 DistroWatch Weekly |
| DistroWatch Weekly, Issue 178, 20 November 2006 |
Welcome to this year's 47th issue of DistroWatch Weekly! It was a relatively quiet week, only disturbed by the news about Java being released under the GPL and the unusual levels of interest in the new Linux Mint 2.0. This week's discussion revolves around adding third-party repositories to Ubuntu and other distributions; while the goal of extending the number of easily installable software packages sounds good, mindless addition of repositories can not only compromise system security, it can also break one's system beyond repair. Also in the news: Debian "etch" delays, Fedora 6 usage statistics, FreeBSD's new Security Event Auditing (SEA) system, and an opinion about including proprietary kernel modules in Linux distributions. Finally, the DistroWatch database saw an addition of four new Linux distributions last week; these include the low-end Fluxbuntu Linux and the user-friendly Ulteo. Happy reading!
Content:
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| Miscellaneous News |
Etch delay, software repositories in Ubuntu and Mandriva, Fedora 6 usage figures, security event auditing in FreeBSD 6.2
After a flurry of recent controversial announcements by Oracle and Novell -- and the subsequent reaction by the open source community -- things have quietened down considerably last week. Linux Mint stole the spotlight due to a new release of its Ubuntu-based distribution, enhanced by many proprietary components. But many other projects continued to work towards their upcoming releases - openSUSE will announce the release candidate for 10.2 later this week, while Debian GNU/Linux is about to enter the "hard freeze" period prior to its December 4.0 release. The FreeBSD project also continues the development of its new, security enhanced version 6.2. So don't stop visiting DistroWatch during the coming weeks; unlike most other end-of-the-year periods, the pre-Christmas days of 2007 are promising to deliver a number of new distribution releases to keep us all busy during the holidays - reporting bugs, writing reviews and posting our experiences in blogs. It should be an exciting end of the year!
* * * * *
 Rarely does a new product generate as much excitement in the Linux community as a new release of Debian GNU Linux - a comparatively rare event on the distributions' release calendar. With version 4.0 (code name "etch") scheduled to appear next months, many are wondering about the effect Ubuntu's work and growing popularity had on its famous parent and the new features the largest Linux distribution is bringing to the table. Disappointingly, it appears that original release date of December 3rd will slip by a few weeks - that's according to the latest update as posted by Steve Langasek on the debian-devel mailing list: "The release will probably be delayed by about the same as the full freeze, that is a month. We hope to still release in December 2006." The same post also reveals the code name for the next version of Debian GNU/Linux: "If you managed to read so far: congratulations! That means you get to be one of the lucky first 10 people to know the code name for the next Debian release: it will be called 'Lenny'."
On a related note, the first release candidate of Debian Installer for etch was also released last week: "The Debian Installer team is proud to announce the first release candidate (RC1) of the installer for Debian GNU/Linux Etch. ... Note that at least one more release of the installer is expected before Etch is released; this next release of the installer will use the 2.6.18 kernel. Installation CDs, other media, errata and everything else you'll need are available from our web site." If you'd like to help with testing, please download the "netinstall" ISO images from here: debian-testing-i386-netinst.iso (128MB), debian-testing-amd64-netinst.iso (114MB).
* * * * *
 How many third-party Ubuntu repositories do you have in your sources.list file? Since a default installation of the single-CD Ubuntu is rather bare, many users tend to follow one of the numerous online guides to add extra software (and extra software repositories) to their base systems. An extreme example of aggressive addition of Ubuntu software repositories is this sources.list file which contains no fewer than 79 locations for binary DEB packages. It goes without saying that the majority of these packages are unsupported and some may even seriously mess up your Ubuntu system. Use at your own risk!
