A year ago I reviewed Pardus 2008 and I was pleasantly surprised. Safe for some details here and there, it was a very well made ready-for-everyone kind of Linux distribution. Now, a year later, the new version is out, and switches from KDE3 to KDE 4.2. It’s been gathering some positive reviews, and I was eager to try it out.
Well, the install is still very easy. It looks even better than it did before, especially because of the custom-made icon theme which is one of the best I’ve ever seen. The first-boot KAPTAN configuration tool is still a very good idea, and helps to personalise your desktop right from the start. Configuration in general is still very easy, especially network configuration.
But something must have gone horribly wrong during the install, because the stability is simply atrocious. Applications keep crashing. One time, I could move the mouse but I couldn’t open a single program because I couldn’t click anything. I booted into 5 minutes ago and Firefox wouldn’t start. I don’t know what happened, but I don’t feel like installing it again.
It’s a shame, because as I said, it looks incredible.
San
Celettu's Weblog 
Its surprising that you say you had stability issues. I have been installing Pardus at each of its iteration — right up to 2009 final release — on my work laptop!
I’ve always found it quick to boot and quicker to shutdown and the best feature? System tools well integrated into KDE4 system settings dialog.
Seriously, you should give it another go! Its *that* good.
[…] Pardus 2009 But something must have gone horribly wrong during the install, because the stability is simply atrocious. Applications keep crashing. One time, I could move the mouse but I couldn’t open a single program because I couldn’t click anything. I booted into 5 minutes ago and Firefox wouldn’t start. I don’t know what happened, but I don’t feel like installing it again. […]
Did you control checksum of the iso you downloaded? Maybe the problem lies on incorrect iso.
I guess, Pardus worths giving 2nd chance. Think about it 🙂
Tried Pardus 2009 on two 1999-vintage
Pentium-2 machines. Took three hours
to load into a RAM-challenged Vaio laptop
and then hung on reboot, so was removed.
Then, after a much faster install to a P-2
desktop with more RAM, a suggested
upgrade of the Nvidia driver produced
another stop on reboot. Reinstalling
with the default Nvidia driver cured all.
KDE 4.2.4 is clearly more demanding re: graphics
than KDE 3.5.x. but has worked better with Pardus
2009 than KDE 4.x’s on other distros,
even on the creaky machines here.
Support seems good, update system is
streamlined, everything works. What was not
on the install disc (e.g., games) can be
downloaded online.
Full install used about 3 Gb hd space and
appears to like at least 350-500 MB RAM – the
more the merrier, obviously.
Clearly, serious effort has been invested to
make Pardus 2009 a first-rate release. Based on
early impressions, usage and reviews the developers
appear to have succeeded. Outstanding job.