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Reader Comments • Jump to last comment |
1 • Differences in speeds (by Pumpino on 2024-12-09 01:59:21 GMT from Australia)
I switched back to Xfce after having used Cinnamon (in Manjaro, Mint and LMDE) for years. Xfce is faster when it comes to launching apps. Using Cinnamon apps like Nemo was even faster under Xfce than Cinnamon. I suspect the desktop one chooses is more significant than the distro.
2 • 1100th Issue (by Kerry on 2024-12-09 05:23:17 GMT from United States)
Congratulations team Distrowatch! Roughly or close to 22 years!
3 • Another Debian spin (by Kruger on 2024-12-09 06:30:03 GMT from Australia)
>>Huayra GNU/Linux. Huayra is an educational distribution made by the government of Argentina. The project is based on Debian and is intended to be used by students and teachers.
Great. Another useless distro that offers absolutely nothing which isn't already available in Debian Edu.
My mind boggles as to why organizations or institutions create these spins, for what purpose? Are they backdoored? Do they get some ego boost from slapping their wallpaper with their school logo on it?
Why?
4 • Why spins for orgs (by Bob Ross on 2024-12-09 07:02:41 GMT from Sweden)
@3 The reason is usually so that the spin can get funding from a larger organization without being a project too large for anyone to do. So basically if they had made something truly unique and specific it would be impossible, if they just said "Hey so Debian Edu" the government wouldn't want to fling cash at the project or it would be harder to explain.
As someone who have had to explain wtf "open source" was to a local politician and why sponsoring was so critical... trust me you wanna start strangling folks quick :D
5 • Another Debian spin (by Vukota on 2024-12-09 09:29:37 GMT from Serbia)
>> Another useless distro that offers absolutely nothing which isn't already available in Debian Edu.
I disagree on this one. Yes, "logo"/branding may be minor thing, but bigger thing is to ensure it works for the targeted group as expected. They speak in Spanish and follow certain educational program. They may need specialized applications/configurations and may customize their distribution to make it easy for teachers and students to meet their needs. What if they have their own CA? This would be an easy way to distribute this configuration even if it needs to be installed and used offline.
6 • RHEL on the desktop (by DaveT on 2024-12-09 10:35:56 GMT from United Kingdom)
YES in the olden days! 2003 to 2010 when they sacked me for backing the Finance Director in a legal case against the Chief Executive Officer. Happy Days! To keep Management happy I specified and installed Red Hat on the servers and my desktop. It was so long ago GNOME was actually quite good.
7 • @1. "I suspect the desktop one chooses is more significant than the distro.' (by James on 2024-12-09 10:58:46 GMT from United States)
I agree, and not just speed is involved. The look and how easily a desktop is customized also make a difference to me.
I use multiple OS's, but only the Mate desktop myself. Not for any particular reason, but because I just like it the best. I was gnome 2 user, hated gnome 3, want a traditional desktop, and one easily customizable. Really in all the desktops I have tried, I never notice an appreciable difference in speed. I also prefer minimal installs instead of everything including the kitchen sink installs. Otherwise I spend more time removing software I don't wan than installing software I want, need and will use.
8 • Lightweight distro (by illumos on 2024-12-09 12:26:14 GMT from Japan)
Why does Oreon project use RHEL as based, not Fedora?
Arch is a distro that is only for net memes, and it is too overrated. VOID's xbps package manager is better than pacman, and Gentoo and CRUX are better than Arch in terms of customizability. Bugs that occur in Arch do not occur in VOID, Gentoo, or CRUX.
There is also antiX, a lightweight distro with very active development. antiX is very lightweight by default and works properly on old hardware, and they call it "antiX magic". And antiX is a "hardcore systemd-less distro" that does not use elogind, let alone systemd itself. They use runit and seatd instead to provide users with a desktop. There are other distros that provide lightweight operation by default, such as Alpine (OpenRC), Puppy (sysVinit), and Salix (sysVinit). Some of these distros use elogind, but what they have in common is that they do not use systemd as an init system.
Of the distros I've mentioned so far, only Arch uses systemd. VOID and antiX use runit, Gentoo and Alpine use OpenRC, Salix and CRUX use sysVinit. I don't dislike systemd, but it's too bloated. If you want something lightweight and comfortable, why not use a distro without systemd?
