Hi all,
Despite the last-minute problems discovered last week which resulted in a 1-week delay, Mandriva 2011 beta2 should finally be hitting the mirrors in some hours. Make sure to check the devel/iso/2011 directory on your favorite mirror for the latest .iso images.
As with previous beta release, the images are provided for i586 and x86_64 architectures, and are able to work in both live mode, and can be used for the installation.
For this release, most of the UI and desktop-related features should be integrated, including new login manager functionality, stack folders integration into the environment, new welcome and launcher application, new panel and overall desktop look-and-feel (some details and screenshots could be found on Eugeni’s blog here and here, and also (in russian) here ). It also features new default theme and artwork.
I’d also like to mention that most of those changes were developed by our friends from ROSA Labs, and to thank them once again for their hard work!
Besides the UI and KDE changes, Mandriva 2011 beta2 features LibreOffice 3.3.0, and comes with the latest kernel 2.6.38.3, systemd 24, gcc 4.6.0, besides smaller package versions updates.
Another notable difference is the integration of Anssi Hannula’s reimplementation of kms and graphical drivers interaction (announced initially here and described in details here.
As for the next steps, as previously announced, in few days Mandriva 2011 version will be branched for final stabilization and final packages inclusion, and Mandriva Cooker development will continue as rolling release.
So, thats it for now. Stay tuned for further mdvnews! 
Edit: torrents available at http://torrent.mandriva.com/public/
Hi,
I really hope that all this kikoolol stuff from ROSA labs can be disabled at install/upgrade time.
, I don’t want it on my desktop.
If I wanted a smartphone UI, I would buy a smartphone
I hope there is also a great standard windows orientated KDE panel, with classical menu.
Hello, not sure to understand: what do you call kikoolol exactly?
kikoolol: colored, shinny and overly designed to an extend that even a teenager could describe it as “too much” (LOL).
You must be kidding me… When I’m trying to install it from flashdrive after formating my system partition it says to me that it can’t find GRUB or lilo package @@ Is something with my pendrive installation or there is something You missed?
No mistake, GRUB is present when I’m on live, but when I’m trying to install system it says to me that it can’t be found ;/
The start menu has to change. It’s a deal breaker for me.
For me too, and I haven’t seen the first positive comment about rosapanel, it isn’t something to have into account to decide if putting it as default or not ??
There definitely has to be a choice given during install between different desktops like before (KDE, Gnome, etc.) – if RosaPanel is going to be standard issue, it may throw many off and away from Mandriva!
I downloaded 64-bit DVD image and used dd to copy it to USB key, but after trying any of the two boot options it errors out with something about not being able to find a partition and then kernel panics.
same thing happenes to me
Well, we can just hope that this doesn’t suck. I’m worried about moving from initd to systemd, personally (maybe that was done in the 2010 series; I’m still using 2009.1), after the flexibility problems I had in Ubuntu’s version of runlevel.
Systemd should not cause trouble. I have seen few people complaining about it, and the upgrade was quite smooth on cooker.
I was expected big bang with this version. When I tried it on my desktop I was shocked.
It is not desktop version but rather giant mobile version. Back to windows, at least they know kesktop.
The most awful look i’ve never seen on linux. Mandriva has no future with this kind of interface which doesn’t respect the work of the KDE developers.
I managed to install it from disc since USB install doesn’t work and I have to agree that the look isn’t the best. Just use the default Oxygen style and be done with it, as it totally rocks. And now there is also an Oxygen style for GTK so it other apps looks great. And then only work on polishing up Oxygen look and feel and it will be a win.
just one question…does it have digiKam 2.0 beta’s available in the repo or even in cooker?
And about the theme…..is ia ora still available i dont think i like the new look from the screen shots that i have seen!
ia_ora seems to be here, you can check on http://sophie.zarb.org/ ( using the search engine or the explorer )
So far, that’s still 1.9.0 in cooker.
Thank You very much…!
I’m very disappointed about this beta 2.
Login screen and rosa starter are a big step to dark.
This guy didn’t like the ROSA menu
http://ostatic.com/blog/mandriva-2011-beta-2-the-return-of-xkill
and me too.
Please let as default the KDE 4 default menu or the old Mandriva’s menu.
It wil be a big mistake to change the KDE 4 now that finally it is mature. Don’t make the same that Canonical is making with Gnome 3 !
Totally agree with you drop ROSA and stay with DEFAULT KDE 4 MENU.
Also why use a new theme , IA ORA is the best theme for Mandriva ?!
