Endless OS is a free Linux-based Operating System that makes computers fun to use. It features a beautiful UI, a somewhat locked-down app manager, and tons of educational software.
Endless OS is mostly used to teach computing all over the world so the company has made it simulate a smartphone experience. In place of an app drawer, it uses shortcuts arranged in a grid view on the desktop. Sort of like an iPhone. You can add/delete apps from view as well as create folders for organizing them.
EndlessOS Desktop Icon Grid View
Right above the apps is a search bar through which you can search for files and apps. At the top of the screen is a minimized applet that displays informative reads like Masterpiece of the day, Quote of the day, and word of the day.
EndlessOS Search Tool
Endless OS Default Applications
Endless OS has a long app list and it is you who decides the length of your default app list by choosing either a Basic or Full installation.
The basic installation contains the core apps like Google Chrome, WhatsApp, VLC, LibreOffice, etc while the Full version contains the full suite of educational software curated for Endless OS users.
EndlessOS Default Apps
Google Chrome comes preinstalled with a custom homepage created using a plugin, explorer. It also comes with Adblock preinstalled.
EndlessOS Desktop Environment
Endless OS uses what I assume can be referred to as “Endless Desktop” – a customized fork from GNOME 3 and it offers only a few customizations. The DE is actually beautiful and it is easy to work with it.
Endless Desktop
Some may think of not having the ability to view all your installed apps in one place at once as a let-down, it’s not on my list of necessary functions if I can get my work done and feel good while doing so.
The Endless OS icon at the extreme left of the taskbar doesn’t invoke an app drawer. It toggles between viewing the desktop and the “last used app“. The only way to see all your installed apps at once is by going to the app store.
In any case, the app collection is amazing and you can always easily add/remove any of them from the app store.
Endless OS App Store
Endless OS uses a read-only root file system with application bundles overlaid on top. This means that the app store is good for managing only the applications available through it.
The file system that Endless OS uses supports only Flatpak apps and it is managed by OSTree.
EndlessOS App Store
Endless OS Installation
Endless OS is free to download and use and installing it is as easy as a,b,c. You can try out Endless OS in a LIVE disk or install it on your hard drive.
EndlessOS Installation
You should remember, however, that running Endless OS from a LIVE CD will negatively affect its performance.
I’ve just added Endless OS to my list of top distros. It is not open-source, though, but it builds on the tons of work put in by the free and open-source community and the company is an active part of the same community.
What about you? Check out the OS and let us know what you think about it in the comments section below.
