Corel Linux
| Company type | Operating system |
|---|---|
| Industry | Software |
| Founded | September 21, 1999 |
| Founder | Corel |
| Defunct | August 2001 |
| Fate | Source code and development staff transferred to Xandros |
| Products | Corel Linux OS, Corel SmartMove, WordPerfect Office for Linux |
| Parent | Corel |
Corel Linux, also referred to as Corel LinuxOS, was an operating system based on Debian and developed by Corel. Its beta phase commenced on September 21, 1999, with the official release following on November 15, 1999. Positioned as a competitor to Microsoft's Windows 98 and Windows 2000, Apple's Mac OS 9, as well as other Linux variants such as Mandrake Linux and Red Hat Linux, Corel Linux was aimed at both consumer and enterprise sectors. Although Corel eventually ceased distribution, it continued to support its Open Source Development portal until March 2002.
Departing from typical KDE distributions that utilized KFM for file management, Corel Linux incorporated a proprietary file manager named CFM. This bespoke element, alongside other alterations, diminished interoperability with other Linux systems—presenting obstacles during a period when commercial Linux software options were scarce.
The Second Edition, launched on August 15, 2000, was offered in three formats: downloadable, standard retail, and deluxe. The deluxe package featured Corel's WordPerfect Office for Linux, boosting its attractiveness to business clientele.
In August 2001, following its withdrawal from the Linux sector, Corel transferred ownership of the Corel Linux source code and development personnel to Xandros.
System requirements
| Minimum | Recommended | |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Pentium (P5) or a compatible or more recent processor | |
| Memory | 24 MB of RAM | A minimum of 64 MB RAM |
| Video adapter and monitor | VGA display (640 x 480 resolution) or better with at least 2 MB of VRAM | |
| Hard disk drive free space | 500 MB required for initial version 800 MB needed for Second Edition | |
| Optical drive | CD-ROM drive necessary for installation | |
| Input devices | Keyboard along with mouse or an equivalent pointing device | |
| Sound | Sound card plus speakers or headphones (to enable audio output) | |
Features
Corel Linux came equipped with a file manager that bore strong resemblance to Windows Explorer, including an integrated Windows SMB network browser. The company emphasized the operating system’s compatibility with its flagship software products.
Applications
A key advantage of Corel Linux was its support for Corel’s WordPerfect software suite. The WordPerfect word processor version 8 was provided free to individual users as an incentive to purchase WordPerfect Office 2000. This office suite included applications such as Quattro Pro, Corel Presentations, and CorelCentral, while the Deluxe edition also incorporated the Paradox database and Railroad Tycoon II: Gold. The Deluxe 'Limited Edition' replaced Railroad Tycoon II with Civilization: Call to Power. Unlike the freely distributed WordPerfect 8, the office suite itself was not developed natively for Linux but consisted of Windows programs executed through Corel’s tailored version of the Wine compatibility layer, which led to reduced performance relative to native Windows installations.
Likewise, Corel ported its graphics applications to Linux using Wine. This included the CorelDraw suite—where CorelDRAW was available as commercial software—and Corel Photo-Paint, which was provided as a complimentary download.
SmartMove
Corel SmartMove was an integral component of Corel Linux, created to:
- Transfer Microsoft Windows settings over to Corel Linux.
- Facilitate automatic restoration of configurations adjusted by SmartMove.
- Provide easier navigation to network directories within Corel Linux.
Developed using Wine libraries, SmartMove accessed Windows Registry entries to migrate configuration data from Windows applications. Its main libraries encapsulated the Windows registry for streamlined querying.
SmartMove identifies installed Microsoft Windows systems and user profiles, then offers to migrate application preferences to their Linux counterparts. It supports transferring cookies and bookmarks from Internet Explorer and Netscape, as well as settings for Microsoft Outlook, mIRC, and ICQ, along with desktop options such as wallpaper, color themes, and mouse "handedness".
After the discontinuation of Corel Linux, SmartMove was no longer maintained. Nevertheless, comparable migration utilities are available in current Linux distributions like Ubuntu, especially for dual-boot environments involving Windows.