Mandrake Linux

Mandrake Linux is a Linux distribution specializing in ease of use. The first release was based on Red Hat Linux 5.1 and KDE 1.0 in 1998. It has since diverged considerably from Red Hat and has included a number of original tools mostly to ease system configuration. Mandrake is also notable for compiling its packages with optimizations for Pentium class and more advanced processors which are incompatible with older CPU versions. MandrakeSoft is the company behind Mandrake Linux.

While it has several desktop environments, Mandrake is geared to use KDE as the standard one. Mandrake relies on the Red Hat package management system, or rpm, and is known for having a smooth, easy to use installation system. Many Linux users suggest Mandrake as a good choice for Linux beginners.

The latest version of the Mandrake distribution is 9.1 (Bamboo), and features a pre-release of version 2.4.21 of the Linux kernel.

Mandrake offers simplicity to Linux that isn't enjoyed by other distributions, (e.g. Debian). For this reason, it has gained a reputation of being suitable for Linux newbies. One can dual boot one's system easily with the boot loader that is installed.

See also:

• Linux
• Red Hat Linux

External Links:

• Mandrake Linux (http://www.mandrakelinux.com)