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Compare the download page one year ago and now

Quite right. I'd suggest trying Mandrake, as their urpmi makes short work of dependency issues, and they're fairly similar to Redhat (better, if you ask me).

Yes, a Powerbook G4 will run Linux, but not VMWare. Yellow Dog Linux, Mandrake PPC, and Debian just to name a few.

*sigh*

Link to Debian/PPC home page
(Link to a project called "Fink" that offers apt-get and a server with very many Mac OS X native binary packages of popular linux software packages)

Link to Mandrake/PPC faq and ordering information

Link to SUSE/PPC home page (With screenshots of MOL (like VMWare for mac) in action!)

Mandrake, debian and SUSE are not "for all practical purposes" x86 only. It is unlikely in the extreme that you will find linux/ppc binary files on the random internet, but full, current versions (in the case of SUSE, including all 8 CDs!) of the three linux distros you mention are available and functioning for PPC computers. I have not used Mandrake and SUSE, but i have Debian/PPC installed on a spare mac at home, and i can tell you that it works exactly the same as the x86 version. In fact, this is the biggest advantage (besides apt-get) of Debian/PPC over Yellow Dog, for me-- the documentation and IRC help channels for debian/x86 apply absolutely equally to debian/ppc, making troubleshooting way easier than if you used Yellow Dog or something else obscure.

-- author of anonymous coward post #3855992

You could just download it now for Itanium processors.

"MandrakeSoft announces the availability of the Release Candidate of Mandrake Linux 8.1 for Intel Itanium Architecture. The Itanium 64-bit architecture is used for servers and computers which run highly demanding business applications, such as large database, ERM/CRM applications or advanced computing."

Linux Mandrake is just the latest in a long line of quirkily christened versions of Linux. Previous versions of Linux have been named Red Hat, Slack Ware, Storm and Coral. In stark contrast to the mundane names such as 98, ME or NT preferred by Microsoft, the crazy names of each Linux release hint at its renegade nature.

My foray into the world of Linux began by downloading a "CD image" from the Linux web site. But don't worry, this isn't software piracy, it's perfectly legal! Linux is shareware, meaning that it can be freely redistributed without fear of a visit by the Business Software Alliance. The free availability of Linux is a major reason for its popularity among cash-strapped students and self-styled anti-capitalist hackers.

Before installing new software, it is always advisable to read the documentation. Unfortunately, an unpleasant surprise was in store for me in the "required configuration" section of the manual. I was shocked to learn that Linux Mandrake only runs on Pentium processors, meaning that my hopes of testing the water with my old Gateway 486 were dashed. Furthermore, a whopping 32 megabytes of memory are required to run Linux! Although the advocates of Linux self-righteously boast the efficiency of their chosen operating system and deride the "bloatware" produced by Microsoft, it appears that their claims are blatantly incorrect. Although my humble 486 will happily run Windows 95, it seems that Linux requires far more powerful, and more expensive, computer hardware. Is this really the sign of a lean, mean operating system? Of course not.

Sadly, not even being able to install Linux is just the first of my many complaints. A brief perusal of the features of Linux Mandrake reveals that Linux is sorely lacking many crucial productivity applications. For example, why isn't the industry standard web browser, Internet Explorer, included with Linux? Despite the best efforts of the experts at the Internet Engineering Task Force to encourage adoption of the Internet Explorer standard, the creators of Linux seem to think that they know better. By refusing to adhere to recognised standards, Linux is simply undermining its own credibility.

Similarly, almost all of the world's most popular and widely used software is completely incompatible with Linux! It may surprise you to learn that your copy of Microsoft Office, Outlook Express, or Lotus Notes will not work under Linux. Those who wish to use their computer for recreational purposes are also out of luck, for almost all of the most popular games are unavailable for Linux. Although a wide range of software is freely available for Linux, these pitiful offerings are mostly unfinished, unreliable and do not bear comparison to their commercial counterparts.

Computer security is also an area that seems to have been overlooked by the developers of Linux. In these times when hacking and viruses are commonplace, it defies belief to learn that no anti-virus software is available for Linux. To add insult to injury, there is no Linux version of the popular ZoneAlarm firewall. By using Linux, you are issuing an open invitation to the hordes of ne'er-do-wells on the Internet.

The shortcomings of Linux are obvious. Without even installing Linux Mandrake, I have exposed several fundamental flaws. Surely it is not too much to expect that, after ten years of development, the creators of Linux would have addressed these problems? The real question that the prospective Linux user must ask himself is, "Why bother?" After all, Microsoft Windows comes free with most PCs and there simply isn't a need to replace it, particularly not with a product of inferior quality.

