Mandriva Linux
| Company type | Public (formerly) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Software |
| Predecessor | Mandrake Linux, Conectiva Linux |
| Founded | July 1998 |
| Founder | Gaël Duval (Mandrake Linux) |
| Fate | Workforce reductions; developers formed Mageia and OpenMandriva |
| Successor | Mageia, OpenMandriva |
| Headquarters | Paris , France |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Mandriva Linux (discontinued Linux distribution) |
| Website | www |
Mandriva Linux emerged from the fusion of the French Mandrake Linux and the Brazilian Conectiva Linux, representing a now-discontinued Linux distribution created by Mandriva S.A.
Each version provided core updates (Linux, essential system software) for a duration of 18 months, while desktop-related updates (such as window managers, desktop environments, and web browsers) were maintained for 12 months. Server editions benefited from comprehensive updates extending to a minimum of five years.
The last Mandriva Linux version was released in August 2011. Following workforce reductions, numerous developers transitioned to Mageia. The remaining team members later partnered with the community to establish OpenMandriva, thereby preserving Mandriva's heritage.
History
Mandrake’s inaugural release, launched in July 1998, was built on Red Hat Linux (version 5.1) and utilized K Desktop Environment 1. Shortly thereafter, it diverged from Red Hat’s framework, evolving into an independent distribution equipped with unique tools designed to streamline system configuration. Founded by Gaël Duval, Mandrake prioritized user-friendliness, targeting newcomers to Linux.
This strategy earned Mandrake Linux acclaim as "one of the simplest and most accessible Linux distributions to install." It gained recognition for allowing users to operate exclusively on Linux without the need to dual-boot into Microsoft Windows for compatibility with specific applications or websites. CNET highlighted Mandrake Linux 8.0 as delivering the most refined user experience available at that period.
Duval co-founded Mandrakesoft but was dismissed in 2006 alongside numerous other staff members.
Name changes
The flagship distribution initially bore the name Linux-Mandrake until version 8.0; it was renamed Mandrake Linux for versions 8.1 through 9.2.
In February 2004, MandrakeSoft lost a trademark case against Hearst Corporation, which owns rights to Mandrake the Magician. To circumvent legal issues, MandrakeSoft eliminated the space and adopted lowercase styling, renaming Mandrake Linux as mandrakelinux starting with version 10.0, accompanied by a new logo design. Similarly, MandrakeMove was rebranded as Mandrakemove.
In April 2005, Mandrakesoft acquired Conectiva, a Brazilian company specializing in Linux distributions tailored for Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking Latin American markets. Following this acquisition and ongoing trademark challenges with Hearst, Mandrakesoft rebranded itself as Mandriva, while Mandrake Linux was renamed Mandriva Linux.
Forks
Mandriva has inspired numerous forks, resulting in distributions such as Red Hat Linux, DemoLinux, ALT Linux, TinyMe, Granular Linux, Phinx, PCLinuxOS, SAM Linux → SAMity Linux, BlackPanther OS, OpenSLS → Annvix, Unity Linux, Mageia, OpenMandriva Lx, Mandrake Linux → Mandriva, and ROSA Linux.
Installation, control and administration
The distribution incorporated the Mandriva Control Center to facilitate system management tasks. It bundled various utilities known collectively as drakxtools—examples include MouseDrake for configuring mouse devices, DiskDrake for managing disk partitions, and drakconnect for setting up network connections—all developed using GTK+ and Perl. Most of these tools offered both graphical interfaces and text-based operation through the use of the ncurses library.
Desktops
Mandriva Linux 2011 officially provided support exclusively for the KDE Plasma Desktop, although alternative desktop environments were accessible via community-maintained packages. Previous editions featured KDE as the default interface and also included options such as GNOME.
Package manager
The distribution employed the package manager urpmi, which acts as a wrapper for .rpm packages, similar in function to Debian's apt or Fedora's yum/dnf. Urpmi facilitated smooth software installations by automatically handling dependencies and supported various sources including network repositories, CDs/DVDs, and local storage. Its graphical interface, rpmdrake, was integrated within the Mandriva Control Center.
