The new software from Red Hat, SuSE and MandrakeSoft promises a better experience for seasoned Linux users and may also strengthen Linux's attractiveness to home and office PC users.
SuSE and MandrakeSoft in particular have recently focused on improving the experience of installing and using Linux for new users, while Red Hat--the biggest Linux seller--has retained more of a business focus. Red Hat is also venturing into the embedded market, which handles such non-PC devices as kiosks and set-top boxes, with the announcement of a new version of its Embedded Linux Developer Suite this week.
Linux, a Unix-like operating system, is developed on the open-source model. The terms of its license require developers to make their innovations freely available to the developer community, and all distributions are available as free downloads. The boxed versions include extras like printed manuals and proprietary software, but Linux distributors mainly look to support and services for their income.
Red Hat Linux 7.2 updates the operating system to version 2.4.7 of the heart, or "kernel," of Linux. It also has Ext3 filing system and the latest versions of the popular KDE and GNOME desktop environments as well as StarOffice 5.2, the free office suite from Sun Microsystems. Other software includes the Nautilus file manager and the Mozilla Web browser, the open-source version of AOL Time Warner's Netscape browser.
The Embedded Linux Developer Suite is a package for creating embedded applications using Red Hat Linux 7.2 as the common software base. The standard Red Hat Linux edition costs US$59.95; the Professional edition costs US$199.95.
Mandrake 8.1 uses the 2.4.8 Linux kernel, which supports memory over 1,024MB, symmetric multiprocessing and journalized file systems. It includes KDE 2.2.1 with its attendant applications, GNOME 1.4.1 and more than 2,500 other applications.
The standard edition costs US$29. A PowerPack version, designed for workstations, will launch November 12 and costs US$69. ProSuite costs US$149 and includes the tools for building a server, and will also be available November 12. In addition, the ProSuite Gold edition, at US$1,190, will launch mid-November with support for Intel's Itanium processor.
SuSE Linux 7.3 uses the most recent kernel of the three, version 2.4.10, along with the standard KDE and GNOME. It includes better support for IDE CD writers, touch-screen monitors and graphics tablets and setup of TV cards. Application launching has also been sped up. The Personal version costs US$49.95, and the Professional version goes for US$79.95.
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