Meet JingOS, a new iPad-inspired Linux distro.
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Meet JingOS, a new iPad-inspired Linux distro. Learn a little more about it and find out
where to download the distribution.
JingOS looks like a promising new Linux distro aimed primarily at tablet users. While it's
clearly “inspired” by Apple's iPad operating system, that's not a bad thing: over 500 million
iPads have been sold to date. If the team lives up to its claims, JingOS
could be one of the most exciting Linux distros of 2021. JingOS will even support regular
PCs, but its developer says without a multi-touch screen you won't have everything it has to
offer.
The JingOS developers call it "the world's first iPadOS-style Linux distro". I don't
imagine anyone would question that statement, especially after seeing how it turns out!
The fact is, while there's a lot to see in the clip, there's not much to “experience”
firsthand – at least not yet.
In addition, there will also be a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds for the production
of the custom 'JingPad' tablet (preloaded with JingOS, of course). The launch is scheduled
for March.
Early “netbook”-era operating systems, such as Jolicloud and Ubuntu Netbook Remix,
flirted with the idea of ​​touch-friendly “control panels”, though designed primarily
for regular mouse and keyboard input.
Ubuntu Touch had a tablet look, but spatially it was still lipstick in a desktop paradigm
.
This makes JingOS different. This distro is designed to be a tablet first and a “laptop-lite”
experience later.
And I mean “light”; it's not about trying to be a desktop Linux distribution that runs
tablet apps, but a tablet Linux distribution that can run desktop apps – a distinction
worth keeping in mind.
For example, the distro comes with its own set of standard apps for calendar, file manager
and web browsing, all of which are designed to be touch sensitive.
Pointer/mouse-based software
still works, but finger smudges, not mouse clicks, are at the front and center of your
world.
I know what you're probably thinking, and I thought the same: this sounds too good to
be real.
Developing a UI, maintaining an operating system, and curating hardware support are
three colossal tasks. Each has its own pitfalls and potential problems.
JingOS is clearly brilliant, so it's easy to look at this project and assume it's a
case of style rather than substance.
We've been bitten before. Canonical's mobile strategy looked great on the design templates
and smooth promotions, but it didn't match the code.
But we must be optimistic.
Linux distros like Deepin and Kylin, as well as projects like PinePhone, prove that new
eye-catching user interfaces can indeed be created, updated and implemented on a modest
basis. After all, ambition starts somewhere.
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