 DistroWatch Weekly |
| DistroWatch Weekly, Issue 381, 22 November 2010 |
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Welcome to this year's 47th issue of DistroWatch Weekly! OpenBSD isn't the easiest operating system to install, maintain, administer, and -- review. Jesse Smith tries the latest version in a virtual machine as well as on two computers, only to find various compatibility and hardware issues during installation. Nevertheless, once installed and configured, OpenBSD is an operating system like any other, with the added bonus of increased security through code reviews and restricted default settings. Read the full review to learn more about the recently-released version 4.8 of the most security-conscious BSD system. In the news section, the Debian project asks users to upgrade and file last-minute bug reports before the upcoming release of "Squeeze", PCLinuxOS hints that a 64-bit edition of the popular desktop distribution is in preparation, and Mandriva looks to abandon the unmaintained RPM 4.x series and replace it with RPM 5.x for better package management. Finally, six new distributions were submitted to DistroWatch last week, including the Ubuntu-based Bodhi Linux featuring the Enlightenment window manager, a Gentoo-based Liberté Linux focusing on security, and two Russian distributions - one based on Mandriva Linux while the other is a Fedora spin. Happy reading!
Content:
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| Feature Story (by Jesse Smith) |
Raiders of the lost OpenBSD
 A few people asked if I would do a review of the latest release of OpenBSD (version 4.8) and it is with some reluctance that I approached the task. It's not that I have anything against OpenBSD or the developers behind the project, it's the nature of the review. Most of my distro reviews are like visiting a museum and looking at all the interesting things on display. On the virtual shelves are package managers, configuration tools and shiny new desktop environments. Tackling a review of OpenBSD is more akin to a digital Indiana Jones adventure. One enters the deep jungles of the command line, explores the ruins of text-based installers and digs up cryptic package names. In short, it's more work and less sightseeing.
Before we get into the actual running of OpenBSD, I think it's important to explore the mindset of the developers and the community surrounding it. Taking a look at the project's website shows us a lot of clues. There's the simple layout of the site and the links are generally developer oriented, pointing to change logs, patches and talks about cryptography. It's also telling to note there's no link to a user forum, instead we find a bug tracker and mailing lists -- mailing lists where people are asked to use text (not HTML) and format their lines to be 72 characters in length or less. There are manual pages, most of which expect that the reader has some experience with the UNIX family of operating systems and probably some time with the BSDs. But enough looking around, let's get down to business.
Following the announcement of the new 4.8 release took me to a page with a list of international mirrors, which passed me off to a download server. There I dug down through the directory levels, selecting my desired release version and architecture. This brought me to a folder with some packages, a few floppy images and some ISO images. Fortunately for those unfamiliar with OpenBSD there is a manual page provided in this folder so people know which file to grab. I downloaded the installation CD image, which weighs in at a light 212 MB. It had been awhile since I last installed OpenBSD and so I decided to begin with a test run in a virtual machine. I fired up VirtualBox and booted from the install image. The system starts off by displaying a prompt which reads "boot>" and, after waiting a few seconds, continues with loading the system. This being an installation disc, the installer kicks off right after the boot process. I think it's worth noting that the OpenBSD installer works entirely from the console. There are no menus or Next/Back buttons, it's all done with text prompts and typing out responses. The good news, for newcomers, is the prompts almost always come with a default, so just pressing Enter will usually be the correct response if you're uncertain.
OpenBSD 4.8 - the desktop
(full image size: 15kB, resolution 1280x1024 pixels)
At first the installer asks if we would like to perform a fresh install or upgrade an existing install. We're then asked to select a keyboard layout, enter a hostname and configure our network connection. (Again, pressing Enter through these will generally work for most people.) We're then told to set a root password and asked if we would like to have secure shell and network time services enabled. We're then asked if we would like to have an X Window environment installed and we're given the option of creating a new user account. Assuming we do create a regular user account, the installer offers to disable remote root logins, which I think is a good feature. We're then asked to select our time zone and partition the disk. This is where I ran into my first problem. After telling the installer to take over the entire virtual disk, I was given a segfault message and told that my new partition couldn't be mounted. I rebooted and went through the installer again, taking all the defaults and made it past partitioning and had arrived at package selection when I received more segfault messages and was told that the package formats were incorrect.
