Why I returned to Enlightenment Linux after 30 years: Testing the new Elive beta

## Summary
Tech Home Tech Services & Software Operating Systems Linux Why I returned to Enlightenment Linux after 30 years: Testing the new Elive beta This Debian-based distro brings back the old-school desktop environment but shrugs off the boring UI. Also: How to choose the right Linux desktop distribution for you There are also the usual features that come with Enlightenment, such as my favorite, window shading (double-click on a window's title bar and the window rolls up, so all you see is the title bar), which makes for an amazing multi-tasking desktop. Also: My 11 favorite Linux distributions of all time, ranked There's also another feature that might be of interest to some: voice control. What I love about Elive First and foremost, it's all about Enlightenment, and what is there not to love about that window manager?

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Why I returned to Enlightenment Linux after 30 years: Testing the new Elive beta
This Debian-based distro brings back the old-school desktop environment but shrugs off the boring UI. I just wish I could've tried voice control.
Written by
Jack Wallen,
Contributing Writer
Contributing Writer
April 7, 2026 at 8:56 a.m. PT
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ZDNET's key takeaways
Elive has a new beta out, and it's fantastic.
Some of the announced features aren't ready.
You can test the beta now for free.
There's a lot to love about Linux, including its flexibility. No matter the distribution, you can tweak and customize it to perfectly fit your needs and aesthetic. I learned this back in the late '90s, when I discovered the Enlightenment desktop.
I spent hours upon hours on customization, and always found myself in awe at what it could do.
Also:
The best Linux distros for beginners
Although Enlightenment (also called E) doesn't enjoy nearly the popularity it once had, it's still available, thanks to distributions such as Elive. Elive is based on Debian, so it inherits the rock-solid reliability from the "Mother of all distributions." Elive is also configured, out of the box, to be one very cool-looking desktop OS.
There's a new beta of the upcoming release of
Elive
, and it promises to be something special. In this latest release, you'll find new features/improvements, such as:
OpenRC: An alternative init system available during installation.
Synthwave Player: An impressive new music player.
Voice Control: An extremely-light application for hands-free interaction with zero AI integration.
Desktop Clock: A simple, lightweight desktop clock.
Enlightenment 27: A preview of the latest version of the Enlightenment desktop.
Debian 12 base: This is the last build of Elive that will be based on Debian 12.
Also:
How to choose the right Linux desktop distribution for you
There are also the usual features that come with Enlightenment, such as my favorite, window shading (double-click on a window's title bar and the window rolls up, so all you see is the title bar), which makes for an amazing multi-tasking desktop.
There's also the desktop menus. Left-click any blank spot on the desktop to bring up the main menu. Right-click on the desktop to bring up the Settings menu.
You also get Conky, the Elive Center (where you can customize the look, configuration, and settings of your desktop), and so much more. After installing the latest beta, I found myself poking around to experience what the developer has done with the Enlightenment desktop, and I was all smiles.
Also:
My 11 favorite Linux distributions of all time, ranked
There's also another feature that might be of interest to some: voice control. This is a brand new feature, still in beta, that allows you to control the desktop with your voice. The developer has released a nice demo video for this feature, which you can view on his
Patreon site
.
Upon installing the latest beta of Elive, I found myself excited about trying this new feature out. After scanning through the desktop menus, I was unable to locate a way to enable and/or start voice control. I jumped on the Elive Libera.Chat server to see if anyone could help me out, and, surprisingly, there was no help to be found.
Unfortunately, no help was forthcoming, so I had to miss out on testing the voice control in the beta release. However, the video above gives you a good idea of how the feature will work (and it's pretty exciting).
What I love about Elive
First and foremost, it's all about Enlightenment, and what is there not to love about that window manager? It retains everything I've always enjoyed about Enlightenment (desktop menus, window shading, theming, smooth and unique animations, desktop sounds, etc), while also giving it a slightly more modern look.
The default Elive theme, showing the desktop menu.
Jack Wallen/ZDNET
Yes, when you use Enlightenment, you know you're working with a throwback to the earlier days of Linux, but that doesn't take away from its usability or beauty.
There's one thing about Enlightenment that never fails to put a smile on my face. No matter how much I know about the E window manager, I'm always finding something new. For example, just today I realized that I could right-click the pager modules (near the bottom left of the screen) to minimize them. I love this feature because I tend to like a more minimal desktop, but still want the ability to work with the pager.
I've left one pager open, so you can see where they live (and what they look like when minimized).
Jack Wallen/ZDNET
For those who don't know, the pager is an old-school approach to switching between virtual desktops.
Oh, and there's the LCARS theme, which any Trekkie will love.
What I don't love about Elive
Honestly, there's not much to criticize about Elive. Obviously, I wish I could have tested the voice control feature, but t

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## Expert Analysis

### Merits
N/A

### Areas for Consideration
N/A

### Implications
- I just wish I could've tried voice control.
- I spent hours upon hours on customization, and always found myself in awe at what it could do.
- Debian 12 base: This is the last build of Elive that will be based on Debian 12.
- Also: My 11 favorite Linux distributions of all time, ranked There's also another feature that might be of interest to some: voice control.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers desktop, elive, enlightenment topics. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 1273.