This proliferation of third-party repositories has led to some interesting questions. Why are there so many of them? Wouldn't it be simpler to create a "contrib" directory on Ubuntu's servers for interested contributors to upload their files? Or do these external repositories exist because, as some argue, it isn't particularly easy to contribute directly to Ubuntu? And why do so many people choose to create their own mini-repositories instead of filing bug reports or improving the main packages? If you know the answers, please discuss them in the forum below. Also, if you are an Ubuntu user, how many external repositories do you have in your sources.list file? Which of them do you consider essential? Have you experienced any problems after installing software from third-party repositories? Do you bother to check the reputation of the developer providing the files or do you just blindly install whatever gets suggested in some forum post and hope for the best? Please share your experiences, good or bad.
* * * * *
 Speaking about software repositories, Mandriva has posted an update on what is currently available for the recently released Mandriva Linux 2007, together with some notes on adding/updating software packages with urpmi: "The free and open source software in Mandriva Linux is available from our public mirrors and is split into two sections: main and contrib. The packages in main are officially supported, which means we guarantee that we will fix security issues and major bugs in these packages. The packages in contrib are not officially supported, which means it's up to the maintainers of these packages (whether they are Mandriva staff or volunteers) to decide whether they wish to provide updates or not."
On a related note, Coulier.org has published a comprehensive, 5-page review of Mandriva Linux 2007. The author praises the product for its usability and friendliness, but also highlights some bugs and surprising omissions, such as the lack of any update warning utility, now standard in most other major distributions. From the review: "Although some improvements are still possible, Mandriva 2007 is an excellent OS. ... With the introduction of 3D desktop, not only functionally Linux has become very hard to beat, also the coolness factor is now huge."
* * * * *
 How many Linux users does the world have? This hard-to-gather piece of information continues to mystify some people to the extend that they invent methods that provide at least some rough answers. In case of Fedora Core, its developers have been counting the number of unique IP addresses that connect to the distribution's yum repository to check for available updates. The result? Some 24 days after the release of Fedora Core 6, the number of unique IP addresses exceeded 300,000! This is an impressive figure, especially when taking into account that a large number of Fedora users, notably those running the distribution on servers, have yet to upgrade to the latest release. As always, the figures are not particularly accurate - while many additional users might have connected through the same firewall or proxy server without registering a unique IP address, it's also possible that some Fedora users' IP addresses get allocated dynamically which means that one user can "submit" a new IP address every time he or she checks for updates. Nevertheless, it's nice to know that less than a month after its release, hundreds of thousands of computers around the world already run the latest Fedora Core.
* * * * *
 Zenwalk Linux continues to impress. Although based on -- and still mostly compatible with -- Slackware Linux, the distribution's developers continue to depart from their famous parent in order to build a more functional and desktop-oriented Linux operating system. The new Zenwalk 4.0 is the first Slackware-based distribution that ships with a modular X.Org 7.1, while its text-mode installation program has been enhanced by a number of extra modules that help with setting up users, configuring ALSA sound drivers and enabling graphical login. But probably the most useful piece of software in Zenwalk Linux is its Netpkg software management utility (see screenshot below). Easy to configure and use, Netpkg provides a simple way to install hundreds of additional software packages, including KDE and GNOME, from Zenwalk's repositories. The developers of this little distribution have done a great job enhancing Slackware and turning it into a highly up-to-date and amazingly user-friendly operating system, while maintaining the simplicity and reliability of Slackware Linux. Do give it a try!
Zenwalk Linux 4.0: the default desktop with Xfce and the impressive Netpkg software management utility
(full image size: 203kB, screen resolution: 1280x1024 pixels)
* * * * *
 Another eagerly awaited new operating system release is FreeBSD 6.2. Although the development process is about a month behind the original release schedule, there is still hope that the final version will see the light before the end of the year. But what can the FreeBSD users and fans expect from the new release? The Register has interviewed Robert Watson, the project founder of TrustedBSD, who explains the concepts behind the new Security Event Auditing (SEA) system: "Security Event Auditing refers to the fine-grained logging of security events in the system, and is basic security functionality long overdue in open source operating systems. There are three things that differentiate auditing from traditional OS logging facilities such as syslog: security/reliability, granularity, and configurability." Read the rest of the 3-page interview to learn not only about SEA, but also about post-mortem analysis of cracked systems, protection of data, and other security enhancements added to the upcoming FreeBSD 6.2.