After confirming that my install image checksum matched the one provided by the OpenBSD project, I did some poking around on forums and found that there are known issues with OpenBSD and VirtualBox. Apparently VirtualBox doesn't act enough like real hardware for OpenBSD's taste and (unofficially at least) Oracle is uninterested in fixing the issues due to lack of demand.
My next step was to try the install on my HP laptop (dual-core 2 GHz CPU, 3 GB of RAM, Intel video card) and things got off to a good start. The installation went smoothly up to, and including, selecting which packages I wanted to install. The files copied over and I was prompted to reboot the machine. This I did and was instantly given a text screen which told me that my hardware was being probed and the system came to a halt. After confirming that my disc had burned cleanly and running through the install again, I once more found that my laptop would hang within seconds of powering up.
A little discouraged, but determined to see this review through, I turned to my desktop machine (2.5 GHz CPU, 2 GB of RAM, NVIDIA video card) and ran through the installer once more. Again, on physical hardware, the install went smoothly and at this point I was feeling grateful that the OpenBSD install can be completed in ten minutes. Upon rebooting the system started up and, about one minute later, I arrived at a graphical login screen. I logged in with my regular user account to find a mostly-empty desktop. The background is a fuzzy grey and we're given a terminal and a virtual desktop map. Clicking on an unoccupied area of the desktop brings up a menu which allows us to launch a few applications or logout. Available programs include a calculator, process monitor (aka the top command) and a screen magnifier. As you might expect, the system doesn't require much memory, generally using less than 100 MB including cache.
OpenBSD 4.8 - the accessibility option
(full image size: 14kB, resolution 800x600 pixels)
A fresh install provides a fairly sparse environment, populated mostly by standard UNIX command-line tools, the GNU Compiler Collection (GCC) and a handful of text-based games. To retrieve more software, we'll have to turn to the package manager. As with most aspects of OpenBSD, package management is a more hands-on experience than it is with Linux distributions or OpenBSD's cousin, FreeBSD. As with other BSDs, the OpenBSD system includes a kernel and basic userland programs together. They make up a platform upon which we can add third-party ports and packages. To install binary packages first we have to tell the package tool where we can locate new packages. It may seem odd for people coming from Linux that we have to set an environment variable to tell the package manager were the repository is; however, it's something we have to do just once and the process is outlined in the Frequently Asked Questions. After we tell the package tool where our repository is, we can use the command line tool, pkg_add, to download, install and upgrade new software.
For people who like to compile their software, OpenBSD has a ports collection. Again, the ports tree needs to be downloaded and installed manually and, again, the process is laid out in the project's documentation. Once the ports tree is in place it's fairly simple to locate a piece of software we want to install and kick off the build process. I installed a handful programs via the packages repository and a few through ports and found that all of them installed and worked without any problems. It's a theme I saw repeated often during my time with OpenBSD: the initial configuration may look daunting, but once it's in place, things run smoothly.
As I mentioned before, OpenBSD separates the base system from third-party packages. While packages can be easily updated using the pkg_add command, keeping the base system up to date is a bit more complicated. The project doesn't release binary updates, which means users need to apply patches to the source code. Users are required to get a copy of the code, manually apply patches, compile and re-install components. It's a more involved process than we find on most other operating systems, but the good news is that OpenBSD has very few patches for each release -- typically in the range of a dozen. The developers maintain mailing lists to let users know when patches are available.
OpenBSD 4.8 - testing the compiler
(full image size: 13kB, resolution 800x600 pixels)
On the topic of patches, the big drawing factor with OpenBSD is their proactive approach to security. The project has a strong focus on security and stability with their website proudly stating, "Only two remote holes in the default install, in a heck of a long time!" An impressive claim and the operating system lives up to it. Much of this is due to continuous code reviews, but part of being secure is having a small attack area and that means not having vulnerable programs installed and running on the system. There are very few network services running by default: secure shell (if it's enabled during install), Sendmail and a time daemon. Immediately after an install OpenBSD is very bare by modern standards which means that the user will be required to install anything they want to use. The project gives us a solid foundation on which to build and then leaves the user to build their own house the way they see fit, if they can. All projects find a balance between out-of-the-box functionality and security and the OpenBSD team strongly favours security.
