If you think modern Linux distros are too complicated, Haiku is an open-source OS that aspires to be as simple and elegant as its namesake Japanese poetry format. While it’s still in beta, if you have fond memories of BeOS, Haiku might be a promising alternative to desktop Linux.
What Is Haiku OS?
Haikuis an open-source reimplementation of BeOS. BeOS was developed by Be, Incorporated in the ’90s. The company was founded by Jean-Louis Gassée, who had headed the Mac group at Apple in the ’80s.
BeOS was originally designed for the company’s short-lived BeBox machines, before being ported to Mac clones, then the Mac itself, and finally Intel-based PCs.
BeOS was designed to work well with multimedia and to run as efficiently as possible. One forward-thinking element was its support for multiple processors when this was uncommon on desktop computers in the 1990s.
BeOS' multithreading allowed it to stay responsive even when running heavy graphics and video, which astonished a lot of observers, as seen in this promotional video from the late ’90s:
After Be stopped developing BeOS in 2001, open-source projects emerged to continue BeOS development. Haiku is the one that’s managed to survive, slowly releasing beta versions over the years.
While Haiku is inspired by BeOS, it’s not completely based on that system. Haiku does include parts of BeOS that were open-sourced, including the Tracker file manager. Haiku’s relationship to BeOS is similar to that of classic Unix to Linux.
Despite Haiku’s implementation of some Unix-like aspects,their FAQexplicitly rejects Linux as a desktop solution due to its hodgepodge of unrelated components. Like BSD, Haiku aims to develop an integrated system. The networking stack is also borrowed from FreeBSD.
How to Install Haiku on a PC
Installing Haiku is similar to installing a Linux distribution. You download the boot media from the website,verify the downloaded ISO, and then extract it if you’re installing it on actual hardware.
On boot, you’ll be given a choice to go straight to the installation or open up a live environment. If you choose the latter, you’ll see a very functional environment. There’s also a link to the installation program.
Once you start the installation, you can format and partition the disks. A utility like GNU Parted, which ispart of the live SystemRescue distro, will give you more flexibility.
The installation is pretty quick. Soon enough, you’ll be prompted to boot into your new Haiku environment.
Download:Haiku
Exploring the Haiku Desktop
When you start the Haiku system, you’ll find yourself in a minimalistic desktop environment. There are a few icons, and a “Deskbar” that shows the clock, lets you access common programs, and shows running apps in a “tray.”
Some Haiku apps have “replicants” that let you define desktop widgets. They have a special icon you can drag out of the corner and onto your desktop. You can drag out a calculator or a virtual desktop switcher.
One thing you’ll notice immediately is that Haiku is single-user only. There are no accounts, unlike with Linux. This is inherited from BeOS and it was a hallmark of desktop systems in the ’90s.
you’re able to also see memory and CPU usage in the Deskbar. One unusual feature is the ability to turn extra processors off, something that dates back to the BeOS days.
The file manager is known as the Tracker. It behaves a lot like the original macOS Finder, opening up multiple windows each time you open another directory. Because this can cause clutter, you can also right-click on drives or folders to get a pull-down menu.
Surfing the Web With WebPositive
Like most modern OSes, Haiku comes with a built-in web browser. Haiku’s browser is called WebPositive.
WebPositive uses the WebKit rendering engine that Google Chrome uses. It has tabbed browsing like you’d expect any modern browser to use.
The downside is that’s pretty much all you get with WebPositive. If you depend upon plugins like password managers, you don’t really have many other options. Perhaps someone might port Firefox or Chromium to Haiku OS.
Package Management in Haiku
Haiku includes the Haiku Depot package manager. It’s similar to using software stores on mainstream distros like Ubuntu.
You can search for “featured” programs, as well as search for all packages. You can find a lot of the same packages that you could find on a traditional Linux system. This includes editors, debuggers, and other programming tools.
Haiku Depot has some rough edges. This has less to do with the program itself than with some of the packages it contains. An attempt to install LibreOffice failed due to missing dependencies. This is something that will be hopefully resolved when the regular release comes out, whenever that happens.
Using the Terminal in Haiku
Like BeOS before it, Haiku comes with a terminal application. The default shell is Bash, and the system ismostly POSIX-compliant, so you’re able to use many of your favorite command-line programs in Haiku.
A lot of Linux tools have indeed been ported to Haiku and are available through Haiku Depot.
One key difference from Linux is that Haiku is a single-user system. You’re effectively running as root, so you’ll have to be careful about modifying system files.
Is Haiku the Right OS for You?
Even in its beta stage, Haiku is surprisingly usable. Its interface seems little changed from the original BeOS of the ’90s. Haiku will likely appeal to those who enjoy using minimalistic Linux distros like Tiny Core Linux. One of Haiku’s best attributes is its performance on low-spec systems.
Still, there are some things that may make it difficult to recommend as a full-time OS. There are fewer applications for Haiku than there are for Linux. With Haiku’s compatibility with X11 and Wayland apps, it will be easier to port apps from Linux over to Haiku in the future.
One drawback mentioned earlier is Haiku’s single-user nature. This is something else that was inherited from BeOS. In the mid-90s, when BeOS debuted, home computer OSes did not have a concept of multiple logins. Haiku is an artifact of that era.
One thing that might disappoint Linux tinkerers is the lack of customizability. Apart from the replicants, the Haiku desktop is all you get.
While there are people on the internet who claim to use Haiku as a daily driver, a lot of users might feel wary of relying on a beta OS.
If you want something minimal and you care about stability, there are a number of tiny Linux distributions available. Xubuntu has a lighter customized Xfce desktop with access to the vast base of Ubuntu applications.
Haiku: An Interesting Not-Quite-Linux Desktop
Haiku is a beta OS inspired by BeOS of the ’90s, with a growing community and ease of installation and use. It’s still rough around the edges, but worth exploring if you want something different.
There are several other open-source OSes out there that aren’t based on Linux. Haiku is just one of them.
