Mandrake Releases 9.1b1, New Packaging Model

DCowern writes "Mandrake today announced version 9.1 of their distribution. While there are some interesting choices for new packages (like kernel 2.4.21pre2 and XFree86 4.3 beta) the most groundbreaking thing about this release is the way in which they decide which packages are "high priority" for development and inclusion in the standard install. Any registered user at MandrakeClub can vote. Their opinion is that no one knows where development effort needs to be spent better than the end-user." Update: 01/10 19:38 GMT by T : That's "distribution."

Comments

I love the naming techniques

[Lt Razak]

Mandrake 9.1b1, kernel 2.4.21pre2 and XFree86 4.3 beta.

You just gotta love these release numbers2.1a

Re:Money woes?

[squiggleslash]

Yes. They're finally making a profile, after a persuing a strategy that apparently started off which collecting a whole bunch of underpants.

Nobody knows what they did after that, but now they're making a profit.

Re:Oh thank you God

[stratjakt]

>> It caused crashes (Grip for whatever reason seamed to lock up the desktop), problems (not working on reiserFS), more crashes (NVidia drivers crash when rendering 3D continuiously)

Warning.

You have violated the Slashdot Linux Zealot Act of 2003 by stating that Mandrake linux crashed.

Please repost your comment, replacing Mandrake with Microsoft and Grip with Outlook, or we will be forced to notify the authorities.

Objectivity regarding Open Source software will not be tolerated.

Re:Mandrake Naysayers

[fritter]

I just don't get you mandrake naysayers. Have you tried Mandrake 9.0? You don't have to use KDE or Gnome, it's right there in the install. The following tips will surely change a few of your minds:

1. During installation, select "advanced" installation, rather than the default.

2. Be sure to add "Other Window Managers" in addition to KDE & Gnome

3. Make the selection during install that DOESN'T start X on bootup.

4. After installation, put a .xinitrc file in your home directory. Put "exec icewm", "exec fluxbox" or whatever you like for your window manager in it.

5. use urpmi.remove to get rid of the CD sources for package installation:

urpmi.removemedia "Installation CD 1 (x86) (cdrom1)"
urpmi.removemedia "Installation CD 2 (x86) (cdrom2)"
urpmi.removemedia "International CD (x86) (cdrom3)"

and replace them with an FTP source:
urpmi.addmedia base-ftp ftp://mirrors.secsup.org/pub/linux/mandrake/Mandra ke/9.0/i586/Mandrake/RPMS with ../base/hdlist.cz

and add the contrib source:
urpmi.addmedia contrib ftp://mirrors.secsup.org/pub/linux/mandrake/Mandra ke/9.0/contrib/RPMS with synthesis.hdlist2.cz

so it never ever prompts you for CDs (assuming you've got broadband)

Add the plf software source:
urpmi.addmedia plf ftp://plf.chem.yorku.ca/pub/plf/9.0 with hdlist.cz

Now, you can install just about anything you like with a simple "urpmi {package name}". For instance, if you want mutt, and you're also missing a lot of its dependencies, "urpmi mutt" will not only get mutt, but it will first get whatever is needed for mutt to run. FreeBSD addicts can surely appreciate that (ala the freebsd ports system).

I've been running MDK9.0 since the day it was out of beta and have never had these buggy problems that some of you complain about. No window manager problems (I use fluxbox), no nvidia problems (I've played many a LAN party with my box, never had a crash during crunch time yet), no problems of any kind.

You boneheads should give it a chance before blasting it. Don't try to use it as if it were some kind of RedHat clone, it's moved way beyond that in the last couple of years.

Wow, it practically installs itself!

Re:We all need to thank Mandrake

[glwtta]

Red Hat, Solaris, or Slackware that brought Linux to the masses

No, I'm sure it was Solaris that brought linux to the masses.