Although it is always tempting to support the underdog, Windows XP will be the deserved victor in the battle ahead. I recommend that those Adequacy readers who are hoping to upgrade their operating system patiently wait for the release of Windows XP, rather than foolishly wasting their time, effort and money on Linux.

For the first, you're right, the debian way makes more sense. Mandrake went through a huge overhaul in the 7.x to 8.x series to use debian-style library packages, but RedHat has not done this yet.

As for #2, you can most certainly build RPMs as a user other than root. The Mandrake RPM Howto has the most concise explanation of how to do it... it's only a couple lines in a configuration file in your home directory.

Microsoft can't force you to upgrade your existing software, so take your time. Set up a couple of test Linux desktop systems (KDE looks/works like Windows) with OpenOffice 1.0 or StarOffice 6.0 (if you want/need things like templates) and Netscape 6.2 maybe, Gabber for instant-messaging, and look into Evolution if you need a Microsoft email/calendar workalike.

Then setup Wine (or CrossOver Office) for the few specialized applications and get them working well. Clone your desktop system for a few recruits (managers, if possible) and do some hand holding, er... training, until they're comfortable.

After that, it shouldn't be too painful to move the rest of the company onto all-Linux desktops. If you can avoid future rounds of Microsoft taxes for WindowsXP/OfficeXP (and later) this way, you will save about $700/user, or almost $35,000 _per year_. You'll save more if you replace those Sun machines with Linux, too, instead of upgrades.

Its not that big of a feature to the GNOMEish, but I 'll give KDE 3 a shot when I rebuild my dev box with RH7.3 today. I'm not a big fan of KDE, and each time I try it, I fail to be suitably impressed. Maybe 3 will change all that =)

Sample text to post to any windows web forum.

No reason to run Windows anymore. No reason to keep paying Billy Gates his ransom. Mandrake Linux 8.2 is free and easy to use, not virus prone, doesn't crash and....
LOOKS AND WORKS just like windows, plus....
"SOT, a Linux-distributor is offering SOT Office, a free productivity suite partly based on OpenOffice, it is fully compatible with MS Office and StarOffice."
More and more games are available now from major companies, all the hardware out there is pretty much supported now, and Linux comes with a lot of software already installed, nothing to buy!
E-mail programs, web browsers and more are already installed! It's time to make the switch, and it's easy.
You can FTP the CD-ROMs for free from this FTP site or other mirrors
(make sure you use binary mode in your FTP transfer)

KDE is "Windows" for the Linux OS, it's easy and is just like windows, but with all the software already installed for you.
And there's always the Lindows project, but it's not ready yet. lindows
The OpenOffice story is at slashdot or the SOT site
And a good newbie site is HERE

Why is this important to Windows users? One reason is if the RIAA has their way, Windows will be forced to make any MP3 type players copyright protected. Your only choice for freedom will be with Linux and open source.
Windows always crashes and you get used to it. I remember when I ran Windows all the time I got used to the crashes and saving things every 2 minutes just in case. Now I leave things overnight and come back and it's still there. Even if a particular program crashes, the OS doesn't! I have seen Win 2000 crash blue screen too so it's not any better. $300 for NT isn't a good choice either.
I spend several hours a week helping my friends with problems from viruses and locked up IE (spamware popups and hidden registry startups) and have been slowly changing them over to Linux.
Linux doesn't get those viruses, I download them all the time just to look them over in a binary editor, people think I am crazy but they can't affect Linux. Viruses are very hard to make work on Linux, open source developers are security minded. What does that say about the Windows developers? Why run a OS that threatens your privacy and security?
"Wine" for Linux will let you run some windows software, it is what Lindows is doing, and DOS runs fine on it. When "wine" crashes, you restart the WINDOW! it's funny!
You have total control with Linux, you can run it 24/7 without worry, it's more hacker proof than any other OS and it's what the WWW is built on! Browsing and transfers are faster and the TCP/IP stack is designed better. Software RAID is possible and easy to do, hardware cards are supported. With Mandrake sharing a dial up connection over your private LAN is easy as pressing a few buttons.
You can relax now, no more worries about spyware, crashes, restarts, viruses, hackers, firewalls, strange popups and a screwed up registry. There is no "registry" required in Linux, what a stupid concept that was. Spyware would be very hard to sneak past people since it's open source.
Your "root" directory is protected, unlike windows, linux protects it's main "system" files from "user" files. No more calls to your "computer guy" in the middle of the night.
I have personally installed Mandrake on 3 laptops and many, many different PCs, old and new. It is very, very easy now that 8.2 mandrake is out. I haven't paid for a software program in over 4 years now. I used to buy one every few months for Windows.
After showing people Linux on my laptop they all want to try it out and are amazed at how easy the conversion was because it's just like windows!
Give it a try! Linux programs are waiting for you to try them out! Spread the word! Pass some Linux CDs to your friends. It's time.