* * * * *
Should you go binary or not? The issue of including binary-only, proprietary kernel modules, such as the NVIDIA and ATI graphics drivers, into the Linux kernel continues to divide the Linux user community. While most of those who have been running Linux for several years understand the obvious benefits of Free Software, many newcomers to the Linux world seem less concerned about the philosophical aspects of Free Software and more interested in making their Linux systems "just work". Although ultimately it's up to each individual to decide whether they can live with non-free components mixed into the Linux kernel, it's also important that the more senior members of the Linux user community explain the benefits of software freedom to the growing numbers of new Linux users. If you are still unclear why installing binary kernel modules may be harmful to long-term software freedom and the benefits it brings, please read this well-written commentary by LWN's Jonathan Corbet.
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| Released Last Week |
Linux Mint 2.0
Linux Mint is an Ubuntu-based distribution whose goal is to provide a more complete out-of-the-box experience by including browser plugins, media codecs, support for DVD playback, Java, and other components. Linux Mint 2.0, code name "Barbara", was released yesterday: "This release is based on Ubuntu 6.10 and uses the Ubuntu installer. The desktop is GNOME 2.16.1 and the kernel is 2.6.17. Barbara comes with the following plugins: Macromedia Flash 9 beta, Sun Java 1.5 Update 9, RealPlayer 10. Support for MP3, Windows and various codecs, encrypted DVDs is installed by default. Barbara comes with Amarok 1.4.4 instead of Rhythmbox. The default artwork is a blue version of the 'Human' theme." Read the release notes for further information.
Puppy Linux 2.12
Barry Kauler has released a new stable version of Puppy Linux. Version 2.12 comes in two editions - a larger "zdrv" edition with "a massive collection of kernel drivers and firmware," while the "standard" SeaMonkey edition "has a cut-down selection of drivers on a par with previous Puppies." From the release notes: "The greatest news for 2.12 is the support for a huge range of kernel modules, using a new 'fetch on demand' system. There are also exciting new mini applications developed by Puppy enthusiasts." Please read the release announcement for further information.
Puppy Linux 2.12 - one of the new features in Puppy 2.12 is "gorgeous fonts".
(full image size: 205kB, screen resolution: 1280x1024 pixels)
MCNLive "Cherbourg"
A new version of MCNLive, a Mandriva-based live CD with KDE, support for popular media formats, wireless networking and 3D desktop, has been released: "I am glad to announce a new edition of MCNLive, code name Cherbourg, a portable live Linux system based on and 100% compatible with Mandriva Linux 2007. Highlights: 2.6.17 kernel; 3D desktop (AIGLX) with the free X.Org drivers for Intel and ATI video cards; desktop environment: KDE 3.5.4; office suite: KOffice; Opera 9.02; music, video and image applications with most common codecs; Internet and networking applications for all your needs; NTFS read-write support. All this on less than 360 MB." Visit the project's home page to read the full release announcement.
The MCNLive "Cherbourg" live CD is based on the latest Mandriva Linux 2007.
(full image size: 145kB, screen resolution: 1280x1024 pixels)
FreeNAS 0.68
Olivier Cochard-Labbe has announced a new stable release of FreeNAS, a tiny FreeBSD-based operating system providing free Network Attached Storage (NAS) services. From the changelog: "Updated to FreeBSD 6.2 PRERELEASE; added new geom RAID5 module; fixed su permission; fixed FTP anonymous login; fixed the e2fsck bug, now EXT2 file system should be correctly repaired when errors are detected; added DHCP client option for LAN interface; changed default Samba buffer size to 16384; added option for not erasing the MBR when initializing disk - some RAID controllers store important data in the MBR; replace PHP 4 by PHP 5; replaced mini_httpd by lighttpd; replace sh shell with tcsh; upgraded Samba to 3.0.23a...."
