14 DAY TRIAL // Delayed four days, Mandriva announced last night (March 10th) the first release candidate version of the upcoming Mandriva Linux 2009.1 (Spring) distribution. This RC release brings a Dual Arch (32-bit and 64-bit) installable CD, and some of the hottest Linux technologies, such as: Linux kernel 2.6.29 RC6, X.org server 1.6.0, QT 4.5.0, KDE 4.2.1, GNOME 2.26 RC, Xfce 4.6, OpenOffice.Org 3.0.1 and many more (see below for details).
The Mandriva team is well known for its very nice innovations implemented in almost every release of its operating system, therefore we are proud to announce that Mandriva Linux just received a system restore functionality, called Draksnapshot, which will allow its users to easily restore the entire system from a date of their choice. Moreover, there's also a new module, called HDT (Hardware Detection Tool), implemented in the Syslinux 3.73 package. It is available in the installation media and it will allow you to get a full description of your hardware without the need to boot the entire operating system!
The development cycle of Mandriva 2009.1 will continue with another release candidate at the end of March, and it will conclude with the final release at the end of April 2009. With the Spring edition, Mandriva will try to compete with the upcoming Ubuntu 9.04 (Jaunty Jackalope) and Fedora 11 (Leonidas) Linux-based operating systems. Mandriva Linux 2009.1 will also be the first version with stable and official support for the evolutionary EXT4 file system!
"This RC1 version proposes a first glance at 2009 Spring design, providing Free wallpapers. This version will allow you also to dump in a very easy way One GNOME hybrid iso on a USB key and then install Mandriva Linux on netbooks." - said the Mandriva developers in the official release announcement.
Highlights of Mandriva Linux 2009.1 RC1:
· Linux kernel 2.6.29 RC6; · KDE 4.2.1; · GNOME 2.25.92; · XFCE 4.6; · LXDE; · Qt Creator 1.0; · Qt 4.5.0; · X.org server 1.6.0; · OpenOffice.Org 3.0.1; · Syslinux 3.73; · Improved installer; · Interactive firewall; · System restore functionality; · Fixed many msec bugs.
Mandriva Linux 2009.1 Release Schedule:
December 23rd, 2008 - Alpha 1 release
January 19th, 2009 - Alpha 2 release
February 12th, 2009 - Beta release
March 10th, 2009 - Release Candidate 1
March 31st, 2009 - Release Candidate 2
April 29th, 2009 - Final release
Mandriva 2009.1 (Spring Edition) will be delivered, as usual, on 100% FREE edition CDs and DVDs for 32bit and 64bit platforms, and the One edition, with KDE 4.2 and GNOME 2.26 Live CDs.
Download Mandriva 2009.1 RC1 right now from Softpedia. Remember that this is an unstable release and it should not be installed on production machines. It is intended for testing purposes only. Please report bugs to the Mandriva Bug Tracker.