Voyager Linux Offers a User-Friendly, Customized GNOME
I’ve always found the GNOME desktop to be one of the more efficient desktop environments on the market. It’s easy to use, gets out of the way and can be customized with extensions. Sure, it might be quite different than the desktop you’re used to, but getting up to speed with GNOME is much easier than you’d think.
And then there are Linux distributions that give GNOME just the right amount of tweaks, so you don’t have to. One such distribution is Voyager Linux, which is a user-friendly Linux distribution for internet, office, multimedia or gaming. In other words, it’s a distribution for casual users who want more from their desktops. Voyager Linux is also a wonderful alternative for those with computers running Windows 10 (which will soon see EOL and will no longer be supported). If that describes your situation, read on, because Voyager Linux will give that aging computer new life, while still feeling like it’s powered by a modern OS.
Voyager Linux is based on Ubuntu, so it includes all of the hardware recognition and user-friendliness associated with Canonical’s OS. I decided to test the alpha 3 release of Voyager Linux 25.04, which adds the following into the mix:
- ChatGPT 3.5 Terminal
- ChatGPT 4o mini GNOME extension
- Tilda click close open
- Coverflow + radio extension
- Style dark and black
- Mission Center
As far as GNOME extensions, you’ll find the following are added by default:
- Add to Desktop
- ArcMenu
- Blur my Shell
- Burn My Windows
- Caffeine
- Clipboard History
- Compiz alike magic lamp effect
- Compiz windows effect
- Dash to Dock
- Desktop Cube
- Frippery Move Clock
- Internet Speed Meter
- SettingsCenter
- Show Desktop Button
- SomaFM internet radio
- User Themes
That’s a pretty good collection of extensions, and should make for a very solid desktop experience.
Installation and First Look
The installation of Voyager Linux is as easy as any modern Linux distribution, so it’s a point-and-click affair. I will say, however, that the installation of alpha 3 did take a bit longer than expected. In fact, at one point, it seemed the installation locked up (when removing ubiquity-slideshow-ubuntu). I held off stopping the virtual machine until I was certain something was wrong with the installation. After five minutes, I stopped and restarted the VM to try the installation a second time.
Given this version is in the alpha stages, it came as no surprise that there were issues. Even so, I gave it a second chance (before opting to go back to the stable 24.10 version). This time around, the installation was successful, so I could restart and log in to the alpha 3 version of Voyager Linux.
On first login, I was reminded why I like Voyager Linux so much. (I’ve used it before.) This take on GNOME is rather macOS-like, with a dock at the bottom and a top bar that gives you quick access to a more standard menu (rather than the traditional GNOME Application Overview). You can still access the overview, but if you’re more menu-inclined, you’ll certainly appreciate the addition of the ArcMenu extension.
Beyond the modern look and feel of Voyager Linux, you’ll find the usual complement of installed applications, including Firefox, FreeTube, LibreOffice, GIMP, Notes, KeePassXC, Thunderbird, VLC Media Player, Rhythmbox (music player) and more. Both Snap and Flatpak are also installed, so you’ll find plenty of applications that can be installed. As far as the GNOME Software GUI, Flatpak support has been rolled in (Figure 1), but Snap hasn’t. That’s fine because Flatpak is the more widely accepted universal package manager.
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Figure 1: As you can see, Flatpak support is rolled into GNOME Software.
App Overview vs. ArcMenu
If you’re a fan of GNOME, you’ll be glad to know the Application Overview is still there and ready to help you find the app you’re looking for. Click the square of dots at the right edge of the dock, and the overview will appear, where you can search for files, folders, or apps, switch virtual desktops, and launch applications. If there’s an app you regularly use, open the Application Overview, locate and right-click the app launcher, and select Pin to Dock (Figure 2).
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Figure 2: Adding an app launcher to the desktop dock.
If the Application Overview isn’t your jam, ArcMenu is ready to serve. The one thing you can’t do from within ArcMenu is pin apps to the dock. You can pin those apps to ArcMenu (Figure 3), which appears in the Favorites category, but to add a launcher to the dock, you must do it from within the Application Overview.
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Figure 3: Pinning an app to the ArcMenu GNOME extension.
One thing I don’t like is the default cursor, which is a lemon-yellow angled teardrop sort of thing. That’s easily changed in Tweaks > Appearance > Cursor. Change that setting to “Adwaita” or “Volantes_light_cursors” and you’ll be much happier.
Another thing worth noting about the alpha 3 version is that the desktop decorations can be a bit glitchy at times (Figure 4).
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Figure 4: It’s an alpha release, so glitches should be expected.
Since I’ve used Voyager Linux before, I know that once 25.04 reaches its stable release, it’ll be good to go. I would only recommend using the alpha version for testing purposes. If you really want to see what Voyager Linux looks and feels like, I would recommend downloading the 24.10 version, which is very stable and highly recommended.
Who Is Voyager Linux For?
Voyager Linux is one of those distributions that is ideal for those who like GNOME but prefer it customized to be slightly more user-friendly and elegant. To that end, the developers have done a great job of collecting just the right amount of GNOME extensions.
But is Voyager Linux the right distribution for those who have never experienced Linux? Given that it’s based on Ubuntu and makes the GNOME desktop more palatable for those who have never tried it, I would certainly recommend this as a solid distribution for those without tons of Linux experience.
Would I recommend it to someone who has never seen or used the open source operating system? If that person is comfortable with the macOS UI or enjoys something different, I sure would. And if you tend to use ChatGPT, you’ll find the built-in extension (which has to first be enabled) makes interacting with the AI service quite easy.
I’d recommend you download the ISO of Voyager Linux and spin up a virtual machine to kick the tires. My guess is that you’ll find this desktop distribution to be quite a solid entry in the world of Linux, and it might just become a favorite. At the very least, it will at least open your eyes to some pretty nifty GNOME extensions.
