 DistroWatch Weekly |
| DistroWatch Weekly, Issue 21, 27 October 2003 |
Warning: Mandrake 9.2 destroys hardware
As has been widely reported, installing Mandrake Linux 9.2 can render certain types of CD-ROM drives permanently unusable. MandrakeSoft has issued an errata about the problem, while a list of affected CD-ROM drives is available here. There are reports that the problem has been identified and a new kernel is currently being tested. Users whose computers contain one of the affected CD-ROM drives by LG Electronics are urged not to install Mandrake Linux 9.2 until a workaround is found.
Not surprisingly, LG Electronics have not acknowledged the problem, nor did they issue any sort of warning. According to the above mentioned errata, the "[LG Electronics'] Optical Disc Drive products do not support Linux nor do they test with Linux". While most Linux users will feel little or no pity for the Korean manufacturer and the potential damage to their reputation and sales following the widely reported incident, MandrakeSoft finds itself in an unenviable situation. It cannot ship the product with such a serious, known issue, yet remastering even one CD with updated software will cost money and result in further delays in product shipment. Stuck between a rock and a hard place, Mandrake can only hope that its traditional openness and honesty towards users will help them overcome yet another crisis on their road to financial recovery.
Comodo acquires Trustix
Good news for the fans and users of Trustix Secure Linux. After filing for bankruptcy late in September, Trustix was acquired by Comodo Group Ltd, an UK-based Internet security company: "Trustix, a Norwegian company that sells Linux software intended to be attack-resistant, has been acquired by the Comodo Group, an Internet security company. Terms of the acquisition, announced Friday, were not disclosed." The developers of Trustix Secure Linux continued the development under the name of "Tawie Server Linux", but it looks like we are in for another name change as the title of the tawie.com web page has now been renamed to "Comodo Trustix" and "over the next few weeks Tawie Server Linux and Trustix Secure Linux will be merged, as the developers have been employed by Comodo Group". We'll keep you updated on further developments.
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| Released Last Week |
GeeXboX 0.95
This is a "Halloween" edition of GeeXboX, version 0.95: "Here it comes again! GeeXboX releases take much and much time but add a full list of new features and bug fixes, as usual. This time, many compatibility problems have been solved and there's the so awaited support for soundcards digital output. Look at this quick changelog : fix display problems with nVidia, SiS and Kyro graphic adapters; support for multi-subbed OGM files; added AutoPlay; added XCD support; added lots of translations (available in 11 languages); added support for Creative PC-DVD, Sony RM-S6 and RX-V850 remote controllers, added a GUI-Win32 version of the generator with many bugfixes; updated MPlayer to version 1.0pre2...." See the full changelog on the distribution's home page.
Damn Small Linux 0.4.10
Damn Small Linux 0.4.10 is out. Changes: "I compiled new Xvesa and Xfbdev Xservers from CVS, these servers just work better -- mouse scroll is better, and there is no longer the need to re-map the mouse buttons. That mouse and X bug in 0.4.9 should be gone now. A fun addition for this release is TuxNES, and an assortment of public domain games. There are hundreds more available by download. As odd as it may seem, the games made for the 18 year old entertainment system are a very good match with DSL. The Firebird install script is updated to 0.7, and there is a new Fluxbox theme, "Lawn". Also new is Nano-tiny." There is a lot more in the changelog.
GoboLinux 007
GoboLinux 007 has been released: "After some weeks of intensive work, GoboLinux 007 final is available for download (download it!). Since 006, there were major improvements all over the system, including the functionality required to pack 'Environment', 'Daemons' and 'Default Settings' information within packages (using the 'Resources' directory). The Live CD experience was also severely improved: now you can run even KDE and OpenOffice without touching your hard disk. With the use of IsoLinux, most (maybe all) of the compatibility problems experienced when trying to boot the 006 CD on certain machines are solved. If you have a GoboLinux 006 running, you don't need to reinstall it. Use the GoboLinux006-007 conversion script to turn your system fully compatible with the new scripts and packages." See the rest of the release announcement.
