Mandrake Linux 8.2 Boxed-Sets Available -- Update -- KDE 3.0 Upgrade & StarOffice 6.0

Mike Angelo -- 24 April 2002 (C)

In our 22 April 2002 story, Mandrake Linux 8.2 Boxed-Sets Now Available, we let you know that Mandrake Linux started shipping boxed-for-sale copies of its latest offering, the Mandrake Linux 8.2 operating system (OS) distribution. Mandrake Linux released the Mandrake Linux 8.2 distribution for downloading on 18 March 2002. (Download links below.)

We also mentioned in our 22 April 2002 story that Mandrake Linux 8.2 includes the new Linux 2.4.18 kernel, the KDE (K Desktop Environment) 2.2.2 windows-like desktop, and StarOffice 6.0, Sun's new, multi-platform, desktop office productivity suite.

However, the current KDE version is 3.0 compared to the 2.2.2 KDE version included with Mandrake 8.2. Additionally, the current StarOffice version is 5.2 compared to the StarOffice 6.0 version included with the Mandrake 8.2 Power Pack and ProSuite editions.

In an e-mail discussion, we asked Gaël Duval, founder of Mandrake Linux and co-founder of Mandrakesoft SA and Mandrakesoft, Inc., why Mandrake Linux 8.2 ships with KDE 2.2.2 instead of KDE 3.0. Gaël Duval told MozillaQuest Magazine: We really wanted to ensure a very stable release, and although it would have been possible to wait for KDE3.0, we preferred to ship with KDE 2.2.2 which is well known and very stable.

Although Mandrake Linux 8.2 is shipping with StarOffice 6.0, StarOffice 6.0 is not yet directly available to end-users. At this time Sun is providing StarOffice 6.0 to hardware and software OEMs (original equipment manufactures), in this case Mandrake. However, StarOffice 6.0 will not be available directly to end-users until May 2002.

Meanwhile StarOffice 5.2 still is available for free download and retail boxed versions of StarOffice 5.2 ($37) still are available. However, after StarOffice 6.0 is made available to end-users, StarOffice 5.2 will be phased out and discontinued.

The Sun game plan is to sell StarOffice 6.0 for less than $100 a copy when it is released for end-user consumption. An Open Source, free download version of StarOffice 6, OpenOffice, is available from the OpenOffice organization.

Please read between the lines here folks. If you want a free copy of StarOffice 5.2 you only have a few weeks or less left to download it. (Download links below.) If you want a free copy of a StarOffice 6 close cousin, grab OpenOffice.

Mandrake's Gaël Duval mentioned that StarOffice 6.0 is also available (for a month) for download at MandrakeClub.com to Silver members and above.

Reading between the lines again folks, please notice that StarOffice 6.0 is not directly available to end-users at this time. However, you can get StarOffice 6.0 now by purchasing the Mandrake Linux 8.2 Power Pack or ProSuite editions or by joining MandrakedClub.com at the Silver or higher level.

Getting back to KDE 3.0 and Mandrake Linux 8.2, Mandrake's Gaël Duval also noted in our e-mail discussion: KDE3.0 packages for Mandrake 8.2 (and other versions) have been available as soon as KDE 3.0 was released. A recipe for the cleanest possible migration will be posted soon on our website. Here it is. [Please see textbox below for the recipe.]

In a follow-up e-mail from Mandrake's Gaël Duval received as we were laying out this story for publication, Gaël added:

the "recipe" [now] is available at: http://www.linux-mandrake.com/en/mdk-kde3.0.php3 - we also have an informal warning about KDE3.0 because it seems some users encounter some issues with it. Our warning is available at:

http://www.mandrakeforum.com/article.php?sid=2087&lang=en

All Mandrake users have to understand that we have made KDE 3.0 packages available for them, because we love KDE 3.0 and because there is a huge demand for it, but at the same time, they also have to understand that if they want to ensure a stable and clean system (for instance if they run Mandrake in a company), they have to run the version of KDE shipped with Mandrake 8.2 (KDE 2.2.2).

We will release fixes of KDE3.0 as soon as they are available, in new updated packages of KDE 3.0.

Please read the KDE 3.0 warning that was just posted on MandrakeForum that Mandrake's Gaël Duval mentions. It is very important and has some information that you should read before you upgrade to KDE 3.0!

Please also see our previous Mandrake 8.2 articles, Mandrake Linux 8.2 Released for Downloading and Mandrake Linux 8.2 Boxed-Sets Now Available, for more and additional information about what's in Mandrake Linux 8.2.

Mandrake Web Site

Mandrake 8.2 Info

Download Mandrake 8.2

Mandrake User Club and the Corporate Club

Mandrake Store

KDE 3.0 Released -- Binaries and Source Code Available for Downloading

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