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Lately, in the Linux desktop races, distributions like Ubuntu, PCLinuxOS and openSUSE have been taking most of the headlines. Older Linux company Mandriva isnt ready to concede the desktop market to these Linux distributions as it releases its newest version, Mandriva Linux 2008.
Mandriva launched its latest community desktop Linux distribution, Mandriva Linux 2008, on Oct. 9. As in the past, Mandriva is releasing this free distribution via the Mandriva Club, the company-supported user group.
This new distribution is based on the 2.6.22.9 Linux kernel. Mandriva 2008 also has integrated a reworked hardware detection subsystem with support for many new devices such as graphics cards, sound cards and Wi-Fi chips. The revised hardware system also handles the automatic loading of drivers for permanently installed devices such as PCI and AGP cards, based on the lists of compatible devices provided by the drivers themselves.
This system also contains a list of preferred drivers for some devices that can be handled by multiple drivers. According to Mandriva, this results in even more accurate and comprehensive hardware detection than in previous releases.
For an interface, Mandriva gives users a choice between the KDE 3.5.7 and the GNOME 2.20 desktops. If you have superior graphic cards, you also have the choice of using either the Compiz/Compiz Fusion 0.5.2 or the Metisse 3-D desktop.