Early scorecard

Next, I set about gathering up the various bits and pieces of software necessary to satisfy my check-list of system requirements.

Knowing the reputation of Linux as a reliable server operating system, I expected that having a stable OS would be the easiest part — and sure enough, it was. As a matter of fact, despite my countless downloads and experiments with dozens of programs — including many beta versions labeled “Warning! This program will definitely delete all your data and explode your system!” — I was continually amazed at how Linux itself never crashed. Meeting requirement #1 was clearly not an issue.

Since I was already a Netscape user on Windows, and a mature Linux version of Netscape was readily available, I was confident that the browser and email software I needed were but a few quick mouse clicks away. Eager to get going with Linux as my daytime OS, I downloaded and installed Netscape 4.75 for Linux. But I soon found several severe limitations that would clearly need to be overcome before I could use Linux as my daytime system. These were . . .

• inability to use my Windows Netscape email files
  
• the email address books didn't work properly
  
• horrible fonts and an overall ugly appearance

While I managed to locate a good solution to the first of these problems, the other two were real deal killers. In fact, the fonts and appearance were so bad that I tended to get a headache whenever I used Netscape in Linux for more than about half an hour.

I definitely needed a better solution for my browser and email requirements.

My browser and email ordeal

I thereupon commenced what I hoped would be a quick search for suitable Linux browser and email software (per my check-list of requirements). The quick search grew into many months.

I tried everything.

I downloaded the latest Mozilla. It really looked a lot nicer than Netscape. Its email address book worked properly and it could access the email files I had by now learned to transfer from Windows Netscape. “Surely this is the solution!” was my initial reaction — until I realized how totally s-l-u-g-g-i-s-h-l-y it ran. Like molasses. No way I could use that all day!

Being a flexible sort of guy, I even decided to consider using Netscape for its browser and some alternative email program. I tried Balsa. Spruce. Evolution. Later releases of Mozilla. You name it! They looked pretty good, but none of them provided everything I required (which included the requirement for compatibility with Netscape's email files and address book).

Hoping to improve the appearance of Netscape, I also tested each new release GNOME and KDE as soon as their “stable versions” became available in binary format, in order to be sure I was aware of the best Linux had to offer at any given moment. But to no avail — the ugliness persisted.

Eventually, I decided that the solution to my browser/email problem would most likely come from the ongoing (and relatively rapid) evolution of Mozilla.

Sensing that I would have to wait a while for the arrival of that solution, I grudgingly acquiesced to continuing to use Windows during working hours, while focusing my after-hours efforts on assembling the rest of what my check-list said was needed.

— Continued —

---

Story navigation . . .

• Part 1: The vacation
  
• Part 2: Early scorecard
  
• Part 3: Turning the corner
  
• Part 4: The light at the end of the tunnel
  
• Part 5: Look ma: no Windows!

 
This article was originally published on LinuxDevices.com and has been donated to the open source community by QuinStreet Inc. Please visit LinuxToday.com for up-to-date news and articles about Linux and open source.