Mandriva 2007 may be the best distribution I have used. XGL/AIGLX worked for me right out of the box. My windows wobbled, things were transparent and I got to spin the cube. The updated look of Mandriva One is fresh. I was able to install anything I needed. Looking through Mandriva’s forum, you see employees of the company who care and are genuinely trying to help. Mandriva offers “free as in freedom” versions and versions with propriatery software–meaning Nvidia drivers are set up, MP3’s play and you can watch DVDs. You would expect a release like this to be trumpeted. Instead, the release was met with hostility. Forums on tech sites were filled with Linux users cheering for the end of Mandriva. What happened? How did a company that was loved at one time become so unpopular? Is the hostility justified?
http://www.linuxtechdaily.com/2006/11/editorial-thoughts-on-mandrivas-future/