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Review: Battle of the Children of Void
Quoting: DistroWatch.com: Put the fun back into computing. Use Linux, BSD. —
After a few days with these two distributions I began to appreciate just how different two operating systems with the same foundation can be. Despite both distributions using Void as a base, both using the runit init software, the GRUB boot loader, and XBPS (with OctoXBPS) the two experiences I had this week were quite different.
The system installers were worlds apart, the desktop environments were naturally different and also showed different design philosophies, and the overall approach to setting up the distributions displayed polar opposites.
Ultimately, LazyLinux feels like it lives up to its name. This distribution feels like little to no effort has been put into it. Everything about the experience feels half-finished, as though the developer got started on several ideas at once and didn't complete any of them. The live desktop system is immediately decorated with error messages, the system installer gives false errors, and the package repository appears to be half-heartedly maintained. The desktop resembles a mass of lights and widgets that aren't particularly helpful and just take up room that could be used elsewhere while the default font is one only a doctor could love.
My main issue with LazyLinux though is, I suspect, intentional in its design. The project's website doesn't provide much information, but what it does say is: "Everything in LazyLinux is chosen to let you focus on coding, managing systems, and exploring new technologies without wasting time on setup."
On the surface, this statement sounds fine, but my problem with it is the "focus" part. Everything about LazyLinux's software selection indicates focus was not the intention. There are applications for virtually everything, in several cases multiple applications for tasks. There isn't any focus on coding or system management - quite the opposite. There are multiple note taking tools and half a dozen multimedia tools and office tools and... You get the idea. Plus there are monitoring widgets and file synchronization tools and many image editing tools. I spent more time digging through the packed application menu trying to find things than I would have spent downloading the specific tools I wanted. The experience is akin to a gaming computer being thrown into a disorganized child's toybox.
Running Lazy was disappointing for me, in large part because I really like the Void parent distribution. Void has a clean design, it is lightweight, and it is super fast. LazyLinux takes this foundation and weighs it down, resulting in a slower, much heavier operating system which feels cluttered and full of distractions.