Mandrake is now... Mandriva. The French Linux maker has changed its name after it acquired Conectiva, another Linux distributor. The name change also puts an end to a trade mark dispute with Hearst Corporation over the name Mandrakesoft. The company's line of software and url have now been updated to reflect the change.
MandrakeSoft remains a minor player in the Linux market, coming behind Red Hat, Novell, and Turbolinux but the new "simple and efficient" name will mean a reversal in fortunes, the company feels. Mandriva will "further a smooth transition and will build on our existing brand recognition in the IT world", it boasted.
The company has already shifted all its websites and content to Mandriva-based domains: www.mandriva.com for the corporation; www.mandrivalinux.com for the community project; www.mandrivastore.com for the online store; www.mandrivaclub.com for the club and www.mandrivaexpert.com for the web-based support platform.