Downloaded 64-bit DVD ISO from ftp://ftp.mandrivauser.de/mirrors/Mageia/iso/cauldron/ : check. compared md5sum: check burned with k3b : check (will keep this for nostalgic reasons, for same reasons I still have an original 5.3 Mandrake Linux cd)
Hardware: laptop Samsung R530, Intel i3, 4G RAM, 320GB harddisk, nVidia GT218 GeForce 310M Normal remarks are listed as they come, negative remarks (not working or other) are listed with a double star - beautiful boot splash. - very fast system boot to the first installation screen - set language/keyboard to German ** license text is in English, a German version was available, maybe it was copyrighted to Mandriva? - installer recognized the existing Mandriva 2010.2 and asked if I want to upgrade (which I don't, I want my Mageia fresh!) - partitioning was as expected easy as a pie with diskdrake - selected custom desktop environment - selected KDE in the group selection - selected individual package selection - - KDE 4.6.0 is available, office suite is missing, some other apps ... this was expected, so no cardiac arrest here. - - surprising: java plugin for Firefox is included! Altogether I selected 1325 packages for installation. Installation of the packages took 11 minutes until the password settings came up. Summary of settings: - bootloader setting recognized w7 and Mandriva 2010.2 ** soundcard setting is listed twice in the summary ** no proprietary driver on the DVD - this was expected, no cardiac arrest here. **** BIG PROBLEM: no driver for the Wifi chip (system recognizes the AR9285 Atheros), so no wireless internet connection unless you use a cable for eth connection. Same problem as with the Free Edition of Mandriva: you can't use it if you have no cable connection to your router. After finishing the installation the system does a clean shutdown/reboot (ejecting the DVD automatically) Reboot Again, system bootup is very fast (not checked with a stopwatch, only a feeling of speed!) System uses a default KDE splash, the desktop comes up very fast. AND I LOVE IT! The desktop background is totally black, no picture, no color (don't be pedantic about black being a color or not). Small things: ** - the menue does not display all installed apps - - (example: whole KDE games package is installed but only one game is showing) ** no sound in Amarok and Kscd - - videos are playing in Dragon Player but no sound - - system sounds not playing That's all I could test without internet connection. Conclusion: As for a "not-for-use" Alpha it is a very good one! Thx to all devels and all the other never-to-be-mentioned people who helped giving Mageia such a good start! Good job, folks!