Among those distros I have attempted to install (an ancient Slackware, RH52-71, Mandrake 6 and 7, Debian Potato, SuSe 7.0(?)), Mandrake have had the best installer, but as these things change all the time, that may or may not be true today.

And even though the Debian installer may not be the best in the world (it lacks automatic hardware detection); once I managed to get Testing onto my computer I've never looked back.

//Johan

Step 1: Uninstall all current file sharing progams on your PC

Step 2: When finished, simply start accquiring your music/movies through ethical and legal methods, like Emusic.com, or through an secret, ancient technique from the Far East called "Bu Yingt Hecd" (note from UpEvil medical staff: if you experience discomfort at the thought of supporting the corporate system through the given methods, we have found the best way to alleviate this pain is to cease the purchase/accquiring of corporate-produced music altogether)

(optional) Step 3: As an added bonus, install a Free operating system and avoid having to pay for Monopolyware too!

This has been your daily UpEvil "Kazaa-whores-are-a-bunch-of-cheap-whiny-fucks" post of the day. Thank you, and good night.

Our guys invented it. Overseas folks that want in can do it on their own dime. I'm still pissed about the last time we tried to clean something up in Africa. Now you want my cable bill to subsidize more Nigerian spam? I'd rather mail a check directly to the RIAA. At least nobody thinks I'm evil for not wanting to bankroll them.

Did you hear about Mandrake Corporate Club ? It's a bit quick to see Mandrake as a product for home users!

I've used SuSE 7.3 Professional, and Mandrake 8.0 PowerPack. If you like KDE, SuSE may be a good distribution for you. I did not like SuSE's Gnome or its system administration tool (YAST2). Mandrake may be easier to work with, especially if you install a lot of software or want to change your default configs. Mandrake's installation was pretty easy, although I did have a problem with X. Be sure to check the hardware database before you decide.

The only problem with their club is that you must pay for an entire year at a time. The least you can pay is $60.... Now, I'm not too rich at all, but I really wouldn't mind paying $5 a month even if it was autobilled. I'd even pay $6 a month - the extra buck to cover extra credit card fees that they'd have.

Bottom line: I can afford $5 /mo but not $60 /year

Of course one could argue that P2P software and networks are a similar struggle - of freedom to compute versus the tyrannical licensing of megacorps. But it's only true if the individual user is using P2P to trade in OSS or freeware. It doesn't hold water if you're using it to fill up your 120GB drive with mp3s you don't have albums for or to grab an image of the corporate edition of Windows XP Professional.

Now if you're serving up ISOs of Mandrake 8.2, distributing your band's songs, grabbing artist-released films, or sharing your amateur pr0n photo shoot, more power to you.

The court hit the nail on the head there. I can hear the MPAA and MIAA screaming all the way from the Netherlands.

Fileserver Box, web based administration, bulettproof security. Install this distro on any box and you get an instant fileserver.

Been Done. Take a look at the Cobalt Cubes. They were pretty competitively priced.

DNS server,

Plus someother stuff like NAT are available in closed boxes (See Cable/DSL Routers) Or the various Firewall Software in a Box.

Does this sound reasonable? Is it possible? Is anyone currently doing it?

If you are looking for software, then Mandrake is the closest. Check out the demos and see for yourself all the nice GUI config tools. A log of files that are changed is kept and it is possible to do all the setup by hand if you choose.

It looks like the article is more of a "i came, I saw, I wrote" stuff than a properly well researched article. The major (only?) things the article keeps pointing out is the "Lack of applications" and "No company pushing it"

Linux for the desktop is another matter. Its wide-scale adoption is still treated with skepticism by experts, who say that for consumer-level users, simply configuring Linux to dial into an ISP (Internet service provider) is a challenge.
What about KDE and GNOME diallers? Both work great.

But what hampers Linux the most, according to analysts, is a lack of applications that can run on the open source operating system.
I think what they mean is a lack of Microsoft Office Compatible applications. However, what about OpenOffice and StarOffice 6 (though there is a very brief mention)

"All the system vendors are pushing Linux on the server side, [but] there's really no large company that is ... pushing Linux on the desktop," Claybrook said.
Looks like Mandrake , RedHat et al. have been forgotten?

"The much anticipated StarOffice 6.0 for Linux is now available for download to Mandrake Linux Club Members. We are proud to announce that Club members will be among the first Linux users to have the privilege of using the newest version of this premiere Linux Office Sui
te. Since StarOffice 6.0 has a new licensing model (it is no longer free as were previous versions), MandrakeSoft is currently offering the download service to MandrakeClub "Silver" members (and above). To provide Mandrake Club members the opportunity to reach Silver status, MandrakeSoft has set up a simple upgrade procedure.

