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How did you meet Mandrake Linux ?


luizmdk
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Back in 1998 at Electronics Boutique (which is mostly software), I saw this thing in a box called Redhat Linux. This is the first I ever heard of Linux! Rather than buy and learn it was not usable on my computer (CTX EZBook 700E), I decided to do an internet search and found linux.org ......

 

Well, I found that I could not use linux on my computer (linux wasn't ready for notebooks). I decided to wait, and keep an eye on Linux, until it was ready enough, and I had had a computer with at least mostly compatible hardware.

 

About the time of Mandrake 7.0, Redhat still had poor hardware support. After all, how much Hardware support does a server distro need? In searching through the long distro list on linux.org, I found that Mandrake had the best hardware support at that time. At either Staples or Office Max, I found Mandrake 7.0 Powerpack Edition and bought it. I have been using Mandrake Powerpack ever since. The only time I ever downloaded a version, was 10.0 CE 3 disk version, cause of my nForce2 motherboard.

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Guest Adriano

I first heard about Linux in a magazine in Argentina. This was maybe 1998. After a series of articles on the subject, they included a Conectiva CD which I tried to install, only to find X wouldn't run on my video card.

 

Since I wasn't that curious as to start using the console (I did try a lot to make X work, mind you) I settled for waiting.

 

Then, some years later, the same magazine included a copy of Mandrake 8.0 (a single CD), and lo and behold, it worked. I became an expert in small optimizations, investigating services, doing everything to make my small Pentium II faster under Linux. I learned to compile and configure Blackbox, to connect to the internet using scripts...

 

Then Mandrake 8.2 appeared. This was the release that really sold me. Amazing.

 

Being a student in Argentina, I've never been able to buy a packaged copy. So all my experience comes from downloads and from Internet tutorials, and the Docs and HOWTOs.

 

I now enjoy Mandrake 10, await for 10.1 and maybe Gnome 2.8.

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Was having serious problems with windows always crashing and about the cost of MS office and was complaining to an IT client of mine who suggested linux and mandrake, did some research found this forum and decided to try, found the office suites and it gets more appealing all the time.

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I just realized...

 

having this OS and accompanying software, free as in beer but more importantly free as in freedom... when I look at my desktop, it's amazing this has grown from ideals and a 'hobby project'...

 

it's just that I have been taking the ability to have a well working Linux system for granted too much of lately. I think it's really awe-inspiring. Then again, maybe that's just me... :)

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Darkelve, the GPL says 'Free as in Freedom, not Free as in Beer'. I read the entire GPL that came in one of the Mandrake manuals. I don't mind paying for my packaged distro versions.

 

Besides, the price of SuSE Pro or Mandrake Powerpack is a bunch more reasonable than Windows 2000 Pro retail or XP Pro retail. Even if one got 2 version per year, it is still less than Windows Pro retail (full not upgrade). It takes 3 versions of either Linux distro to come to about equal to one Windows Pro retail. Linux has a faster version cycle, as we know.

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I was on some website about hacking and everyone seemed to be using Linux, everytime that I would mention Windows every one would make funny faces :screwy: . Then as I was doing something I ran into some problems that seemed to be windows, and some one said try out Linux and I was like sure, and this person gave me a link to the ISO's and then next thing I know I was running mandrake.

 

-Luis

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Darkelve, the GPL says 'Free as in Freedom, not Free as in Beer'. I read the entire GPL that came in one of the Mandrake manuals. I don't mind paying for my packaged distro versions.

 

I know that. Still, *most* OSS software IS free 'as in beer' as well. I don't mind paying for a good product, though. I already bought a few boxes and I purchased a wireless router specifically to be able to connect to the internet with Linux. I'll probably buy the next version (or the one after that) of SuSe when it leaves.

 

Besides tbat, there are other ways than money to contribute, though it's still important.

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In 1999, I bought (and built) my first PC. I had not much money, so no Windows. I bought Linux instead. As I knew nothing about it, except experimenting a couple of days with Redhat, I went to the store and asked for Redhat. The guy (who did not know much more than me about Linux) gave me Mandrake.