AliXe 0.09 "ICE"
AliXe, a Canadian project known for developing a SLAX-based live CD localised into French, has released a bi-lingual (English and French) edition of their latest version. Called "ICE Edition", the new live CD includes the IceWM window manager, together with a range of GTK+ applications, such as AbiWord, Gnumeric, Bluefish, GIMP, Inkscape, Firefox, Sylpheed, Gaim, GParted, Graveman, etc: "AliXe v0.09 ICE edition is a bilingual live CD (English and French). It's based on SLAX 5.1.8 Popcorn." Read the release announcements in English or French for further details and download information.
AliXe 0.09 "ICE" edition is the project's first release supporting English.
(full image size: 994kB, screen resolution: 1280x1024 pixels)
Zenwalk Linux 4.0
Zenwalk Linux 4.0 has been released: "The major version number reflects that X11 is updated to version 7.1, which is a structural modification, system wide. All X software packages have been recompiled, including a large amount of software in the ZenCommunity repository. This is the biggest change since the beginning of the Zenwalk project; however, old Zenwalk 3.x and Slackware 11 X-software packages should be compatible with Zenwalk 4.0. This version of Zenwalk uses the new stable 2.6.18.1 kernel. Netpkg has been updated with a new GTK-based user interface - a total rewrite of the software to become one of the most advanced and intuitive network package managers." More details about the changes and updates in Zenwalk Linux 4.0 are available in the release announcement.
* * * * *
Development and unannounced releases
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| Upcoming Releases and Announcements |
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Summary of expected upcoming releases
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| DistroWatch.com News |
New distributions added to database
* * * * *
New distributions added to waiting list
- Kids Without. Kids Without is an Edubuntu-based live CD distribution with a collection of educational software for children.
- Ubuntu Multimedia Center. Ubuntu Multimedia Center is a new Ubuntu-based Linux distribution created by Zach Thibeau.
- YaKa. YaKa is a set of scripts whose purpose is to provide an efficient method to deploy an operating system in a heterogeneous computing environment. The result is a distribution consisting of a base system and pre-configured defaults for a number of targets, e.g. Samba/LDAP/NFS server, Samba/NIS/NFS server, desktop for end users, Postfix mail server with anti-virus and anti-spam, etc.
* * * * *
DistroWatch database summary
And that concludes our latest issue of DistroWatch Weekly. The next instalment will be published on Monday, 27 November 2006. Until then,
Ladislav Bodnar
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| Archives |
| • Issue 1181 (2026-07-13): Artix 20260419, making migrating to Linux easier, Google locking down Android, TUXEDO switches to Debian base, Mint improves Cinnamon on Wayland, OpenMandriva recovers from repository deletion, OSNews compares Windows and Linux |
| • Issue 1180 (2026-07-06): FreeBSD 15.1 and rumours of its installer capabilities, tools for running admin commands, Asahi fixes boot issue, reasons to run Gentoo, Ubuntu reverts Rust-based copy command, Astral gets WINE port |
| • Issue 1179 (2026-06-29): PCLinuxOS 2026.05, tips for switching distros, COSMIC gets a new system monitor, Xfce tests new Wayland compositor, FreeBSD developers invite questions |
| • Issue 1178 (2026-06-22): TBLock reviewed, the AUR compromised, Fedora's growing community, reasons to avoid immutable desktop distributions, Ubuntu to get speech-to-text, Canonical updates its beta policy, highlights in Plasma 6.7 |
