Feren OS

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In my attempts to gain greater knowledge of Linux I have tried a few distros and Feren OS was one that I saw had quite good ratings so I thought I'd give it a try and promptly wished I hadn't:mad::mad:

Feren OS claims to be based on Mint ! I say claims and they are entitled to claim that. So I thought to myself that's good, I like Mint so what see what they've done differently. So I downloaded and it was the same as mint okay the background was different, but everything else was the same. Digging further, yep the back grounds were the same, the themes were the same, so what was different? Try as hard as I could I couldn't find anything that was different!
This is the conclusion that I came up with at the time : I can not see why some others have rated this so highly, it is the worst Linux I have tried. I really can not find anything good to say about. This is a case of someone trying too hard to get something and ending up with nothing. A Jack of all trades and master of none. Really if you are going to make an OS then just sick with one idea. If this is meant to be a mint spin, then all I can say is that it not the Linux Mint but one taken from the garden. Other will disagree with me and I know that, but this is my honest assessment of this. Sorry to the person who made, but go back to the drawing board and start again.

And I wasn't the only one another wrote: Feren OS as it stands is a fairly competent system which "borrows heavily" from the hard work which Linux Mint put into their builds. it's written that the sincerest form of flattery is by imitation but I guess if you want to create a successful operating system you may want to nearly directly copy one that you already know works very well. such is the case with Feren OS.

We all know that many distros are "based" on others, based here being the operative word, for they are different in many ways that the "mother". Feren OS is really just Mint under another name IMHO, which is a pity because the makers of it could have something if they put in as much effort as they have done so with making the copy. If they had taken the best of Mint and added their own twist for example.

If you had not come across Mint then Feren OS would be wonderful and it is there is nothing wrong with it. However once you know about Mint then you realise that it is superior in all ways including support. Personally I can't see any reason for Feren OS and I think unless they make radical changes that it will be just another Distro which has come and gone
 


many distros are "based" on others, based here being the operative word, for they are different in many ways that the "mother".

I don't like the term "based on". Feren OS is based on Linux Mint. Linux Mint is based on Ubuntu. Ubuntu is based on Debian.

If you start with Debian, add some things to it, take away some things and change some things, what you end up with is not Debian.

People come to forums.debian.net and say I have distro XYZ and they expect people who use Debian to be able to answer their questions. But its "based on" Debian you know!

oswaldkelso wrote on the Debian Forum
Something to be aware of: Debian is a core or source distribution. This means there are many Debian-based distributions. THEY ARE NOT DEBIAN. Their information may or may not be useful or safely applied to Debian. Debian has no way of knowing what has been changed on these systems. Do not add their repositories or install their programs. You will break your system eventually.

I've tried to find a better term/explanation like "Debian type". Some of these things are so removed from Debian, what are we really talking about? The method of packaging into .deb ?
 
I don't like the term "based on". Feren OS is based on Linux Mint. Linux Mint is based on Ubuntu. Ubuntu is based on Debian.

If you start with Debian, add some things to it, take away some things and change some things, what you end up with is not Debian.

People come to forums.debian.net and say I have distro XYZ and they expect people who use Debian to be able to answer their questions. But its "based on" Debian you know!

oswaldkelso wrote on the Debian Forum

I've tried to find a better term/explanation like "Debian type". Some of these things are so removed from Debian, what are we really talking about? The method of packaging into .deb ?
It is what they state not me. This is was review of a very poor imitation of Mint in my opinion. I did not set out to start a debate on what things are based on as most may be based on such and such, but that is where it ends. Perhaps I wasn't clear enough is stating that this was a personal review and my thoughts.
 
I have downloaded an .iso of Feren and will install and run for at least a week so that I can make a more qualified comment :)

Briefly on the "based on" references:

The parlance gaining popularity is to distinguish between <name-of-Linux-Distro>-descendant and <name-of-Linux-Distro>-derived.

In the case of Debian, this would have Ubuntu as a descendant and Linux Mint as derived from Ubuntu.

Other derivatives of Debian include but are not limited to (& I have used or am using all of these):

  • The MX-series eg MX-16 and MX-17
  • antiX
  • Netrunner (Debian)(as opposed to Netrunner (Arch)) and security/penetration-testing (pen-testing) Distros such as
  • Kali and
  • Parrot
Peppermint would be a derivative of both Ubuntu and Linux Mint, as it clearly combines elements of both.

My easy method distinguishing between the two types is to ask the question:

Does it support the use of PPAs? Personal Package Archives were an innovation on the part of Ubuntu.

Debian itself, MX-16 and 17, antiX, Netrunner (Debian) Kali and Parrot DO NOT. So all but Debian I regard as derivatives of Debian.

Ubuntu, Linux Mint, and many others DO support the use of PPAs, so they are either descendants directly from Debian, or else derivatives of Ubuntu.

It gets more confusing.

Debian themselves add to the confusion, with the following:

https://www.debian.org/derivatives/

In that official page, they say, in part

Which derivatives are available?
We would like to highlight the following Debian derivatives:

In addition, distributions based on Debian are listed in the Debian derivatives census as well as in other places.

...I had not forgotten Tails, just haven't used it yet. For the Viewers, Tails is the The Amnesic Incognito Live System.

As you can see Debian regard Ubuntu as a derivative, where I would regard it as a descendant :confused::rolleyes:

So while there is this confusion, "based on" is as valid as any other term.

Cheers

Wizard
 
I know this post is around 18 months old, but it was the closest thing I could find to a "comparison".

For the second poster, I don't know what it was like back in '18. But now (2020), Feren is based on Ubuntu, and has rolling releases so you don't have to reinstall with an update. Mint, on the other hand, just released an update, and dozens of articles sprang up to tell you how to update it... because apparently, it's difficult enough to require instructions. If you have to start from scratch, that's a lot of work if you use more than a couple programs. (Which honestly, is why I never updated to Windows 10!)

That's the biggest difference I have seen in my research, although I have not yet installed Feren for testing. I'd sure like to know what else to look for when comparing them.
 
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No, that's fine, @Tenaja :D

G'day and welcome to linux.org:)

We usually leave Threads open in case the OP (original poster) wants to come back to them, or else someone else has a nearly identical problem.

I'd sure like to know what else to look for when comparing them.

Start a new Thread in General Linux if you have some more questions, or in Getting Started if you have not used a Linux before.

Enjoy

Chris Turner
wizardfromoz
 

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