I've already mentioned hardware a little in this review and I have just one more thing to add on the subject. As of the time of writing I have been unable to get sound working on my system. The graphical interface runs without any issues on my desktop machine, though the resolution is low. The network card is recognized and automatically connects on start-up so the only missing piece of the puzzle is sound.
When looking at OpenBSD and evaluating it, I think it's important to keep in mind what the project's goals are. This isn't a project trying to make a great desktop OS (though I have talked with people who happily use OpenBSD on their desktops) and it's not making the most powerful server system. The OpenBSD team is interested in producing correct, secure code and they do that. Fortunately their work boils over into other areas of the open source world -- OpenSSH being an excellent example. The operating system is small and simple, resulting in low-resource requirements and a responsive environment. I don't think that many people would accuse OpenBSD of being intuitive, but the community does have sound documentation and the project's processes are very open. These characteristics make OpenBSD not only a good firewall or server, but also a great teaching tool. If you're the sort of person who enjoys building their system from the ground up, OpenBSD is a suitable place to begin. My only complaint while trying out the new release was in regards to hardware. I wasn't able to get OpenBSD running in VirtualBox, nor on my laptop and, so far, I don't have sound on my desktop. Otherwise it was a good adventure and I applaud the developers for producing another solid release.
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| Miscellaneous News (by Ladislav Bodnar) |
Debian "Squeeze" in last-minute testing, PCLinuxOS to get 64-bit edition, Mandriva switches to RPM 5.x
 With the fast approaching end of the current year, there isn't much time left for the Debian GNU/Linux developers to release "Squeeze", the project's upcoming new stable version -- that's assuming that it does release before the end of the year, as indicated in some of the recent release updates. Chances are good though, as one can sense increased urgency with each new release update. The latest one comes from Neil McGovern who urges the "brave" to upgrade, to test the system installer, and to report bugs: "It's time for another release update as we move, like a glacier, inevitably and unstoppably towards the release. Help is needed in this area. On one hand, since Squeeze is almost in its final form, it is a good time for the brave to upgrade their systems, and inform of any troubles by filing a bug against the upgrade-reports package. If you have new systems to install, testing of the Debian Installer would be most welcome. On the other hand, we also need help in processing those bug reports, particularly those filed against upgrade-reports. If you think you could help with this, please do!"
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 Good news for those PCLinuxOS users who have been crying for a 64-bit edition of the popular desktop distribution. The optimism is based on a brief message posted by the project's lead developer. OStatic reports: "Bill 'Texstar' Reynolds, founder and lead developer of PCLinuxOS, said in a blog post today that a new 64-bit version is in the works. Details are sketchy at present, but users have been asking for this for a long time. Reynolds said that he has finished building the first 1,000 packages. First he "upgraded GCC to 4.5.1, glibc 2.12.1, X.Org 1.9.x then started rebuilding the libraries.' Once those are complete he'll begin on the desktop packages. Unfortunately, there is no estimated time for release because there are still about 12,600 more packages to go before making ISO images and testing. This comes on the heels of several quarterly updates for the various 32-bit versions of the distribution released around the period from the last week of October to first week in November."
PCLinuxOS 2010.10 - released last month, though never officially announced
(full image size: 926kB, resolution 1280x1024 pixels)
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 A quick update on Mandriva Linux, coming from a blog post by Per Øyvind Karlsen. The topics mentioned include, new "Cooker" manager, increased activity in Mandriva's development branch, and the upcoming switch to RPM 5.x: "The most interesting and controversial thing is taking over RPM maintenance and now working on preparing the final bits and pieces in place for getting some of the biggest and neatest changes with regards to RPM in Mandriva since probably forever. A lot of new things will now come now that we're not only maintaining obsolete versions of RPM with no interaction and participation in upstream, but we actually help drive it and will be able to satisfy more user requests, distro interest, credibility and more. In the end, I think we will end up being able to be the awesome alternative in the forked world. I expect to upload a new release of RPM 5.x to main/testing by tomorrow, hopefully ironing out the last remaining rpmdb conversion issues, then porting the few remaining related packages (perl-URPM has already been rewritten to pure RPM 5.x native API, with many improvements."
