Guest Lamborgina Posted November 2, 2006 Report Share Posted November 2, 2006 I currently have Mandriva 2007 free dvd. My question is what are the benefits to each. I know from looking on the website that the paid versions of Mandriva include proprietary drivers and cedega. Not a big deal I know I can get both online. However are there any other advantages? I'm very new to linux so many things are still tuff to do but usually with a good how to I can do it. What are the advantages to the Mandriva Club? This one seems very vague on the website. I realize there are benefits to each level of membership as well but once again. Levels of membership without a description to the benefits does me no good. Is it even worth it? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ixthusdan Posted November 2, 2006 Report Share Posted November 2, 2006 In my opinion, buying the distro allows one to financially support Mandriva. A good reason, to be sure, but as far as anything else gained with the purchase, sadly, nothing else comes to mind. Everything offered by "the club" may be obtained on the internet. And, although I am biased, the support here is actually better than "the club." So, financially supporting the efforts of Mandriva is the only reason to buy. It is a good reason, but the hype around any other benefits is ....hype. B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liquidzoo Posted November 2, 2006 Report Share Posted November 2, 2006 I'm not sure how it is currently, since it's been a long time since I've looked at the club membership. It used to be that the Club membership included access to a forum, as well as advanced access to some of the packages before they're released to the official mirrors. Is it worth it? That depends. I have only purchased 1 boxed set version of Mandriva (then Mandrake), and it was well before the Club concept came into being. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lamborgina Posted November 3, 2006 Report Share Posted November 3, 2006 thanks to both of you for the replies. does anyone know if the cedega that is included gives updates also. or do you still need to pay cedegas monthly fee to get updates? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianw1974 Posted November 3, 2006 Report Share Posted November 3, 2006 I'm not a gamer, but I doubt very much there will be cedega updates. It would get around having to pay cedega directly - which ain't gonna happen really. Cedega wants to make money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dexter11 Posted November 3, 2006 Report Share Posted November 3, 2006 AFAIK it comes with 3 months Cedega subscription. Also this years Mandriva box contains Flatout, and LinDVD. So this year you actually get something for your money. Support in the club forum is a hell of a lot more better since Adam and RJ are there. But you can use the club forum for free. There is a free membership called Aluminium or Alumni. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reiver_Fluffi Posted November 3, 2006 Report Share Posted November 3, 2006 AFAIK it comes with 3 months Cedega subscription. Also this years Mandriva box contains Flatout, and LinDVD. So this year you actually get something for your money. Support in the club forum is a hell of a lot more better since Adam and RJ are there. But you can use the club forum for free. There is a free membership called Aluminium or Alumni. IIRC Aluminium is for users that simply join for free, where as Alumi are past subscribers, who have ceased their paid subscription. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarecrow Posted November 3, 2006 Report Share Posted November 3, 2006 Keep your money, and buy a good "Linux for Newbies" book. Factly, you will be left with some money for the beers you'll use while installing and toying with your Linux. There are so many EASY Linux distros out there, that paying for it (unless you are a firm/corporation and need professional maintenance and deployment support) is absolutely pointless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmanuel_uk Posted November 3, 2006 Report Share Posted November 3, 2006 financially supporting the efforts of Mandriva is the only reason to buy buy a good "Linux for Newbies" book At the end of the day, if you buy a service you can test it, complain, some things are free, but not everything, the community needs funding, some people work/ live out of it. If anything money is a contribution, you can do donations to projects, buy books, mags, whatever... You can rotate your contributions, try this or that, give your time on forums, buy this or that, look for bugs... The worthiness of the service you are asking about, at the end of day can "only/mainly" be assessed by yourself. Is it worth it? That depends. +1 Funny nobody mentionned the tutorials /courses that mandriva has Do not know at what level they are available. Time is money, you could be self-learned and google for tuto, or have it in a plate, question of choice once more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ixthusdan Posted November 3, 2006 Report Share Posted November 3, 2006 The reason I say what I say (every time this subject is broached) is that fundamentally, I believe that I should give money for that which I cannot do myself. Money is the easy way to exchange goods. I cannot write my own operating system, so I have in the past purchased Mandriva. If something useful were offered in the emphasis started 2 years ago by Mandriva, what with the subscriptions to "the club" and all, I would purchase that which I cannot do myself. But Mandriva made a move back then that I said would not bear the fruit they thought it would, and it has not. They should have taken the community which already supported them, utilized it to their advantage, and invested their money into marketing and distribution concepts. Instead, they attempted to take over support, (like Microsoft frequently does with technology concepts) which they were always absolutely horrible at, and alienated a part of their community. Today, they are better at support (although I have to date still never received an e-mail or note concerning the question I asked some 5 years ago, a question which was part of my support with the purchase of a boxed set) but still cannot deliver the level of support which is done at several places on the internet. Marketing and distribution? Oh yeah, they still talk about it. But who needs that stuff, anyway? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.