OpenMandriva

Overview

OpenMandriva Lx is a free, open-source, general-purpose Linux distribution maintained by the OpenMandriva Association (founded in 2012). It targets the x86_64, ARM64 (aarch64), and ARM v7 (armv7hnl) architectures, continuing the legacy of Mandriva Linux (originally Mandrake Linux, 1998-2011). Focused on user-friendliness, innovation, and community-driven development, it offers both stable (Rock) and rolling-release (ROME) distributions, with the KDE Plasma desktop environment as the default. OpenMandriva uses RPM package management (via dnf and DNFDragora) and the Clang/LLVM compiler (instead of GCC). It supports Live USB mode and the Calamares installer, and provides the OM Welcome app for onboarding new users. It also supports the RISC-V architecture (under development) and offers a Server edition. OpenMandriva emphasizes multimedia support and security, replacing PulseAudio with PipeWire.

History and Development

• Origins:
  • 1998-2011: Mandrake Linux (founded by Gaël Duval) evolves into Mandriva Linux, focusing on user-friendliness.
  • 2011: Mandriva S.A. faces bankruptcy and abandons consumer product development.
  • May 2012: OpenMandriva is forked from the Mandriva community and combined with ROSA Linux to form the OpenMandriva Association (a non-profit organization established under French law in 1901).
  • December 2012: The OpenMandriva Association is officially established to manage the OpenMandriva Lx project.
• Development History:
  • 2013: OpenMandriva Lx 2013 "Oxygen" was released. Based on Mandriva Linux 2011, it featured KDE 4.11.2, ROSA Media Player 1.6, Firefox 25.0, LibreOffice 4.1.3, and Linux kernel 3.11.6.
  • May 2014: OpenMandriva Lx 2014 "Phosphorus" was released, praised by Gaël Duval and featuring kernel 3.13.11.
  • June 2015: OpenMandriva Lx 2014.2 "The Scion" was released, fixing bugs from 2014.1 and featuring kernel 3.18.12.
  • August 2016: OpenMandriva Lx 3.0 "Einsteinium" released, debuting with the Clang compiler (instead of GCC) and running kernel 4.6.
  • 2017: Releases 3.01 (kernel 4.9.0), 3.02 (kernel 4.11.3), and 3.03 (kernel 4.13.12).
  • 2018-2019: Development of OpenMandriva Lx 4.0, supporting ARM64 and ARM v7, with Alpha (September 2018), Beta (February 2019), and RC (May 2019) releases.
  • February 2022: Release of OpenMandriva Lx 4.3, replacing PulseAudio with PipeWire.
  • January 2023: OpenMandriva Lx 23.01 "ROME" will be released, the first rolling release, featuring KDE Plasma 5.26.4, kernel 6.1, and systemd 252.
  • November 2023: OpenMandriva Lx 5.0 "Iodine" will be released, featuring KDE Plasma, GNOME, and LXQt.
  • April 2025: OpenMandriva Lx 6.0 "Vanadium" will be released, featuring KDE Plasma 6.3, GNOME 48.1, LXQt 2.2, Xfce 4.20, COSMIC 1.0 alpha, kernel 6.14, GCC 14.2.1, LLVM/Clang 19.1.7, systemd 257.5, Mesa 25.0.4, Java 24, and a new Server edition.
• Community and Support:
  • Maintained by the OpenMandriva Association, the community is active on forum.openmandriva.org, GitHub, and IRC.
  • User feedback states that "OpenMandriva's Clang compilation and multimedia support are superior to Arch."
• Open Source License:
  • GPL.

Key Features

OpenMandriva is user-friendly, Clang-based, and supports multiple desktop environments, making it suitable for Windows users and developers. Here are its key features:

1. User-Friendly Desktop Environment
   • KDE Plasma 6.3 is the default, providing a Windows-like interface and supporting GNOME 48.1, LXQt 2.2, Xfce 4.20, and COSMIC 1.0 alpha.
   • The OM Welcome app provides a beginner's guide for configuring network, display, printer, and themes.
2. Rolling Updates and Stable Releases
   • ROME (Rolling Updates): Continuously updated packages are ideal for developers.
   • Rock (stable): Only kernel and driver updates, suitable for daily work.
3. Clang/LLVM Compilation
   • The first desktop Linux distribution compiled entirely with Clang/LLVM.
   • Clang provides modular design, static analysis, and performance optimizations for enhanced security.
4. Software and Multimedia Support
   • Pre-installed Krita, KDenlive, LibreOffice, Un-Googled Chromium, Firefox, VLC, and more.
   • PipeWire replaces PulseAudio for audio/video streaming support.
5. Hardware Compatibility and Server Support
   • Supports x86_64, ARM64, ARM v7, and RISC-V (in development), and is compatible with AMD Zen (Ryzen, EPYC).
   • Minimum requirements: 2 GB RAM (4 GB recommended), 20 GB disk space.
   • Server Edition: No GUI, supports cloud-init, suitable for cloud deployments.
6. Security and Privacy
   • Clang's static analysis enhances code security.
   • Support for systemd 257.5, providing modern security features.

Advantages and Limitations

Advantages

• User-Friendliness:
  • KDE Plasma and OM Welcome offer a Windows-like experience, superior to Deepin's unique style.
  • X post says, "OpenMandriva Lx 'Rock' is stable and smooth, while KDE Plasma is elegant."
• Rolling Updates and Stable Releases:
  • ROME provides the latest software, while Rock ensures stability.
• Clang/LLVM Compilation:
  • Performance and security surpass GCC, making it suitable for development and medical imaging.
• Multimedia Support:
  • Pre-installed Krita, KDenlive, and VLC, with support for PipeWire.
• Community Support:
  • Active forum (forum.openmandriva.org) and GitHub.

Limitations

• Small community size:
  • Forum with fewer than 500 members and low donations.
• Rolling update risks:
  • ROME may become unstable due to frequent updates.
  • Solution: Choose Rock or update regularly.
• Bloated software package:
  • Many pre-installed software packages may consume resources.
• Limited hardware support:
  • Support for the i586 architecture has been discontinued, limiting support to 64-bit only.

Summary

OpenMandriva Lx is a free, open-source Linux distribution based on Mandriva Linux. It features a user-friendly core, Clang/LLVM compilation, and multiple desktop environments (KDE Plasma 6.3, GNOME 48.1, LXQt 2.2, etc.). It uses RPM package management and dnf, and supports x86_64, ARM64, and RISC-V (under development). It offers ROME (rolling updates) and Rock (stable releases), with the latest version 6.0 (April 2025) featuring kernel 6.14 and PipeWire. OpenMandriva's Clang optimizations and multimedia support are suitable for development and applications.