MandrivaMageiastyle

MandrivaMageiastyle is a design and documentation philosophy used within the Mandriva and Mageia communities to create a cohesive user experience across related Linux distributions. The term blends the names Mandriva and Mageia and describes a shared approach to branding, theming, and editorial style rather than a single software project.

Origin and naming: The concept emerged from cross-project discussions after Mageia diverged from Mandriva in the early 2010s. It remained informal until community-maintained style guides and theme repositories codified elements of the approach. It is not an official project, but rather a convention used by contributors to align visuals and wording across related releases.

Key features: Visual identity harmonizes Mandriva's branding with Mageia's community-driven ethos. The palette emphasizes accessible, high-contrast combinations; typography prioritizes readability; icons and widgets favor clarity and consistency; layouts are modular to suit desktop environments and web documentation. The editorial component advocates precise terminology, a neutral tone, and consistent sectioning.

Implementation: The style is propagated through shared assets such as theme packages, icon sets, and CSS for documentation sites, as well as contributor guidelines. Teams apply the style to installable themes, live wallpapers, and project documentation to maintain a unified look and feel across projects.

Impact and reception: MandrivaMageiastyle has aided cross-project collaboration and provided a common reference for new contributors. It remains informal and voluntary, with varying levels of adoption across communities; some users view it as a helpful framework, while others see it as a moving target due to evolving branding and assets.

See also: Mageia, Mandriva, Linux theming, Branding guidelines.