OpenMandriva is a Linux distribution that has been gaining traction in recent years, and for good reason. The latest iteration of OpenMandriva, known as ROME, is a rolling release candidate that has a lot to offer to new users. In this article, we will take a closer look at OpenMandriva and explore why it is one of the most user-friendly Linux distributions on the market.
One of the most important aspects of any Linux distribution is the desktop environment. OpenMandriva uses KDE Plasma, which is a popular desktop environment that provides a lot of customization options. However, what sets OpenMandriva apart from other distributions that use KDE Plasma is the way they have customized it to make it more user-friendly. The OpenMandriva Welcome app is one of the best on the market, and it provides users with quick access to various settings and tools, as well as the ability to install more applications.
When it comes to pre-installed applications, OpenMandriva has everything that a new user would need. It includes Chromium and Falkon, two popular web browsers, KMail, a great email client, KDE Connect, which allows you to sync your phone to your computer, LibreOffice, the famous productivity suite, Kontact, a contact manager, Krita, an image editor, VLC Media Player, Kdenlive, a video editor, SimpleScreenRecorder, and tons of different types of tools and implements.
One thing that new users will appreciate about OpenMandriva is that it just works. During our testing period, we did not encounter a single problem or complication, and everything is done via well-designed and easy-to-use GUIs. One issue that can bother new users is finding and installing a printer driver. However, with OpenMandriva, this is not a problem. We tested a Brother HL-L2300D printer on our network and found that installing the driver was quick and easy.
One of the most important things that new users need in a Linux distribution is ease of use. OpenMandriva provides this by offering a rolling release candidate. This means that instead of installing version LX 4.3 and then upgrading to 4.4, 4.5, and then (later) doing a major upgrade to 5.0, users simply let the rolling version stay up to date. This prevents them from having to install a new version or upgrade to a major version (and hope everything goes well). With the rolling version of OpenMandriva ROME, users can simply let Discover (the KDE Plasma package manager) keep them up to date.
In summary, OpenMandriva is a great Linux distribution that is perfect for new users. With its user-friendly interface, pre-installed applications, and rolling release candidate, it has everything that a new user would need to get started with Linux. We highly recommend giving OpenMandriva a try and seeing just how user-friendly and elegant a desktop can be.
