Software Mini-Review: Red Hat Linux 6.0

by Bob Gray
<bob@boulderlabs.com>

Bob Gray is co-founder of Boulder Labs, a software consulting company. Designing architectures for performance has been his focus ever since he built an image processor system on UNIX in the late 1970s. He has a Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Colorado.



I was excited to receive the new Red Hat 6.0 Linux release. I've been seeking a balanced UNIX package for non-computer experts. This distribution goes a long way toward that goal while still providing full source code for the experts. With the GNOME desktop environment and the Enlightenment Window Manager, a willing novice can quickly become productive and throw Windows out the window. (Actually, there is value in setting up a dual-boot system because of the multitude of Windows applications that don't yet run under Linux.)

Linux distributions have come a long way in a year — especially Red Hat, with the backing of IBM, Netscape, and others. The two printed manuals that come in the box are excellent. The "Getting Started Guide" takes you through the GNOME desktop environment. The "Installation Guide" is well written and easy to follow for the basics. Red Hat defines three classes of installations: Workstation, Server, and Custom. I like their idea of "Workstation-Class" — everything defaults and the installation proceeds automatically. It's a great way for non-Linux people (including myself) to give it a test drive. Of course, there is customization work to be done later, but you have configuration tools to help.

Now here is my big gripe — I hope all Source Code UNIX vendors are listening, especially those that hope to expand into the huge market of systems for non-computer people. The installation process for adding Linux to a Win9x PC is miserable. I'm quite familiar with disks, FDISK, partitions, and filesystems, but it still took me a couple of hours of screwing around. In their manual, they talk about this kind of install being the most common, yet they have the audacity to say:

As a convenience to our customers, we provide the FIPS utility . . . cannot guarantee that FIPS will work properly on your system. Therefore, no installation support whatsoever is available for FIPS; use it at your own risk.

One would think a company recently infused with cash would have rectified this problem by now. What do you expect the "most common installation" user to do? Fortunately, I had a FreeBSD boot disk handy and a second PC. (Their PCMCIA support disk didn't work on a Libretto.) Red Hat could have worked a deal with the PartitionMagic people, developed their own software, or fixed and improved the public stuff. (FIPS is not able to handle a type 14 partition Win95-FAT-16.) So, come on guys; I want to be able to help you get UNIX onto people's Win9x systems. You have got to:

1. document the process completely;
2. provide tools to help the process;
3. support users willing to try it.

   (Applause to Caldera for OpenLinux's install process — they have handled the partition splitting problem).

   In summary, Red Hat Linux 6.0 is a fine UNIX distribution once the partition problem is handled. If you are reading this article, you probably are already set for your UNIX system and your desktop environment. But take a look at one of the recent Source Code UNIX releases and try the GNOME or KDE. You'll then be in a position to help some less experienced user transition from the mass marketed system to a real operating system.