Xandros
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Software |
| Founded | May 2001 |
| Founder | Will Roseman, Frederick Berenstein |
| Fate | Rebranded as Bridgeways, Inc. in 2013; brand acquired by PC/OpenSystems LLC in 2018 |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Will Roseman, Frederick Berenstein |
| Products | Xandros Desktop (Linux distribution), Scalix, Linspire, Presto, Xandros Moblin, Xandros Server |
| Parent | Bridgeways, Inc. (from 2013 until acquisition by PC/OpenSystems LLC in 2018) |
Xandros, Inc. was a software enterprise known for marketing Xandros Desktop, a Linux distribution. Established in May 2001 by Linux Global Partners—Will Roseman and Frederick Berenstein—the company operated out of New York City, with its development team located in Ottawa, Canada. The brand name Xandros was inspired by a fusion of the X Window System and the Greek island called Andros.
The foundation of Xandros Desktop traced back to Corel Linux, a Debian-based distribution obtained from Corel Corporation in August 2001 following Corel's withdrawal from the Linux sector. Xandros held a founding position within the Desktop Linux Consortium and was also affiliated with the Interop Vendor Alliance.
In July 2007, Xandros broadened its product lineup through the acquisition of Scalix, a Linux-centric email and collaboration solution originally derived from HP OpenMail. The subsequent year saw further expansion when Xandros purchased Linspire, thereby strengthening its foothold in the desktop Linux arena.
By 2013, Xandros, Inc. underwent rebranding to become Bridgeways, Inc., leading to the removal of the Xandros website shortly thereafter. As a result, DistroWatch categorized Xandros as discontinued.
On January 1, 2018, PC/OpenSystems LLC took ownership of Xandros and Linspire from Bridgeways, revitalizing the brand with both commercial and free editions based on Ubuntu 20.04. These included Xandros OpenDesktop (which was later renamed Xandros Enterprise Desktop) and Xandros OpenServer (subsequently Xandros Enterprise Server). Additionally, PC/OpenSystems launched complimentary versions named Xandros Community Edition (utilizing GNOME) and Xandros Developer Edition (featuring the dwm window manager).
Products
Xandros created offerings tailored for both consumer and corporate sectors by integrating licensed free software and open-source components alongside proprietary applications developed internally.
Xandros Desktop Home Edition
This variant provided a 30-day trial of Crossover Office and included an "Applications CD" granting access to additional software via Xandros Networks. Compared to the Premium edition, it did not incorporate features such as photo management, music management, security tools, wireless profile support, or NTFS write functionality.
Xandros Desktop Home Edition Premium
Equipped with a complete version of Crossover Office Standard Edition plus an extra "Applications CD," this edition enabled users to install further applications through Xandros Networks. Despite its designation, it did not offer a Xandros Networks Premium Membership but did provide a 30-day trial for assessment purposes.
Xandros Desktop Professional
Formerly known as Xandros Desktop Business Edition, this release matched the Home Edition Premium's capabilities but added support for authentication with Windows PDC and Active Directory Domains, remote office access via PPTP VPN, and broadband wireless connectivity including 3G, GSM, and UMTS. It debuted on November 28, 2006, accompanied by a 30-day trial period.
Presto
Introduced in 2009, Presto was a streamlined "instant-on" operating system utilizing the Xfce 4.6 desktop environment. Installed within Microsoft Windows environments (starting from XP), it featured an application marketplace based on CNR, which became part of Xandros following its acquisition of Linspire in mid-2008.
Xandros Moblin
In 2009, Xandros revealed plans to create a netbook operating system based on Moblin v2, aimed at delivering an improved experience tailored specifically for netbook users.
Server systems
The Xandros Desktop Management Server (xDMS) enabled streamlined repository configuration and the rollout of tailored Xandros Desktop setups throughout extensive enterprise environments.
Xandros Server, a product designed for server use, was introduced at the 2006 LinuxWorld Conference and Expo in Toronto on April 25, 2006, and became available for purchase on May 1, 2006, with a suggested retail price of US$450. The release of Xandros Server 2.0 followed in May 2007, providing advanced enterprise functionalities aimed at small and medium-sized businesses focused on Windows platforms.
Previous editions
The Xandros Open Circulation Edition (OCE) was a free-to-distribute version intended for non-commercial use, offering a limited software selection. After version 4.0 was distributed via DVD bundled with Linux magazines, the torrent download was removed from Xandros’ servers and all mentions of OCE disappeared without clarification. Earlier OCE releases generally appeared roughly four months subsequent to commercial editions.
The Xandros Desktop OS Standard Edition resembled OCE but added full-speed CD/DVD burning capabilities; it was eventually succeeded by the Home Edition.
Xandros Desktop OS Deluxe Edition included an "applications CD" containing additional software accessible through Xandros Networks; this edition was later replaced by Home Edition Premium.
The Xandros Desktop OS Surfside Edition (marketed as Xandros SurfSide Linux) shared similarities with the Standard Edition but was bundled with a Plantronics USB headset and offered 120 minutes of SkypeOut service.
DistroWatch lists Xandros Desktop as discontinued, with no official updates or releases since November 2006.
Following the acquisition of Linspire by Xandros, announcements indicated that Freespire would continue as a Debian-based free community distribution, while future Xandros Desktop Professional editions would be developed on Freespire’s foundation—leading to the discontinuation of Home Edition and Home Edition Premium. This approach paralleled industry models such as Novell’s SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop built on openSUSE and Red Hat Enterprise Linux derived from Fedora. Nevertheless, reports suggest Freespire has also ceased development, with DistroWatch categorizing it among inactive distributions.
User interface
Xandros featured a customized KDE graphical user interface (GUI), replacing Konqueror with its own proprietary Xandros File Manager. Software installation was handled through Xandros Networks. The installation procedure included a wizard guiding users through disk partitioning and administrator password configuration.
Additionally, users had the option to install and operate GNOME and Xfce desktop environments alongside Xandros.
BridgeWays for Microsoft Systems Center
In June 2007, Xandros announced an extensive partnership with Microsoft that included patent agreements similar to those established in Microsoft’s arrangement with Novell.
By 2009, Xandros BridgeWays introduced Management Packs for Systems Center that supported VMware ESX virtualization, HyperV, JBoss, Apache, IBM WebSphere, Oracle WebLogic, Oracle databases, IBM DB2, MySQL databases, Apache web servers, among others.
In 2010, BridgeWays enhanced Systems Center’s monitoring scope across Windows, Linux, UNIX, and VMware platforms. Concentrating solely on developing and supporting Management Packs for Systems Center, BridgeWays collaborated closely with Microsoft’s R&D, Sales, and Marketing divisions to maximize value for System Center users. The solution was distributed both directly and via a worldwide partner network including distributors, ISVs, and SI MVPs.
ASUS Eee PC
ASUS collaborated with Xandros to supply the operating system for the pioneering "netbook," the ASUS Eee PC, which was available with either Xandros or Windows XP. The standard Xandros edition featured a tab-oriented interface developed using Xlib alongside the Qt 4.5 framework. Users could switch to an "Advanced Mode" full desktop environment—based on a customized KDE 3 setup—by executing command-line instructions. This enhanced mode also provided access to the Synaptic Package Manager for managing software installations and updates.
In February 2009, Xandros revealed intentions to adapt its Eee PC Linux distribution for ARM-based processors, including Freescale i.MX515 and Qualcomm Snapdragon chips, aimed at netbooks and other mobile computing devices.