9 • Bloat (by Friar Tux on 2024-12-09 13:43:36 GMT from Canada)
@8 (illumos) And then there is me... I love bloat. As most already know my OS of choice is Linux Mint/Cinnamon. I agree with @1 (Pumpino) that the DE does make a difference. MY reason for choosing Cinnamon is that it comes with Applets and Desklets. I use these a lot. I find them quite convenient. One of the reasons I don't really consider bloat an issue is that modern laptops come with a huge amount of memory. More than I'll ever use. (My laptop is loaded with music and all types of graphics, but out of 512 GB I've got 450 free.) Having said all that, I also like testing apps and programs and have narrowed down what I actually need. While I do have LibreOffice installed, I only use Cherrytree (by Giuseppe Penone) for ALL my writing needs. It does just about everything. Task manager, notes, address book, to do list, recipe book, word processor, inventory list, and much, much more. The only back draw is there is no embedded calendar though you can use it as a diary. The biggest plus, though, is that everything is contained in one fine, which is great for backup and portability. (So a lot of the so-called bloat that was offered with Mint is gone.) I use VLC for video, and Audacious for music - they work best for me. Pinta and Krita are my go-to for graphics, simple and straight forward. (Gimp and Inkscape are way too complicated for my blood.) Orage calendar sits on my desktop, permanently, as it, too, is simple and takes up very little real estate on the screen. I've pretty well stripped off all the "default" apps and programs that came with Mint. I prefer to use stuff that can be doubled up and be used in more that one situation. So, while the Connamon DE is a bit bloated, I'm actually not that over-burdened with "stuff" on my laptop.
10 • Arch vs Debian-based distro (by Tuxedoar on 2024-12-09 14:03:18 GMT from Argentina)
I don't use Arch and I've never did. Anyway, to the best of my knowledge, one of the key features of Arch is that you can compile each package you install from its source code. Thus, it gives you the possibility to do fine-tunning at compile time of whatever package you install. That way, you could apply several compile time optimizations that, if I understand correctly, could give you certain performance benefits given specific circunstances.
While in Debian (or any of its derivatives) you could, in theory, recompile each installed package, it's a much more involved process since it's not built or designed with this feature in mind. As far as I know, Debian package manager (APT) isn't optimized for such thing being a straight forward process for users (at least, for doing it for the whole system).
Am I right?
Have a nice week!. Cheers.
11 • Debian on server (by BizJohann on 2024-12-09 14:06:45 GMT from France)
For the last 18 years that I've been managing servers in Linux, I've always used the default Debian version. Debian is simple, fast, secure and a lot of documentation. So, naturally, I would prefer Debian (or Devuan) on desktop. So maybe when using some Red Hat tools (containers, etc.) in a big company, a REHL-based Linux could be preferable but Debian a so high standard that I would think twice about changing.
12 • @8 illumos, Let there be light! (by Tasio on 2024-12-09 14:19:57 GMT from Philippines)
Just what is 'light"? I have AntiX and Bodhi (Ubuntu 22.04) running on identical KVM machines. Bodhi uses 250MB of RAM and 3.1GB on disk. AntiX (base) uses 300MB RAM and 3.5GB on disk. Bodhi's desktop is Enlightenment and anitiX has JWM. Bodhi uses SystemD and antiX uses runit. antiX boots maybe 1 second faster on the VM. That's it. I'm not disparaging antiX. It's a very useful distro with many useful tools. But if I were looking for daily use I'd much rather have Bodhi and Enlightenment, which I find more useful besides being much better looking.. As it is, my oldest computer is a 10 year old laptop which will happily run Ubuntu Gnome or Kubuntu. No lightness present or desired.
"VOID's xbps package manager is better than pacman" That may be so if you say so, but pacman has never given me any grief. Neither has Apt, which I prefer and have used for about 18 years. I also like the Synaptic front-end.
"Arch is a distro that is only for net memes, and it is too overrated." That is an uncalled for diss. More people use and enjoy Arch than any of those distros you mention and admire. Also, software availability is as good or better than Debian/Ubuntu. I don't use Arch because I don't really want to do the work and rolling has more updates than I care to have, but I have tried and used for a while some excellent Arch derivatives like Endeavour, Manjaro, et al.
After many years I've settled on Ubuntu (24.04) for my daily use. I dual boot with Kubuntu 24.10 because I wanted to try Plasma 6, which I like very much. No light desktops needed or wanted..
