---
-title: OpenMandriva
-themes:
- - Operating systems
-website: https://openmandriva.org/
-layout: stand
-show_on_overview: true
-logo: stands/openmandriva/logo.png
description: |
OpenMandriva is a 100% community controlled Linux distribution.
-
- With (as of December 2020) Plasma 5.20.4, KDE Frameworks 5.77, Qt 5.12.2 and LibreOffice
+
+ With (OMLx 4.2) Plasma 5.20.5, KDE Frameworks 5.78, Qt 5.12.2 and LibreOffice
7.1, it is one of the most current distributions available.
-
+
OpenMandriva was
the first Linux distribution to switch to a clang based toolchain. In the current
version, even the kernel is built with clang 11.
-
+
While the primary focus of
OpenMandriva is on the desktop, its repositories also contain a state of the art
server stack.
the core system, such as making crosscompiling and targeting multiple architectures
easier than ever.
<br></br>
- <p>Support us to keep up the pace!</p>
- <ul>
- <li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.hellotux.com/openmandriva">Buy some cool apparel</a></li>
- <li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.openmandriva.org/en/Donate">Send some donation</a></li>
- </ul>
- <p>Please follow below links for more information:</p>
- <ul>
- <li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://sourceforge.net/projects/openmandriva/files/release/4.2/RC/">OpenMandriva Lx 4.2 RC</a></li>
- <li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gallery.openmandriva.org/index.php?/category/37">4.2 Release Gallery</a></li>
- <li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://abf.openmandriva.org">Automatic Build Farm</a></li>
- <li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://github.com/OpenMandrivaAssociation">Our github repositories</a></li>
- <li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://openmandriva.org">OpenMandriva main site and forums</a></li>
- </ul>
+
---
--- /dev/null
+## General Information
+FOSDEM 2021
+
+Welcome to the OpenMandriva stand
+### OpenMandriva: What is it? What started it?
+OpenMandriva Lx is an rpm based linux distribution with its roots in Gael Duvals Mandrake distribution which eventually became Mandriva. When Mandriva closed, the OpenMandriva Association was formed as a charitable body charged with continuing the work of Mandrake/Mandriva in the open source arena. We have continued to produce new releases of OpenMandriva since 2013.
+### Why we are Different
+What is it about OpenMandriva that makes it different from other distributions on Linux?
+
+Probably the most radical aspect of the distribution is the fact that all the main packages (including the kernel) are compiled with the ‘clang’ compiler and linker which is based on the LLVM compiler infrastructure. The advantage of clang is that it is far more adaptable to new architectures and we take advantage of this: we have distribution builds for 5 different architectures in progress these include the up and coming aarch64 based processors as well as the znver1 that enhances the speed of the AMD RYZEN based processors. We even have a build for the PinePhone.
+
+Other advantages that accrue from the use of the clang compiler are that of compilation speed. This is crucial in production of distributions as there is a large body (1000’s of packages) of code to compile anew for each release. This contributes to our ability to provide very up to date releases of the main body of software used in our releases.
+### Our Repositories
+The distribution is maintained in three repositories.
+
+Rock, the stable branch, is created at release and is only subject to minor updates. This is repository intended for those who use a Linux distribution in their daily work and thus require the best possible stability. Updates to this repo are usually the kernel and hardware drivers where appropriate and minor bug fixes.
+
+For the more adventurous we provide a ‘rolling’ repository. This repository receives regular updates during the life span of the Rock release. This repository receives regular updates of the entire software stack. It is stable, but may suffer occasional issues during major updates. The users of this repo should keep in touch with our forums or our channels on IRC where major updates are flagged.
+
+The source of the updates come from out third repository ‘cooker’. This repo is the where the development of the distro takes place, this is an unstable repository and can be broken at any time. Anyone may run it but you must be prepared for breakage; that said, it does not occur often. When after a development campaign the cooker repository is considered stable it is copied to rolling.
+
+Within the main repositories there are other sub-repos, the main ones being ‘non-free’ and ‘unsupported’.
+The non-free repository contains software which does not comply with OpenSource principle, for example NVidia graphics drivers.
+The unsupported repository contains the original ‘contrib’ packages set from Mandrake/Mandriva. The packages in this repository are rebuilt before each release however they are not actively maintained except by those who use use specific packages from that repo. This repo is a great place for fledgling package builders to cut their teeth in the art of software building and packaging. The unsupported repo is an absorbing resource as it contains many interesting and obscure packages and is to some extent a history of open source software.
+### For Developers and Packagers
+Development takes place in cooker, new packages are created or updated and built on our own infrastructure called ABF (automated build farm) . The build farm is we think unique in that it uses a distributed modular approach to building packages. The structure is such that there is a core controller which distributes jobs to ‘build nodes’ this build nodes can be situated anywhere on the internet which means anyone with an internet connection can provide computing power to the core network which helps greatly when we completely rebuild the repositories in preparation for a new release. The builders are based on the docker technology and as such nodes are easily built and connected. ABF is also connected to GitHub where our package build code is stored.
+Anyone can open an account on ABF and create packages in their own personal repositories, those wishing to build packages for the main repositories should join our IRC group #openmandriva-cooker@freenode. This group is set up automatically when starting the konversation IRC app.
