An elegant and simple Arch Linux-based distro
Productive Chakras
Click on Applications > Office to browse through Chakra's preinstalled Productivity apps. Chief amongst these is the Calligra Office Suite (Figure 7), which includes the word processor Words and the equally imaginatively named spreadsheet software Sheets.
Chakra also bundles the useful vector graphics tool Karbon. The suite also includes the presentation software Stage, but you'll need to install this separately. If you prefer, you can also install the more well-known LibreOffice suite instead via pacman
.
Working with PDF documents is a breeze; the Calligra suite apps can export files as PDFs. You can also view other PDF files using the preinstalled Okular document viewer (Figure 7).
The Office section also includes the Storage Service Manager, which allows you to set up and manage cloud providers such as Dropbox and Nextcloud. Any credentials you enter here are protected by KDE Wallet Manager (Kwallet), which stores sensitive data in an encrypted file. You can choose whether to encrypt using the classic Blowfish cipher or gpg
.
Chakra Conclusions
The Chakra Project website cautions that its Keep it Simple Stupid (KISS) approach, where users can customize their desktop environment and apps, makes the OS unsuitable for people new to Linux. This said, they do have a comprehensive Beginner's Guide to help newbies get started [11]. The guide can also be accessed from the desktop of the Chakra LiveCD. Further help for those new to Chakra is available from the forums [12].
From using the Plasma desktop and navigating the preinstalled apps, it's clear that the Chakra Project has succeeded in their stated goal of creating an easy-to-use, clutter-free environment.
The installation process also works like a charm, although the half-rolling release model means that you must run updates early and often. On the plus side, this also means any OS upgrades are incorporated into the package manager, sparing you the trouble of going through the install process again.
Overall, while Chakra OS is undoubtedly a KDE purist's dream come true, it also offers a snappy and appealing experience for those willing to convert or for Gnome lovers willing to manually install their favorite applications.
Infos
- The Arch Way: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/User:Misfit138/The_Arch_Way_v2.0
- Chakra 2017.03 "Goedel": https://chakralinux.org/news/index.php?/archives/195-Chakra-2017.03-Goedel-released.html
- Chakra repositories: https://chakralinux.org/wiki/index.php?title=Frequently_Asked_Questions#Can_I_mix_Chakra_and_Arch_Linux_packages.3F
- Chakra download: https://chakralinux.org
- System requirements: https://chakralinux.org/wiki/index.php?title=System_Requirements
- Chakra half-rolling release model: https://chakralinux.org/wiki/index.php?title=Half-Rolling_Release_Model
- Akabei: https://chakralinux.org/wiki/index.php?title=Akabei_Feature_Plan
- Gtk-free Chakra: https://chakralinux.org/wiki/index.php?title=Frequently_Asked_Questions#Why_does_Chakra_want_to_be_free_from_GTK.3F
- Downloading via BitTorrent: https://chakralinux.org/wiki/index.php?title=Finding_the_Application_for_the_Job
- bomi: https://github.com/xylosper/bomi/wiki/Feature-list
- Chakra Beginner's Guide: https://chakralinux.org/wiki/index.php?title=Beginner%E2%80%99s_Guide
- Chakra forum: https://chakralinux.org/forum/
« Previous 1 2 3
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Endless OS 6 has Arrived
After more than a year since the last update, the latest release of Endless OS is now available for general usage.
-
Fedora Asahi 40 Remix Available for Macs with Apple Silicon
If you've been anticipating KDE's Plasma 6 for your Apple Silicon-powered Mac, then you're in luck.
-
Red Hat Adds New Deployment Option for Enterprise Linux Platforms
Red Hat has re-imagined enterprise Linux for an AI future with Image Mode.
-
OSJH and LPI Release 2024 Open Source Pros Job Survey Results
See what open source professionals look for in a new role.
-
Proton 9.0-1 Released to Improve Gaming with Steam
The latest release of Proton 9 adds several improvements and fixes an issue that has been problematic for Linux users.
-
So Long Neofetch and Thanks for the Info
Today is a day that every Linux user who enjoys bragging about their system(s) will mourn, as Neofetch has come to an end.
-
Ubuntu 24.04 Comes with a “Flaw"
If you're thinking you might want to upgrade from your current Ubuntu release to the latest, there's something you might want to consider before doing so.
-
Canonical Releases Ubuntu 24.04
After a brief pause because of the XZ vulnerability, Ubuntu 24.04 is now available for install.
-
Linux Servers Targeted by Akira Ransomware
A group of bad actors who have already extorted $42 million have their sights set on the Linux platform.
-
TUXEDO Computers Unveils Linux Laptop Featuring AMD Ryzen CPU
This latest release is the first laptop to include the new CPU from Ryzen and Linux preinstalled.