Is it time to consider Linux?  We test Jolicloud to find out.

Review Date 29/12/2009

Where do I get it from?
Jolicloud is available for free download from www.jolicloud.com

Installation

I opted to install via the Pro install option, using a memory card and installed following the simple instructions on the site.  Installation was a total breeze and I didn't have any issues when installing on my Advent 4211 whatsoever.  This is a sure sign that the nightmare linux installs are being relegated into history.

First time boot

Once booted up, a process that took only 37 seconds.  I decided to check the linux weak spot, wireless connectivity.  As my Netbook didnt have the standard wireless card inside (I swapped it out for an 802.11n) this was surely going to spoil the experience.  Nope.  There were my wireless networks, sat waiting for me to connect. 

I connected to my 5GHz 802.11n network and entered my password, all worked beautifully.   Jolicloud prompted me to create an account and register with them to gain access to the vast community that is Jolicloud. 

Registration

Registration took only a few minutes and a little surprise awaited when i was asked if i wanted to connect onto my Facebook to update my profile picture, this was very slick and worked perfect.

Software Updates

Instantly I was prompted to install the latest software updates by a little orange arrow in the top menu bar, these can be done one by one or the easier, Update all option which I chose.  Again this presented no problems whatsoever.

Where are my Applications?

Now the fun starts.  As Jolicloud is based on Linux, there is a vast community of developers creating software that runs on the Linux OS, best of all, most of it is free.  Software generally covers all aspects of computing and there are some big names developing for the platform.  The Browser for instance is Firefox, however you can also install google Chrome or Opera as alternatives.  I chose to stick with Firefox for the purpose of this test.   Jolicloud has a really amazing and unusual way of installing applications, using My Jolicloud.

My Jolicloud

My Jolicloud is like your inbuilt portal into the Jolicloud world.  You find it by clicking on the cloud in the top right of the menu bar.  Here you can search for and follow other Joliclouders, edit your profile, or install applications.  Were here to get installing some apps.  The Applications are all tested prior to being submitted by Jolicloud and then they are listed in a kind of App Store.  There are many categories, these range from Education, Games, Graphics, Internet, Office, Sound and video etc.  There is also a most popular section and best of all, all of the apps are free.

To install an application, you simply check the install button on the app, you can also drill into the icon for a description of the App, however many are so popular you will know what they are and you wont need to do this.  Tick away.  The Apps all install automatically and uninstalling an app is simply the opposite of installing, all very simple.  Indeed, why hasn't anyone else thought of this?.

Are the Apps as good as on Windows or Mac?

In many cases, you simply wouldn't know the difference, there are slight operational differences but most are identical.  Using Boxee for instance is exactly the same as is Spotify etc.  Some things are different and i did notice that many of the apps were simply shortcuts to the normal web page of the App.  For instance the Facebook App is simply a link to the Facebook site and is not really an app in itself.  This was the same for Gmail and Google wave etc, however its still nice to have these icons present on your desktop for quick access.

Whats the Desktop like?

This is one of my favourite parts of the whole Jolicloud experience.  There isnt a desktop in the usual sense, its more like an animated menu system, its all very fresh and pretty and simply moving the mouse over the top of an icon causes it to raise slightly.  Clicking it causes the icon to spin and the app to open.  Its all very slick, rather pointless, but I love it.

As you can see above, the main screen is divided into four sections, The Top bar, Left bar, Center and the Right bar. 

The little house on the top right takes you back to the above screen and the cloud on the right takes you to My Jolicloud.  The other icons in the menu bar are just status icons showing, wifi, battery, clock etc.

The left menu is your installed application categories and the center shows the contents of them categories.  You can see your apps take center stage and it all looks very intuitive.  On the right you have your folders, similar to a standard desktop and you can store your files here.  You can also customise how this is displayed using the Main menu application found in preferences, by simply checking or unchecking the box for what you would like to have displayed, similar to organising bookmarks in many browsers.