ZDNet: Desktop Linux OSes: Less Pain, Many Gains

Reviews of Red Hat Linux 6.0 and Caldera Open Linux 2.2

"In the past, a painful installation, an awkward interface and a lack of technical support prevented Linux from being even an option for desktop PC users accustomed to the comforts of Windows 95 and Windows 98. With their new releases, Caldera Systems Inc. and Red Hat Software Inc. have fixed most of these weaknesses."

"Nonetheless, it will still be somewhat difficult for most Windows sites to switch users from Windows to Linux. Both desktop versions of the Unix-derived operating system are still harder to use than Windows."

"In testing these releases, PC Week Labs found that Caldera Open Linux 2.2 (released in April for $49.95) is the more polished of the two but that Red Hat Linux 6.0 (released in May for $79.95), with its GNOME (GNU Network Object Model Environment) interface and Web-based linuxconf administration tool, has greater potential to make life easier for network managers. Client licenses for both operating systems continue to be free."

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