
Voyager-X is a closely knit Xubuntu clone with a few impressive differences that set it apart from the typical Xfce desktop.
Voyager-X 10.14.4, released in March, is based on Xubuntu/Ubuntu 12.04 LTS (Precise Pangolin). This new Voyager-X is one of the first distros to use the new Xfce 4.12 desktop, more than one year in the making.
Ubuntu has yet to implement it, and few other Linux distros have put the new update into play. Thus, the latest Xfce desktop is considered “experimental.” However, it is a fully functional upgrade.
Voyager-X adds to this the Linux kernel 3.16, for a faster and more responsive OS that is optimized for better performance and offers much improved hardware support.
Its desktop display includes an unusual tweaking of the Avant Window Navigator, or AWN. This is a dock-like navigation bar. I do not like the way AWN works in Voyager, however. Unlike other distros where I grew fond of this docking bar, I found its integration in Voyager to be clunky and mostly unconfigurable. It also has a flat design lacking any icon animations.
The desktop treatment includes a rather innovative use of Conky, which displays useful information on the desktop. Its integration in Voyager-X is highly adaptable, turning Conky into a dynamic element on the desktop rather than a static display.
Read more about Voyager here.