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| Questions and Answers (by Jesse Smith) |
Getting a Linux tablet PC
Upgrading-from-the-stone-kind asks: Where can I get a Linux tablet, like an iPad but with Linux installed?
DistroWatch answers: After Apple released their iPad, the tablet market really exploded with cheap mobile devices, many of them boasting Linux under the hood and a large collection of them never materializing beyond a rumour. I'm probably not the best person to recommend any one device as I haven't jumped onto the tablet trend yet -- I like my computers to have large screens and keyboards. So I'm hoping that folks who have actually purchased a Linux-based tablet will chime in below.
That being said, I do know some people who have tried/reviewed tablets running Linux and I'll pass along a few of those. First off, I think it's worth mentioning that in some ways the tablet market feels a lot like the dot-com bubble in that there are a lot of good-looking options on the table, but it's not easy to tell which company will deliver and which will disappear overnight. It's worth doing some background checking on a company before purchasing from them.
 - I find that people keep singing the praise of Nokia's N900. Technically it's more of a smart phone than a full-sized tablet, but I haven't heard an ill word spoken by anyone who has purchased one of these devices.
- The RealEase company has a device called the Shogo, which looks like it could be a good Linux-based tablet. The device features a 10-inch screen and has a price tag of US$500.
- Potential buyers may also be interested in the WeTab (apparently the name "WePad" was just a little too risky). The WeTab has an 11.6-inch screen, runs Linux in the background and costs about €449.
Something to keep in mind when shopping around for a tablet running Linux is that a lot of places don't like to say the word "Linux" out loud. Instead they usually talk about running Android or "an open platform". Unfortunately a lot of consumers either aren't familiar with the term "Linux" or, if they are, equate it with geeky, hard-to-learn technology. The Android brand doesn't have that baggage so that's the label companies like to use. Doing a Google search for "Linux tablets" isn't likely to be as helpful as a search for "Android tablets".
Lastly, before purchasing a device, I recommend visiting the Android Tablet Forum. It's a place for users and enthusiasts to talk about, review and exchange tips regarding their Android Tablets. It makes for a good introduction into what is available on the market.
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| Released Last Week |
Untangle Gateway 8.0
Dirk Morris has announced the release of Untangle Gateway 8.0, a Debian-based network gateway with pluggable modules for network applications: "The 8.0 is now available! It contains a new Bandwidth Control application and many platform enhancements. Changelog: added ability to import/export rules and settings in tables; new 'Session Viewer' to view sessions currently being scanned; sessions now shown as stat at top of rack; DNS is now bypassed by default; new kernel for additional features required for Bandwidth Control and QoS; new ExtJS toolkit for UI; new QoS implementation for more functionality and better usability; added the Bandwidth Control application for bandwidth and traffic shaping; added Bandwidth Monitor for real-time session viewing; Bandwidth Control reports for viewing bandwidth usage on the network...." See the release announcement and changelog for a complete list of changes and new features.
Unity Linux 2010_02 "Unite17"
The growing trend of developing Linux distribution featuring the latest Enlightenment 17 continues with the release of Unity Linux 2010_02 "Unite17": "We have another Unite17! A few sentences of the changes: brand-new exterior and interior, because I took the liberty of using the testing repositories. E17 at least not alpha, but beta - of course, there are still some annoying bugs, such as that if you want to start an application, which would need administrator rights, some incomprehensible error message appears; transparency works with minimum of memory while in use; the minimum system requirements at least PIII 900 MHz processor and at least 384 MB of RAM, OpenGL compatible graphics card; the CD image size is 2.5 GB, so it's not small; new Linux kernel (2.6.35.7), updated applications, and two new browser add-ons - Chrome TV plugin, which allows all the available Internet TV broadcast monitored, and an open-source YouTube video downloading add-on." Here is the full release announcement with a screenshot.
