This weekend I decided to download Mandrake Linux 8.0 and install it on an extra 6-gig hard drive I had laying around. First of all, let me say that I am a Windows VFP developer and was only looking at Linux for fun. My comments here are from the point of view of a Windows user fairly new to Linux. I've heard good things in the past about Mandrake, so I chose it, but I really have no idea how it compares to RedHat, SuSE, Debian, or other distros. My last delve into the Linux world was about two or three years ago when we installed RedHat 5.x with KDE 1.x as our file server. I am totally amazed at the progress that has been made in the Linux world since then.

Installation was a snap. Within 30 minutes the entire system was installed, including internet and database servers, KDE and GNOME, and a ton of apps. Plus, it politely coexists with my Win2K partitions. I was worried about losing access to them, but the installation took care of everything for me.

I was also undecided about which desktop to use, but it turns out that I don't have to decide. KDE, GNOME, and others are accessible from the login screen. I'm not sure of the extent of this capability, but it appeared I was able to run a KDE app from GNOME. I imagine the vice-versa scenario holds true as well. For the moment, my desktop choice is KDE. GNOME looks prettier, but Eazel's Nautlus file manager was slow on my machine. KDE just feels more stable and lightweight. However, I would not be surprised if GNOME turned out to be the "standard", if such a thing will exist in the Linux world.

My major complaint is that application installation is still somewhat of a pain when compared to Windows apps. RPMs help out a lot, but there is still some work to be done in this area. I suppose I am spoiled by the fact that I can download a self-installing executable from the web, or that my wife can pop in a CD and install it in Windows. My experience (or lack thereof) so far, is that it's not that easy in Linux yet, but I don't expect this to be a problem for much longer.

Another small problem is the number of choices available for applications. Mandrake installed four web browsers, two office suites, and at least two of just about every other generic application. I guess this is a good problem to have, and is indicative of the Linux mentality.

If you're like me and have been concentrating on Windows development, it may appear that Linux has hobbled along with two minor point releases since 2.0. Nothing could be further from the truth. Linux has come a long, LONG way recently. Don't listen to MS propaganda. Linux has proven to be a formidable opponent on the server, and within the next couple of releases will demand the same respect on the desktop.

Now if we could just get MS to port VFP to Linux... I know, I believe that it is very feasible technically, but politics would never let it happen. Hopefully, Borland will post a trial version of Kylix so that we MS developers can get a peek at the other side. One thing is for sure, Linux has captured my attention.