PCLinuxOS

PCLinuxOS traces back to a 2003 fork of Mandrake Linux and has stayed independent ever since, using APT tools adapted to work with rpm packages rather than Debian's native .deb format -- an unusual combination. It follows a 'rolling but tested' model: packages update continuously like a rolling-release distro, but only after passing through the project's own testing repository first, aiming for rolling-release freshness without the occasional breakage. Its community and forums are unusually close-knit for an independent distro of its size, and its flagship edition ships KDE Plasma with Xfce and MATE community editions available as alternatives.