MusixGNU+Linux1.0r2_Stable (hereafter referred to as MusixGNU) is a specialty Linux distribution with musicians/artists in mind. The project's main focus is on (from the Wiki) using the best free software to allow musicians to: master CDs, publish musical scores, print musical scores, create MIDI instruments, record and reproduce Audio and MIDI, edit and mix Audio and MIDI tracks with multitrack editors, and numerous other things as well, not limited to Audio/MIDI.
MusixGNU, as the latter half of the name suggests, is a totally libre distribution, i.e., it ships with no closed source software, so if you want Flash (youtube) to work, you'll need to add it yourself. You can listen to mp3s and watch most video formats out of the box, though a general purpose liveCD distro would be better suited for that, say DreamLinux or LinuxMint.
This distro is based on Knoppix, and uses the IceWM window manager as default; others included are Fluxbox, KDE, LarsWM, tWM, and OpenBox. IceWM is very lightweight and perfectly suited to older/slower computers; using 256M ram allowed it to fly, menus snapping open, apps launching with no lag, and desktops changing rapidly.
This is a product of Argentina, so when you first insert the CD you need to type english dma at the boot prompt to change the default language to English, or xorgmusix dma lang=en for video autodetection and English language.
Just as soon as you have entered the desktop, alsa-mixer and Xmms pop up and begin playing a song, asking you to configure your sound card if you are unable to hear the music playing.
The desktop environment is a bit hard to describe, as it seems to be a hybrid cross between KDE and IceWM; in addition to the four panel desktop switcher buttons to allow easy switching between workspaces, there are ten unique desktops embedded within a single desktop environment!
At the bottom of the screen is a tiny row of icons that represent the Applications available, labeled Musix, then the general desktop (the one you boot into), followed by the letters h, o, r, m, i, g, a, the all-familiar K of KDE (allowing a quick switch to a traditional KDE desktop), and a button to switch to a 3D desktop.
Each desktop (within a desktop) has a number of icons that are related to the various desktops as well as its own unique wallpaper; the general desktop has a smattering of audio, video, internet, and office related launchers, and features a lovely forest scene as the wallpaper.
The 'h' (for help) desktop has numerous tutorials and manuals in several languages with a wallpaper featuring an ambulance. The 'o' (for Office) desktop has launchers for AbiWord, Gnumeric, Kpdf, the GIMP, xcalc, leafpad, and a printer configuration utility. The 'r' (for Root) has over 30 launchers related to every aspect of configuring and updating your system, and a nifty gears backdrop. The 'm' (for MIDI) has every imaginable music software launcher (nearly 40) with a keyboard wallpaper.
The final three letters 'i' (Internet), 'g' (Graphics/Video), and 'a' (Audio) are all well represented with a tremendous selection of software related to that particular endeavour; the graphics and audio desktops are absolutely loaded with apps for use in those fields. Not being a professional musician or artist I can't say for certain how wonderful each and every app is, though I did recognize the big name pro Linux audio apps, such as Ardour, Rosegarden+, JACK and the like.
After reading through the Wiki and trying out several apps as well as cycling through some of the various window managers, it's clear that this is not only a distro that was put together after a great deal of hard work and ingenuity, but something of a work of art itself that was done with much love and perspiration with aspiring artists on a limited budget in mind.
Although not a pocket distro (700M download), it is a very lightweight distribution that will run perfectly well on an i386 computer with very limited ram. If you are a musician with older/slower hardware, and are willing to learn a little bit about how to use the various applications included in this full-featured distribution, then you will surely be able to put your musical/artistic talents out there--MusixGNU also includes the ability to set up a radio station via Icecast (though the RIAA will hate you for it).
New to open source? Want to learn more? There are a number of links in the blogroll to the right, as well as a number of diaries on open source/Linux/Unix available by clicking on my username (more than 90 at last count).
Open source software allows the user decide what they want to do with their computer hardware, software and data with no digital restrictions and no vendor lock-in.
With open source software there is no need to spend money on the latest hardware and software 'upgrades' that offer little to no new functionality.
Open source software provides educational opportunities to the poor and those in developing and third-world nations who otherwise could not afford the software tax imposed by certain convicted monopolists.
Open source software is free, stable, secure from spyware, adware, viruses, and other malware; open source software is environmentally friendly, allowing you to use older hardware you might otherwise throw in a landfill.
Open source software allows voters to know in an open and transparent way that their votes are being counted (see Diebold, Microsoft/N.Y. state).
Not interested? Well, there truly is no reason to be--particularly if you are happy with what you've got; though you might consider sticking with XP, as it now will be supported through 2014. These diaries are aimed primarily at those who are interested in what open source software has to offer, and how easy it is to set up and use. Don't like that there is an open source user around these parts? Well, truth be told, I have a gambling open source addiction; Don't you judge me!
Update: ZOMG! My favorite OS (well, tied for first) has a nice review on my review, as well as a link here! What a thrill.