Astaro Security Linux 4.016
Astaro 4.016 is a new release of the Astaro Security Linux 4 series: "This is the third V4 ISO: asl-4.016. It includes the released V4-Up2Dates 4.001-4.015 and some new features and bugfixes. New, changed, improved: new kernel for supporting new hardware; extended PCMCIA card support (Prism 2/2.5/3) for WLAN; added more ACPI functions - ASL will power off after a shutdown; added DMA support for speeding up newer hard disks..." The full announcement includes a complete list of bug fixes, update instructions and a list of download mirrors.
Dyne:bolic 1.1.1
A new bug fix version of Dyne:bolic has been released: "The new 1.1.1 version is out today, bugfix release: if dyne:bolic wasn't booting on your machine, this will fix the problem! Only AWARD BIOS computers were affected by a bug, if 1.1 allready works for you, there is no need to upgrade. Thanks to all the people helping to track the problem on our mailinglist!" Read the rest of the announcement on the distribution's home page.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3
Red Hat's enterprise class operating system - Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 3 is now officially released: "Red Hat, Inc., the world's premier open source software provider, today announced a major milestone in the company's long-term strategy of delivering an Open Source Architecture to the enterprise. Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3 is now available supporting a greatly increased range of IT deployments and spanning seven hardware architectures. Emphasizing scalability, performance and extended system coverage, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3 provides a stable operating system platform that enables customers to realize the benefits of open source solutions across their complete computing infrastructure - from the desktop to the largest server." The product line consists of RHEL WS for desktop/client needs (US$179 -US$299), ES for small to mid-range servers (US$349 -US$799) and AS for high-end and mission-critical systems (US$1,499 -US$2,499). The release has been extensively covered by many online news sites, including CRN, eWeek, Globtechnology, Internet Week, NewsFactor, PCWorld, SearchEnterpriseLinux, ServerWatch, Slashdot, TechNewsWorld, ZDNet and many others.
Turbolinux 10 Desktop
As previously announced, Turbolinux 10 Desktop (10D) has now been officially released: "Two key messages for 10D is the targeting of existing Windows users to migrate them to 10D as well as seamless Windows interoperability. Turbolinux provides these users with complete, cost effective solutions that meet these existing needs without losing the functionality users expect when utilizing their Windows-based systems." Some of the more interesting features include StarSuite 7; Japanese support in Windows Network, NTFS auto mount and USB flash memory; easy compressed (ZIP) file creation by clicking right mouse button; automount of CD-ROMs and floppy disks and auto shutdown function. Full details (in Japanese) are available on the product page, while the company's English language web site promises availability on 15 November. There are no ISO images for download, but interested advanced users could try a network install directly from FTP server.
Burapha Linux 5.3
Burapha Linux is a Slackware-based distribution developed by Burapha University in Thailand. Version 5.3 has just been released: "This is the 5.3 release of Burapha Linux. The 5.3 release has many new features. The most visible of these are the 2.4.22 kernel, KDE 3.1.4, GNOME 2.4, OfficeTLE 1.0.2, use of the ALSA sound system, Xine for playing VCD and DVD discs, and the inclusion of Sun's JDK 1.4.2. We also have Apache 2.0.47 with support for PHP 4.3.3 (including PostgreSQL 7.3.4 and MySQL 4.0.15a database support). We have enhanced support for laptops in the installer [tested with Dell laptops and Cisco wireless LAN cards]. We have enhanced USB storage support [tested with several different USB memory sticks]." Read the rest of the release announcement and changelog.
ESware 365 2.0
ESware, a Spanish commercial distribution based on Debian, has released ESware 365, version 2.0. The product comes on 1 CD and 1 DVD and includes a new installer, GNOME 2.2, XFree86 4.3.0, kernel 2.4.20. The product is only available from the distribution's online store for €36, which includes free technical support for one year. More details about the product can be found on ESware's product page (in Spanish), while Barrapunto offers an opportunity to discuss the release (also in Spanish).
Puppy Linux 0.7.4
Puppy Linux has been updated to version 0.7.4. From the release notes: "Upgrading from a previous version, delete .etc folder and .fvwm95rc. If you wish to connect to the Internet by dial-up analog modem, please unplug any Ethernet network cable, as Puppy senses its presence during boot-up. Puppy now has DHCP and Samba clients, so you can get onto a LAN and presumably the Internet (untested). Any feedback on configuring these most welcome! I have created a page with step-by-step instructions to experiment with connecting two PCs together, one running Puppy, the other running Windows: Testing Puppy-to-Win networking."
