Freespire: An Open OS, but Proprietary is No Problemo

by Sam Dean - Mar. 10, 2008Comments (6)

Many times, when I talk to people who are just dipping their toes into using Linux, they complain that they end up wishing they could use a mix of proprietary drivers, codecs, applications and other tools with their newfound open source applications. Especially for people used to the Windows environment, I usually recommend Freespire in these cases. In this post, I’ll show how Freespire—an open source Linux distribution with tons of plug-ins and extras—creates a great bridge between the worlds of proprietary and open source tools.

The Freespire open source operating system is based on Linspire (which used to be Lindows), and like Lindows always did, it emphasizes a Windows-like interface. The operating system’s core is based on Debian/GNU Linux and Ubuntu. Most importantly, it offers compatibility with proprietary applications and tools, which can ease the frustration new Linux users often have when using exclusively open source applications.

How does Freespire achieve this mixing and matching of the OSS and non-OSS worlds? As stated at the Freespire.org site, “the main Freespire version is approximately 99 percent open source, and it does include certain proprietary drivers, codecs and software in cases where there are no viable open source solutions yet available.” While that may cause open source purists to throw hissy fits, it actually can make all the difference for, say, a Windows user who is just getting into Linux. (There is an entirely open source version of Freespire, too.)

Freespire offers legally licensed support for MP3, Windows Media, QuickTime, Java, Flash, Real, ATI drivers, nVidia drivers, Adobe Acrobat Reader, proprietary WiFi drivers, modem drivers, fonts, and more. When you load Freespire, you already have a number of open source applications at your service, including Firefox, Thunderbird, OpenOffice.org, and Gaim.

However, Linspire offers a set of services in Freespire called CNR (click-and-run) which you can access through a link in the OS called CNR More. Clicking on CNR More delivers a gigantic list of applications you can seamlessly download and install, from financial applications such as GnuCash, to free proprietary applications such as Adobe Acrobat. It costs $20 a year to use CNR, but you get a 30-day free trial when you begin with Freespire. For anyone you know who wants to start using Linux and open source applications without entirely abandoning the world of proprietary software, take a look at Freespire.

In the comments to a post I did the other day recommending a series of open source business applications in conjunction with several freeware applications several readers weighed in saying that discussion of open source and freeware applications shouldn’t be mixed.

Do you think Freespire cheats the open source system with its support for proprietary tools? Do you think, as I do, that best-of-breed applications exist in the open source, freeware and proprietary worlds simultaneously? I woud be interested in your comments on this.


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6 Comments
 

You don't have to make a switch to 100% OSS on day one. What is that anyway. it's not like the hardware it runs on is Open Source anyway. it's not like the content that is served up is open source. Purists, by and large, get that (I hope)! The issue has always been that Open Source has been confined, for the longest time, to the engineering department. Making that shift to consumer-facing sites requires skills that not all programmers might possess - information flow and architecture, usability, etc. Those communities may not have had the same exposure to OSS, so it is something that they might not take to right away. Ubuntu and Gnome are interesting examples of success stories, with a ton of room for further improvement.


0 Votes

Thanks for your input on this. I believe, wholeheartedly, that the future of software will consist of a mix of best-of-breed open source applications married with proprietary applications. It seems natural to me that evolution of both arenas will produce exciting things. That's why I'm not against pitting open source applications against freeware and proprietary solutions right here on this open source blog. The best is the best. Period.


Sam


0 Votes

First some remarks:


1. CNR is free as of august if i'm correct and now available via http://www.cnr.com no need to pay for a subscription anymore

2. If you've checked CNR.com you can see that it's now becoming available to some other distro's as well. Ubuntu as could be expected has been the first one.


With regards to you're question whether linspire is cheating..


I don't think so, maybe purist might have another view. I'm using Linux as my primary system, and have installed proprietary software where it made sense for me. For Instance I needed a good UML modelling tool and there are some open source ones, but none of them provided the functionality provided by a closed paid solution.


What I do however every time is look at the software and decide whether the functionality provided is enough for my needs. That's how office, Dreamweaver, and some other software got kicked out, because there was a viable alternative available (at least in my opinion) and I perform this assessment regularly just to check whether I'm still being as productive as I could be.


0 Votes

Rvanderblom, looks like you're right that CNR has gone to a free model for more Linux distributions (it is in beta in its current version). Good news, in my opinion.


Sam


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QUOTE: "(There is an entirely open source version of Freespire, too.)"


I believe the OSS Editon was dropped about a year ago. Reference: http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.linux.distributions.freespire.user/1668


- Saul


0 Votes

linux

Ihave tryed many different linux programs. Never could get any to work the way i wanted java would never work. Then one day my friend said try freespire everything works in it automatic. I thought well wy not fry it. Wow was i surprised best linux program i have ever tryed. Also with CNR it is so easy to add anything to it. Now this is all i use im my 2 computors no more window. I love it so much i recomend it to all my friends.

Thanks a Million freespire for such a excelent free OS

0 Votes
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