I looked at the box. It said 1000+ applications, among which were StarOffice, WordPerfect(demo)... I said OK.

 

And that's how I bought "Mandrake Linux 6.1 Powerpack", for about 45 EURO.

 

Yves.

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It was recommended to me by someone from work. My first version was 8.1. It wasn't a good intro as it was really buggy, but stuck with it, then went to 8.2 and that really got me hooked and i've stayed. Tried Libranet and Redhat, but i've always gone back to Mandy.

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In 1999, I bought (and built) my first PC. I had not much money, so no Windows. I bought Linux instead. As I knew nothing about it, except experimenting a couple of days with Redhat, I went to the store and asked for Redhat. The guy (who did not know much more than me about Linux) gave me Mandrake.

I looked at the box. It said 1000+ applications, among which were StarOffice, WordPerfect(demo)... I said OK.

 

And that's how I bought "Mandrake Linux 6.1 Powerpack", for about 45 EURO.

 

Yves.

 

Almost exactly the same for me, I couldn't afford Windows and went into pc world where they had Red Hat, Mandrake 9.0 or Suse. The sales assistant couldn't tell me the difference so I picked Mandrake Powerpack as it had Star Office.

 

Leo

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Red Hat 7.0 -> Red Hat 7.1 -> Mandrake 8.0 -> back to Red Hat 7.1 -> Mandrake 8.2

I got all version of Mandrake since 8.2. It's my only distro since 8.2.

- I got RH 7.0 on a book I found in the railways station (?!),

- from RH 7.1 to ML 8.2: I found them on magazines,

- I bought 9.0 and 9.2 powerpack (more exactly my company)

- All other were downloaded.

Looks like ML 8.2 converted a lot of people.

The only thing I expected from Linux is just work and improve, keeping me less dependent from Microsoft product now and even less in the future (I'll try to never switch to Longhorn: I fear all the "trusted computer" things)

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I had been hearing of and reading about linux on the internet. I decided to give it a go, and researched the plethora of distros, quickly reaching the point of confusion. I then read that SuSE was great, and so I went to Best Buy, where I saw SuSE for $69 and another distro I had glanced at, Mandrake 7.0 for $39. I purchased Mandrake. It installed like windex 3.1, and looked something like windex 3.1. But it was not like msdos. Rapidly realizing I needed help in this different world, (there was no information in the 7 disk set that I had purchased), I noted that I had 90 days of free tech support from Mandrake Linux. I e-mailed Mandrake with some questions. No response. I e-mailed again. No response. I e-mailed McMillan Publishing, who told me I had to talk to Mandrake. Right! Ready to trash linux completely, I stumbled upon this board, 2 previous lives ago. That former board and its community is the only reason I still have Mandrake today. And the community is the only reason I stuck with linux and learned a little bit. In fact, Linux is more identifiable for me by its communities and not its distributions.

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Didn't like using windows very much, so I found mandrake 8.1 at a computer store and installed it. Been using mandrake ever since! Tried other distro's but always come back to mandy. But still dual boot with xp since need it for a few things( games), otherwise I'm always using linux. I think linux rocks :headbang:

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Peer pressure.

 

For years the IT guy at work bugged me about taking a look at Linux. Between him and a friend near home I was hearing and seeing more and more about Linux.

 

I hadn't really planned on parting company with Windows, even in light of the peer pressure. I had every intention of buying XP when it was released. When XP's license schenanigans was announced I caved.

 

Since my liberation I have learned a great deal about the Evil Empire and I am damn glad I parted company with that crap they peddle as software. :)

 

The IT guy at work gave me a 7.1 CD and it installed pretty good. Had a few quirks. The guy near home gave me the 8.1 CD's and they installed even better. I've been a happy Linux camper ever since. I can no longer even imagine not using it. I cringe all day at work when I have to use Win2K.

 

In fact, I ran into the local friend tonight at a meeting and he asked if I was enjoying immunity from all the garbage running around the internet screwing up computers. I certainly am! :headbang:

 

Actually, I have not yet used Mandrake 10. For the past few months I have been using Mepis. I love it every bit as much as I did Mandrake. :)

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