OpenMandriva, an operating system built on Linux, has been gaining traction with its user-friendly and elegant desktop environment. One of the standout features of OpenMandriva is its Welcome app, which is considered one of the best on the market.
As a reviewer of Linux distributions, the author of a recent article downloaded the rolling release candidate for the latest iteration of OpenMandriva, named ROME. Despite early reservations due to OpenMandriva’s connection to Mandrake Linux from the late 90s and early 2000s, the author found that the OpenMandriva version of KDE Plasma was “pretty good,” and that the OpenMandriva Welcome app made it an ideal distribution for users of all levels.
The article highlights the importance of the desktop environment and user-friendliness in Linux distributions, as well as the value of not having to use the command line for new users. The author gives a rundown of the features offered by the OpenMandriva Welcome app, which include quick access to settings and tools, configuration of networks, displays, and printers, installation of additional applications, and even an option to contribute to the cause. The article notes that the OpenMandriva Welcome app could serve as a model for other Linux distribution teams.
The article also mentions the absence of panel icons in OpenMandriva, instead relying on the Favorites section of the menu, which the author found to be effective. Pre-installed applications included popular choices like Chromium, LibreOffice, and VLC Media Player. The author praises the smooth implementation and user-friendliness of OpenMandriva, noting that no problems or complications arose during testing.
Finally, the article discusses the concept of rolling release deployment, which updates the operating system and software regularly, making it unnecessary to install new versions or upgrades. The author argues that this is a good path for new users who may find it daunting to install updates or upgrades in a traditional sense. The article ends with a call to action, encouraging readers to download and try OpenMandriva for themselves, and see how user-friendly and elegant a desktop can be.