Live USB
Starting with the 2009 Spring release, Mandriva Linux ISOs were created as "hybrid" images, enabling users to generate bootable Live USB drives either manually or using utilities such as UNetbootin.
Versions
Between 2007 and 2011, Mandriva adopted a fixed-release schedule with updates every six months, aligning its cycle with distributions like Ubuntu and Fedora.
Latest version
The most recent stable version is Mandriva Linux 2011, codenamed "Hydrogen," which was released on 28 August 2011.
Development version
The development branch, referred to as Cooker, functions as the ongoing source for upcoming stable Mandriva releases.
Version history
The following table summarizes the chronological progression of Mandriva's versions:
Mandrake releases
| Date | Number | Name | Major Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-07 | 5.1 | Venice | Based on RedHat Linux; introduced KDE 1.0 |
| 1998-12 | 5.2 | Leeloo | |
| 1999-02 | 5.3 | Festen | KDE 1.1; final release using Kernel 2.0 series |
| 1999-05 | 6.0 | Venus | Kernel 2.2.9; included GNOME 1.0.9 |
| 1999-09 | 6.1 | Helios | |
| 2000-01 | 7.0 | Air | Introduced drakxtools 1.0 and urpmi 0.9, foundational tools for later Mandrake/Mandriva versions. |
| 2000-05 | 7.1 | Helium | Final release featuring KDE 1.1.x series |
| 2000-09 | 7.2 | Odyssey (Ulysses beta) | Incorporated KDE 2.0; last version with Kernel 2.2 series |
| 2001-03 | 8.0 | Traktopel | Kernel 2.4.3; KDE 2.1.1 |
| 2001-09 | 8.1 | Vitamin | KDE 2.2.1 |
| 2002-03 | 8.2 | Bluebird | Final release with KDE 2.2 series |
| 2002-09 | 9.0 | Dolphin | KDE 3.0.3; OpenOffice.org 1.0.1; GNOME 2.0.2 |
| 2003-03 | 9.1 | Bamboo | "Galaxy" theme debuted; KDE 3.1 |
| 2003-09 | 9.2 | "FiveStar" | "Galaxy" theme last used; final release with Kernel 2.4 series |
| 2004-03 | "10.0" | "Community and Official" | Kernel 2.6.3; KDE 3.2; last version utilizing XFree86 4.3 |
| 2004-10 | "10.1" | Replaced XFree86 with X11 r6.7; adopted scim as unified input method for internationalization | |
| 2005-04 | "10.2 / 2005 LE" | Limited Edition release; KDE 3.3.2; removed "Mandrake" branding from artwork |
Mandriva releases
| Date | Number | Name | Major Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-10 | "2006.0" | "Mandriva Linux 2006" | "KDE 3.4.2; first edition under Mandriva branding; upgrade support from Conectiva included; last version featuring 'Galaxy' theme" |
| 2006-10 | "2007" | "Mandriva Linux 2007" | "KDE 3.5; introduced 'la Ora' theme; rpmdrake package manager interface redesigned; X.org server updated to version 1.1.1" |
| 2007-04 | "2007.1" | "Mandriva Linux 2007 Spring" | |
| 2007-10 | "2008.0" | "Mandriva Linux 2008" | |
| 2008-04-09 | "2008.1" | "Mandriva Linux 2008 Spring" | "Final release supporting KDE 3.5 series" |
| 2008-10 | "2009.0" | "Mandriva Linux 2009" | "DrakX installer revamped; upgraded to KDE 4.1.2" |
| 2009-04-29 | "2009.1" | "Mandriva Linux 2009 Spring" | |
| 2009-11 | "2010.0" | "Mandriva Linux 2010" | |
| 2010-07 | "2010.1" | "Mandriva Linux 2010 Spring" | |
| 2010-12 | "2010.2" | "Mandriva Linux 2010.2" | Last edition featuring Ia Ora theme |
| 2011-08-28 | "2011.0" | Hydrogen | Utilized rpm5.org fork; KDE desktop customized by Rosalab |
Editions
Mandriva Linux was distributed in multiple editions, all branching from a single master source. The majority of software—both free/open source and proprietary with licenses permitting unrestricted public sharing—was accessible through public mirror sites. Only commercial software subject to limited licensing agreements, which Mandriva arranged for distribution, was excluded from these mirrors.
