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Watch out, Windows: Deluxe edition dramatically less expensive, easy to use
UNIX AFICIONADOS have for years chronicled vendors' attempts to push Unix onto the desktop. We've watched all such attempts end in abject failure and total market rejection, mostly because Unix vendors were clueless to the needs of desktop users - until now.
Corel channeled its considerable application expertise into a Linux release that marks a turning point for the OS industry. Corel Linux OS Deluxe is the first Linux - in fact, the first Unix of any kind - that can realistically take the place of a Windows or Macintosh desktop. It has a few warts, but Corel's Linux debut is a stunner.
For employees who do most of their work in office-productivity applications and on the Web, Corel Linux is an excellent platform to deploy. The support costs for the Corel Linux OS promise to be lower than for Windows, with an automated system-update utility and an interface that makes the transition from Windows or the MacOS painless.
Also, Corel Linux OS is significantly more affordable than a copy of Windows 2000 Professional upgrade ($219), plus Office 2000 Professional upgrade ($349). You'll pay $568 for that combo, compared to $89.95 for Corel Linux OS Deluxe.
With its Windows ease of use and Linux power, Corel Linux OS Deluxe makes sense both technically and financially.
A snappy installation
I tested the Deluxe edition of Corel Linux OS using a pair of machines: a 500-MHz Pentium III desktop and a PC server with dual 400-MHz Pentium 11 CPUs.
The Deluxe moniker identifies Corel's top-end bundle. This adds to Corel's standard desktop Linux (available for free from www.corel .com or in a $59.95 retail package) a full copy of WordPerfect 8 with a printed manual, a collection of 200 fonts, the BRU tape backup manager, and a 3.5-inch...