Lets take a closer look at how intuitive the SimplyMEPIS 8.0.10 Live CD really is for a Windows user. I’ve introduced SimplyMEPIS to a lifelong Windows user and documented the “cans” and “can nots” of his first 2 hours on this Linux distribution.

SimplyMEPIS 11.0.00 is released for i386 and amd64 platforms. It's configured with a 2.6.36.4 kernel, the KDE 4.5.1 desktop, and many apps including LibreOffice 3.3.2, Firefox 4.0.1, VLC 1.1.3, Amarok 2.4.0, Kdenlive 0.7.9, Digikam 1.9.0, GIMP 2.6.10, and Inkscape 0.48.1

When I installed Fedora from the Live CD and found it to be incredibly slow, then I booted the Knoppix 6.0.1 CD, and it was outrageously fast. But now after trying SimplyMepis, I am forced to conclude that the Fedora really does suck.

I've tried several versions of the SimplyMEPIS but never really got hooked on the visual appearance leaving me wondering what beginners find so appealing in SimplyMEPIS. With the release of SimplyMEPIS 8.5.01 and addition of KDE 4.3.4 I decided this was the perfect time to give it a try and see what all the fuss is about.

It’s funny that my first encounter with SimplyMepis came as sort of an accident. I have been reading Preacherpen’s articles about Mepis and had actually downloaded the new SimplyMepis 8. Since I already had the CD of Mepis 8, I decided to see what it would do on the old laptop.

MEPIS LLC has released SimplyMEPIS 8.0.06, an update to the community edition of MEPIS 8.0. The updated components on the SimplyMEPIS ISOs include recent updates from the Debian Lenny pool and also Linux kernel 2.6.27.21, Firefox 3.0.9, jbidwatcher 2.0.1, and gutenprint 5.2.3.

Nowadays, everyone uses Ubuntu, most people have used Fedora, and many folks have tried openSUSE. SimplyMEPIS ... not so many. That's a shame, because this relatively obscure Debian-based desktop distribution from Morgantown, WV, is an outstanding desktop operating system. With SimplyMEPIS 8 at beta 5 and closing in on release, I tested the distribution and found it to be a keeper.

SimplyMepis, or Mepis for short, is a distribution targeted towards new users that has the intended goal of providing a good distribution that is easy to use. Version 7.0, which was my first experience with Mepis was pretty good. But past success means little if the newer version doesn't deliver. So let's see how SimplyMepis 8 does.

MEPIS LLC has released SimplyMEPIS 8.0, the community edition of MEPIS 8.0. SimplyMEPIS 8.0 utilizes a Debian Lenny stable foundation enhanced with a Long Term Support kernel, key package upgrades, and the MEPIS Assistant applications.