Mandriva Linux (formerly Mandrakelinux or Mandrake Linux) is an Linux operating system distributed by Mandriva (formerly Mandrakesoft). It uses the RPM Package Manager. The product lifetime of Mandriva Linux releases is 18 months for base updates (operating system, system software etc.) and 12 months for desktop updates (window managers, desktop environments, web browsers etc.) . Server products receive full updates for at least 24 months after their release.
The first release was based on Red Hat Linux (version 5.1) and KDE (version 1.0) in July 1998. It has since diverged greatly from Red Hat and has included a number of original tools mostly to ease system configuration. Mandriva Linux was originated by Gaël Duval, and intended to focus on ease of use for new users. Duval was also a co-founder of Mandrakesoft, but was laid off from the company in 2006.[citation needed].
The first release was based on Red Hat Linux (version 5.1) and KDE (version 1.0) in July 1998. It has since diverged greatly from Red Hat and has included a number of original tools mostly to ease system configuration. Mandriva Linux was originated by Gaël Duval, and intended to focus on ease of use for new users. Duval was also a co-founder of Mandrakesoft, but was laid off from the company in 2006.[citation needed].
Name changes: From its inception to version 8.0, Mandrake named its flagship distribution Linux-Mandrake. From version 8.1 to 9.2 it was called Mandrake Linux.
In February 2004 MandrakeSoft lost a court case against Hearst Corporation, owners of King Features Syndicate. Hearst contended that MandrakeSoft infringed upon King Features’ trademarked character Mandrake the Magician. As a precaution, MandrakeSoft renamed its products by removing the space between the brand name and the product name and changing the first letter of the product name to lower case, thus creating one word. Starting from version 10.0, Mandrake Linux became known as Mandrakelinux, and its logo changed accordingly. Similarly, MandrakeMove became Mandrakemove.
In April 2005 Mandrakesoft announced the corporate acquisition of Conectiva, a Brazilian based company that produced a Linux distribution for Portuguese-speaking (Brazil) and Spanish-speaking Latin America. As a result of this acquisition and the legal dispute with Hearst Corporation, Mandrakesoft announced that the new company name would be Mandriva, and that Mandriva Linux would be the new name covering products.
In April 2005 Mandrakesoft announced the corporate acquisition of Conectiva, a Brazilian based company that produced a Linux distribution for Portuguese-speaking (Brazil) and Spanish-speaking Latin America. As a result of this acquisition and the legal dispute with Hearst Corporation, Mandrakesoft announced that the new company name would be Mandriva, and that Mandriva Linux would be the new name covering products.