13 • Arch and source (by Jesse on 2024-12-09 14:20:50 GMT from Canada)
@10: "10 • Arch vs Debian-based distro (by Tuxedoar on 2024-12-09 14:03:18 GMT from Argentina) I don't use Arch and I've never did. Anyway, to the best of my knowledge, one of the key features of Arch is that you can compile each package you install from its source code."
This is true of all Linux distributions, it's not specific to Arch.
"While in Debian (or any of its derivatives) you could, in theory, recompile each installed package, it's a much more involved process since it's not built or designed with this feature in mind."
This is not true. It's the same process on Fedora, Debian, Arch, openSUSE, etc.
I suspect what you were actually thinking of was Gentoo (not Arch), which is famously source-oriented. Gentoo can use binary packages, but traditionally people who run Gentoo are using its source/ports build tools.
14 • Red Hat (by penguinx86 on 2024-12-09 15:10:27 GMT from United States)
I've used Red Hat for testing and to study for certification exams. But I found Red Hat cumbersome to use. Selinux is enforced by default, which won't allow me to copy and paste text as root. This makes it difficult to perform simple admin tasks like editing the /etc/fstab file to add a UUID. Also, Red Hat wants me to login to their cloud and register my install before can run updates or install apps, usually for a fee. It may be ok in a locked down proprietary corporate environment with a big budget, but it's the opposite of what I want for my home computers. Red Hat does not "Put the fun back in computing."
15 • Poll Query (by Otis on 2024-12-09 16:25:51 GMT from United States)
"AlmaLinux OS is binary compatible with RHEL®."
So, yes.
16 • Red Hat (by David on 2024-12-09 17:04:43 GMT from United Kingdom)
My first distro was Red Hat, then Fedora, then CentOS. Five years ago I switched to PCLinuxOS, initially to escape Gnome, and I've found it a much better experience. No rummaging around for codecs, no "security" objecting to my printer, no upheavals at end-of-use.
17 • Arch faster than Ubuntu? (by uz64 on 2024-12-09 17:20:48 GMT from United States)
Linux is Linux. It's always been that way, and with hardware being as powerful and resourceful as it is and pretty much all distros taking so many resources compared to two decades ago, there's not really much difference between one distro and another. Install the GNOME desktop on Arch and honestly, in terms of resources, it probably won't be too much different than Ubuntu. Maybe just barely lower just because Arch will likely start fewer services by default, but if you stop them on Ubuntu it'll be even closer still.
But today's hardware has enough memory and processing power that it literally doesn't matter in most cases. Use what you want because you like its features and enjoy its features; not for some pointless benchmark that now means less than ever.
18 • Light Bloat (by rhtoras on 2024-12-09 17:41:18 GMT from Greece)
@8 i agree with everything you mentioned except the line saying: "i don't hate systemD" well i happen to hate systemD because not only is bloat and complicate but also vulnerable and poettering's motives are monstrous. On the other hand most people tend to like systemD because either they are used to it or they just don't know how to properly handle a distribution without it. And NO it's not only the de tha makes things easier or consumes more resources. There are so many things that tend to make our os bloat or debloat.
As for pacman i have used both arch and artix. The best pacman based distro might me Obarun and Mere Linux but Mere is not based on arch. I wish more people were involved in Mere Linux because reading for distros like Oreon and Huayra do not bring anything new in the table. sysdfree.wordpress is a nice place to learn new distros btw so is firasuke git page, Of course Distrowatch is the #1 database.
19 • Hard copies of distros (by Otis on 2024-12-09 17:48:36 GMT from United States)
https://thelinuxshop.co.uk/
Thanking you for that link, as I wonder why I never had it before.
20 • To RHEL or not to RHEL, that is the question (by Scott Dowdle on 2024-12-09 17:59:44 GMT from United States)
I use RHEL on some servers. I use AlmaLinux on some servers. I use AlmaLinux on some desktops and laptops. I use other distros too.
21 • @12 in re E and light (very much Not servers) (by JG on 2024-12-10 00:12:45 GMT from United States)
Maybe few of us look, but Austrumi runs E, looks semi-pretty, easily fits on a CD (xz) and boots to ~140 of RAM with surprisingly full-featured apps. Runs in RAM if you like. Nowhere near as pretty as Bodhi (or as friendly as AntiX control center utilities--it *is* slack-current under the hood), but quite cool once you figure out the little flag in the bottom left flips the languages of the menu bar on top. Can't think of why a similar package list might not be bolted onto a Devuan or even AntiX net (etc) base. Please don't misunderstand, I like AntiX a lot, but that Austrumi E (& FVWM) w/ gtk3 stuff is prettier, feels less-disjointed, and uses comparable or fewer resources than -full. FWIW.
