Info Tech Point Linux 3.0, dubbed "Agni," combines a solid operating system with a traditional no-frills approach to performance and reliability. In several ways, Point Linux belies the criticisms of Linux desktop newcomers who find that Linux not simple and straightforward to use. Point Linux is easy to install. It has a clear interface. Everything works out of the box.
Two reasons for this glowing assessment are Point's roots in Debian GNU/Linux and its integration of either the GNOME 2 fork desktop MATE or a slightly tweaked version of Xfce. Either choice contributes to a very carefree computing experience.
Version 3.0 of Point Linux, released last month, offers a major improvement over earlier versions: The Xfce desktop replaces GNOME 3.
Xfce is a very good alternative to MATE. Xfce, just like MATE, works perfectly fine, and it is a bit more configurable. It is tweaked with the Compton window compositor installed by default to add some eye candy.
Hands-Off Updates
Both desktop choices come with the new Point Linux Update Notifier that keeps the system up-to-date. One thing about Point Linux that differs from other typical "simplified" distros is the software manager.
Point Linux does not rely on its own repository and software packages. It uses the Synaptic Package Manager to install/remove/update software.
Some other distros tap into the Synaptic ecosystem as the only software supply system, but using Synaptic to manage system updates usually involves hands-on manual updating. That is something Linux newcomers who are used to Windows automated updates easily can ignore.
Semi-Simple System Updates
Point's Update Notifier makes the process semi-automated. If nothing else, it removes the problem of remembering to regularly check for software updates. A Synaptic Package Manager update icon appears in the notification area of the panel bar at the bottom of the screen when updates are available.
When I clicked on the update icon, a panel to mark changes for updates opened, along with the Synaptic Package Manager window. That was a pleasant surprise.
The process requires one click on the Mark button under the displayed list of packages to change. That also closes the window, leaving the main synaptic Package Manager windows open to click the Apply button.
Opting for Xfce
The MATE desktop offers nothing new or spectacular in Point Linux, which is my impression of MATE in general. So I opted to install the Xfce version for further testing.
Point Linux is perhaps analogous to the concept of a point-and-shoot digital camera. You basically do not have to fiddle with the controls, but some controls are there if you want them.
The Xfce desktop works the same way. It has numerous individual settings panels. You must close one to open another. All of them are found in the Settings section of the main menu.
That is not very efficient -- however, if you click the Settings icon at the top of the main menu display, you get what amounts to a traditional Control Panel.
That is a nice touch that reinforces the simplicity of using Point Linux.