And why is there no GNOME 3 in Mandriva.
To download a dvd they use 1.5 gb why not give a full dvd off 4 gb like before and give the choice to install KDE or GNOME .
If you ask me they are going the wrong way .
Also isn’t it time to stop allways changing there distro’s , and make good software that can compete with windows or mac and let the distro run for a year ore two with some
update’s in the background ?
There is no way I could see to select a desktop session using the new login screen. I needed to change the KDM theme to get this functionality back.
To some of the commenters above: please stop making hurtful unconstructive comments. If you want to see improvements make constructive criticisms or even better be a developer yourself and stop whining. Good job Mandriva!
Totally agree with Jasper Loy, so far the new look rocks. The Windows people will grab a ton of this look and Windows 8 (or 9 or 10) will have much the same style, but never the reliability or functionality. Keep up the excellent work.
I don’t like the new applications launcher, but changing it to Kickoff is very easy. Just Unlock the widgets, delete the Rosa launcher, and add a new widget called Application launcher (or something similar, I can’t remember). If you don’t like the rosa panel delete it and add a new standard panel.
I know they are doing a hard work, but in my humble opinion, all ROSA staff should be optional, and not the default. Moreover, in my case, it was incompatible with my previous KDE configuration, so I had to delete my .kde4 directory and start from zero. From a clean new install, after a while, I’m able to bring back my Dolphin configuration and get rid of the ROSA launcher. Sorry to say, but I’m feeling a bit disappointed.
And the worst: It’s impossible to poweroff the computer properly, getting alwasy stuck, whatever kernel I use in the middle of the process. Too many hard-reboots!
Hi, I was testing this beta 2 of Mandriva in live DVD way, and I could not see the new Mandriva Control Center. Besides, my Ralink rt3090 WiFi Card did not work, and when I turned off my computer froze and did not, it happened twice and I chose not to try anymore.
I have a Compaq Presario CQ42-124LA, and it has this especs:
Processor: AMD Athlon II Dual-Core for notebooks P320 a 2,1 GHz
Graphic Card: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4250
LED de 14,0 inches HP BrightView (1366 x 768)
LAN Ethernet 10/100 Ralink
Wireless LAN 802.11b/g/n WLAN (Ralink RT3090)
Bluetooth
Please check this because I want to use it when you leave the definitive edition of Mandriva 2011.
pourquoi vous n’avait pas inclus gnome pour sa de rapidité c’est vraiment domage.
Please stop useless comments respect the hard work Mandriva makes, every change of an distro is for some people panic a lot of stuff is new, changed or even gone. Give the new distro it is now in beta stage an good change tried it for at least 2 or 3 weeks and give then an opinion. The most negative reactions here are not correct and have an negative impact on the development team, if you have ideas please report them, do you see bad things give examples and help the team but stop given bad useless reactions.
That attitude is typical of the emporor’s new clothes……
If someone finds something ‘unpalatable’ then to tell them not to pass comment on it is discriminatory – and all that will happen is that people – like myself – who’ve enjoyed a great experience with Mandriva over the years… we’ll just decide that the cost of the party line is just too high.
Personally – if I was presented with that interface – I’d go elsewhere for my linux fix – and very likely will now. I want an interface that I can do productive work with – and turning it into a jokey smartphone interface is not something that I can work with. Even if it is supposed to be a launcher, as other sites have suggested!
Sorry guys – it looks like Mandriva just inherited the UK’s position in eurovision – ‘Null Points’.
I have been a solid Mandriva supporter since I bought my first copy of Mandrake Linux in the 90′s, and I understand the hard work that has been put into the distribution, but I have to agree with the majority of the posters and condemn the new interface. It is in my opinion the worst interface I have seen in a long time.
I do, however, like the English translation of the ROSA website:
ROSA Desktop 2011 – a software product to deploy viruses, modern workplace with no additional costs.
I have been working in ICT more than 25 years, saw the birh of first IBM PC. MS, Then MS with plus theme/Icons. Then MS without plus Theme/Icons, then ubuntu with MS theme/Icons.
positive comment. I have thrown away MS long time ago, Mandrake/Mandriva the best ever, just works. I appreciate the hard work in developement of Mandriva, keep p the good work.
Negative comment; Sorry, saw some other screenshots, obviously need to beg and will get down on my knees. I really don’t like MS plus Theme/Icons/ubuntu. I don’t have nor want an I phone and I really don’t want my netbook/workstations/desktops to change into them, Please make everything optional to choose at will during installation.