22 • Oreon 10 (by Ballmer on 2024-12-09 20:26:13 GMT from Italy)
It is good that the copy does not stray too far from the original. Certainly, the GNOME Software Shop is slow. However, it is also important to consider that there is always DNF4 and DNF5, and DNFdragora is available in the Almalinux Synergy repositories.
23 • Redox Server running on emulator (by Happy_Phantom on 2024-12-10 02:48:21 GMT from United States)
"Andrey Turkin executed the RISC-V version of Redox Server from the RVVM RISC-V emulator running on the x86-64 version of Redox Desktop!! And thanks again to LekKit for the awesome emulator!"
RISC-V version of Redox Server from the RVVM RISC-V emulator running on the x86-64 version of Redox
Hope they can get this running on bare metal
24 • Is going on? (by What on 2024-12-10 11:29:48 GMT from United States)
So I had to disable my ad-blocker in order to read the Weekly. Is this new?
25 • @21, E and light (by Tasio on 2024-12-10 11:33:43 GMT from Philippines)
"easily fits on a CD" I'm sure this is a plus for someone, but the last CD/DVD doohickey I had was on a laptop, and I replaced it with an SSD years ago. The last chain store selling DVDs closed a good 6 years ago, and I'd have to go searching to find any. Even SD cards and USB sticks with less than 32 GB are getting scarce. Aside from that, Austrumi is more basic than I'd use, and it doesn't seem to like my VBox or KVM. Flashing to USB is more than I'm willing to do just for trying something out.
I had an assortment of USBs for rescue and other purposes when I worked on other people's machines, but they tended to have full DEs. (Kali, MX and such along with Windows stuff) I have a fondness for Bodhi because if I were forced to go "light" it is the one I'd choose. I prefer Bodhi's Moksha fork of Enlightenment to "light" DEs like XFCE, LXQT and others. Looks much better and it's as configurable. Unfortunately, the last version is a beta based on Debian Bookworm, and that was done some time last year. Would be a pity if it went away. It's quite nice.
26 • Ad blocker (by Jesse on 2024-12-10 11:35:23 GMT from Canada)
@24: "I had to disable my ad-blocker in order to read the Weekly. Is this new?"
We haven't done anything new and we never block connections to people running ad blockers. Please report the issue to your ad blocker extension.
Also, please see our FAQ page: https://distrowatch.com/dwres.php?resource=faq#blocked
27 • Arch and source (by Tuxedoar on 2024-12-10 14:09:40 GMT from Argentina)
@13:
"This is not true. It's the same process on Fedora, Debian, Arch, openSUSE, etc."
Hi. Just in case, I didn't mean that the typical "./configure", "make", "make install" process is different in Debian. I meant that you don't have (as far as I know) a centralized way to specify how you would like to compile each component you install (or that you prefer to compile it from source, in the first place). As you mentioned, I understand that you have this feature both in Gentoo and Arch. Haven't you?.
Cheers.
28 • Hard Copies of Distros (by RetiredIT on 2024-12-10 14:52:50 GMT from United States)
Interesting site to obtain distros on install medium: https://thelinuxshop.co.uk/index.php
Until you convert British pounds to U.S. dollars for a 64GB flash drive with distro:
$19.99 BP = $25.50 USD
I can purchase a 64GB flash drive on eBay for as little as $9.99, download the distro and write the distro myself. That's a savings of more than $15.00 per distro!
Don't most people using Linux have high speed Internet?
29 • Selling distro copies (by Otis on 2024-12-10 15:47:45 GMT from United States)
@28 Yes, most linux users likely have good internet connections and access to inexpensive flash drives and DVDs.
Most of us have downloaded and burned hundreds of ISOs over the years, and will probably continue to do so.
It's a bit like baking; sometimes I'll make cookies or scones at a fraction of the cost of purchasing them from the local bakery.
Sometimes I go to the bakery instead.
30 • Hard Copies of Distros (by JG on 2024-12-10 16:21:47 GMT from United States)
@28. People will pay for convenience and technical know-how. Not everyone in the world knows how to use "Universal USB Installer" (my personal favorite), "YUMI" or "Unetbootin", "Balina Etcher" or similar USB flashing tools. These tools are constantly being updated to handle the quirks of each new boot loader and UEFI BIOS that comes out. There is some trial and error involved with all the different settings and features and can quickly become very frustrating and time consuming for some people. This is similar to my wife, who is willing to pay a plumber $100 to fix a leaking water spigot. Whereas I know I can go buy a $10 bulk pack of assorted rubber washers at the local hardware store, take the leaky spigot apart, and replace it with the correct washer that fits to fix it myself.
