Linux-Mandrake 6.0 was actually my intro to Linux. Lots and lots of memories.
Still absolutely love this clunky aesthetic.
Interestingly, the old website is still up. Last post, 1999.
I totally forgot XMMS, what a nice piece of software! Also I didn’t know Netscape was available on Linux
FWIW you can ‘recreate’ the environment you enjoyed on today’s distros. Here is one good solid option: https://github.com/NsCDE/NsCDE
Here’s something even more current from ‘rasat’… who is a huge proponent of the CDE on FVWM environment: https://fvwmforums.org/t/picom-compositor-for-xorg/4250
Some people may not like it but this is what peak desktop interface design looks like.
I remember this distro as having a good number of newer storage drivers (cpqarray, in particular) available when installing.
I started with Mandrake, I think 8.0, in 2001. I just looked at that website a few weeks ago and something is off. If I remember correctly, there were updates to the site in that year. I wonder if this is a snapshot that somebody re-uploaded?
edit: looks like maybe the website I remember was mandrakesoft.com -> https://web.archive.org/web/20010429194424/http://www.mandrakesoft.com/
That does look quite familiar and cool.
I started on Mandrake 8.1. I owe Mandrake a lot for starting me off on Linux over twenty years ago.
Oh gosh! I remember mandrake. I don’t remember version but do remember it. Was certainly an experience for me. Had no clue what I was doing. No idea how I went from that to gentoo. Stage 1 install was a nightmare I couldn’t forget. Stage 3 is a breeze now.
The window elements each have a clear purpose without “aesthetics” overriding those.
Also, you didn’t need massive resolutions and screen real estate to be able to see what you’re doing.
It’s beautiful.
Down the memory lane! At that time downloading a full distro with my poor 33.6k modem was an unfeasible nightmare, and I remember buying the Mandrake Powerpack box with several CDs, books… and stickers! I fondly remember how the included assistants (diskdrake and similar “drake” tools) tried to make things easier for newbies like me… and of course they only worked half of the time!