| • Issue 1177 (2026-06-15): TROMjaro 2026.05.08, Ubuntu MATE updates, Asahi fixes dual-boot issue with macOS 27, AUR infected with malware, setting variables across shells |
| • Issue 1176 (2026-06-08): Redcore Linux 2601, the problem with minimal system requirements, Red Hat account linked to compromised npm repositories, COSMIC to get frosted glass effect, openSUSE shows off system extension manager, Origami merges with RakuOS |
| • Issue 1175 (2026-06-01): PineTab2 with various distros, less common words of wisdom, Canonical shutting down Ubuntu's Pastebin, Murena nears 100k users, DistroWatch turns 25 |
| • Issue 1174 (2026-05-25): Solus 4.9, Linux tablets, Haiku boots on Apple M1 machines, Fedora drops Deepin packages, Mint improves Nemo performance |
| • Issue 1173 (2026-05-18): Sylve on FreeBSD, the benefit of BleachBit, Debian commits to reproducible builds, Debian publishes updated install media, Haiku introduces SMP support on ARM64 processors, Rocky Linux creates opt-in security repository, Fedora reconsiders AI tools, KDE receives generous donation |
| • Issue 1172 (2026-05-11): Fedora 44, dealing with extra fonts, Fedora plans to provide AI tools, problems with Ubuntu's new coreutils, TrueNAS extends its development cycle, postmarktetOS improves the boot splash screen, Redox ports tmux |
| • Issue 1171 (2026-05-04): Xubuntu 26.04, extending memory with VRAM, Ubuntu plans AI features, Devuan developer forks GTK2, Mint introduces hardware enablement builds, Linux running on a PlayStation 5, local kernel exploit found in Linux |
| • Issue 1170 (2026-04-27): ENux 5.2.1, picking a second distro, AlmaLinux expands CPU support, FreeBSD publishes Status Report, Ubuntu MATE skips 26.04 release |
| • Issue 1169 (2026-04-20): Lakka 6.1, free software and source-based distributions, FreeBSD Foundation publishes compatible laptop list, Debian holds Project Leader election, Haiku progresses ARM64 port, Mint to extend development cycle, Linux 7.0 released |
| • Issue 1168 (2026-04-13): pearOS 2026.03, EndeavourOS 2026.03.06, which distros are adopting age verification, Arch adjusts its firewall packages, Linux dropping i486 support, Red Hat extends its release cycle, Debian's APT introduces rollbacks, Redox improves its scheduler |
| • Issue 1167 (2026-04-06): Origami Linux 2026.03, answering questions for Linux newcomers, Ubuntu MATE seeking new contributors, Ubuntu software centre is expanding Deb support, FreeBSD fixes forum exploit, openSUSE 15 Leap nears its end of life |
| • Issue 1166 (2026-03-30): NetBSD jails, publishing software for Linux, Ubuntu joins Rust Foundation, Canonical plans to trim GRUB features, Peppermint works on new utilities, PINE64 shows off open hardware capabilities |
| • Issue 1165 (2026-03-23): Argent Linux 1.5.3, disk space required by Linux, Manjaro team goes on strike, AlmaLinux improves NVIDIA driver support and builds RISC-V packages, systemd introduces age tracking |
| • Issue 1164 (2026-03-16): d77void, age verification laws and Linux, SUSE may be for sale, TrueNAS takes its build system private, Debian publishes updated Trixie media, MidnightBSD and System76 respond to age verification laws |
| • Issue 1163 (2026-03-09): KaOS 2026.02, TinyCore 17.0, NuTyX 26.02.2, Would one big collection of packages help?, Guix offers 64-bit Hurd options, Linux communities discuss age delcaration laws, Mint unveils new screensaver for Cinnamon, Redox ports new COSMIC features |
| • Issue 1162 (2026-03-02): AerynOS 2026.01, anti-virus and firewall tools, Manjaro fixes website certificate, Ubuntu splits firmware package, jails for NetBSD, extended support for some Linux kernel releases, Murena creating a map app |
