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MandrakeSoft's $39 Mandrake Linux 9.1 outshines previous incarnations, but still has disappointing rough edges.

A revamped, friendlier installer hides esoteric options behind 'Advanced' buttons and reduces the number of steps. You can accept the defaults and have Mandrake up and running on your PC in less time than it takes to install a Windows operating system.

A word of warning: Mandrake offers to shrink Windows partitions to make room for itself on your drive. I strongly recommend, however, using a trusted tool like PowerQuest's PartitionMagic to handle this instead, as Mandrake's resizing routines destroyed my PC's Windows XP partition.

Mandrake provides both the GNOME and KDE desktop environments, and their default visual themes match so that GNOME apps running in KDE look like KDE apps, and vice versa. The matching themes plus improved font rendering (akin to XP's Clear-Type) present a very appealing look.

As for applications, OpenOffice.org and KOffice suites are built in (providing word processing, spreadsheets, and presentation software); so too are solid Web browsers, e-mail clients, instant messengers, image editors, and a financial-planning app.

However, the Mandrake Control Center (think Control Panel) contains frightening geekspeak, suffers from a poor user interface, and lacks a simple means to add a network printer. The First Time Wizard configures several e-mail clients but not Evolution (a spectacular Outlook clone).

Mandrake 9.1 is an enticing upgrade and a good choice for advanced Windows users who want to try Linux.

SUMMARY

MandrakeSoft Mandrake Linux 9.1 Powerful Linux distribution isn't terribly newbie friendly. Price when reviewed: Standard $39 Current prices (if available)

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