dunbar

Part two....

I downloaded the ISO. Why? Because I've used Linux since Mandrake 7.2 came with Maximum Linux magazine (defunct, Feb 2001).

I checked the MD5SUM; what I downloaded to my XP64 system has the same MD5SUM as the sum posted on 2 different mirrors for the same ISO. Why 2 different mirrors? Long story, no benefit to tell it here and now.

I managed to burn the DVD ISO. I have a DVDRW, which SOME of us know is the same as a CDROM that was required for installation.

I opened the DVD, looked in the root directory. I have a folder labeled x86_64. That seems wrong.

I checked my XP 'Folder View' properties. Yup, I'm set to show system and hidden files. Yup, I'm NOT hiding protected operating system files.

Odd, I believe I used to see more than a single folder in a bootable disc.


Anyways, lets review the documents on the DVD, which is supposedly bootable. I hope.

In the x86_64 folder, I see files. Lets start with readme.txt. The readme.txt file is in UNIX text format; in Windows XP, the document looks bad in Notepad.exe. Use Wordpad.exe instead.

"The contents of this CD-ROM are Copyright (C) 2003-2005 Mandriva".

Again, the 'boilerplate that fails' issue, 2 times for that one sentence. It is currently being read from a DVD, not a CD-ROM; the year is 2008, getting close to 2009.

So right away, I get this not warm and not fuzzy feeling. A feeling I just had in part one: documents are weak.

2. Installing

See the INSTALL.txt file.

IMPORTANT COMPATIBILITY NOTE:

Mandriva Linux is built with CPU speed optimizations for Pentium-class
(Pentium(tm) and compatibles, AMD Athlon, Pentium 4...) so it WILL
NOT RUN on older i386 and i486 based computers.

Mental note: Read the install.txt file.

FWIW, this x86_64 distro will not run on most Pentium systems that are in use today. Repeating the same error as before.

4. Support

For those with web access, check:
* http://www.mandriva.com/support

In particular, access to our mailing lists can be found at:
* http://www.mandrivalinux.com/en/flists.php3

If you don't have any web access you can still subscribe to the main
mailing list. To subscribe, send mail to sympa@mandrivalinux.com
with "subscribe newbie" in the body of the message.

The first URL for support redirects into the archives.... Will I find information about this days old version is already in the archives?

The mailing list link redirects to the Mandriva home page. On the Mandriva home page, the string 'mail' is not found.

Next is this beauty about the mailing list being accessible for people that do not have web access. We only need to send an email to them so we can sign up for a mail list (which is email). Mail list access without web access? That'll be a challenge.

Maybe I should tell someone at Mandriva....

5. Contact

Mandriva can be reached at:

* http://www.mandriva.com/company/contact

That URL redirects into the archives. Only history will care about this error.

[sarcasm]Linux documentation is consistent.[/sarcasm]

Yeah, consistently wrong. What a joke. THIS document is also not worthy of anyones trust.

Next document, please?