Linux: It's Not Just for Geeks Anymore

Now What?

Corel Linux was installed 23 minutes later--the fastest Linux installation we've seen. After a reboot, a log-in screen appeared. At log-in, the dialog box prompted us to log in either as "root" (the user who has access to the entire system) or as a regular user--but we had no idea what the password was. We typed in password, and Corel Linux asked if we wanted to change the password. Once we changed it and logged back in, the Linux desktop appeared.

The Linux desktop bears a striking resemblance to the Windows desktop, but the similarity is only interface deep. On the bottom left, a Corel Application Starter button appears where the Windows Start button would be. Click that, and a menu pops up to show you your programs. Our first stop was the Control Center, the configuration area of the operating system (think Control Panel in Windows). In an hour, we had networked the machine, installed a printer over the network, and configured the desktop, themes, and screen saver. In most of the distributions we've tested, configuring the screen saver and theme has been easy while setting up a network connection and a printer has been a bear. But network and printer setup under Corel Linux was quite simple.

Corel's File Manager lets you easily browse folders, search for and move files, and download files, all without going to the command line (which, by the way, is there if you want to use it).

While we were impressed by Corel's ease of use, our main bone of contention was that Corel included only the K Desktop Environment. Most Linux distributions include both KDE and GNOME. Both are graphical environments that let you navigate the desktop, but they vary in interface and applications. Most Linux users want to be able to choose one over the other according to personal preference.

Linux vs. Windows

A common misconception about Linux is that you can't use it to do the same things you can do in Windows. Sure, Microsoft applications such as Internet Explorer and Office aren't yet available in Linux versions, but a plethora of alternative office suites exist for Linux. Among them are Corel WordPerfect and the Applixware Office suite from VistaSource, both of which offer Microsoft Office compatibility. Both include spreadsheets, word processing, and presentation software. Another office suite for Linux, Sun's StarOffice, is completely free. A Linux version of Netscape is available, too. You can also find MP3 players, instant-messaging clients, e-mail clients, news readers, and other programs. In fact, you'll find many Linux replacements for your favorite Windows apps.

If you've been wanting to try Linux, but have been scared off by the command line, the lack of hardware support, and tough installation, Corel Linux OS Second Edition is an excellent entry point.