Development Releases
Unannounced Releases
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| Upcoming Releases and Announcements |
Devil Linux 1.0
The Devil Linux project has announced the upcoming release of Devil Linux 1.0 on 31 October: "Halloween is coming up soon and so is Devil-Linux v1.0! October 31st is the official release date!" The announcement is on the distribution's main page.
Mandrake 9.2 for AMD64
MandrakeSoft is readying its AMD64 edition of Mandrake Linux 9.2: "A second beta release of Mandrake 9.2 for AMD64 (Athlon64 and Opteron) is now available! Release information and places to download are available here." ISO images will be available on 31 October.
Turbolinux 10 Desktop
Turbolinux has updated its English language web site saying that: "Turbolinux 10 Desktop - a feature rich and easy-to-use desktop solution. Ideal for Windows users looking for a easy transition to Linux. Arriving November 15!" More information on the company's product page.
ClarkConnect 2.1
ClarkConnect 2.1 is coming soon: "ClarkConnect 2.1 beta will be available October 30, 2003. We expect the beta period to last 2 weeks. This will give our translators some time to submit changes and fixes. A preview of the software release page is here. See the distribution's home page for more information."
Gibraltar 1.0
After several years in development Gibraltar Firewall is soon to reach a stable state in version 1.0: "The commercial release of Gibraltar will be officially presented on November 10th. From this date on it is possible to get release 1.0 for testing and as a full-featured-version from this homepage. The price for commercial Gibraltar will be €990." A free edition of the Debian-based firewall will also be available, however some features will be missing: "Besides the commercial release of Gibraltar, there is as well a freely available release. The core functions of both realease are equal. However, for installing and configuring the free version, a sound knowledge of Linux and of network technologies is necessary, as it is not complemented with a web interface and the resulting ease of use. Furthermore there is no guaranteed support." Find out more on the distribution's home and product pages.
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| Web Site News |
New additions
- Sentinix. Sentinix is an operating system (or a so called Linux distribution) designed for monitoring, auditing, intrusion detection and anti-spam. It's completely free; free to use, free to modify and free to distribute. Sentinix includes the following software installed and pre-configured; Nagios, Nagat, Snort, SnortCenter, ACID, Cacti, RRDTool, Nessus, Postfix, MailScanner, SpamAssassin, openMosix, MySQL, Apache, PHP, Perl, Python and lots more. Sentinix is shipped with a lot of programs, not all licensed under the same license (e.g. GNU GPL). Sentinix contains (and will only contain) software whose license has been approved by the Open Source Initiative. Compledge Sentinel was the predecessor of Sentinix.
New on the waiting list
- Xdefine Linux. "Xdefine Linux 2003 is a new, affordable, fun, and exciting operating system that delivers the power, stability and cost-savings of Linux with the ease of a Windows environment. Xdefine Linux 2003 is easy to experience with its colorful, friendly interface. With its simple 15-minute installation, even computer novices can enjoy this modern, next-generation operating system with just 3 clicks of their mouse." This sounds as if the person who wrote the above description had spent some time studying Microsoft's marketing practices :-)
DistroWatch database summary
- Number of distributions in the database: 189
- Number of discontinued distributions: 24
- Number of distributions on the waiting list: 65
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| Reader Feedback |
On BarbieOS
- "Do you know a link to this beta? It's on news sites but the Mattel and Barbie sites have no download links. The PR says it's Debian based. It's Beta .99. Thanks."
It is hard to believe how many people got caught by a fictitious story about the imminent release of BarbieOS, a Debian-based Linux distribution for adolescent girls. Let's spell it out clearly once and for all: it's a joke, guys! There is no such thing as "BarbieOS" or "Barbie Linux" and you certainly cannot download it, so please stop looking for it. Nevertheless, it's a great story and we have added the link to our Fun Distributions page.
