2009.0 Notes

Mandriva Linux 2009 Release Notes

Contents

Introduction

This page contains important information the Mandriva Linux 2009 release.

The following topics are covered:

  • General information about new features and major changes
  • Changes to the Mandriva installer and upgrade instructions for Mandriva Linux 2008 Spring users
  • Changes to supported hardware and drivers
  • Changes regarding software packages
  • Other technical information for experienced users

Please also refer to Mandriva Linux 2009 Errata - the Errata for the 2009 release. The Errata page contains information on known bugs and problems in the release and instructions on fixing, avoiding or working around them.

Mandriva Linux 2009 is not yet released. These release notes currently cover the pre-releases of Mandriva Linux 2009. The current pre-release is Mandriva Linux 2009 Beta 2.

General information about new features and major changes

Mandriva Linux 2009 includes (or will include) the following versions of the major distribution components: kernel 2.6.26, X.org 7.3, KDE 4.1 (and 3.5.9), GNOME 2.24, Mozilla Firefox 3, OpenOffice.org 3.

Flavors

Mandriva Linux 2009 will be available in several different editions:

  • the One edition will be an installable live CD integrating the latest proprietary drivers, available free of charge
  • the Powerpack edition will include support, services, a wider range of packages, and many third-party proprietary applications like LinDVD, Scilab and 03 Spaces
  • the Free edition will be a pure free / open source software edition, without any of the non-free packages bundled with other editions, available as a free download

For more information on the editions in which the latest Mandriva Linux 2009 pre-release is available, see the specific page.

For more information on the various editions, see Choosing the Mandriva Linux edition that's right for you.

Additional information is also available online:

Core Changes

Kernel

kernel-desktop586 now handle more than 1Gb of RAM.

Mandriva theme

The official Mandriva theme, Ia Ora, is further integrated into KDE 4 in this release.

Mozilla Firefox 3 (redux)

Well, this time we really mean it: Firefox 2 is dead, long live Firefox 3! Firefox 2 has now been entirely removed from the distribution, and Firefox 3 is the supplied version. In addition, we are now using xulrunner, the implementation of the Gecko layout engine (used by Firefox and other browsers) as a separate library rather than integrated into Firefox. This eases maintenance of both Firefox and the various other packages which use the Gecko engine, and will ensure that in future we do not have to issue updates to every Gecko-based application every time an update for Firefox or xulrunner is required.

New installer

The traditional-style installer used in the Free and Powerpack editions of Mandriva Linux has been completely revised in this pre-release, with a new, modernized interface and some substantial changes to functionality (both user visible and on the back end). Please test the new installer extensively, including making sure less common operations work and no features you used in the old installer have been left out.

Packages Management

Installer

The installer's GUI has been refreshed with new style and theme.

RPM configuration

RPM default settings were altered so that DB acceses are faster.

Orphan package detection in urpmi

The Mandriva package manager, urpmi, has been given the capability to detect and remove 'orphan' packages - packages which were installed as dependencies of other packages that have since been removed. Whenever you complete an urpmi operation, you will be notified of currently installed 'orphan' packages. You can remove them with the command: 

urpme --auto-orphans

Desktop

Font size and physical DPI

Font size will not follow physical DPI anymore, and will use a default DPI, called logical DPI.

More information: Font Size and DPI

Deprecation

kernel-laptop deprecated

The kernel-laptop kernel no longer exists in Mandriva Linux 2009. Various improvements to the kernel code mean that some of the differences between the laptop and desktop kernels were rendered irrelevant, and some could safely be adopted into the desktop kernel. So for Mandriva Linux 2009, the desktop kernel is fully appropriate for laptops, and will be installed automatically on laptop machines. Those who upgrade from earlier releases to Mandriva Linux 2009 will have the switch made automatically so long as the appropriate -latest metapackages are installed.