I'd recommend Mandrake Linux to
anyone who thinks that
Linux is not suitable for the desktop. If you've
installed the latest
RedHat distribution only to end up
stuck with a
broken system that's never even heard of your
graphics card, then Mandrake is practically calling your name.
It autodetected all of my hardware, including a GeForce 2MX, a Soundblaster Live and a network card connected to my
Cable Modem.
The install process is
almost as user-friendly at the
Microsoft Windows equivalent. Basically, you just work through these steps:
* Select a
partition to
install to
* Select the target role for the system (
Desktop or
server)
* Select additional applications to install
* Select a
printer
* Select your
internet connection method
And 20 minutes later, you'll be surfing the web using Netscape or Mozilla under KDE or Gnome.
Mandrake even includes an auto-updater to keep your libraries up to date without having to get your hands dirty.
I'll admit that it's still quite easy to
break your newly-installed Linux system, especially if you play around with the Mandrake
control panel, but to me, the Mandrake distribution is still a
major step towards making Linux a credible desktop operating system.
Hmmm... Downvotes... I guess maybe the above writeup could be considered
patronizing or something, but I don't see how. After all, I
am the guy who downloaded both RedHat CDs and couldn't get it to install...