Ubuntu vs Mandriva : Clash of the titans !

I have used both of them for quite a long time and I think I can do a better and unbiased comparison... This is not a review so don't expect too much.. Just a small wrap up for people out there looking for newbie desktop... and a report to Mandriva community..

1. Hardware Support : Mandriva wins hands down.. It has lots of drivers and utils to fix it up.. Ubuntu has no proprietary drivers out of the box nor has better support in the repos..

Ubuntu has printer support out of the box [ootb] while Mandriva requires a lot of package installation in One edition... Ubuntu lacks intutive GUI tools like Mandriva..

If you messed up installing Graphics drivers and has Xorg.conf error.. Ubuntu has an automated Xorg default restoring utility that launches in case of error.. No similar thing in Mandriva .. Even XFdrak/drak3d didn't work..

After usage and in hardware fixing Ubuntu wins...

2. Software .. Mandriva has lots of tools and media plugins which Ubuntu doesn't have.. But Ubuntu has made some shrewed choice of Software .. Like providing full printer database ootb give a you ease of printer use...

Installing software .. Mandirva packagers did a lot to cope up with Ubuntu and has nearly same amount of package as Ubuntu or even have latest than Ubuntu... But as Ubuntu is the #1 distro all the leading Linux software providers provide package for Ubuntu with new relase.. You might have top wait for Mandriva..

Ubuntu and Mandriva has immaculate software collection surpassing both openSUSE and Fedora..

3. Community support.. Ubuntu no doubt has the biggest community support till date.. Any problem and you fill have your solution already discussed in Ubuntuforums.. On the other hand Mandirva has small yet powerful forum..

4. Multimedia and HD playback. : Both has better and quivalent video and HD playback. .Mandriva has ootb support for HD formats.. You might not found official packages for Mandriva in quite a few media player like XBMC and others..

5. Compiz and 3d accelaration.. I don't know why but Compiz has faster response in Ubuntu.. Even AWN works better and zipper in Ubuntu.. I am using the same driver in Ubuntu...

If you don't have supported graphics adapter Ubuntu will not allow you to enable 3d effect and will ask you to install restricted drivers .. There is no such thing in Mandirva , or you can messed up system while enabling 3d Desktop if you don't have supported hardware.. After that you have to use command like drak3d to fix it up..

6. Repositories and Upgrading : Mandirva has limited repos. .. Few additional repositories like easyUprmi and MIB are worth using.. Limited repos are worth it . .updating and remembering them is easy.. Mandriva packagers do update latest software in the current/future repos... Thats the best thing I like ..

While in Ubuntu there are lots of repos. [PPA] ... Ubuntu guys don't updates software [only core s/w and fixes] in the current or older relase.. Ubuntu hardy still doesn't have Banshee 1 in the repositories.. Ubuntu guys update future repos rather than syncing older one..

I am using Intrepid Ibex and has no updates from GIMP, Pidgin and OpenOffice.. Though I have installed latest OOO but still having older software in system might create some problem.. While this in not the case with Mandirva...

Ubuntu has got some serious kernel regression while Mandriva has never faced this issue

Updating/Adding a newly released desktop environment in Ubuntu is childs play. Grab the repo update and install.. While setting up cooker is a tough job...

7. Ubuntu has better notification than Mandirva. After update it suggest you to restart application if needed [like firefox] or restart system.. While Mandriva only suggest restarting system... Ubuntu pop ups appears at icon [like update icon] .. Mandriva pop up appear on top left side though the icons are located in different pos...

8. Mandriva mount all kind of drives/partitions by default while you have to edit fstab in Ubuntu..

9. Look and Feel : Mandirva has always be the best looking desktop out there.. Whether its font selection or theme Mandriva beat Ubuntu in this segment ..


Both of the distro has their own problems but Ubuntu obviously has an upper hand over Mandriva. But Mandriva isn't that far.. If you want a solid KDE experience than Mandriva is the choice. Ubuntu has its own stronghold..ease of package availabilty and upgrading options make Ubuntu an ideal choice.. Mandriva current release has more problems which might get fixed in 2009.1 .. So hoping better Mandriva release next time.. Till them I am Buntu

Digg it : Digg - Ubuntu vs Mandriva : Clash of the titans !

Regards

Regarding Point No. 8, Really ?? I remember Ubuntu mounting all my drives OOTB in 8.04 (probably even in 7.10)!!

Yea.. To permanently have a mount point you have to manually enter drives mount point in fstab using UUID

Once again good work.I am using Mandriva and OpenSuse, i have very good experience with KDE and drives/partitions mounting in both .

KDE 4 integration on Ubuntu is plaing nonsense I installed kubuntu-desktop and believe me its most pathetic kde ever.. I started using KDE from kubuntu and it still haven't matured yet...

For KDE Mandriva/Fedora and SUSE are the only choice Ubuntu has some issues with Phenom which is not the case with other distro [Phoronix] AMD Phenom 9500 Linux Performance (Spider Platform) Review

I am also experiencing same thing.. Will revert to MDV 2009.1 beta soon

the thing i like in mandriva is the 'control center' where you have all system settings in one place. i came back to ubuntu 8.10 and this was the first difference i noticed. i have to search for things that i need to edit and most of the times i have to resort to using terminal. i think mandriva does a good job here.

imho, you should get kde4 on arch. and maybe less bugs, i should say, cause i encoutered just one, it was sorta a gfx glitch.
faster then ubuntu kde4 for me. and anyways, you can even try out kdemod, although i havent tried it, ppl say its buggy

^^I would have but there's a nasty bug in KDE 4 Arch Linux. donno the link but I think I read in Chakra-project site...

Just noticed on the KDE forum that Kubuntu is the most popular distro (48 votes including mine) followed by openSUSE (33 votes), then Arch/Debian (24 votes each)... Mandriva is there with 8 votes

^^Its not the votess.. Its the performance.. :p I would rate Mandriva/ SUSE as #1 and Arch as #2 .. Kubuntu is the worst Broken packages in updates and poor support !

There is 2 options in Mandriva KDE4 and GNOME. which one is the best. This is the first time i am going to use linux. Apologies for this silly question

Personal preference... try both, you don't have to download both versions.


FYI I use gnome.

Don't think the kernel regression(LOOK AT THE UPDATE) etc are true.Ubuntu don't even see mandriva as serious contender.ubuntu vs fedora or suse can be thinkable.
This is not true(to newbies esp)-that's what I would like to say
Currently ,Ubuntu GNU/Linux(Not the Kubuntu one) is the best according to..ME! for Novice as well as pro.

Sidux is good.

^^Everyone doesn't have access to net to fix it.. and do believe Ubuntu current release have more trouble than anyother distro..

Though I am currently using Ubuntu.. as far as Fedora is concerned.. It is a great distro but its repos sucks.. ... Ubuntu is only famous because of its free shipping thing. Ubuntu discs doesn't have anything special. .For the same I would rather prefer openSUSE or Arch

Can you please elaborate that why you say that their repos suck.
Any instances of problems you face.

I only ask as a post by a member of the rank as you influences people make choices so please elaborate.