StarOffice 6.0 is comprised of five distinct components:
StarOffice Writer is a professional wordprocessor; StarOffice Calc is a spreadsheet application; StarOffice Impress is a multimedia presentation tool; StarOffice Draw is a 3D graphics and special effects designer; StarOffice Adabas is a user-friendly database.

The new features include a new XML-based document format that results in dramatically reduced filesizes (compared to StarOffice 5.2), improved file filters and support for OLE objects that provides excellent compatibility with Microsoft Office documents, new font rendering, an improved user interface that makes StarOffice 6.0 more intuitive and friendly than ever, better system integration with other applications that allows, for instance, the ability to send office documents with an email client directly from StarOffice, and more!

StarOffice 6.0 is supported under the following Mandrake Linux versions (x86 only): Mandrake Linux 8.0, Mandrake Linux 8.1 and Mandrake Linux 8.2."

There should be a story on Slashdot soon since it mentions the recent controversy about the Mandrake Club Silver membership...

Users who joined at $60 per month did so under the explicit statement that "all members enjoy the same benefits". Now that's been changed to include the word "almost". If Mandrake chooses to make this change, I hope that they keep existing users who joined prior to the rule change with the same benefits.

The club is a reasonable idea to attempt to increase revenue at a time they really need it and to simultaneously provide something unique and useful to their enthusiast user base. I can understand this change, but it needs to be communicated clearly to existing members. I hope it won't affect those members who already joined at the lowest rate.

I joined the Mandrake club at the Silver level and I also purchased the discounted ProSuite (which I would not normally have done) in order to support Mandrake. The users who joined at the standard level deserve to receive what they were promised, plain and simple. It's just a matter of principle.

- Leo

Because Mandrake needs cash now!
...or they will have to lay of some of their people.
I placed a preorder for the 8.2 boxed set last night, while i was downloading the distro, just to support them.

Everyone that uses Mandrake should do this, or join the Mandrake Users Club. It's not very expensive and I get a nice boxed set, and some dead tree manuals.

I am pretty sure the Users Club membership could be really useful also, at least for linux newbies.

The easiest way to remove it is to click here or install this.

Better to download the ISOs and send the cash direct to Mandrake (eg by joining the Mandrake Linux Users Club). That way they'll see more of the cash, as you've cut out the middleman.

New installation features include the ability to download and install updates at install time

new wizard-oriented rescue mode

redesigned and polished Mandrake Control Center

DiskDrake now supports an encrypted filesystem

Improved URPMI (apt-like package manager) and Software Manager

Rfbdrake - remotely control an X session.

New minimal (65 meg) installation mode, which installs nothing but the base system

Also mentions that StarOffice 6.0 is included, although It doesn't say, I'm sure it's probably the Beta.

Worth Mentioning:

Kernal 2.4.18

Improved Firewire, USB2, ATA133

Looking Good Mandrake!
Keep up the great work!

Altadena, CA - March 18th 2002 - MandrakeSoft is proud to introduce Mandrake Linux 8.2 as the most feature-rich, multi-purpose Linux operating system ever made available to the public. This new version of our flagship product combines the power and flexibility of a full-featured Linux server with the simplicity and elegance of well designed graphical user interfaces.

Mandrake Linux 8.2 is the best "all-in-one" solution for saving time and money with personal computers: installation couldn't be easier with our world-famous graphical installer, and no post-configuration hassles means that your Mandrake system is immediately ready for work. Depending on your requirements, Mandrake 8.2 can be installed either as a full-featured & powerful Linux server, or as a highly productive personal workstation.

New server features include the ability to use an encrypted filesystem for protecting sensitive data; "kernel-secure" adds important security features to the default Linux kernel; and an "Enterprise" kernel delivers SMP (Symmetric Multi Processing) and Hi-memory support (above 1024 MB) for high-end servers. Mandrake Linux 8.2 also introduces a quick and efficient way to set up printers and scanners; a new file sharing feature for easily sharing files and directories in a networked environment; and improved "hot-plug" support that lets users install new devices quickly and painlessly without having to reboot the system. A new remote desktop utility, RFBdrake, is extremely useful for controlling machines remotely within a LAN or securely through the Internet.

New desktop features include a completely redesigned Mandrake Control Center that serves as a central location for Mandrake-specific tools and utilities, as well as many new configuration wizards. Desktop users will appreciate the task-oriented menus in GNOME and KDE which greatly simplify locating applications by categorizing them into common "tasks".

MandrakeFirstTime is an easy-to-use wizard that helps setup a desktop environment (KDE, GNOME, etc.), choose a theme and configure email settings. DrakNet, the Internet connection and network utility, efficiently helps users configure all types of network connections, from common dial-up modems to DSL and cable connections.

