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Entered CNET Catalog: 10/25/2002
SKU: RHF0100US
Manufacturer: Red Hat
Manufacturer description
New usability and server features in Red Hat Linux 8.0 Professional deliver versatility for small networks. From advanced package selection during installation to daily use with improved graphical user interface, Red Hat Linux 8.0 is user-friendly and flexible for many purposes. Complete documentation and services to help new Linux users is included with Red Hat Linux 8.0 Professional.CNET editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 11/26/2002
Installation and setup
Red Hat 8.0 Professional's installation procedure hasn't changed a great deal from that of earlier versions. In other words, it's not as smooth as SuSE's, and it suffers from a greater number of interruptions and a less intuitive set of setup dialogs. Red Hat's extremely informative help panel offsets some of these difficulties, however, by walking you through choices such as how to partition the disk and which packages to install. Still, we greatly prefer SuSE's method, in which the OS automatically partitions your drive for you--no input necessary.
Unfortunately, on both of our test systems--a Compaq with a 1.1GHz Athlon and GeForce4 Ti 4200 card and an HP with a 500MHz Celeron and built-in video--the graphical user interface (GUI) failed to load on the first boot after installation. We've encountered this problem before with Linux distributions, and the glitch is almost always related to the PC's video card. In Red Hat's case, we had to boot twice on both machines before we could select the desired 1,280x1,024 resolution. Until then, we were trapped in 800x600 mode, where the fonts are truly unreadable (more on fonts later). SuSE 8.1, in contrast, handled both video cards without a hitch during setup.
Interface and ease of use
Where SuSE 8.1 offers the KDE 3.0.3 environment by default, Red Hat 8.0 opens with the leaner, more elegant GNOME desktop. GNOME's configuration tool offers fewer options than KDE's, but the options that it does provide, such as fairly simple display, audio, and networking choices, are very similar to those you'll find in Windows. Red Hat 8.0 hides the huge range of configuration options that Linux is known for, so it's much more palatable to anyone who's used to tweaking Windows, which also hides some details for the sake of usability. But Red Hat does let you set up the GNOME configuration tool to show more options, and you can switch to the KDE environment at boot-up time if you'd prefer to run KDE's more detailed configuration applet.
If you're used to Windows--especially if you use Microsoft's ClearType display--Linux fonts may appear appallingly thin and jagged. Red Hat, however, uses strong antialiasing to make desktop and application fonts look much smoother than in other Linux distributions, including SuSE Linux. Furthermore, Red Hat's Font Preference dialog lets you set the font rendering precisely as you wish and even offers a subpixel-smoothing option for LCDs. It's still no ClearType, but it's much closer than it was before. Fonts in Mozilla, however, still look as if they were written by someone shivering with cold.
Features
Although KDE supports far more applications than GNOME, GNOME has some powerful programs. For example, Red Hat's default e-mailer, Ximian Evolution, includes a feature set that's comparable to that found in Microsoft Outlook and has no real equivalent in KDE. Nor did Ximian crash under Red Hat as it did in SuSE Linux 8.1.
Also, Red Hat 8.0 takes full advantage of GNOME's rich display and organizational capabilities--GNOME is known for its elegant, uncluttered display and easy-to-navigate menus--and it includes numerous graphics, audio, video, and other multimedia tools. In fact, like SuSE, Red Hat ships with a seemingly endless supply of powerful applications. Red Hat offers the increasingly popular OpenOffice 1.0.1 as its productivity suite, with KOffice 1.2 (SuSE's default) available for separate installation, as well. Beyond that, you'll find everything from strategy games to advanced server packages, as well as development tools and every conceivable type of utility bundled with the OS.
Service and support
As with most commercial Linux distributions, you'll get better support for Red Hat if you pay for it than if you download the free version. Red Hat backs the Personal version with 30 days of e-mail and online support for installation but no phone support. You'll also get 30 days of free access to the Red Hat Network, which automatic updates à la Windows, and a huge array of premium downloads. The Professional version gets you 60 days of unlimited phone support (9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday), e-mail and online support, and access to the Red Hat Network.
Ximian Evolution shows the Outlook-style interface, while the stylized buttons on the taskbar demonstrate Red Hat's new Bluecurve design.
User opinions
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User Rating: 
10/10
Red Hat is the best
Pros: for years i was a ridding on the microsoft bandwagen. but theni purchased redhat. no crashes since i installed it about a year and a half ago. I think one day in the far future this will be the os that everyone is going to be running. also I haven't gotte
Cons: none that i can forsee.. red hat just keeps getting better..
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User Rating: 10/10
Red Hat 9.0 Professional review
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I apologize for reviewing the 9.0 version, but as it is the latest and freely available to purchase, I think the review might be useful for some people. There are good things and bad things about the system. Stability, ease of installation for the main system and a very pleasing interface are exceptional. Red Linux here has SuSe and Mandrake beat for the serious user, but it may not be for computer novices. However, there is a slight problem detecting latest computer hardware: Failed to properly identify the Samsung 957MB monitor (although I selected the 900 version for the similar refresh rates, and the system appropriately chose 85MhZ at 1024x768, so no problems there.) Failed to properly detect the TurtleCruz sound card, and there is no sound on the system. That, I am sure, can be fixed with a little tweaking, but a novice would most likely not want to get into those details. Failed to identify the HP LaserJet 1000 laser printer. With additional tweaking, I am sure it will work just fine, but again, it would have been nicer if I did not have now to bother doing that. Overall, if you know something about how computers work, you will not have too much trouble, I surmise, getting your entire array of fancy gadgets to eventually work; but if you would rather just work on your machine and not get into the particulars, I still would recommend Windows XP Pro, which I am going to install as dual boot. I still gave Red Hat highest marks because it is exceptional from my standpoint - that of a moderately computer-savvy user who has linux-specific needs - great networking and support for open source. To Moderator: thank you for the great job you are doing.
