Symphony is a Linux distribution that combines elements of Debian and KNOPPIX operating systems.
Since Symphony is designed for the home or small business desktop user, it makes it much easier to use by standardizing the core installation. This means that Symphony and third-party developers can package applications that include any libraries not included in the base install. The benefit of this approach is that developers can build packages without worrying about what software is in a Symphony OS box and what is not, hence avoiding "Dependency Hell".
Another great feature of Symphony is the Orchestra Environment. This includes a simple application toolkit that allows developers to create GUI applications much as they would create perl CGI scripts. The tools include a slimmed-down version of Mozilla for rendering and a localhost-only HTTPD server. This means that developers will have all the tools they need to provide a GUI to their perl applications.
Orchestra will also be used in Symphony in the package manager GUI, system configuration tools, and other places. A complete tutorial for creating Orchestra/Perl applications will be published here as soon as the first Symphony Release candidate is released to the public. Overall, Symphony is an excellent choice if you're looking for a Linux operating system that's easy to use, intuitive, and has great package management and development tools.
Version 2007-06: N/A