On anti-Mandrake bias
- A quote from a post attached to LWN's No More Free Beer? (subscribers only until Thursday): "I get the distinct feeling that recent articles by Ladislav are either maliciously discriminating against Mandrake Linux, or are simply trolling (such as ZDNet and friends do, hoping to gain readership by posting controversial articles). I paid my membership fees to LWN to get LWN-style content, not rehashes of DistroWatch's biased (against Mandrake by the slant of most articles) opinion."
Like every web site and every author writing about Linux distributions, myself and DistroWatch too are regularly accused of undue bias for or against a certain distribution. DistroWatch has been labelled anti-Lindows, anti-SUSE, anti-Gentoo, anti-Red Hat and anti-{$distribution} in the past and will no doubt continue to be subjected to similar opinions in the future. This is something that I have to live with, because putting up a fight every time some posters decide to voice their discontent would take too much energy, which I'd rather spend on more productive things.
The above accusation is simply ridiculous. Many readers and acquaintances seek my opinion about the choice of a Linux distribution and while my advice depends on many factors, in majority of cases, I tend to recommend Mandrake. My early steps learning Linux were done almost exclusively in Mandrake. And I still like Mandrake, both the distribution and the company. But if anybody believes that Mandrake is perfect, that Mandrake has no flaws and that there is never any need to express a negative point about it, then I strongly suspect that it is not _I_ who is biased.
Nevertheless, I welcome these opinions. I am only a human and like everybody else, I do have my preferred distribution or two. Despite what some of you might believe, I do try hard to be as neutral as possible - a futile effort for sure, but still worth trying. But if I ever step out of line, please let me know. Even better, submit your own articles. My email address is written on the bottom of every page and anybody who wishes to express his/her opinion about any aspect of any Linux distribution is more than welcome. You can even write a strongly pro-Mandrake article and I'll be happy to publish it word-by-word. Whether the readers will agree with you, is of course another matter...
That's all for this week, keep well and see you next Monday :-)
Ladislav Bodnar
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| Reader Comments • Jump to last comment |
1 • keep up the work (by maceto on 2003-10-27 14:13:20 GMT)
We`re hammering the site for new releases :-)
Can`t wait for the debian testing going stable with xfree 4.3 and maby even with redhat installer and some redhat admin proggies as mentioned by Ian M
2 • Good to see you back! (by Michael Valentine on 2003-10-27 14:41:49 GMT)
Hope you had a great vacation or time off! I was nearly going thru withdrawal symptoms without the daily updated that I come accustomed to. With regards to the Mandrake user complaining about you being biased, I would offer this advice. Don't worry about it and just keep up the great job. Every Distro has its flaws but none as obvious as Windows. We are all Linux users and should stand together, not bicker about what Distro is the best or worse. Support your favorite Distro, be it with monetary funds, programming skills or user support.
3 • ...so.... (by another misanthrope at 2003-10-27 14:42:11 GMT)
then...what are your "preferrred distros?" :)
Big props to you and your site - it is a HUGE timesaver in researching the various distros and I wouldn't be running MEPIS without this site!
4 • re: On anti-Mandrake bias (by peter on 2003-10-27 16:05:21 GMT)
one of the main reasons I "monitor" distrowatch.com is that sweet, subtle, omnipresent reformulation of the "there is no silver bullet" mantra...
IMHO Ladislav's oppinios are among the most objective ones I found on the net.
5 • re: On anti-Mandrake bias (by ghanthar on 2003-10-27 17:24:47 GMT)
this is Ladislaw's site and he is free to mention any negative thoughts. And as a person who downloaded (from club) and used 9.2 I can say that I would much more negative if I was Ladislaw.
6 • Not interested in "neutrality" (by DaveW on 2003-10-27 20:03:58 GMT)
What keeps me coming back to this great site is Ladislav's knowledge, curiousity and intgrity. I WANT his opinions because I've learned to trust that they're based on real experience not only with the distro in question, but with an extremely wide range of competing ones.
There are tons of places to find cold facts, but very very few that put those facts into a context that's useful to folks who are trying to find their way through the mazeworld of Linux.
My only criticism? Next time don't bother defending yourself against brainless whining of the type you quoted. You don't need to.