NetBSD 5.1
Soren Jacobsen has announced the release of NetBSD 5.1: "The NetBSD Project is pleased to announce that version 5.1 of the NetBSD operating system is now available. NetBSD 5.1 is the first feature update of the NetBSD 5.0 release branch. It represents a selected subset of fixes deemed critical for security or stability reasons, as well as new features and enhancements. Please note that all fixes in security/critical updates are cumulative, so the latest update contains all such fixes since the corresponding minor release. Some highlights include: RAIDframe parity maps, which greatly improve parity rewrite times after unclean shutdown; X.Org updates; support for many more network devices; Xen PAE dom0 support; Xen PCI pass-through support." See the release announcement and release notes for a complete list of changes.
Jibbed 5.1
Zafer Aydogan has announced the release of Jibbed 5.1, a NetBSD-based live CD featuring automatic hardware detection and the Xfce desktop: "And again it's NetBSD time. A new version of the Jibbed live CD has finally arrived. It is freshly built from the NetBSD 5.1 sources, which is the first feature update of the NetBSD 5.0 branch. It includes many bug fixes and contains the latest packages from pkgsrc. As always, it uses X.Org from base and the Xfce desktop. Jibbed is a bootable live CD based on the NetBSD operating system that works directly from a CD without need for a hard drive. Automatic hardware detection provides support for a wide variety of graphics cards, sound cards, network interfaces, and USB devices. This live CD showcases a complete NetBSD environment, including compiler sets, and provides features like tmpfs to simulate read-write access on read-only media." Here is the brief release announcement.
Jibbed 5.1 - a NetBSD-based live CD with the Xfce desktop
(full image size: 110kB, resolution 1280x1024 pixels)
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Development, unannounced and minor bug-fix 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 waiting list
- Bodhi Linux. Bohdi Linux is a lightweight, Ubuntu-based distribution featuring the Enlightenment 17 window manager.
- CoreBiz. CoreBiz is an Ubuntu-based distribution developed by Linux Information Systems AG in Munich, Germany. It is aimed at small and middle-sized companies which want to invest in open-source operating environments, thus completely replacing any proprietary IT infrastructure. The project's website is in German.
- Liberté Linux. Liberté Linux is a secure, reliable, lightweight and easy-to-use Gentoo-based live USB Linux distribution intended as a communication aid in hostile environments. Liberté installs as a regular directory on a USB/SD key, and after a single-click setup, boots on any desktop computer or laptop.
- Lin2Go. Lin2Go is a minimalist, Slackware-based Linux distribution.
- MagOS Linux. MagOS Linux is a Russian desktop distribution based on Mandriva Linux. The project's website is in Russian.
- RFRemix Linux. RFRemix Linux is a Fedora remix adapted to Russian-speaking users and complying with the legislation of the Russian Federation. RFRemix includes free and proprietary software and a more configurable interface. RFRemix is 100% compatible with Fedora, using RPMFusion and its own repositories. The project's website is in Russian.
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DistroWatch database summary
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This concludes this week's issue of DistroWatch Weekly. The next instalment will be published on Monday, 29 November 2010.
