penaOS For Linux

penaOS is an open source and freely distributed desktop-oriented operating system based on the Linux kernel and the world’s most popular distribution of Linux, Ubuntu. It has been tweaked to look exactly like the deprecated Windows XP OS.

penaOS was created to help people write scientific articles. It is distributed as a dual-arch Live CD ISO image that fits perfectly on a CD disc and runs on computers supporting either of the 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x86_64) instruction set architectures.

The distro is built on the stable Ubuntu 8.04 LTS (Hardy Heron) operating system. Besides the ability to start the live system in graphical or safe graphical mode, as well as to start the installer directly, it offers advanced boot options, such as the ability to start penaOS in text-only mode, check the CD media for defects, run a memory test, as well as to boot the local drive.

As mentioned, the project focuses on providing ex-Windows XP users with a familiar desktop experience. Believe it or not, the distro is built around the GNOME desktop environment, which uses a Windows XP theme.

Being targeted at ex-Windows XP users, the distribution contains a standard amount of free software that helps them to do certain tasks, such as to write office documents, communicate with friends and familiy, share files, send an receive emails, as well as to browse the Internet.

Defualt applications include the Openoffice.org office suite, Mozilla Firefox web browser, Balsa email client, Gyache instant messaging client, Skype VoIP client, Dropbox file sharing and hosting client, GnomePPP dial-up networking client, GnoCHM CHM file viewer, GIMP image editor, Cheese webcam viewer, Wine Windows application emulator. NTFS configuration tools and multimedia codecs are also included.