7 • Burapha linux (by L Gandolfo at 2003-10-27 21:24:36 GMT)
Ladislav,
First of all, keep up the (very) good work and never mind brainless criticism (Mandrake was my first distro but I was even called 'mad' because I wanted to see things improved-now I don't care any longer, my favourite distros are Libranet and Suse)
Do you know by any chance if you still need to give Burapha linux the whole HD?
I asked them with the previous version, but they never replied.
I began to get loads of spam in Thai instead.
Of course it can just be a coincidence....
8 • Your headiline "Warning: Mandrake 9.2 destroys hardware" (by Mahesh De Silva on 2003-10-27 22:14:26 GMT)
I feel it is very harsh on mandrake, due to the fact it's very misleading.
"Warning: Mandrake 9.2 destroys LG CD ROMs" would have been more appropriate.
For the newbie your implying a total melt down to there a PC and I feel this sort scare tactics is very amateur is from the such prominent website like yours.
PS. I am a mandrake fan, but I personally use Knoppix/Debian.
9 • Reply to De Silva (by DiegoG on 2003-10-27 23:37:06 GMT)
I think that persons who can't read past the title probably won't get their hands dirty with Linux either, so there's no real loss.
10 • Hardware Damage (by Honaby at 2003-10-28 04:00:19 GMT)
This was a comment posted from last week in response to my comment from fdavid: But I must admit, installing a non-commercial distro doesn't mean so mauch risk. I've never seen a damaged hardware because of a misconfigured linux distro. I'm not even sure that a misconfigured stable kernel can damage any of your hardware.
Well I guess this issue of DistroWatch proves me right! The risk is really there. And by the way, don't compare driving a car from installing Linux. There really is no point of comparison.
11 • No subject (by Anonymous on 2003-10-28 05:28:58 GMT)
"My email address is written on the bottom of every page and anybody who wishes to express his/her opinion...."
Here my (humble) opinion:
There is no other site like this one because, you have done a terrific job to date...
12 • Mandrake (by Anonymous on 2003-10-28 05:48:43 GMT)
You could be nice to Mandrake by throwing a party when its HPD breaks 1000.
13 • Re: Hardware Damage (by fdavid on 2003-10-28 08:51:13 GMT)
"This was a comment posted from last week in response to my comment from fdavid: But I must admit, installing a non-commercial distro doesn't mean so mauch risk. I've never seen a damaged hardware because of a misconfigured linux distro. I'm not even sure that a misconfigured stable kernel can damage any of your hardware.
Well I guess this issue of DistroWatch proves me right! The risk is really there."
AFAIK, the demage is caused by the firmware of LG CD-ROMs and not by the kernel. So it is not really upon misconfiguring a distro or the kernel. Please, don't mix up things!
"And by the way, don't compare driving a car from installing Linux. There really is no point of comparison."
It was just another (really common) example of doing sg at your own risk. Nobody takes care of you. Nobody gives you certainity that no harm will happen to you. That was what I meant. Again: don't mix up things!
14 • Mandrake - anti bias - hardware - and such (by Herbert U. Hübner at 2003-10-28 17:50:49 GMT)
I visit this site on a regular basis and couldn't find any anti bias to any ($distribution).
Related to an event like this - damaged hardware by a kernel - the words used in an article should be carefully choosen.
The above article 'Warning: Mandrake 9.2 destroys hardware' talks about a NEW kernel. Which isn't true.
The 2.4.22 kernel from kernel.org doesn't damage the drives.
The drives are damaged by a kernel modified by Mandrake.
In addition I wonder why through the RC cycles of Mandrake this failure hasn't been detected and solved.
Someone can not blame a hardware manufacturer for implementing 'inaccurate' standards. I have learned that most of the time the translation of foreign language standards or articles to the mother language of an individual ends in a wrong translation.
Thus resulting in an incorrect understanding of the matter.
Through the basic cycle of driver development certain pieces of hardware will most probably get damaged until the final version can be released to the public. This is a known fact.
However, the modification of an existing and stable driver should be left at the person/company who wrote the original.
With the kernel of 9.2 Mandrake has done some modification to a vital part of the kernel were they better would have kept their fingers away. In addtion they try to blame others for a problem that they have caused.
