This thread has been retired.
I will like to skip stories of how Madrakelinux took over Lycoris and others and became mandivalinux. However, i think that that takeover is a good thing for Mandivalinux. i will tell my experience with the latest edition of mandivalinux 2006 FREE, which is also Mandrivalinux effort to counter Redhat linux gains or popularity with it's free version -Fedora core. i have in the past fell love with Mandr{ake}ivalinux, even bought two of it'sversion. however, i hated almost everything that comes out from developement lab after one of it's many {8.3} versions were stripped of anything that could play mp3/dvd medias. every other things have comes to pass since then and i thought it might be time to forgive them and try it's free version. happily, it did not hurt afterall.
*my use of Mandrivalinux here only refers to Mandrivalinux 2006 FREE unless stated.*
Mandrivalinux has one of the best graphic installer, comparing it however, with Suse and Linspire 5.0. This latest version has almost a ''foolproof'' installer, it is in essence so simple that everything appear too garanteed to go right. there is however, no new visible tech included, i mean in the eyes of everyday users. but it has been optimised, easier with less options, which means going straight the {installation} point. Diskdrake, looked optimised too, not that it moved far enough from original partitioning program that made installing Mandrakelinux one of the easiest right from the beginning. i have always used partition magic in windows xp to partition and manage my drive and partitions before installing any linux distro. this is due to the fact that i have messed things up many times. so i went on to pick drive and partition design for madrivalinux, and since i was installing into 8 GB decided to install programs good for a desktop use. i skipped other programs like server and games, i did also install every graphic windows manager included in the dvd media. After installing i got only 3 GB left of the 8 GB drive.
Network and internet connections were simple and easy, i configured my cable modem by just adding ''computername'' and choose manage by DHCP. after seconds my connection was tested and asked if i would want to register and get update if avaliable. i went on and register an account, but to my dismay, i was asked for a CD KEY. that made me to rethink about the definetion of FREE, anyway, i skipped that part and after completion a window {from mandrivalinux clubsite} came that suggested that i am not ENTITLED to any update this time. i almost thought i mistakenly installed Linspire or somehow dealing with CNR. everything went smooth though, more than expected and my system is ready to rock.
This is one complete FREE linux of these days, mandrivalinux is ready to take on other desktop distros around that claim to be the easiest, but have root or other resctrictions. well, with mandrivalinux you get yourself a complete ''OUT OF BOX'' linux operating system. i have always hold that view that there is no ''OUT OF BOX'' linux distribution, but mandrivalinux has turned that view around. with this version of mandrivalinux, everything is made to work even much more than in windows xp. Media capabilities were enabled mp3/dvd played without having to add anything. i usually have to copy WIN32 CODEC to /usr/lib and install LIBDVDCSS before playing anything in most distros of to day. LIBDVDCSS is not included, but you can do without it. however, if you need it there is RPM package around which installed without dependency problem.
Mandrivalinux is truely a desktop OS for anybody who cannot have MS product for whatever reasons. anybody can install this version, and just as i have repeated myself here the dvd version has everything that will satisfy any windows users. Mandrivalinux recognised every windows drive and partitions and put them properly in their places and make them usable. all FAT32 partition were managable without permission restriction. NTFS has only write issue which is not Mandrivalinux. and for those who cannot do without command line, server and or network programs they are all included in the dvd media.
Finally, i made sure i broke it before putting up this review, i do that always, i cannot just leave a perfect working system alone for hours without installing or uninstalling worthless softwares i never have to use. this time installed mplayer-mozilla plugins which kills firefox, konqueror if i try to play stream media. waiting to reinstall any spare minute i have, since it only take 10-20 to install and configure it to my test
i thought i should give it a big 9 points, but i am not sure why mandriva community decide to allow only {from silver} members to be able download {free} flashplayer and few others from it's site. at the same time mandrivalinux has every tool and simplicity to compete with MS windows or other desktop linux distribution of today.
