I’ve been immersed in the world of Linux for so long that countless distributions have come and gone, many fading from memory. However, some remain close to my heart, stirred by nostalgia or unforgettable experiences. Below are my top five Linux distributions that have disappeared but still linger in my thoughts.
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Mandrake
- Mandrake was revolutionary for its aim to make Linux accessible to newcomers. In the late ’90s and early 2000s, it introduced user-friendly graphical installers and was among the first to promote live CDs. The development team behind Mandrake was energetic and fun-loving, creating an inviting atmosphere that marked my early experiences in the Linux community.
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Caldera OpenLinux
- Caldera OpenLinux 1.0 was my first taste of Linux back in 1997. Purchasing the installation CD at CompUSA, I vividly recall the excitement of diving into this new OS. However, a compatibility issue with my modem led me to quickly seek alternatives. Despite that, Caldera OpenLinux was focused on business users, which I later realized might have been too advanced for a beginner like me.
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Red Hat
- After figuring out my modem issues, I switched to Red Hat 5.2 and quickly found solace in its seamless functioning. Red Hat became a staple in my Linux journey and played a significant role in honing my skills. Switching to different window managers like AfterStep opened the door to a deeper relationship with Linux, paving the way for my future endeavors.
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Corel Linux
- Corel Linux is memorable primarily because it shipped with a full office suite—WordPerfect. This marked a pivotal moment, showcasing Linux’s capability as a serious contender in the OS market. The graphical tools introduced emphasized user-friendliness and demonstrated that command-line reliance wasn’t a necessity.
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CentOS
- The removal of CentOS as my reliable server OS stung the most. It was a stable workhorse that performed all tasks alongside Red Hat Linux without the hefty price tag. The shift to CentOS Stream forced many users, including me, to search for alternatives, leading to the rise of other distributions like AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux, which stepped in to fill the void left by CentOS.
These distributions have left lasting impressions on my Linux journey, each contributing uniquely to my understanding and appreciation of open-source operating systems.
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