Jesse Smith and Ladislav Bodnar
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| Archives |
| • Issue 1099 (2024-12-02): AnduinOS 1.0.1, measuring RAM usage, SUSE continues rebranding efforts, UBports prepares for next major version, Murena offering non-NFC phone |
| • Issue 1098 (2024-11-25): Linux Lite 7.2, backing up specific folders, Murena and Fairphone partner in fair trade deal, Arch installer gets new text interface, Ubuntu security tool patched |
| • Issue 1097 (2024-11-18): Chimera Linux vs Chimera OS, choosing between AlmaLinux and Debian, Fedora elevates KDE spin to an edition, Fedora previews new installer, KDE testing its own distro, Qubes-style isolation coming to FreeBSD |
| • Issue 1096 (2024-11-11): Bazzite 40, Playtron OS Alpha 1, Tucana Linux 3.1, detecting Screen sessions, Redox imports COSMIC software centre, FreeBSD booting on the PinePhone Pro, LXQt supports Wayland window managers |
| • Issue 1095 (2024-11-04): Fedora 41 Kinoite, transferring applications between computers, openSUSE Tumbleweed receives multiple upgrades, Ubuntu testing compiler optimizations, Mint partners with Framework |
| • Issue 1094 (2024-10-28): DebLight OS 1, backing up crontab, AlmaLinux introduces Litten branch, openSUSE unveils refreshed look, Ubuntu turns 20
| | • Issue 1093 (2024-10-21): Kubuntu 24.10, atomic vs immutable distributions, Debian upgrading Perl packages, UBports adding VoLTE support, Android to gain native GNU/Linux application support |
| • Issue 1092 (2024-10-14): FunOS 24.04.1, a home directory inside a file, work starts of openSUSE Leap 16.0, improvements in Haiku, KDE neon upgrades its base |
| • Issue 1091 (2024-10-07): Redox OS 0.9.0, Unified package management vs universal package formats, Redox begins RISC-V port, Mint polishes interface, Qubes certifies new laptop |
| • Issue 1090 (2024-09-30): Rhino Linux 2024.2, commercial distros with alternative desktops, Valve seeks to improve Wayland performance, HardenedBSD parterns with Protectli, Tails merges with Tor Project, Quantum Leap partners with the FreeBSD Foundation |
| • Issue 1089 (2024-09-23): Expirion 6.0, openKylin 2.0, managing configuration files, the future of Linux development, fixing bugs in Haiku, Slackware packages dracut |
| • Issue 1088 (2024-09-16): PorteuX 1.6, migrating from Windows 10 to which Linux distro, making NetBSD immutable, AlmaLinux offers hardware certification, Mint updates old APT tools |
| • Issue 1087 (2024-09-09): COSMIC desktop, running cron jobs at variable times, UBports highlights new apps, HardenedBSD offers work around for FreeBSD change, Debian considers how to cull old packages, systemd ported to musl |
| • Issue 1086 (2024-09-02): Vanilla OS 2, command line tips for simple tasks, FreeBSD receives investment from STF, openSUSE Tumbleweed update can break network connections, Debian refreshes media |
| • Issue 1085 (2024-08-26): Nobara 40, OpenMandriva 24.07 "ROME", distros which include source code, FreeBSD publishes quarterly report, Microsoft updates breaks Linux in dual-boot environments |
| • Issue 1084 (2024-08-19): Liya 2.0, dual boot with encryption, Haiku introduces performance improvements, Gentoo dropping IA-64, Redcore merges major upgrade |
| • Issue 1083 (2024-08-12): TrueNAS 24.04.2 "SCALE", Linux distros for smartphones, Redox OS introduces web server, PipeWire exposes battery drain on Linux, Canonical updates kernel version policy |
| • Issue 1082 (2024-08-05): Linux Mint 22, taking snapshots of UFS on FreeBSD, openSUSE updates Tumbleweed and Aeon, Debian creates Tiny QA Tasks, Manjaro testing immutable images |
| • Issue 1081 (2024-07-29): SysLinuxOS 12.4, OpenBSD gain hardware acceleration, Slackware changes kernel naming, Mint publishes upgrade instructions |
| • Issue 1080 (2024-07-22): Running GNU/Linux on Android with Andronix, protecting network services, Solus dropping AppArmor and Snap, openSUSE Aeon Desktop gaining full disk encryption, SUSE asks openSUSE to change its branding |
| • Issue 1079 (2024-07-15): Ubuntu Core 24, hiding files on Linux, Fedora dropping X11 packages on Workstation, Red Hat phasing out GRUB, new OpenSSH vulnerability, FreeBSD speeds up release cycle, UBports testing new first-run wizard |
