If you’re looking for another rolling-release Linux distribution to try, one with roots in the legendary Mandrake Linux, look no further.
OpenMandriva Lx is a KDE-focused community-driven Linux distribution inspired by and forked from Mandriva Linux that includes plenty of open-source software. The distro was created by the OpenMandriva Association and aimed at both experienced and first-time Linux users.
The latest stable release of the distribution, OpenMandriva Lx 4.3, was released earlier this year on February 7th.
Almost half a year later, the project has announced the availability of the first development snapshot of OpenMandriva Lx 5.0, an upcoming new version of the project’s desktop-oriented Linux distribution featuring the latest Plasma desktop.
So, without further ado, let’s see what the future OpenMandriva Lx 5.0 ROME edition offers.
What to Expect from OpenMandriva Lx 5.0
To start, if you have used the rolling version of OpenMandriva Lx, you have probably noticed that the distro does not receive frequent updates, which is expected of rolling release Linux distributions.
This is because the OpenMandriva auto-update tool, ABF (OpenMandriva Automated Build Farm), has been disabled for some time due to a developer’s decision to make significant changes to the entire package chain. Fortunately, the functionality of ABF is scheduled to be resumed upon the official release of OpenMandriva Lx 5.0.
Now, back to the main topic. One of the most notable changes in OpenMandriva Lx 5.0 including the recent version of KDE Plasma, 5.25. So naturally, this brings with it all the advantages and features that this version of the popular desktop environment offers.
You get advanced search capabilities in the ability to search for apps, documents, and browser tabs with KRunner and the Application Launcher. On top of that, Plasma 5.25 offers new gestures, the ability to match the accent colors in your theme with those on your current wallpaper, the new Touch Mode, and so on.
Additionally, OpenMandriva Lx 5.0 comes with the latest KDE Frameworks 5.96 and the newest app set provided by KDE Gear 22.04.
The following key breakthrough is that users can install the operating system on the Btrfs and XFS file system. This provides the end user with all of the benefits of using these file systems.
And speaking of installation, OpenMandriva Lx 5.0 includes the well-known to all Linux users Calamares installer, which makes OS installation a breeze.
Under the hood, the distro ships with the latest Linux kernel, 5.18. In addition, some core elements have also received updates, such as X.Org 21.1.4, DBus 1.14, Systemd 251, and Mesa 22.1. Of course, this is to be expected when talking about a Linux distro that follows the rolling release approach.
Additionally, it’s worth noting that one of the most reliable and secure browsers, Falkon, comes preinstalled by default in OpenMandriva Lx 5.0. Of course, much of the software, as you might expect, also has received updates. For example, you get Python 3.1, Java 20, VLC 3.17, etc. On top of that, many bug fixes also have been applied to the distribution.
The distro’s developers caution you never to use tools such as Discover or dnfdragora to upgrade OpenMandriva rolling editions since their commands are only suitable for Rock systems. So, to complete the installation, open the terminal and type:
sudo dnf clean all
sudo dnf dsyncOf course, for a much better user experience, you can use GUI package manager use DnfDrake. However, you must first install it. Fortunately, this is incredibly simple, and DnfDrake may be installed right from the welcome screen.
Finally, our initial impressions of OpenMandriva Lx 5.0 are of an excellent functioning desktop Linux distro with a lot to offer consumers.
So, while still in the tech preview phase, we did not notice any major issues with OpenMandriva Lx 5.0, making us believe that the final version will provide one of the best desktop systems to date.
You can refer to the official announcement for detailed information about all changes. Additionally, if you want to give it OpenMandriva Lx 5.0 Technical Preview a try, installation ISO images are available on SourceForge.
