I have downloaded Pureos trials several times and it is always a beta version. This does not instill confidence in something intended to be ultra secure for production use. There seems to be no stable version.
I like the whole concept of minimalism, unlike other Linux offerings, but It seems to lack the basic configurability to make it useable for someone using the GUI that does not want to make tweeking it a full time job. I can change all the silly colours on the desktop, but I can’t reduce the size of those huge icons (on a normal laptop). Anything I want to do on the GUI involves huge effort with the cursor and repeatedly opening and closing the same apps with multiple mouse clicks. It seems almost to be designed for a phone, without multitasking.
Mint makes all the above simple, but obviously does not have the builtin security.
None of the obvious listed apps are available on the main Pueros repository using 8 beta and a glance at previous comments here seems to indicate it would be a huge waste of time for me to try adding other repositories as I would be fighting the system forever onward when the Puros libraries are updated.
I want to use this successfully so I can buy a Librem phone as well, but I have a feeling that the user and developer base is not really big enough for the work involved. I don’t have any time or deep enough experience to get involved with this myself.
I dont need or expect games, just the basics like Gimp, Gnucalc, office tools and viewers etc.
I know I will be slaughtered by the hardcore Linux hackers for these comments, but I thought Linux had grown up to properly take on the GUI generation.
There is more to a GUI than changing the colours and pictures - I also need to be able to read the full text of the icons - if necessary by mousing over and not be permanently scrolling or switching screens.
The whole system is not really useable on a laptop yet. Perhaps it will eventually get past being a beta version.
Is there any way I can easily just use the Purebrowser on Mint?
I really want to escape from the mainstream Firefox privacy issues.
What exactly are you downloading? Do you have a URL that you use when you download and install PureOS?
Listen, operating systems are complex. Leaving something in Beta gives some wiggle room. It might not give you the warm fussy, but it also insulates Purism from posts complaining that something is buggy.
They are doing it right. Slow and steady.
The hardware is what they really sell and the software is the gravy on top. At least that’s my 2 cents.
pureOS is esentially based on debian testing. it has the newer linux kernels unlike the more tested and stable linux kernel present in let’s say other debian derivatives such as LinuxMint and Ubuntu (a few weeks more tested as i’ve been told). it is as you said - a perpetual beta - because it is close to a rolling distribution without the rolling part 
you can if you so wish - after you receive the hardware from purism - install one of the other less secure and private debian derivatives. it is up to you and what you can manage and how irresponsible you feel like getting.
I think @poorism is talking about the download from https://www.pureos.net/, which is titled “Prometheus 8.0 Beta 1”.
To be honest: As an end user, I would be hesitant to install a distro with “Beta” in it’s name (when there’s no stable release available on the page).
IMO it would be better not to use the “Beta” tag - it really looks like PureOS is in a permanent beta phase.
Instead, a hint about it’s origins in Debian testing and/or some information, that it’s a kind of rolling distro, should be enough. Or am I wrong about the current “rolling distro” character of PureOS?
Good feedback from everyone here, thanks. My personal spin is that having the ‘beta’ tag communicates expectations to users. Those who want the stability of Debian stable might be disappointed by PureOS beta. I think one way to solve this is to eventually have a ‘stable’ designation of versions like PureOS Prometheus where we take off the ‘beta’ tag. We’d need to define what that means, is it when Prometheus is updated to Debian stable? Is it when Prometheus goes through a PureOS defined quality control? I think those discussions are worth having and the input here will be a valuable addition to those discussions.
As I understand Pureos is derived from Trisquel I would like to understand what has changed and I why there are not more applications avaliable. For now, the only option for me is to just use Trisquel and wait to see if Pureos develops.
What gives you the impression that PureOS is derived from Trisquel?
PureOS is derived from Debian. You can see this here in an example package; http://repo.pureos.net/pureos/pool/main/libc/libcalendar-simple-perl/
If you follow that link it shows the PureOS repo and specifically the artifacts for the perl package called Calendar Simple. You can see that there is a .deb file (Debian’s package format) and an archive that has the name ‘debian’ in it. That is the upstream source from which the deb package is built.
Perhaps there ought to be a clearer explanation on the PureOS.net page?
For my taste, Debian stable is too static, the packages too old. In a desktop environment, I want the latest software in a reasonable stable state. That’s one of the reasons Ubuntu got so popular. The “rolling release” character of PureOS is great IMO. So probably the best solution it that case would be a “quality controlled” release from time to time - or even better the same with a fixed release cycle.
I think that would be great: Some info about the Debian origins of PureOS and how/when packages are updated.
That link is great for explaining the process, but I would like to understand more specific plans about packages. I know there are an awful lot of them, but it seems users could learn something about major ones and PureOS directions.
For examples, some version of Thunderbird 60 has been in buster and on pureos/pool/main for nearly two months. It has security updates, yet PureOS green still offers only Thunderbird 52.9.1. Why? One cannot have privacy without security. I found gnome-software was suddenly uninstalled for some reason. (Yes, I learned it may have privacy concerns because of fwupd and the PureOS version was old–hint, hint.) I actually do not use that package, but it would be nice to know what is going on. I only learned from reading tracker items that PureBrowser may be eventually replaced by Gnome Web.
I have actually asked for some source of package news a few times, but it has fallen on deaf ears. I think a lot of the problems people have posted in this forum are the result of giving up and installing from elsewhere. I did not want to do so, but I finally installed Thunderbird 60 from Mozilla. My tracker item was never answered.
I do not mean to vent. I like my Librem, but I am totally frustrated with updates.
Yes and no 
First thank you - I hadn’t read/found that page so far and it really explains a lot.
And no, because the main download page should provide some more information about what kind of distro PureOS is. Maybe referencing the page in your link. But just my two cents…
when i read debian stable i think about the corespondent of centos from redhat/fedora project - as such it is more like for older hardware like servers and scientific workstations. they don’t require upgrading or changing hardware every 3 years it’s more like the 4 to 7 year range. so it is better in that scenario.
beta in relation to debian testing/pureos is more like general purpose/workstation type that needs more up to date kernel, drivers, software. i agree it is kinda’ misleading but it is necessary for people that have no ideea what the command line iterface is - aka the dreaded Terminal. it is the correspondent of fedora workstation if you will or the ubuntu 6 month cycle releases.
Just about Firefox privacy issues.
It take time that’s true but you can solve a lot a problem with some addons like NoScript Adblock/uBlock (if you trust them) and “about:config” who let really the user change everything inside Firefox. I can catch almost all issues on this browser with that.
Chromium who should be open source and “Google free” made request to “1e100.net” and no found any way for stop that. Can’t clear datas or not store any datas need to done that manually.