http://linux.ensimag.fr/iso/mandrake/10.1-Official/Mandrakelinux-10.1-Offici
al-Download/
OK, I'm a bit confused.. is Mandrake freeware or not? Or is it
version-dependable or "service" dependable?
It's free if you are not paying for any service. (e.g. MandrakeClub)
And other confusing part is.. how come that link says 4 CDs to download, and
this page says it's either 3 or 6 depending on version..
http://www.mandrakesoft.com/products/101/comparison
It seems to say Discovery is a starter kit. 3 CDs.
MD 10.0 had to have 3CDs to install. It will ask for the particular CD
during installation and if you do not have any of the three you have to
cancel.
Ok. The number of CDs you get, if you buy them, are dependant on the
membership level in the club.
On the other hand I've came across Mandrake 10.1 "Community" and that one
has 5 CDs and looks to have no price or memberships related to it..
Mandrake Community is a 'beta' version of official. So, as you know, when
all or some of the bugs (particularly drivers) are worked out they will
deem fit to call it 'Official'.
I wasn't aware Community has 5 CDs. Cool. I suffer from downloaditis.
[...]
So let's say I'm a linux newb (like I'm not obvious, LOL!
) and
just want
to do usual stuff on it - which one is free and enough for me? And which
CDs are enough to get, as I really don't need nowhere near 3k soft
packages.. just some 10 of them :>>>
P.S. "Usual stuff" = watch avi's, listen music, surf web/mail/news, burn
CDs/DVDs, do some txt writing etc, so something that's really most basic
stuff that's probably included in the very first CD our of 10s of them
that are available on download :>
The first three have/had were enough for me. But as I mentioned before I
have that terrible disease.
Now you have two choices. D/L Community, install it, keep it if you're
happy, wait for the Officail version, play around with it, maybe keep
Windows on a seperate partition for a while. Or wait for Official and go
that route.
It seems that people are having troubles with Community but it's beta. Duh.
I also believe it's because the good people who write drivers and such
have to keep up with the newer computers. And that's where most of the
troubles lie. In the 'free' Official version most of those will be worked
out. From personal experience, I haven't had any troubles with the install
or getting things to work because I have a older, slower computer and the
drivers have already been written. Case in point, HP Deskjet 712C printer
takes at least 15 minutes to install on Windows 98 with the CD. With
Mandrake, it recognized a new device, went to get the driver at the local
urpmi mirror and I didn't have to do anything. 5 minutes, if that.
Two tips. Lurk the alt.os.linux.mandrake group and use Google advanced
search. Get the Rute User's Tutorial and Exposition
http://www.icon.co.za/~psheer/book/.
Ok. So there is a tip number three. Shamless plug here.
I'm redoing my website and I have a page of relevant Linux links which
will be updated before long.
More info:The version's timeline is every 6 months
More info: Not only can you get the (5?) disks free but urmpi has program
and security updates. Free. The way we like it.
Too much info, but I'm watching a football game out of the corner of my
eye. True multi-tasking.
Still awake?