| • Issue 1161 (2026-02-23): The Guix package manager, quick Q&As, Gentoo migrating its mirrors, Fedora considers more informative kernel panic screens, GhostBSD testing alternative X11 implementation, Asahi makes progress with Apple M3, NetBSD userland ported, FreeBSD improves web-based system management |
| • Issue 1160 (2026-02-16): Noid and AgarimOS, command line tips, KDE Linux introduces delta updates, Redox OS hits development milestone, Linux Mint develops a desktop-neutral account manager, sudo developer seeks sponsorship |
| • Issue 1159 (2026-02-09): Sharing files on a network, isolating processes on Linux, LFS to focus on systemd, openSUSE polishes atomic updates, NetBSD not likely to adopt Rust code, COSMIC roadmap |
| • Issue 1158 (2026-02-02): Manjaro 26.0, fastest filesystem, postmarketOS progress report, Xfce begins developing its own Wayland window manager, Bazzite founder interviewed |
| • Issue 1157 (2026-01-26): Setting up a home server, what happened to convergence, malicious software entering the Snap store, postmarketOS automates hardware tests, KDE's login manager works with systemd only |
| • Issue 1156 (2026-01-19): Chimera Linux's new installer, using the DistroWatch Torrent Corner, new package tools for Arch, Haiku improves EFI support, Redcore streamlines branches, Synex introduces install-time ZFS options |
| • Issue 1155 (2026-01-12): MenuetOS, CDE on Sparky, iDeal OS 2025.12.07, recommended flavour of BSD, Debian seeks new Data Protection Team, Ubuntu 25.04 nears its end of life, Google limits Android source code releases, Fedora plans to replace SDDM, Budgie migrates to Wayland |
| • Issue 1154 (2026-01-05): postmarketOS 25.06/25.12, switching to Linux and educational resources, FreeBSD improving laptop support, Unix v4 available for download, new X11 server in development, CachyOS team plans server edtion |
| • Issue 1153 (2025-12-22): Best projects of 2025, is software ever truly finished?, Firefox to adopt AI components, Asahi works on improving the install experience, Mageia presents plans for version 10 |
| • Issue 1152 (2025-12-15): OpenBSD 7.8, filtering websites, Jolla working on a Linux phone, Germany saves money with Linux, Ubuntu to package AMD tools, Fedora demonstrates AI troubleshooting, Haiku packages Go language |
| • Issue 1151 (2025-12-08): FreeBSD 15.0, fun command line tricks, Canonical presents plans for Ubutnu 26.04, SparkyLinux updates CDE packages, Redox OS gets modesetting driver |
| • Issue 1150 (2025-12-01): Gnoppix 25_10, exploring if distributions matter, openSUSE updates tumbleweed's boot loader, Fedora plans better handling of broken packages, Plasma to become Wayland-only, FreeBSD publishes status report |
| • Issue 1149 (2025-11-24): MX Linux 25, why are video drivers special, systemd experiments with musl, Debian Libre Live publishes new media, Xubuntu reviews website hack |
| • Issue 1148 (2025-11-17): Zorin OS 18, deleting a file with an unusual name, NetBSD experiments with sandboxing, postmarketOS unifies its documentation, OpenBSD refines upgrades, Canonical offers 15 years of support for Ubuntu |
| • Issue 1147 (2025-11-10): Fedora 43, the size and stability of the Linux kernel, Debian introducing Rust to APT, Redox ports web engine, Kubuntu website off-line, Mint creates new troubleshooting tools, FreeBSD improves reproducible builds, Flatpak development resumes |
| • Issue 1146 (2025-11-03): StartOS 0.4.0, testing piped commands, Ubuntu Unity seeks help, Canonical offers Ubuntu credentials, Red Hat partners with NVIDIA, SUSE to bundle AI agent with SLE 16 |
