Desktop on Mandrake Linux 9

I downloaded the RC1 (Release Candidate 1) of Mandrake Linux 9.
You can download it here: http://www.mandrakelinux.com/en/ftp.php3
Note: only the fisrt CD ISO image are needed. If you wish to have all features (including some graphic packages for installing programs downloaded on Internet), you need at least the 2nd CD.
This is my experience:
-Installation: 30 minutes. Note: i have a LG StdioWorks 77i (not supported on Mandrake Linux distros), so i needed to check my Graphic Card (Radeon 7500) as fdev (standard for non-graphic problems), and configured manually (with a graphical menu) the screen size and check the 'Run X on startup'. This is the only one 'truble on installation', all hardware/peripherals are configured (including Ethernet Card and Local Net connection to Internet) automatically. The system has restarted with a ready to go (with Internet and a lot of programs preconfigured).
-The Desktop: Select your Windows Manager and login.
-KDE 3: ARe well and beauty, and most of X apps for Linux are using exclusively this WIndows Manager. But this is not the 'great' desktop on Linux, is this:
-GNOME 2: The most similar to Mac OSX desktop. It uses by deffault the Nautilus file browser (a great graphical file explorer). The icons are CORRECTLY (not like WindowsXP!!!!) in 8 bits mask alphablends; you can easily resize them; you can change the icons (including the Cd Rom) easily (Ctrl+I over the icon, and drag the new icon over the preview image (better than OSX!); you can easily change the deffault apps for myme types. DEFINETIVELLY BETTER than WindowsXP.
The opposite:
-You need lots of times (ie for installing CDR software) to open a Terminal and write some commands (such 'sh').
-The 'Desktop' folder for any user are not easily to find on open/close dialogs. This is not a big trouble, you can use the 'Home' directory for easily find your files.
-KDE 3 crashes a lot.
The Pros:
-I have now a great desktop, better than WIndows XP. In less than 3 hours, i installed it, i downloaded some software, i released a mp3 compilation and burned it on a CDR easily as Nero on WIndows. In one hour more, i have retouched 75 icons and customized my desktopicons under gNome.

Really, my OS are WIndows, but now i have a better alternative. I wish to see (on a nearest future) a Linux with more easily installation of apps. This is the unic trouble that i see on Linux actually.

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I used Mandrake 8 for a while at work and was impressed. I liked it because I wanted to get up and running quickly without having to waste a lot of time on the learning curve.

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I've been playing with RC1 for a couple of days now, myself.

I like the Gnome2 desktop also, but I've compiled beta1 of KDE3.1 and have been using it pretty regularly also. Haven't had any crashing problems, and it also handles icons better (IIRC, 3.1 will allow the use of the SVG icons used by gnome2).

One of the better features of KDE is the web browser, konquerer. I'm at the point where I prefer it to mozilla (except in a few cases), especially in beta1.

All in all, very nicely done. I would like to see them include 3.1 in the final release, but it looks like their release schedule has 9.0 final coming out before KDE3.1 final.

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I want to try Gnome 2.0, but it won't install (easily at least) on Mandrake 8.2.

I'll wait for Mandrake 9.0 to be released before installing it. I don't want to use up too many CDs. Although I don't use Linux much, I do love it for the games!

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