latest Ubuntu release. Well things got worse, and I decided to try something else for a change. I've been using elementary OS Freya as my daily driver since then. And I have to say, I'm mighty impressed so far. And the fact that Freya is still very much in beta makes the whole affair all the more interesting. A list of reasons why I prefer elementary OS Freya over Ubuntu 14.10 at the moment.

There's isn't probably a piece of software that is as hated as Windows 8's Metro UI.  Some seasoned Windows enthusiasts like it, but most of the normal day-to-day user had a hard time getting used to it. Operating System U is being readied with the regular user in mind, and is based on Manjaro Linux. A quick overview of the project. 

The Avatar project intends to free the Internet once again, and let the users world-over to access  information beyond borders, and be as anonymous as you want without any worries of being constantly analyzed and monitored. Once released, Avatar OS sure looks like a promising way to safeguard your privacy in the ever so vulnerable Internet of todays. Avatar will be platform agnostic and will work on all devices with a modern browser.

Well, that was fast. It seems like Pear OS, the venerable iOS look-alike, is gone forever. Just yesterday, it was announced in one of its forums that "Pear OS is no longer available for download and its future is now in hands of a company who wants to remain anonymous for the moment". A big letdown to its small but growing user base. 

This might come as a surprise to many. Ubuntu is known to be more of a regular consumer-focused OS. But in a test conducted by NetworkWorld to find out the best enterprise oriented Linux distro out there, Ubuntu came on top overtaking the likes of enterprise specific Linux distors such as Red Hat, ClearOS, SUSE Enterprise and the likes.

Most of you here must be familiar with elementary OS. If not, read our detailed review of elementary OS Luna first. eOS is basically an Ubuntu based Linux distro with a razor-sharp focus on user interface, just like the Mac OS. As a matter of fact, many elements of the eOS is indeed inspired from the latest iterations of Apple's desktop offering. Luna is the first stable version of the elementary OS ever to be released. And it is built on rock-solid Ubuntu 12.04 "Precise Pangolin", which apparently is an LTS release. So no worries there.

While big-league players like Microsoft finds it hard to release even their core products on time, Canonical has just released the 18th stable version of Ubuntu, namely Ubuntu 13.04 aka "Raring Ringtail", right on schedule. When you look back at the history of Ubuntu, you'll be amazed to find out that, they almost never have missed a deadline. Ubuntu 13.04 definitely scores on the performance front and the overall polish has improved as well.

Wait is finally over. The results of second r/Linux survey is out. With nearly twice as much people participating, this year's results are even more significant. But if you look closely, the end results are not much different from the 2012 r/Linux survey. Ubuntu reigns on top still while the community-driven Arch Linux grabs the second spot. KDE 4.x becomes the most loved Linux graphical environment. Here's a quick drill down of r/Linux 2013 survey results.

If you want the best of GNOME Shell and Ubuntu, there is no competition, Ubuntu GNOME Remix it is. We concluded our earlier review of Ubuntu GNOME Remix with the "best distro for Netbooks" title. It seems like a lot of people do agree with us. Ubuntu GNOME Remix has been renamed to just "Ubuntu GNOME" and is now an official Ubuntu spin, joining the likes of Lubuntu, Xubuntu, Kubuntu, UbuntuStudio, Mythbuntu and Edubuntu.

It is not far-fetched to say, open source and its poster child, Linux, is going through a golden period. The emergence of internet has a lot to do with the popularisation of open source way of thinking. But in the world of Windows and Macs, what makes Linux tick? Redhat was the first to explore Linux's potential. But Redhat had a very enterprise centric approach. And in 2004, Ubuntu came along with the focus firmly back on end-users. This kick started a flurry of activity and a number of new Ubuntu based Linux distros started to sprung up. The latest one being elementary OS Luna. And this brand new OS has a lot going for it.

The much anticipated Linux distro, Elementary OS "Luna", is finally here. For a beta release, Luna already looks pretty awesome. A quick overview of Elementary OS Beta 1.

Netbooks are an extremely useful breed of laptops especially for those who travel a lot. Most of them are extremely cheap to own too. But there's a catch. Windows 7 is an absolute pain to use in lower spec'd devices and I have realized that newer versions of Ubuntu is not exactly what you want to use in Netbooks. I have been in the look out for the right Linux distro for Netbooks for some time now. Xubuntu 12.04 was near perfect. Ping-Eee OS and Joli OS were not so bad either. Now there is a new kid in the block. Ubuntu GNOME Remix is GNOME Shell in its purest form. And it is built from Ubuntu repositories. Let's review Ubuntu GNOME Remix.

The Ubuntu juggernaut is moving ahead and huge improvements and brand new features keeps pouring in. Every new Ubuntu release cycle gives you the impression that, things have really been improved and enough features have been added, until you start seeing the changes being done in the next release cycle. Case in point is the latest Ubuntu 12.10 Quantal Quetzal Beta 1 and Beta 2 releases. Lets see what makes Ubuntu 12.10 Quantal Quetzal one of our favorite releases till date. 23 things new in Ubuntu 12.10 Quantal Quetzal.

Based out of China, ZTE Corp is world's fourth largest mobile phone manufacturer and fifth-largest telecoms equipment maker (based on 2011 statistics). And when such a big player decides to go ahead with something entirely new and unknown, things can get interesting. For starters, Firefox OS is an open source operating system for smartphones and tablets being developed by Mozilla. With the project, codenamed Boot to Gecko (B2G), Mozilla intend to enable the open web as a platform for mobile devices.

Negative publicity around Ubuntu Unity and GNOME Shell is proving to be a real blessing in disguise for a bunch of smaller, lightweight distros like Xubuntu, Lubuntu et al. As much as I like Unity and GNOME Shell, they are not really the ideal choice for under-powered devices like netbooks. So what else is there? Wouldn't it be like icing on the cake if their is a lightweight distro which is based on Ubuntu 12.04 itself? Let's review Xubuntu.