Ubuntu Christian Edition 5.0 (Beta)
What’s New In This Release
Before I get into this review please note that the developers are officially labelling this a beta. So bear that in mind if you download it.
Here’s a list of new stuff in this release:
- Complete Ubuntu CE build based on Ubuntu 9.04 “Jaunty Jackalope”
- New dansgaurdian gui
- New E-sword installer
- Added OpenSong
- David Kuntadi now Development Lead
Requirements, Boot Up & Installation
Ubuntu CE is a Live CD distribution so you can pop the CD into your computer and boot right into an Ubuntu CE desktop. Boot time is very fast and once you see your desktop just click the install icon to get started installing Ubuntu CE onto your computer. The install is typical Ubuntu so it’s very easy and you shouldn’t have a problem with it. It took about ten minutes or so for my Ubuntu CE system to be installed.
Note that the same general hardware requirements for generic Ubuntu also apply to the Christian version:
Bare Minimum requirements
* 300 MHz x86 processor
* 64 MB of system memory (RAM)
* At least 4 GB of disk space (for full installation and swap space)
* VGA graphics card capable of 640×480 resolution
* CD-ROM drive or network card
Recommended minimum requirements
* 700 MHz x86 processor
* 384 MB of system memory (RAM)
* 8 GB of disk space
* Graphics card capable of 1024×768 resolution
* Sound card
* A network or Internet connection
Desktop & Apps
One thing I was pleased to see when I saw the Ubuntu CE 5.0 desktop was a nice wallpaper of Jesus Christ. Why? Well one of the things I didn’t like about Ubuntu CE the last time I reviewed it was that it didn’t feel very religious. It just didn’t give me any of the feelings that one ought to get from religious imagery because it really didn’t have much. So I was pleased to see that the developers are starting to take that concern more seriously although it’s important to note that they regard this as a “back to basics” release and they will be adding more aesthetically pleasing things later on.
The other thing I noticed were two popups on the desktop. One had something from Phillippians 4:19 that said “But my God shall supply all of your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” And the other popup was Bible Trivia that asked me the question “What nation had 185,000 soldiers slaughtered by an angel?” Well I had no idea so I just clicked the Answer button and found out that it was Assyria. Hey, you learn something new every day right?
I generally dislike popups but, as I noted above, I’m pleased to see the Ubuntu CE developers moving toward giving Ubuntu CE a more Christian feel to it. One thing I was pleased to note though that when I closed the popups they did not popup again. When I reviewed the Muslim version of Ubuntu, I was quite annoyed to have a prayer popup in the middle of the screen every so often. I’m glad the Ubuntu CE developers are not going down that irritating road.
(11 votes, average: 3.36 out of 5)
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It may have been me that commented on UbuntuCE 9.04 regarding Dan’s Guardian. You do have to loosen it up a bit if you intend to use Beehive software. Since I was testing this one in the Virtualbox OSE, I did just that.
I happen to love that picture, and I also enjoy having convenient Bible verses and tools available to me. I install some, but not all, of the same tools on my main system.
I found this particular release to be a bit rough around the edges; nothing terrible, just not quite up to the refinement that I enjoyed in the previous release before Jerome took a break to work on other projects.
I think this particular release is OK, but I really liked the last one, old as it had become. I finally replaced it not too long ago on my old Compaq/HP D530 test system.
I think this one could be a keeper for those who already like Ubuntu systems. For me, I will wait to install it until the guys have refined it a bit more once again; meanwhile, I will play with it in Virtualbox OSE.
One other thing, Jim. Since the last time you reviewed UbuntuCE at ET, Jerome has added a lot of graphics and MANY cool tools. In his last release before the sabbatical to work on the Jesus TV project, Jerome added some cool apps that he had spread across the Firefox toolbar, and he also had GodTube hooked up, which is now Tangle.
The Bible Trivia is new; that is pretty cool. I love being able to read a quick verse as soon as I login, and if I am ready for more right then, I can dig in with one of the study tools, or I can start up the study tools when I can specifically set aside some quiet time for study.
Overall, this system is worthwhile for someone who wants a readily prepared desktop system with Christian based software tools. The addition of Dan’s Guardian, in spite of the over zealous default settings, is a great thing to have available. You can shut off the filtering if you need access and do not have the time to fool around with it, then you can enable the filtering and/or tune it up when you have the time to hone it. You can also filter at certain times of day and not others, so it is a handy tool if you invest a little time in it.
I applaud this project, as there are many Christian FLOSS users/enthusiasts, who get to feel lonely as such a project was missing/discontinued… Kudos to David Kuntadi !
As of Dansguardian behaving “not so well”… One has to tweak the whitelist in “advanced settings”… Or disable it if it is too much of a burden…
Very good Xiphos & very good Wine e-Sword !
One of the saddest things I have ever seen.
I guess I’m pleased that the CE found a new developer after the project was crippled for a year after the police seized the original developer’s computer during a child pr0n investigation: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=685387
Personally, I prefer the Ubuntu Satanic Edition, myself, Linux for the damned.
http://ubuntusatanic.org/news/
Check out their latest release, Ubuntu Satanic Edition 666.6 (Jesus’ Jugular).
I understand the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster is working on a release, as well, all hail his noodly appendages.
Thank Dog I’m an atheist.
@ Master:
You must have a very happy and joyful life if this is the saddest thing you have ever seen.
[...] New Ubuntu CE available now! http://desktoplinuxreviews.com/2009/07/20/ubuntu-christian-edition-5/ [...]
Extra popups? Are you sure this distro is not the workings of Satan himself?
As a Christian and a Linux hobbyist, I was hopeful that CE 5.0 would be the answer to my yearning, but not quite. I would like to see a little more, like maybe some good church administration software, Open Office pre-packaged vice Abiword, and some other things.
Hopefully, in time it will be something Christians can really rally around. I would like to see it to be honest. We’d have less technology outlays in the church if we could get a solid Linux system up and running. CE just isn’t quite there yet without the administration software. I’m hopeful though!
I should say that despite these comments, I am running CE on my desktop at home and I’m enjoying it.
Praxis, I did a review of Ubuntu Satanic Edition for ExtremeTech a while back. Google and you should find it. I will look at it again when it has another major upgrade.