Product: Linux-Mandrake 7.2 PowerPack Deluxe
Company: MandrakeSoft Inc.
Website: http://www.linux-mandrake.com/en/
Estimated Street Price: free to download (GPL) or $69.95 for the boxed version
Review By: Benjamin Wolman & Julien Jay

Graphical User Interface

    The Graphical Interface of Linux is much more elaborated than the Windows’ one. Indeed, instead of having only one system dedicated interface, Linux Mandrake offers several various ones. The most well known are Kde (version 2.0) & Gnome (version 1.2). More over, each interface supports themes pack you can download on various websites so you’re sure to have the desktop of your dreams.

The most interesting aspect of Linux at the interface level is with no doubt the virtual desktop system; that you can also have under BeOS or under Windows (using some special shareware or freeware). The concept of virtual desktops is simple: you can switch at any time from a desktop to another (you can use up to 16 different ones). That way you can stretch your work and see all the running applications all the time, without the need to reduce or maximize windows. The gain is real and it’s difficult to avoid using it once you tried it.

You’ll also find in Linux the old good explorer that lets you browse your hard disk folders easily. A wide number of icons like ‘Cut’, ‘Copy’ ‘Paste’, ‘My Documents’, ‘Back’, ‘Next’, etc. have the same characteristics asunder Microsoft Windows: migrating from an OS to the other iseasier!

To simplify things further, MandrakeSoft added to its distribution very practical software called SuperMount. As you surely know, under Linux, you have to manually mount at the boot your disks (with the use of a command line) but that’s not all since you also have to unmount them when you wanna exit your session. With supermount, the ordeal is at least over! Supermounge mounts every unit on your system (hard disk, CD/DVD drives, floppy drive, etc.) while the system is booting and unmounts these units when you exit the system. So with a simple click you can read a CD-Rom: the time saving is considerable and new users will be delighted to know they won’t have to type any command line. 

The different interfaces don’t ressemble each other by their design, but by their concept. In a few minutes you’ll find back with no problem your marks because the gap between the Windows GUI & the linux one isn’t too deep.

   
Odissey Shots

Some more shots for your viewing pleasure