| • Issue 1078 (2024-07-08): Changing init software, server machines running desktop environments, OpenSSH vulnerability patched, Peppermint launches new edition, HardenedBSD updates ports |
| • Issue 1077 (2024-07-01): The Unity and Lomiri interfaces, different distros for different tasks, Ubuntu plans to run Wayland on NVIDIA cards, openSUSE updates Leap Micro, Debian releases refreshed media, UBports gaining contact synchronisation, FreeDOS celebrates its 30th anniversary |
| • Issue 1076 (2024-06-24): openSUSE 15.6, what makes Linux unique, SUSE Liberty Linux to support CentOS Linux 7, SLE receives 19 years of support, openSUSE testing Leap Micro edition |
| • Issue 1075 (2024-06-17): Redox OS, X11 and Wayland on the BSDs, AlmaLinux releases Pi build, Canonical announces RISC-V laptop with Ubuntu, key changes in systemd |
| • Issue 1074 (2024-06-10): Endless OS 6.0.0, distros with init diversity, Mint to filter unverified Flatpaks, Debian adds systemd-boot options, Redox adopts COSMIC desktop, OpenSSH gains new security features |
| • Issue 1073 (2024-06-03): LXQt 2.0.0, an overview of Linux desktop environments, Canonical partners with Milk-V, openSUSE introduces new features in Aeon Desktop, Fedora mirrors see rise in traffic, Wayland adds OpenBSD support |
| • Issue 1072 (2024-05-27): Manjaro 24.0, comparing init software, OpenBSD ports Plasma 6, Arch community debates mirror requirements, ThinOS to upgrade its FreeBSD core |
| • Issue 1071 (2024-05-20): Archcraft 2024.04.06, common command line mistakes, ReactOS imports WINE improvements, Haiku makes adjusting themes easier, NetBSD takes a stand against code generated by chatbots |
| • Issue 1070 (2024-05-13): Damn Small Linux 2024, hiding kernel messages during boot, Red Hat offers AI edition, new web browser for UBports, Fedora Asahi Remix 40 released, Qubes extends support for version 4.1 |
| • Issue 1069 (2024-05-06): Ubuntu 24.04, installing packages in alternative locations, systemd creates sudo alternative, Mint encourages XApps collaboration, FreeBSD publishes quarterly update |
| • Issue 1068 (2024-04-29): Fedora 40, transforming one distro into another, Debian elects new Project Leader, Red Hat extends support cycle, Emmabuntus adds accessibility features, Canonical's new security features |
| • Issue 1067 (2024-04-22): LocalSend for transferring files, detecting supported CPU architecure levels, new visual design for APT, Fedora and openSUSE working on reproducible builds, LXQt released, AlmaLinux re-adds hardware support |
| • Issue 1066 (2024-04-15): Fun projects to do with the Raspberry Pi and PinePhone, installing new software on fixed-release distributions, improving GNOME Terminal performance, Mint testing new repository mirrors, Gentoo becomes a Software In the Public Interest project |
| • Issue 1065 (2024-04-08): Dr.Parted Live 24.03, answering questions about the xz exploit, Linux Mint to ship HWE kernel, AlmaLinux patches flaw ahead of upstream Red Hat, Calculate changes release model |
| • Issue 1064 (2024-04-01): NixOS 23.11, the status of Hurd, liblzma compromised upstream, FreeBSD Foundation focuses on improving wireless networking, Ubuntu Pro offers 12 years of support |
| • Issue 1063 (2024-03-25): Redcore Linux 2401, how slowly can a rolling release update, Debian starts new Project Leader election, Red Hat creating new NVIDIA driver, Snap store hit with more malware |
| • Issue 1062 (2024-03-18): KDE neon 20240304, changing file permissions, Canonical turns 20, Pop!_OS creates new software centre, openSUSE packages Plasma 6 |
| • Issue 1061 (2024-03-11): Using a PinePhone as a workstation, restarting background services on a schedule, NixBSD ports Nix to FreeBSD, Fedora packaging COSMIC, postmarketOS to adopt systemd, Linux Mint replacing HexChat |
| • Issue 1060 (2024-03-04): AV Linux MX-23.1, bootstrapping a network connection, key OpenBSD features, Qubes certifies new hardware, LXQt and Plasma migrate to Qt 6 |
| • Issue 1059 (2024-02-26): Warp Terminal, navigating manual pages, malware found in the Snap store, Red Hat considering CPU requirement update, UBports organizes ongoing work |
