One new aspect with Mandriva is that the build tool mkcd has been replaced with bcd. In addition, developers promise strongly shortened boot up times for the new display. A Moblin packet which can support feeble hardware and more is available as an option.

Plymouth optically enhances the boot process with the help of graphic animation. Splashy comes into use for unsupported chip sets. Mandriva’s security framework is based on Tomoyo, which will have the capability of being set up via GUI in the future.

A few changes are already to be found in the first alpha version, similar to the second beta version from KDE 4.3 and Gnome 2.27.3 with the predecessor from Gnome 2.28. Also, the compact Xfce desktop is present in version 4.6.1. Version 2.6.30 comes into the running as a kernel, and in addition Mandriva 2010 is accompanied by X-server 1.6.1.901. The compiler of choice is GCC 4.4.

As software for the end user, the distribution comes with multimedia player Moodiva, formerly known as Elisa. In addition, the updated version 0.12.1 of the video software Pitivi is included. Sagemath is an integrated program for mathematicians which can produce ISOs with bcd. Under the name qemu-kvm, KVM comes into the fold, CUPS 1.4 supports Zeroconf/Bonjour and demonstrates better performance.
The Mandriva Wiki lists the plans for the distribution. Some of the technical specifications have been provided in PDF form. The download can proceed with Mirrors.

In the meantime the French corporation behind the distribution has come to abruptly abandoning the Linuxtag, much to the dismay of the German Linux community. The presence of Mandriva had been announced for awhile prior, the company has booked a booth in hall 7b, no. 106. In a short email to the German Mandriva community they gave notice of their decision, leaving their community members standing in the rain with cost for travel and hotel bookings.