This is not the way to make friends.
15 • Re: fdavid (by Honaby at 2003-10-29 02:30:47 GMT)
I guess you are the one that is mixing things up...
If you read Ladislav's article, it clearly states that the Kernel config was the reason for the damage! And Herber U. Hubner says the same thing above.
Anyway, there's no point at arguing, i'm just expressing my point last week. No bad feelings.
16 • Re: Honaby (by fdavid on 2003-10-29 09:46:46 GMT)
"I guess you are the one that is mixing things up...
If you read Ladislav's article, it clearly states that the Kernel config was the reason for the damage! And Herber U. Hubner says the same thing above.
Anyway, there's no point at arguing, i'm just expressing my point last week. No bad feelings."
Interesting...I thoght neither patching nor modification of the kernel meant kernel configuration. So if you don't know what are you speaking of, please don't blame others with stupidly referencing them in your opinion. Nonetheless, cold you please quote that part, where Ladislav clearly states taht damages were caused by a misconfigured kernel?
You made a hazy misinterpretation of my post, and you do it again with other's posts, as well. You'd better just read instead of posting.
17 • re: fdavid (by Honaby at 2003-10-30 08:38:54 GMT)
Before anything gets worst... YOU in the first place, is the one who mis-interpreted my comments last week.
Anyway, as always, you are mixing things up and adding some more confusion to the topic. If you dont know how to read between the lines, its your problem. I never blamed anyone!!! Oh... by the way, there are links on Ladislav's article that points to what i'm talking about regarding the Kernel configuration of Mandrake. Sorry if I was too general on my words.
Again... this is all pointless... this is why we have this readers comments area... to express our opinions and comments.
If you think you are smart, then why not spend your time giving your own good opinions and comments rather than negating other peoples ideas.
18 • Bias, et al (by johnlowell on 2003-10-30 21:36:32 GMT)
When it comes to bias, we must always keep in mind the words of the famous philosopher, Albert Fardoogy, who once opined :
"You can fool some of the people some of the time,
And you can fool all of the people some of the time,
But you can't fool all of the people in the Summertime."
Truths such as this give meaning to our disagreements.
jlowell
19 • Dr. Fardoogy misquoted (by johnlowell on 2003-10-30 21:48:03 GMT)
I sincerely regret misquoting the learned Dr. Fardoogy.
The first line of the statement above should read:
"You can fool all of the people some of of the time"
My apologies. :-)
jlowell
20 • The misquote that won't die (by johnlowell on 2003-10-30 22:04:09 GMT)
Not to overly draw attention to this matter, but I see that I have as yet to quote Dr. Fardoogy accurately, evidence of a fast approaching dotage, I'm afraid. I don't know, maybe its my bias. In the interest of truth, here is the quotation in its entirety rendered properly:
"You can fool some of the people all of the time,
And you can fool all of the people some of the time,
But you can't fool all of the people in the Summertime."
Dr. Fardoogy was a great friend of Professor Erwin Cory; many of you may remember him. :-)
jlowell
21 • Re: See you next Monday (by ariszlo at 2003-11-05 17:14:45 GMT)
Where are you Ladislav? I am missing this week's Distrowatch Weekly.