| • Issue 1058 (2024-02-19): Drauger OS 7.6, how much disk space to allocate, System76 prepares to launch COSMIC desktop, UBports changes its version scheme, TrueNAS to offer faster deduplication |
| • Issue 1057 (2024-02-12): Adelie Linux 1.0 Beta, rolling release vs fixed for a smoother experience, Debian working on 2038 bug, elementary OS to split applications from base system updates, Fedora announces Atomic Desktops |
| • Issue 1056 (2024-02-05): wattOS R13, the various write speeds of ISO writing tools, DSL returns, Mint faces Wayland challenges, HardenedBSD blocks foreign USB devices, Gentoo publishes new repository, Linux distros patch glibc flaw |
| • Issue 1055 (2024-01-29): CNIX OS 231204, distributions patching packages the most, Gentoo team presents ongoing work, UBports introduces connectivity and battery improvements, interview with Haiku developer |
| • Issue 1054 (2024-01-22): Solus 4.5, comparing dd and cp when writing ISO files, openSUSE plans new major Leap version, XeroLinux shutting down, HardenedBSD changes its build schedule |
| • Issue 1053 (2024-01-15): Linux AI voice assistants, some distributions running hotter than others, UBports talks about coming changes, Qubes certifies StarBook laptops, Asahi Linux improves energy savings |
| • Issue 1052 (2024-01-08): OpenMandriva Lx 5.0, keeping shell commands running when theterminal closes, Mint upgrades Edge kernel, Vanilla OS plans big changes, Canonical working to make Snap more cross-platform |
| • Issue 1051 (2024-01-01): Favourite distros of 2023, reloading shell settings, Asahi Linux releases Fedora remix, Gentoo offers binary packages, openSUSE provides full disk encryption |
| • Issue 1050 (2023-12-18): rlxos 2023.11, renaming files and opening terminal windows in specific directories, TrueNAS publishes ZFS fixes, Debian publishes delayed install media, Haiku polishes desktop experience |
| • Issue 1049 (2023-12-11): Lernstick 12, alternatives to WINE, openSUSE updates its branding, Mint unveils new features, Lubuntu team plans for 24.04 |
| • Issue 1048 (2023-12-04): openSUSE MicroOS, the transition from X11 to Wayland, Red Hat phasing out X11 packages, UBports making mobile development easier |
| • Issue 1047 (2023-11-27): GhostBSD 23.10.1, Why Linux uses swap when memory is free, Ubuntu Budgie may benefit from Wayland work in Xfce, early issues with FreeBSD 14.0 |
| • Issue 1046 (2023-11-20): Slackel 7.7 "Openbox", restricting CPU usage, Haiku improves font handling and software centre performance, Canonical launches MicroCloud |
| • Issue 1045 (2023-11-13): Fedora 39, how to trust software packages, ReactOS booting with UEFI, elementary OS plans to default to Wayland, Mir gaining ability to split work across video cards |
| • Full list of all issues |
| Star Labs |
Star Labs - Laptops built for Linux.
View our range including the highly anticipated StarFighter. Available with coreboot open-source firmware and a choice of Ubuntu, elementary, Manjaro and more. Visit Star Labs for information, to buy and get support.
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| Random Distribution | 
Hancom Linux
Hancom Linux, headquartered in Seoul, Korea, specializes in developing Linux-based applications for desktop computers and information appliances. Founded in 1999, the company employs more than 90 employees in 5 locations worldwide.
Status: Discontinued
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| TUXEDO |
TUXEDO Computers - Linux Hardware in a tailor made suite
Choose from a wide range of laptops and PCs in various sizes and shapes at TUXEDOComputers.com. Every machine comes pre-installed and ready-to-run with Linux. Full 24 months of warranty and lifetime support included!
Learn more about our full service package and all benefits from buying at TUXEDO.
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| Star Labs |
Star Labs - Laptops built for Linux.
View our range including the highly anticipated StarFighter. Available with coreboot open-source firmware and a choice of Ubuntu, elementary, Manjaro and more. Visit Star Labs for information, to buy and get support.
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