Subject:  Geek Heaven! |
Author:
Drake
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Date Posted: 23:29:35 09/26/03 Fri
Hello All:
I write this to you from a fully functioning installation of Mandrake Linux 9.2 (candidate release 2 - the step before official release) and, well... my nipples are hard.
I had to configure and burn all the CDs to make installation disks, and that was not too bad. Once I was ready and got rolling, the installation was a breeze. I mean it was seriously easier than smacking yourself in the head with a hammer. All of the contributors to Mandrake did a phenomenal job. None of my hardware was missed with the exception of my Microsoft Optical Mouse (no surprise there), it partioned the drive like a champ, and it only took about 20 minutes to install in total. Compare this to the hour or so it takes to install Windows XP (boo-hiss) or even Windows 2000 at around 40 minutes. Mandrake greased itself into the harddrive better than... well, use your imagination for that simile.
There are some operational differences compared to using Windows or even Mac OS, so there is a learning curve required in using Linux as the operating system. I set it up to default to the Gnome desktop flavor, and it is very nice (say it like John Cleese as the Frenchman talking about the Holy Grail). I am still playing with the GUI (interface), so I will report back on how it fares after using it for a while.
I must say that it came bundled with more apps than even I know what to do with... and that is saying something. The level of control over every single aspect of the OS and the interface is truly astounding. Very little was left out, and it beats Windows XP (boo-hiss) by a long shot. This is an OS that actually trusts the user has a brain. It also assumes the user can learn, but it is not without a nice series of warning screens that tells the user what may happen under various circumstances. I had no idea it came loaded with this type of user-friendly environment.
Well, needless to say (I think), this part of the experiment to migrate out of Microsoft land went very well. It is extremely promising on nearly all fronts. Mind you, this is the candidate release, so they development community is still tweaking bits and pieces as I write this review. Tomorrow I am going to make the attempt to install some cross-platform applications and see how it goes. However, given the range of apps available to the Linux OS from the OpenGroup and OpenSource communities, I do not think I will go a-wanting very much or for very long.
Rating: Nearly completely hard nipples (4.6 out of 5).
Drake
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