.................Oh, my! I sincerely am not posting here to insult - especially the developers. Perception of unusual things is important.
However, you did post an insulting comment. And included a picture.
I can see how it can be taken as an insult to those who are totally up to date, very knowledgeable of pclos, and have high speed connections, and contribute heavily to PCLOS.
Many of the clients i "turned on" to pclos are elderly and dont understand -AND /OR - intimidated with computer stuff. They expect it "to just work"...
I do find it frustrating, and try my best to explain-although it may be in vain....It is very embarassing and expensive for me @ almost $5.00 a gallon of gas here in Calif to travel several miles to a clients house - spend time to get the sound to work - after it worked OK when initially set up...
In order for us to test on that hardware, we have to have that hardware.
It was an unfortunate scenario for PCLOS the first part of this year - with the SERVER move - many got blindsided and had problems updating {therefore getting behind}...
Really? I mean really!?! You think ibiblio's move didn't affect
all of us? You think that didn't come out of nowhere for us? Sheesh!
I myself do not have an internet connection at home due to no availability -- {this might be changing this summer.} Until then I have been trying to "keep" up with any changes that were significant -to this OS....I check this forum website, periodically, every week when in town at a wi-fi hotspot, or even while at a clients house.
I sincerely respect the developers here at PCLOS - who I know are highly on top of things - I believe a bit more than ANY linux distro....My guinea pig comment was in reference to the the changes in LINUX - which in turn affects PCLOS and puts TEX {and others} in a position of having to constantly "FIX" this proprietary distro...
PCLinuxOS is Open Source. It is not a "proprietary distro."
It has always been open source. Check for yourself. There is no EULA (proprietary license).
I have the utmost empathy for the developers here. I am sorry to be misinterpreted. I do not drink as much coffee as NEAL. 
And am appreciative of all who give input to any problems - constructive or otherwise - We are all here for a reason.
What has my love for coffee got to do with it?
Sorry for the late reply here, I can only get on when i can. About testing - I would be elated if I could - for PCLOS . The testers HERE are not my issue - Maybe I don't understand about HOW/WHY the LINUX kernel changes get released and who tests them on what machines?
Like every new package, new kernels get tested by the community testers; i.e. those on the testers' mailing list. IMO, they do a great job. They test on the hardware they have and report their results. When all tests show that the new kernel or anything else is ready, it is moved to stable. We do our part. Without reports of problems, we can't know they exist.
Linux used to be good with "old stuff" , and I believe it is a difficult and formidable task to have it work with EVERYTHING.
Try
impossible. There is no way we can have all of the hardware that was ever available.
We have no millionaire backers. Each tester provides his/her own hardware. Each developer for this distro does the work on his own dime.
I also believe that PCLOS has addressed this with E:17, KDE full monte, LXDE and the other "flavors" of this distro - more than any other. I understand that a "CHANGE" in one thing can/will change the other flavors , as well. I am totally unknowledgable of the "inside testing' that takes place in this distro - just that many who seem to be (maybe by their forum standings?) help here a lot. My opinion about the ongoing changes to linux is based solely from a 'USERS" perspective. I just might have a different aspect on things than others, my experience is with the mechanics and building of computers - not software or programming.
I have great admiration for those who help PCLOS, and wish for smoother sailing in the future. 
JN.
Forum standing has nothing to do with testing or development. There is no "inside testing." There is only testing.