Number of Comments: 21
Display mode: DWW Only • Comments Only • Both DWW and Comments
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| • Issue 813 (2019-05-06): ROSA R11, MX seeks help with systemd-shim, FreeBSD tests unified package management, interview with Gael Duval |
| • Issue 812 (2019-04-29): Ubuntu MATE 19.04, setting up a SOCKS web proxy, Scientific Linux discontinued, Red Hat takes over Java LTS support |
| • Issue 811 (2019-04-22): Alpine 3.9.2, rsync examples, Ubuntu working on ZFS support, Debian elects new Project Leader, Obarun releases S6 tools |
| • Issue 810 (2019-04-15): SolydXK 201902, Bedrock Linux 0.7.2, Fedora phasing out Python 2, NetBSD gets virtual machine monitor |
| • Issue 809 (2019-04-08): PCLinuxOS 2019.02, installing Falkon and problems with portable packages, Mint offers daily build previews, Ubuntu speeds up Snap packages |
| • Issue 808 (2019-04-01): Solus 4.0, security benefits and drawbacks to using a live distro, Gentoo gets GNOME ports working without systemd, Redox OS update |
| • Issue 807 (2019-03-25): Pardus 17.5, finding out which user changed a file, new Budgie features, a tool for browsing FreeBSD's sysctl values |
| • Issue 806 (2019-03-18): Kubuntu vs KDE neon, Nitrux's znx, notes on Debian's election, SUSE becomes an independent entity |
| • Issue 805 (2019-03-11): EasyOS 1.0, managing background services, Devuan team debates machine ID file, Ubuntu Studio works to remain an Ubuntu Community Edition |
| • Issue 804 (2019-03-04): Condres OS 19.02, securely erasing hard drives, new UBports devices coming in 2019, Devuan to host first conference |
| • Issue 803 (2019-02-25): Septor 2019, preventing windows from stealing focus, NetBSD and Nitrux experiment with virtual machines, pfSense upgrading to FreeBSD 12 base |
| • Issue 802 (2019-02-18): Slontoo 18.07.1, NetBSD tests newer compiler, Fedora packaging Deepin desktop, changes in Ubuntu Studio |
| • Issue 801 (2019-02-11): Project Trident 18.12, the meaning of status symbols in top, FreeBSD Foundation lists ongoing projects, Plasma Mobile team answers questions |
| • Issue 800 (2019-02-04): FreeNAS 11.2, using Ubuntu Studio software as an add-on, Nitrux developing znx, matching operating systems to file systems |
| • Issue 799 (2019-01-28): KaOS 2018.12, Linux Basics For Hackers, Debian 10 enters freeze, Ubuntu publishes new version for IoT devices |
| • Issue 798 (2019-01-21): Sculpt OS 18.09, picking a location for swap space, Solus team plans ahead, Fedora trying to get a better user count |
| • Issue 797 (2019-01-14): Reborn OS 2018.11.28, TinyPaw-Linux 1.3, dealing with processes which make the desktop unresponsive, Debian testing Secure Boot support |
| • Issue 796 (2019-01-07): FreeBSD 12.0, Peppermint releases ISO update, picking the best distro of 2018, roundtable interview with Debian, Fedora and elementary developers |
| • Issue 795 (2018-12-24): Running a Pinebook, interview with Bedrock founder, Alpine being ported to RISC-V, Librem 5 dev-kits shipped |
| • Issue 794 (2018-12-17): Void 20181111, avoiding software bloat, improvements to HAMMER2, getting application overview in GNOME Shell |
| • Issue 793 (2018-12-10): openSUSE Tumbleweed, finding non-free packages, Debian migrates to usrmerge, Hyperbola gets FSF approval |
| • Issue 792 (2018-1203): GhostBSD 18.10, when to use swap space, DragonFly BSD's wireless support, Fedora planning to pause development schedule |
| • Issue 791 (2018-11-26): Haiku R1 Beta1, default passwords on live media, Slax and Kodachi update their media, dual booting DragonFly BSD on EFI |
| • Issue 790 (2018-11-19): NetBSD 8.0, Bash tips and short-cuts, Fedora's networking benchmarked with FreeBSD, Ubuntu 18.04 to get ten years of support |
| • Issue 789 (2018-11-12): Fedora 29 Workstation and Silverblue, Haiku recovering from server outage, Fedora turns 15, Debian publishes updated media |
| • Issue 788 (2018-11-05): Clu Linux Live 6.0, examining RAM consumpion, finding support for older CPUs, more Steam support for running Windows games on Linux, update from Solus team |
| • Full list of all issues |
| Star Labs |
Star Labs - Laptops built for Linux.
View our range including the Star Lite, Star LabTop and more. Available with a choice of Ubuntu, Linux Mint or Zorin OS pre-installed with many more distributions supported. Visit Star Labs for information, to buy and get support.
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| Random Distribution | 
Featherweight Linux
Featherweight Linux was an installable live CD based on Feather Linux. It was a full featured distribution with a small foot print that was light and fast, even on older machines, but still carries a knockout punch. It comes with a minimal KDE desktop and several favourite applications.
Status: Discontinued
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