+### What’s in it for you.
+So what do we offer you?
+The KDE Plasma desktop with all its bells and whistles, a clean modern elegantly styled desktop; it is fast and stable and a joy to use.
+A friendly and welcoming developer community in which it is easy to participate whatever the level of your skill.
+Access to an advanced build environment where you can generate your own packages or work on the main distribution.
+For the users, a Discourse forum where like minded people can meet and become friends.
+Most of all we continue the tradition of Free and Open software which was expounded by Gael Duval the founder of Mandrake/Mandriva.
+#### Postscript:
+A quote from Brazil in our irc channel today.
+*<euzao> well, I think of the distros that come from Mandrake, OpenMandriva seems to be the most cutting edge one. And it is faster than Arch.*
--- /dev/null
+### Helpful tips for those new to OM Lx or Linux
+OpenMandriva is designed to be a unique and independent Community distribution of Linux and direct descendant of Mandriva Linux.
+
+For those new to Linux or OpenMandriva Lx there are a few helpful things to know regarding what is available on installed system, how to add/remove software, and keep you system up to date.
+
+The KDE Plasma desktop is very intuitive and configurable. Use your mouse pointer to hover on each of the desktop and menu panel icons and a Tooltips window pops up telling what each is for. On the far left of the menu panel you will find the Application Launcher. You will want to explore what is available there. Some commonly used applications are in the column on the left and a list with more is on the right.
+
+For connecting to wifi simply select the icon in menu panel that says Network, select your wifi connection and enter your password.
+
+Also you have already noticed when you logged in for the first time an application called OM-Welcome. OM-Welcome has many handy short cuts and you are encouraged to explore here and use what ever you find useful. In particular you will want to look under OM Features, Configure, and Applications sections. Under OM Features section you will find the om-repo-picker (aka: Software Repository Selector) where you may select additional software repositories (repos) for software that is not in our Main repository. Configuration has some handy options to customize and configure your desktop. Applications section has shortcuts to install some popular applications that are not installed by default. Also in the OM Features page you will see a link to the OM Control Center with more configuration and system administration utilities.
+
+A special note about om-repo-picker (aka: Software Repository Selector). Please read the description of each repository (repo). For instance Unsupported repo is actually Community supported, the Unsupported means not officially supported by OM developers but there is Community support. Pay attention to the Non-free and Restricted repo descriptions. Neither of these has a large number of packages and it is important that user realize the non-free means this is software with closed source code and restrictive licenses. OM developers can not fix or even touch the software code for non-free repo packages. Restricted software may be illegal in some countries. Packages in restricted repo may also have restrictive licenses.
+
+In Application Launcher>Settings there is a utility called SystemSettings. This is the KDE Plasma desktop configuration utility. Look around and see what you may find useful there is a lot you can do in SystemSettings.
+
+There is an icon in the menu panel called Updates. Updates will pop up when the system detects that there are operating system updates available. This is a part of the KDE Plasma suite of applications called Discover. Discover is also a GUI package manager that is may be used for searching, installing, and removing software. We also provide in Application Launcher>System another GUI package manager called dnfdragora. Users are welcome to use these if they wish. However we recommend that they be used primarily to search for software but not for updating system, removing, and installing software.
+
+Discover and dnfdragora may take a while to display the packages list, so give them a few seconds to load the metadata from the repositories.
+
+Why? Over time the QA team has found that the vast majority of issues involving package management start with "I <did something with Discover>" or "I <did something with dnfdragora>". It is suspected this has more to do with users not paying attention to what they are doing, especially not paying attention to error messages or warnings, than it means something is wrong with either application. Package management from Konsole is very easy and has a magical feature that when things happen the system prints what is happening right before you very eyes! If there is an issue the system will tell you there is an issue and like magic it tells what the issue is. Then you, the user, can decide whether to proceed or ask for assistance. Assistance we provide on our Forum, #openmandriva-cooker on freenode and #openmandriva-cooker:matrix.org in matrix.
+
+Just doing a few simple commands helps user to get over apprehension of using the Linux command line. Most users will only use this occaisionally but it is very powerful to have this tool at your command.
+
+Here is what we recommend. Go to Application Launcher and find in the list on the left Terminal (Konsole). Konsole is the KDE terminal also called the command line interface (CLI). Do not be afraid, what we are going to do is simple and easy.
+
+In Konsole on the left you will see the $ this is the shell prompt. The $ means you are logged in to the system as user. If you were to see # instead of $ that would mean you were logged in as system administrator (sys admin) or what in Linux folks call root. We will keep you logged in as user for safety but we will invoke some commands as sys admin by using sudo as part of the command we type (or copy and paste). OK, let's update our system. In Konsole type or copy and paste the following:
+
+ sudo dnf clean all ; sudo dnf upgrade
+
+You will be asked for root password, enter that and hit the Enter key. That is not so difficult is it?
+
+What this command string does is:
+
+- sudo >>> gives the command root (sys admin) privileges if accompanied by root password. In OM Lx the user created when one installs OM Lx is by default given sudo privileges. Any other user would need to be added to the sudo list. That is beyond the scope of this article, if you have a need for doing this please ask us.