The reworked version of MSEC, a utility for configuring the security level of a machine (Standard, High, Highest, Paranoid) is more powerful than ever. Also included are the latest stable versions of KDE and GNOME which both offer some great new features and applications such as anti-aliased fonts and Evolution (an Outlook-like email client and personal information manager). StarOffice 6.0 is included with the ProSuite and PowerPack Editions.

"With version 8.2, Mandrake Linux proves that it is the ultimate Linux experience. This new release is the result of our four year commitment to providing the best operating system ever. Mandrake Linux has long been the preferred Linux distribution for individuals, but Mandrake 8.2 marks a new step in our penetration of the corporate environment. The features and unparalleled ease of use make 8.2 an incredibly efficient and affordable alternative to UNIX and Windows 2000" said Jacques Le Marois, CEO of MandrakeSoft.

Core System Components

• Kernel 2.4.18
• Improved Firewire support
• Support for USB2, ECC memory, i830 DRM, ATA133, Geforce3
• XFree86 4.2 provides 3D acceleration for many video cards previously only supported in 3.3.6
• Glibc 2.2.4

Software and Applications

• Apache 1.3.23
• PHP 4.1.2
• MySQL 3.23.47
• PostgreSQL 7.2
• Sendmail 8.12.1
• Postfix 20010228
• Staroffice 6.0 is the latest version of the famous Office Suite that boasts integrated creativity and productivity tools, improved interoperability with Microsoft Office files, support for XML file formats, and improved international support.
• Evolution 1.02 is a full-featured personal information manager and advanced E-mail client. Evolution provides the best features in its class.
• KDE 2.2.2 (KDE 3.0 RC2 is also provided as an alternative desktop for users who enjoy the bleeding edge) and GNOME 1.4.1 -- Enjoy the latest versions of these popular desktop environments. KDE 2.2.2 includes a new print system which has been integrated with PrinterDrake; GNOME 1.4.1 includes Evolution to closely match the features and look of MS-Outlook.

Mandrake Linux 8.2 is currently available for x86 processors, and will soon also be available for the PPC platform.

To find out more about Mandrake Linux 8.2, please visit http://www.linux-mandrake.com/en/82.php3

Pre-orders are now being accepted for the Mandrake Linux 8.2 ProSuite and PowerPack Editions at http://www.MandrakeStore.com

Or download your copy today at http://www.mandrakelinux.com/en/ftp.php3

Mandrake Club members are entitled to download proprietary drivers and commercial software for 8.2: http://www.mandrakelinux.com/en/club/

About MandrakeSoft

MandrakeSoft provides a trusted interface between users of information technology and open source developers. The company offers its enterprise, government and educational customers a set of GNU Linux and Open-Source software and related services, and user-friendly and highly competitive information technologies. In addition, MandrakeSoft offers technologists committed to open software and courseware a trusted channel to offer their services.

The company has technologists in over 20 countries, and is traded on Paris Euronext Marché Libre (Euroclear code: 4477.PA; Reuters code: MAKE.PA) and the US OTC market (stock symbol MDKFF). "Born on the Internet" in late 1998, MandrakeSoft established headquarters in the U.S.A., Montreal, England, Germany and France. Please visit the Web site, http://www.mandrakesoft.com for more information.

Linux Mandrake 8.2 is OUT! Get it NOW!.

PS: I'm wanking as I type this...

Linux Mandrake 8.2 is OUT! Get it NOW!.

PS: I'm wanking as I type this...

Linux Mandrake 8.2 is OUT!. Get it NOW!.

PS: I'm wanking as I type this

All the features here: http://www.linux-mandrake.com/en/82.php3. Looks like a great release!

I've found it quite interesting watching people on here spitting out their ignorant statements. If anyone had thought about going to the Mandrake web site before spouting off, they would have found some valuable information . For those that say they need a better business model, they apparently aren't doing much worse than RedHat or most other Linux or dot-com companies:

It is estimated that we will "break even" by the end of 2002

Furthermore, they explain that their current dilemma is a result of:

The company's long term prospect are very good, but we are still paying for the "sins" of the previous management

I've used Mandrake for quite some time now, and I do hope that they continue to grow and improve.

Natural selection at its finest... Crappy, bloated, and stupid distributions die, and real distros that aren't profit-driven continue to flourish...

Over on the donations page.

If you have ever used Mandrake, I'd recommend sending them a donation/voluntary contribution.It even lets you specify what project your money goes too.

The don't make money from you downloading their iso's, so if you don't buy their CD's at least throw them a couple bucks.

From the site:
This way of donating is much easier for us than receiving checks or cash via postal mail :-)

Win without IE is better but if you are going to do that much work I would suggest you drop windows and try Mandrake Linux instead.