| • Issue 1145 (2025-10-27): Linux Mint 7 "LMDE", advice for new Linux users, AlmaLinux to offer Btrfs, KDE launches Plasma 6.5, Fedora accepts contributions written by AI, Ubuntu 25.10 fails to install automatic updates |
| • Issue 1144 (2025-10-20): Kubuntu 25.10, creating and restoring encrypted backups, Fedora team debates AI, FSF plans free software for phones, ReactOS addresses newer drivers, Xubuntu reacts to website attack |
| • Issue 1143 (2025-10-13): openSUSE 16.0 Leap, safest source for new applications, Redox introduces performance improvements, TrueNAS Connect available for testing, Flatpaks do not work on Ubuntu 25.10, Kamarada plans to switch its base, Solus enters new epoch, Frugalware discontinued |
| • Issue 1142 (2025-10-06): Linux Kamarada 15.6, managing ZIP files with SQLite, F-Droid warns of impact of Android lockdown, Alpine moves ahead with merged /usr, Cinnamon gets a redesigned application menu |
| • Issue 1141 (2025-09-29): KDE Linux and GNOME OS, finding mobile flavours of Linux, Murena to offer phones with kill switches, Redox OS running on a smartphone, Artix drops GNOME |
| • Issue 1140 (2025-09-22): NetBSD 10.1, avoiding AI services, AlmaLinux enables CRB repository, Haiku improves disk access performance, Mageia addresses service outage, GNOME 49 released, Linux introduces multikernel support |
| • Issue 1139 (2025-09-15): EasyOS 7.0, Linux and central authority, FreeBSD running Plasma 6 on Wayland, GNOME restores X11 support temporarily, openSUSE dropping BCacheFS in new kernels |
| • Issue 1138 (2025-09-08): Shebang 25.8, LibreELEC 12.2.0, Debian GNU/Hurd 2025, the importance of software updates, AerynOS introduces package sets, postmarketOS encourages patching upstream, openSUSE extends Leap support, Debian refreshes Trixie media |
| • Issue 1137 (2025-09-01): Tribblix 0m37, malware scanners flagging Linux ISO files, KDE introduces first-run setup wizard, CalyxOS plans update prior to infrastructure overhaul, FreeBSD publishes status report |
| • Issue 1136 (2025-08-25): CalyxOS 6.8.20, distros for running containers, Arch Linux website under attack,illumos Cafe launched, CachyOS creates web dashboard for repositories |
| • Issue 1135 (2025-08-18): Debian 13, Proton, WINE, Wayland, and Wayback, Debian GNU/Hurd 2025, KDE gets advanced Liquid Glass, Haiku improves authentication tools |
| • Issue 1134 (2025-08-11): Rhino Linux 2025.3, thoughts on malware in the AUR, Fedora brings hammered websites back on-line, NetBSD reveals features for version 11, Ubuntu swaps some command line tools for 25.10, AlmaLinux improves NVIDIA support |
| • Issue 1133 (2025-08-04): Expirion Linux 6.0, running Plasma on Linux Mint, finding distros which support X11, Debian addresses 22 year old bug, FreeBSD discusses potential issues with pkgbase, CDE ported to OpenBSD, Btrfs corruption bug hitting Fedora users, more malware found in Arch User Repository |
| • Issue 1132 (2025-07-28): deepin 25, wars in the open source community, proposal to have Fedora enable Flathub repository, FreeBSD plans desktop install option, Wayback gets its first release |
| • Issue 1131 (2025-07-21): HeliumOS 10.0, settling on one distro, Mint plans new releases, Arch discovers malware in AUR, Plasma Bigscreen returns, Clear Linux discontinued |
| • Issue 1130 (2025-07-14): openSUSE MicroOS and RefreshOS, sharing aliases between computers, Bazzite makes Bazaar its default Flatpak store, Alpine plans Wayback release, Wayland and X11 benchmarked, Red Hat offers additional developer licenses, openSUSE seeks feedback from ARM users, Ubuntu 24.10 reaches the end of its life |
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