+
+- dnf clean all >>> dnf is the CLI package manager OM uses, dnf clean all means that dnf is removing everything left in cache from any previous transactions and also updates the package metadata with the latest metadata in OM repos. This ensures that you will get the latest packages available.
+
+- ; >>> the semi-colon is simply a way one may link multiple commands in to one command string
+
+- dnf upgrade >>> This is the command to upgrade your operating system
+
+Not so difficult to understand either is it? Pay attention to the output especially any error message or warning. If anything happens that you don't know how to handle ask us before proceeding.
+
+Using dnf in Konsole to search, install, and remove packages is just as easy:
+
+ dnf search <keyword>
+
+ sudo dnf install <package_name>
+
+ sudo dnf remove <package_name>
+
+To check which repos you have enabled:
+
+ dnf repolist
+
+- sudo is not needed for search or repolist commands. Remember that Discover and dnfdragora also may be used to search for software.
+
+To best enjoy your new OpenMandriva Lx operating system don't be afraid to do a little reading and ask questions, we have all been beginners. There is more knowledge available in our Wiki and in Resources section on the Forum.
+
+As always if you have any comments, suggestions, or questions ask us on our Forum, IRC, or Matrix rooms.
+
+For support remember that our OM Forum is basically users that help other users. If a user can help with your issue this is a great place to ask for help. Unfortunately sometimes we encounter issues that need more knowledge and skill. For that we need to get the attention of developers. This is best done with a bug report on our Issue Tracker, or on IRC or Matrix rooms. A bug report is best because it is written and thus hard to ignore or forget.
+
+OpenMandriva is designed to be a unique and independent Community distribution of Linux and direct descendant of Mandriva Linux. OpenMandriva is a small group of all volunteer, part-time, and unpaid contributors. Things get done when someone in the OM Community volunteers and does it. When people are helping you they are donating their time, knowledge and skill to you. Please be mindful of this.
--- /dev/null
+---
+title: OpenMandriva
+themes:
+ - Operating systems
+website: https://openmandriva.org/
+layout: stand
+show_on_overview: true
+logo: stands/openmandriva/logo.png
+description: |
+ OpenMandriva is a 100% community controlled Linux distribution.
+
+ With (OMLx 4.2) Plasma 5.20.5, KDE Frameworks 5.78, Qt 5.12.2 and LibreOffice
+ 7.1, it is one of the most current distributions available.
+
+ OpenMandriva was
+ the first Linux distribution to switch to a clang based toolchain. In the current
+ version, even the kernel is built with clang 11.
+
+ While the primary focus of
+ OpenMandriva is on the desktop, its repositories also contain a state of the art
+ server stack.
+showcase: |
+ <p>OpenMandriva is aiming at being easy to get into for newbies, while being
+ one of the most innovative distributions for developers. We were the first to
+ switch to the clang toolchain, and are working on new interesting developer features
+ for our 5.0 release.</p>
+ <p>OpenMandriva can work on x86_64 systems as well as aarch64
+ (not sharing some other distributions' limitation to UEFI compliant aarch64 server
+ platforms), and can run as a desktop, workstation, server, or - since the advent
+ of OpenMandriva on PinePhone - smartphone.</p>
+ <p>You may want to pay us a visit if
+ you're interested in getting into Linux or you're looking for a project that can
+ use your help as a volunteer.</p>
+ <p>OpenMandriva is not based on any other distribution.
+ Contributors who are so inclined can do more than just submit a new theme or add
+ an extra package.</p>
+
+new_this_year: |
+ <p>OpenMandriva has come a long way in porting to new hardware: In addition
+ to the traditional x86_64 distribution and the extra version optimized specifically
+ for AMD Ryzen processors, OpenMandriva now runs on Pinebook Pro, Cubox Pulse,
+ various ARM devboards, and UEFI capable Aarch64 servers. A phone stack running
+ on PinePhone is in the works (and ready for initial use). A RISC-V port is also
+ in the works (presently running in qemu) and should be ready for daily use shortly
+ after we can get our hands on Hifive Unmatched boards.</p>
+ <p>With the 4.2 release
+ done, our main focus has moved to 5.0 - which will bring many improvements to
+ the core system, such as making crosscompiling and targeting multiple architectures
+ easier than ever.
+ <br></br>
+ <p>Please follow below links for more information:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://sourceforge.net/projects/openmandriva/files/release/4.2/RC/">OpenMandriva Lx 4.2 RC</a></li>
+ <li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gallery.openmandriva.org/index.php?/category/37">4.2 Release Gallery</a></li>
+ <li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://abf.openmandriva.org">Automatic Build Farm</a></li>
+ <li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://github.com/OpenMandrivaAssociation">Our github repositories</a></li>
+ <li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://openmandriva.org">OpenMandriva main site and forums</a></li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>Support us to keep up the pace!</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.openmandriva.org/en/Donate">Send some donation</a></li>
+ <li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.hellotux.com/openmandriva">Buy some cool apparel</a></li>
+ </ul>
+
+---
projects / stands-website.git / commitdiff