I spent the w/e fixing my father-in-laws virus motel^H^H^H^H^H Windoze PC. He thought the virus had killed the BIOS. 0.25 hour Mandrake install, default options, everything worked fine +0.25 hours, latest patches downloaded, everything fine and fairly secure.

Then I started a Windows install for him. Install win 98+ (Three reboots), download critical 'service pack', reboot, download screen drivers that work, reboot, download sound driver, reboot, install anti virus, reboot, download more service packs, reboot, install ieee1394 drivers, reboot, download large HD support, reboot. I forget the rest (or at least I am trying to forget the rest :) but to get Windows up, on the net, all hardware working took around 8 hours. The mandrake install had done the same in about 1/2 hour.

When you are doing that much work to fix windows there must be something you really need or you should invest some time in the alternatives.

Cheers,
Me.

Single Network Firewall... runs off of a 2.2 kernel, easy to set up, and runs off a "slick web based interface". You can download the ISOs for free off their website.

Some linkage:

• info: http://www.mandrakesoft.com/products/snf
• download: http://www.linux-mandrake.com/en/ftp.php3

Details can be found here. The isos can be downloaded from here and all bug reports can be discussed here.

Very few 'really ugly' bugs have been found in the first beta, and we have been able to concentrate on hardware recognition, improving the *drake* tools, and updating the packages. For more details about what has changed since the beta1, and what should be tested, please wait for the articles in the "test this" serial.

Details can be found here. The isos can be downloaded from here and all bug reports can be discussed here.

Very few 'really ugly' bugs have been found in the first beta, and we have been able to concentrate on hardware recognition, improving the *drake* tools, and updating the packages. For more details about what has changed since the beta1, and what should be tested, please wait for the articles in the "test this" serial.

Firstly, at this point in time the LSB is not making any stands on issues like windows managers and desktop environments. It's all strictly back end stuff (general support libraries and installation methods and standard shell scripting languages etc).

Secondly as far as menu items is concerned, why not just use menudrake. With this you can set menu items for either global users or just for your own login. It's all point and click and it's quite easy to use. Then when you install new software, your custom buttons are there. I've used it to add all the star office icons as well as a set of shortcuts to my more heavily used folders. Works great. BTW This is all explained on their web site.

To notice that Mandrake, which is the most internationalized Linux distribution in the world, is not part of the li18nux initiative.
Also strange to notice that the logo used at li18nux website ressembles much to the one used for years at Mandrake's i18n main page! Anybody knows why Mdk is not part of the li18nux initiative?

Try this patch to get rid of that annoying XP nag message. Works every time :)

The Linux operating system was born in 1991 and was created by one man, a
Finnish student coincidentally named Linux Torvalds. Since these humble
beginnings, a multi-million dollar
industry has sprung up to exploit the commercial potential of Linux, but
until recently Linux has eluded mainstream acceptance. However, due to the
recent economic downturn together with uncertainty over changes to Microsoft's pricing policy, Linux is
now being touted as a serious contender to Microsoft Windows. While there
are many other alternatives to Windows, including BSD which is based on SUN's (Stanford University Network - correction by bc) server-grade Solaris operating system,
none have commanded the same level of media attention as Linux.

Linux Mandrake is just the
latest in a long line of quirkily christened versions of Linux. Previous
versions of Linux have been named Red Hat, Slack Ware,
Storm and Coral. In stark contrast to the mundane names such
as 98, ME or NT preferred by Microsoft, the crazy
names of each Linux release hint at its renegade nature.

My foray into the world of Linux began by downloading a "CD image" from
the Linux web site. But don't worry, this isn't software piracy, it's
perfectly legal! Linux is shareware, meaning that it can be freely
redistributed without fear of a visit by the Business Software Alliance. The free
availability of Linux is a major reason for its popularity among
cash-strapped students and self-styled anti-capitalist hackers.

Before installing new software, it is always advisable to read the
documentation. Unfortunately, an unpleasant surprise was in store for me
in the "required configuration" section of the manual.
I was shocked to learn that Linux Mandrake only runs on Pentium
processors, meaning that my hopes of testing the water with my old Gateway 486 were dashed. Furthermore, a
whopping 32 megabytes of memory are required to run Linux! Although the advocates of Linux self-righteously
boast the efficiency of their chosen operating system and deride the
"bloatware" produced by Microsoft, it appears that their claims are
blatantly incorrect. Although my humble 486 will happily run Windows 95,
it seems that Linux requires far more powerful, and more expensive,
computer hardware. Is this really the sign of a lean, mean operating system?
Of course not.