Mandriva Linux Free
Mandriva Linux Free represented a conventional distribution featuring a dedicated installation program, offered at no cost and composed exclusively of free and open-source components. It was available on CD (typically three or four discs) and DVD formats for x86 32-bit and 64-bit systems. This edition catered to users who prioritized software freedom and preferred a classic installer over a live CD environment. Its software selection emphasized everyday desktop applications sourced from the 'main' and 'contrib' branches of the master repository. In 2011, Mandriva Linux Free was discontinued in favor of a consolidated release with Mandriva Desktop 2011.
Mandriva Linux One
Mandriva Linux One was a complimentary hybrid distribution combining a Live CD environment with an installer that included disk partitioning utilities. Before the 2008 release, multiple variants allowed users to choose their preferred language, desktop environment (KDE or GNOME), and whether to include proprietary software—the default configuration featured KDE along with non-free packages. These images packaged content from the 'main', 'contrib', and 'non-free' sections, with documentation removed to conserve space. The 2008 edition streamlined options to KDE and GNOME versions offered in default or alternate language sets, all incorporating non-free software.
Mandriva Linux Powerpack
The flagship commercial edition, Mandriva Linux Powerpack, required purchase and utilized the traditional DrakX installer. It bundled additional proprietary software such as NVIDIA and ATI graphics drivers, wireless firmware, browser plugins including Java and Flash, as well as applications like Cedega, Adobe Reader, and RealPlayer. This edition was sold via the Mandriva Store and authorized dealers, and also available through an annual subscription providing unlimited downloads of recent releases. Powerpack contained packages drawn from 'main', 'contrib', 'non-free', and 'restricted' repositories.
With the 2008 release, the Discovery and Powerpack+ editions were consolidated into Powerpack as the sole commercial product, offering users options between simplified or advanced installation methods and desktop environments.
Mandriva Linux Discovery
Aimed at new and inexperienced Linux users, Mandriva Linux Discovery was a commercial edition distributed through the Mandriva Store, authorized resellers, or downloadable by select Mandriva Club members. This edition was discontinued in Mandriva Linux 2008 when its user-friendly features were merged into Powerpack.
Prior to the 2007 release, Discovery employed the standard DrakX installer. In the 2007 and 2007 Spring versions, it evolved into a hybrid "Live DVD" that could boot directly without installation or be installed onto a hard drive.
As a DVD format, Discovery included all supported languages on one disc and featured a carefully selected package set from 'main', 'contrib', 'non-free', and 'non-free-restricted' sections tailored for novice desktop users. Its interface used a simplified menu structure that described applications rather than listing them explicitly by name—contrasting with other editions that presented traditional menus listing all installed graphical programs.
Mandriva Linux Powerpack+
Mandriva Linux Powerpack+ built upon the original Powerpack by incorporating a wider array of primarily commercial software. Available for purchase through the Mandriva Store and authorized dealers, it was also provided at no cost to Mandriva Club Gold members and higher tiers. Targeted at small office/home office (SOHO) environments, this edition was tailored to support not only desktop and development machines but also small server setups. Its package collection prioritized server functionality, drawing from the 'main', 'contrib', 'non-free', and 'restricted' repositories.
With the 2008 version, the features exclusive to Powerpack+ were integrated into the standard Powerpack edition, leading to the discontinuation of Powerpack+ as an independent product.
Derivatives
Multiple Linux distributions have been developed based on Mandriva Linux, including both official variants and community-led projects, many of which preserve compatibility with Mandriva RPM packages:
- blackPanther OS – originally forked from Mandrake
- OpenMandriva Lx – a community-driven successor to Mandriva
- Mageia – created by former Mandriva developers as a fork
- PCLinuxOS – initially based on Mandrake
- ROSA Linux – forked by ex-Mandriva developers