A few weeks ago, MEPIS released SimplyMEPIS 6.5. The latest version of the Ubuntu-based desktop distribution offers a number of interesting new features, including a 64-bit release and Beryl for 3-D desktop effects. After spending a fair amount of time with the release, I found it to be a worthy update to earlier versions of MEPIS.

The last time I reviewed SimplyMEPIS, it was built on Debian rather than Ubuntu. I expected that SimplyMEPIS might look and feel a little more like Kubuntu now that it's based in part on packages from Ubuntu, but it still has a unique flavor. SimplyMEPIS 6.5 may have Ubuntu's DNA under the hood, but it hasn't lost its identity.

To get started with SimplyMEPIS, download the ISO image, burn it to a disc, pop the CD into your machine, and reboot. SimplyMEPIS works as a live CD, or you can install the operating system to your hard drive from live CD while you're doing other things, like browsing the Net or playing games.

I tried SimplyMEPIS on two machines.

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