Sadly, not even being able to install Linux is just the first of my many
complaints. A brief perusal of the
features of Linux Mandrake reveals that Linux is sorely lacking many
crucial productivity applications. For example, why isn't the industry
standard web browser, Internet Explorer, included with Linux? Despite the
best efforts of the experts at the Internet
Engineering Task Force to encourage adoption of the Internet Explorer
standard, the creators of Linux seem to think that they know better. By
refusing to adhere to recognised standards, Linux is simply undermining
its own credibility.

Similarly, almost all of the world's most popular and widely used software
is completely incompatible with Linux! It may surprise you to learn that
your copy of Microsoft Office, Outlook Express, or Lotus Notes will not
work under Linux. Those who wish to use their computer for recreational
purposes are also out of luck, for almost all of the most popular games
are unavailable for Linux. Although a wide range of software is freely
available for Linux, these pitiful offerings are mostly unfinished, unreliable and do not
bear comparison to their commercial counterparts.

Computer security is also an area that seems to have been overlooked by
the developers of Linux. In these times when hacking and viruses are
commonplace, it defies belief to learn that no anti-virus software is available for
Linux. To add insult to injury, there is no Linux version of the popular
ZoneAlarm firewall. By using Linux,
you are issuing an open invitation to the hordes of ne'er-do-wells on the
Internet.

The shortcomings of Linux are obvious. Without even installing Linux
Mandrake, I have exposed several fundamental flaws. Surely it is not too
much to expect that, after ten years of development, the creators of Linux
would have addressed these problems? The real question that the
prospective Linux user must ask himself is, "Why bother?" After all,
Microsoft Windows comes free with most PCs and there simply isn't a need
to replace it, particularly not with a product of inferior quality.

Although it is always tempting to support the underdog, Windows XP will
be the deserved victor in the battle ahead. I recommend that those
Adequacy readers who are hoping to upgrade their operating system
patiently wait for the release of Windows XP, rather than foolishly
wasting their time, effort and money on Linux.

Mandrake makes something called "Single Network Firewall". The latest one has a 2.2.19 kernel. I don't know when/if they plan to update it. As the name suggests, it is a firewall/router only dist of Mandrake. If I remember correclty the latest version is 7.2 and the ISO image is about 350 MB.

go to Mandrake's site when they are done being /.ed today and search for "Single Network Firewall" and you should find it.

Although it may have been posted on the website for the first time, the Cooker 8.2 beta ISO's have been available for a couple of weeks now on a few mirrors. In the future, just scroll down on the download page. Luckily, the psu mirrow is only a few blocks away from my house :)

The authors' choices seemed unnecessarily limited to me. It is kind of hard to have a "best" of anything if you only sample a few of them.

For instance, they did not mention Mandrake except when talking about the Sims. Mandrake kicks ass though IMO SUSE comes close.

The window manager choices were also sparse. Lightweight WMs like Sawfish and IceWM weren't mentioned. Everyone knows about Gnone and KDE, how about telling people about the WMs they don't know about?

And when it comes to text editors, no new ground was broken. What about FTE? It is the best cross-platform (Linux, Windows, OS/2 and others) editor I have come across: full-featured yet relatively small and easy to use.

Jeez, it seems that *anyone* can start a Linux site these days!!! :->

The Linux operating system was born in 1991 and was created by one man, a
Finnish student coincidentally named Linux Torvalds. Since these humble
beginnings, a multi-million dollar
industry has sprung up to exploit the commercial potential of Linux, but
until recently Linux has eluded mainstream acceptance. However, due to the
recent economic downturn together with uncertainty over changes to Microsoft's pricing policy, Linux is
now being touted as a serious contender to Microsoft Windows. While there
are many other alternatives to Windows, including BSD which is based on SUN's (Stanford University Network - correction by bc) server-grade Solaris operating system,
none have commanded the same level of media attention as Linux.

Linux Mandrake is just the
latest in a long line of quirkily christened versions of Linux. Previous
versions of Linux have been named Red Hat, Slack Ware,
Storm and Coral. In stark contrast to the mundane names such
as 98, ME or NT preferred by Microsoft, the crazy
names of each Linux release hint at its renegade nature.

My foray into the world of Linux began by downloading a "CD image" from
the Linux web site. But don't worry, this isn't software piracy, it's
perfectly legal! Linux is shareware, meaning that it can be freely
redistributed without fear of a visit by the Business Software Alliance. The free
availability of Linux is a major reason for its popularity among
cash-strapped students and self-styled anti-capitalist hackers.