User Rating: 
8/10
Red Hat 8.0 is Great!!!!
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I am trying to migrate from Windows to Linux and I have been stumped previous versions of Linux distros. BUT Red Hat 8.0 has been a pleasant surprise! The graphics are incredible. Mandrake 9.0 had too many bugs and its font was not as clear or smooth as Red Hat. I also tried SUSE 8.1, but again the font was not as good as Red Hat. I installed RH8 on HP Pavilion ZE1115 and it was smooth all the way! It recognized all my hardwares. Red Hat is the Linux!
User Rating: 
2/10
Compared with 7.1... it's junk!
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I can't believe these reviews! Are you guys living on the planet Earth? The 8.0 distribution is an unqualified disaster. Red Hat gave us a kernel that has "hang" and journalling problems, the new file manager is a joke, and there are bugs everywhere. Now I see why these software distributors keep giving us junk. You guys are incapable of an objective analysis.
User Rating: 10/10
cnet is crazy
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i installed suse but now have shifted to red hat THE UNIFIED THEME SURE MADE LIFE EASY RED HAT RULES
User Rating: 
5/10
ignore the castrated multi-media
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RedHat_8 installed and what runs, runs like a charm on my 2-gig P4. Took all sorts of antique SCSI hardware and the sound-chip on my P4S333 without a sneeze ... I took a snooze and only hacked a bit at FSTAB! 'Course there's NO auto-installed Mp3 or midi support, and getting the printer and hardware modem working took days on the NGs. So if it doesn't work automagic ya gotta be a Twinkee-munching weenie to figure it out. Oh yeah, I could never figure out how to get RedHat support, or even register my paid copy - "virtual" door slammed in my face multiple times. [ worse support than SusE if that's possible ]. Other hand, auto-update works fine. Mixed bag, eh ...?
User Rating: 10/10
CNET's review doesn't do justice
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This linux ditro is great! It is a little slow (what isn't on a 233MHz PII) but 100% better than WinXP! CNET needs to lighten up. RedHat has been and will always be the best Linux Distro ever! I have totally replaced Windows as a result of it, using Wine to make up for discrepancies (WinMX). CNET, LindowsOS sucks because it isn't free (GNU/LINUX)...they even try to make you pay $100 a year for progs. you can download from Download.com! What a scam!
User Rating: 
7/10
Best Linux OS
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I've tried Mandrake, SuSE and Redhat and I have to say Redhat is the best. I don't understand why you had installation problems, I have installed RedHat on number of Machines. It installs like a charm. Why are you putting a price tag on Linux, I did not pay a single dollar. Just go ahead and download.
User Rating: 
9/10
Worked fine for me on my Thinkpad
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I installed Redhat 8.0 with ease. It did the partitions for me, granted I do have the home edition and not the professional edition. I been since having fun. I can do all the same stuff here that I can do on Windows, except for games, but they are coming. I think Redhat is Great!
User Rating: 8/10
Easy to install, and user-friendly
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After setting up a new partition on my hard drive using BootIt NG, I was able to load Red Hat 8.0 as another boot option with Windows 2000 on my PC. Installation was fairly easy, and I was impressed with all of the additional utilities and features that came with the system. Took a little time to figure out how to acccess the Internet and e-mail, but they are working fine.
User Rating: 
1/10
Way better than SUSE for laptops
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SUSE installed just fine off a PCMCIA CDROM drive on my Sony Vaio, but then stopped recognizing the drive. I called SUSE and they REFUSED to provide support even though I purchased the professional version! Apparently PCMCIA support falls into a 'special' category where one has to pay more. I bought SUSE so I could get support, and I got suckered. RedHat installed just fine, and is working without reboots for 2 months now. Plus it was free. Go with RedHat.
User Rating: 10/10
This OS is great!
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I first used Linux when Red Hat 6.2 came out, and since then I have used Mandrake 8.1, Red Hat 7.3, and now I use Red Hat 8.0. This operating system almost makes me wonder if spending the cash on Windows XP was really worth it. Regardless, I encountered none of the problems that were mentioned in the review. I installed it and it ran very nicely. I also think that the bundled software could keep someone like myself, a student, running very nicely even with hardware that isn't the newest. I think that people like free software should consider buying one of those not-from-redhat copied download cd's from somewhere like linuxcentral.com where they are only like $20. I also think that the review here on CNET isn't the best/most accurate. This version of Linux is very stable and customizable. People with even the smallest amount of experience with Linux or OS's could easily get this OS and a book and be able to proficiently use this OS.
User Rating: 10/10
Best Linux OS I've Tried
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I've tried Mandrake and Redhat and I have to say Redhat is the best. I can also say that according to your article Redhats better than SuSE. I had none of the installation problems you mentioned. Redhat's fonts are clean, the RPM system is easy to install with the only thing I would make different is an addition of options in GNOME. But, your article did say that there were more options availible so I'll have to check into that. Also I think that attaching a price to Linux is totally wrong. Most Liunx distros allow you to download the ISOs for free therefore your article stating that SuSE had a price advantage was wrong as they both have equal prices.
