FreeSpire Linux & XGL
Wow!
Need I say more? I guess I should.
I have been using FreeSpire ever since it came out a few months ago and I haven't tried another Linux OS since (although I have looked at PCBSD, I like what I saw there but it wasn't enough to wean me out of FreeSpire.) To make matters even better, Jasp (Andrew Betts from the UK) provided us with XGL1 for FreeSpire! Thank you Jasp! The FreeSpire team is working on integrating XGL into FreeSpire 2.0 and this should be available early in 2007. I can't wait.
I haven't installed Vista's betas at all, mainly because my computers are not top of the line and according to what I have been hearing Aero (Vista's equivalent to XGL needs a high-end graphics card to even work–I can't verify this of course). Also, from people who have compared XGL and Aero they all have the same thing to say, mainly that XGL is so much smoother and faster on even some $20 video cards!
I have to admit that when I first heard of Aero for Vista I thought all this was just eye-candy, but boy was I wrong. I actually find myself using these effects when working, especially the ability to peel back the top maximized window to look at info on windows in the background.
I can write all day about XGL and Linux and I bet you still will not be able to imagine it running better than seeing a demo of it. Here is an XGL & Linux demo I found at YouTube.
Between Vista's high-end computer needs and Microsoft's insane Vista licensing2, and although I will have to buy Vista for the Windows applications I have to use for work and to learn how to use it so that I can keep repairing computers for the locals here, I can tell what my personal OS of the future will be. Can you? 
Now all Linux needs is better Fonts and we can bring it to Windows in full force!
- Correction from Jasp: "Compiz is the program that actually does all of the effects and manages your windows.
Xgl is just a replacement for the X server that adds some functions needed to make compiz work. Just like X, it is merely an interface for drawing on the screen.
Compiz manager… is the settings manager for compiz." [back]
- Under changes to Microsoft's licensing terms, buyers of retail copies of Vista will be able to transfer their software to a new machine only once. If they want to move their software a second time, they will have to buy a new copy of the operating system. [back]