ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Deepin 23 is now obtainable to obtain and set up without cost.
- It is lovely, straightforward to make use of, and provides additional options not discovered in lots of Linux distributions.
- Getting AI to work may be problematic in Deepin Linux.
Earlier than I dive into this newest launch from Deepin, I am going to need to say two issues.
First, AI has its place. For me, nevertheless, AI won’t ever be used for writing or something inventive. I do (once in a while) use AI for analysis however that is it. After I do use AI, I all the time go for Opera’s Aria as a result of my OpenAI account has did not perform for the previous few months. The second is that protecting Deepin Linux is moderately difficult, due to the safety and privateness points surrounding the distribution. Due to that second difficulty, I all the time deal with Deepin opinions rigorously.
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Deepin Linux is sort of all the time related to user-friendliness. Since its inception, it has been a Linux distribution that caters to those that are new to Linux and those that need a lovely desktop. Now, it is aiming at one other market… those that use AI.
Due to Deepin’s historical past of being so user-friendly, you’d suppose working with AI on this newest launch can be so simple as utilizing the remainder of the desktop. Sadly, that is not fairly the case. Why? All of it boils right down to your OpenAI account (in case you have one). In the event you’re not tech-savvy, the AI element of Deepin may be a bit too irritating to make use of.
Is Deepin adware?
I am going to clarify that in a bit, however first let’s discuss in regards to the desktop itself, beginning with the elephant within the room: the difficulty of privateness. Deepin Linux is developed in China and there was an inexpensive worry at one level that your entire distribution was adware. FOSSLinux has a good explainer for this issue which I like to recommend you take a look at for a deep dive on the topic.
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You may as well learn Deepin’s official statement in response, which denies that it is adware.
How Deepin does AI
Okay, again to Deepin 23. Again in February, I wrote about the Deepin 23 preview, the place I discussed the brand new Linlong package deal format, atomic updates, and different new options. What wasn’t current in that piece was any point out of AI. Effectively, the official launch is right here and there is loads of AI available…together with a really lovely desktop that’s, as anticipated, fairly user-friendly. In truth, I might say this model of Deepin might be utilized by anybody, no matter ability stage. It is not till you get knee-deep into the AI side that Deepin drifts barely away from user-friendliness.
How is that? Is not AI speculated to be easy to make use of by nature?
The primary hurdle you will run into is that, as a way to use AI in Deepin, it’s essential to first arrange AI in Deepin. The subsequent difficulty is the ol’ OpenAI account. Does your account nonetheless work? Are you keen to pay for an OpenAI account? If not, you possibly can all the time choose the Deepin System Assistant or the Private Information Assistant from the Assistant Checklist.
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However wait, even choosing these choices requires you so as to add an AI mannequin, of which there are 7 choices:
- CPT 3.5
- GPT4
- Three Chinese language fashions
- ChatGLM-turbo
- Customized
As a result of my OpenAI account appears to be non-functional for the time being, I opted to go together with Customized, which is the place issues get a bit difficult. To resolve this difficulty, I put in Ollama, an AI mannequin that runs domestically.
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Here is how you are able to do that.
- Open a terminal window and difficulty the command curl -fsSL https://ollama.com/set up.sh | sh
- After the set up completes, run the mannequin with the command ollama run qwen2:7b (you possibly can choose from totally different fashions on https://ollama/com/library).
- Open the UOSAI pop-up from the system tray and click on the account drop-down.
- Conform to the EULA.
- Within the ensuing window, title the mannequin, choose Customized from the LLM drop-down, sort the title of the mannequin you are utilizing within the Mannequin Title discipline, and add the next to the Area discipline: http://127.0.0.1:11434/v1.
At this level, it’s best to have a functioning AI in Deepin which runs domestically. One factor to remember is that native AI runs significantly slower than utilizing a cloud-based possibility. However for individuals who actually take pleasure in their privateness, the native mannequin is a superb possibility.
Past AI
Outdoors of AI, what’s Deepin 23 like? It is really very good. You get an amazing steadiness between efficiency, usability, and aesthetics. The desktop additionally ships with LibreOffice, Deepin Browser, Deepin Mail, and a handful of different purposes.
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After all, you too can set up different purposes from the app retailer or the command line, and though Deepin does lean into the brand new Lingong package deal format, you possibly can nonetheless use apt as your package deal supervisor of alternative. If essential, you too can set up Snap or Flatpack for common packaging.
Who’s Deepin finest fitted to?
It is a robust query due to the privateness points.
Setting that apart, Deepin is a superb possibility for anybody on the lookout for a Linux distribution with built-in AI (who does not thoughts a bit of additional work). And that is a vital level. Customers should not should take additional steps simply to get AI to work on a desktop. The builders must revisit how the UOSAI is enabled out of the field.
The characteristic ought to robotically be configured to perform with both the Deepin System Assistant or the Private Information Assistant with none work on the consumer’s finish. If the consumer desires to change to a cloud-based or native LLM for AI, then configuration might be essential. Sadly, the out-of-the-box expertise is not fairly that easy.
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In the event you’re simply on the lookout for a lovely desktop Linux distribution, Deepin might be it. In the event you’re trying to actually combine AI into your workflow and you’ve got a functioning OpenAI account (or do not thoughts taking the additional steps to put in Ollama), this can be a positive possibility.
If, nevertheless, you do not want AI in your desktop or have severe issues about privateness, this Linux distribution shouldn’t be for you.
As a result of I’ve many years of expertise with Linux, I did not thoughts establishing Ollama and utilizing native AI on Deepin Desktop. And though you possibly can set up Ollama on nearly any Linux distribution, different distributions do not offer you such seamless entry to it, as Deepin does.
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Deepin is a distribution that’s completely fitted to customers of all sorts. In the event you’re model new to Linux, ignore the AI side till you develop a bit extra ability. In the event you’re a talented Linux consumer, set up Ollama and see how a neighborhood LLM can work with a lovely desktop interface.