Before installing new software, it is always advisable to read the
documentation. Unfortunately, an unpleasant surprise was in store for me
in the "required configuration" section of the manual.
I was shocked to learn that Linux Mandrake only runs on Pentium
processors, meaning that my hopes of testing the water with my old Gateway 486 were dashed. Furthermore, a
whopping 32 megabytes of memory are required to run Linux! Although the advocates of Linux self-righteously
boast the efficiency of their chosen operating system and deride the
"bloatware" produced by Microsoft, it appears that their claims are
blatantly incorrect. Although my humble 486 will happily run Windows 95,
it seems that Linux requires far more powerful, and more expensive,
computer hardware. Is this really the sign of a lean, mean operating system?
Of course not.

Sadly, not even being able to install Linux is just the first of my many
complaints. A brief perusal of the
features of Linux Mandrake reveals that Linux is sorely lacking many
crucial productivity applications. For example, why isn't the industry
standard web browser, Internet Explorer, included with Linux? Despite the
best efforts of the experts at the Internet
Engineering Task Force to encourage adoption of the Internet Explorer
standard, the creators of Linux seem to think that they know better. By
refusing to adhere to recognised standards, Linux is simply undermining
its own credibility.

Similarly, almost all of the world's most popular and widely used software
is completely incompatible with Linux! It may surprise you to learn that
your copy of Microsoft Office, Outlook Express, or Lotus Notes will not
work under Linux. Those who wish to use their computer for recreational
purposes are also out of luck, for almost all of the most popular games
are unavailable for Linux. Although a wide range of software is freely
available for Linux, these pitiful offerings are mostly unfinished, unreliable and do not
bear comparison to their commercial counterparts.

Computer security is also an area that seems to have been overlooked by
the developers of Linux. In these times when hacking and viruses are
commonplace, it defies belief to learn that no anti-virus software is available for
Linux. To add insult to injury, there is no Linux version of the popular
ZoneAlarm firewall. By using Linux,
you are issuing an open invitation to the hordes of ne'er-do-wells on the
Internet.

The shortcomings of Linux are obvious. Without even installing Linux
Mandrake, I have exposed several fundamental flaws. Surely it is not too
much to expect that, after ten years of development, the creators of Linux
would have addressed these problems? The real question that the
prospective Linux user must ask himself is, "Why bother?" After all,
Microsoft Windows comes free with most PCs and there simply isn't a need
to replace it, particularly not with a product of inferior quality.

Although it is always tempting to support the underdog, Windows XP will
be the deserved victor in the battle ahead. I recommend that those
Adequacy readers who are hoping to upgrade their operating system
patiently wait for the release of Windows XP, rather than foolishly
wasting their time, effort and money on Linux.

This kind of shit really pisses me off. This'll most definitely come off as a flame, but I cannot stand FUD like this anymore.

Show me a soccor mom that can pick up Linux+StarOffice and use it.

Bullshit. Linux-Mandrake is amazingly easy to use, it comes with StarOffice (at least 7.2 did) so there is no huge download for the 56k-ers. StarOffice is very simple and superior, IMHO, to Microsoft Office in many many ways.

Show me an average person that can learn how to open up attachments with one of your "safe" email programs.

Just about anyone. Sylpheed is very easy to use, it's simple and its stable (despite it's pre-1.0 version). It's very user friendly.

I don't particularly like the FUD you are spreading, as it harms the user friendliness of Linux more than the actual lack (or not) thereof could have. Please, quit spreading lies and actually look into the fact that many easy, user friendly programs and desktop environments exist for Linux.

Red Hat isn't the be-all/end-all of Linux distros, in fact it's not even one of the best ones. (They do a lot of good work for the community and they work hard to gain visibility for themselves and Linux in general. That's great and I appreciate them doing it, but the Red Hat distro just isn't that good.)

Rock Linux is hard. SuSE and Mandrake are easy. Red Hat and Slackware are somewhere in the middle.

I guess my point is, anyone who can install Windows can install Linux. If you're putting something together for someone who isn't capable of installing Windows, Linux is probably a better choice for them since you can set it up right and feel reasonably secure in the knowledge that it's going to stay that way. I've been using Windows for a long time, and I've never seen a Windows system that didn't need a reinstall within a year. Conversely, the only reason I reinstalled Linux was because I wanted to switch to reiserfs. (Yes I know win2k will upgrade your fat32 to ntfs without a hitch, I've done it about 20 times. e3fs will upgrade e2fs without a hitch, too, or so I'm told, but I wanted reiser.)

Sorry for the rambling. My basic point is that you're right. I guess I should know better than to post before coffee.

At the end of the day, it comes down to what you're used to, really. If you've never used any OS before, you could probably learn Mandrake 8.1 just as fast as Windows XP. If you're used to Windows, Linux is obviously going to seem more difficult. And vice versa.

>If it is commercial, then even if it runs Linux software, has a Linux look or even if it is somehow related to a true Linux, it ain't Linux.

Last time i checked, Redhat Mandrake SuSE is commercial, and a lot of others.