31 • Building from source and high-speed Internet (by Jesse on 2024-12-10 17:02:05 GMT from Canada)
@27: "Just in case, I didn't mean that the typical "./configure", "make", "make install" process is different in Debian. "
Yes, I think you got your point across well in your earlier comment.
"I meant that you don't have (as far as I know) a centralized way to specify how you would like to compile each component you install (or that you prefer to compile it from source, in the first place)."
This is true, most Linux distributions don't use a central configuration for building source. At least not in the way source-focused build systems such as FreeBSD Ports or Gentoo's Portage use. Almost all Linux distributions do provide source packages and build tools to use them, but it's typically more of a "one at a time" process.
"I understand that you have this feature both in Gentoo and Arch. Haven't you?.
Gentoo offers central management and automated builds of source code. It's fairly unique in this approach, at least in the Linux ecosystem.
With Arch (as with other distros like Fedora, Debian, etc) it is possible to set up a build environment and compile software from source. But Arch isn't really set up for it out of the box or much different than working with other mainstream distributions to manage source builds.
Again - all distros _can_ be set up with build environments to build source packages. But Arch doesn't do anything to make it easier or better or more central than, for example, Debian. Gentoo does, building from source is pretty much assumed and part of Gentoo's DNA.
@28: "Don't most people using Linux have high speed Internet?"
There are tens of millions of people who run Linux. Not all of them have un-metered, high-speed Internet. Many of them have data caps, high-priced Internet, or slow-speeds. Some are also new and would rather not learn how to write an OS image to a thumb drive before installing.
32 • @31 Building from source (by Morrie on 2024-12-10 17:57:27 GMT from United States)
"Arch doesn't do anything to make it easier or better or more central than, for example, Debian." Perhaps the confusion comes from Arch's easy access to the AUR. With a helper like yay, it's as simple as "yay -S (package name). PAMAC and Octopi can be installed as GUI front ends with AUR access. I've seen some attempt to copy that in Ubuntu with pacstall. Don't know how well that works. I could be wrong. Wouldn't be the first time.
33 • Arch vs Debian (by Charles Burge on 2024-12-11 03:58:06 GMT from United States)
The thing about Arch is that the default installation is extremely bare bones. If you want something included, you have to explicitly install it. On the other hand, even with the base Debian install, you get a lot of things out of the box. For example, I often see Exim4 running on a fresh Debian install, even though I didn't want it. So in a very technical sense, I think you're likely to have extra stuff running and consuming resources with Debian that you won't with Arch. BUT, I also think the difference is not going to be noticeable in the real word.
34 • Light distros: Bodhi (by Ennio on 2024-12-11 20:35:16 GMT from The Netherlands)
@12 Tasio, Bodhi Linux dropped Enlightenment years ago; nowadays Bodhi uses Moksha Desktop, based on Enlightenment DR17 (only for X):
https://www.bodhilinux.com/moksha-desktop/
https://github.com/JeffHoogland
35 • @34, Light distros: Bodhi (by Tasio on 2024-12-12 00:52:10 GMT from Philippines)
@34 "nowadays Bodhi uses Moksha Desktop - You're a little late to the party. See @25: "I prefer Bodhi's Moksha fork of Enlightenment to "light" DEs like XFCE, LXQT and others. Looks much better and it's as configurable. Unfortunately, the last version is a beta based on Debian Bookworm, and that was done some time last year."
36 • Debian is beautifull (by Teoardenne on 2024-12-12 11:29:39 GMT from France)
Since 2005, I started Linux by installing a Debian Sarge, by hand, like a grown-up. Then I switched to Ubuntu until version 16.04. I have tested a lot of Linux distributions, from parent distributions to the vastness of Linux OS. Every time, I come back to Debian. Debian is consistent, fast, secure and has lots of documentation. So, naturally, I prefer Debian on desktop. Debian has such a high standard that I would think twice before switching.
37 • Truly lightweight distro (by illumos on 2024-12-12 12:22:58 GMT from Japan)
@12 Let's look at the minimum memory usage requirements! Gentoo (OpenRC) is 32MB, Slackware (sysVinit) is 64MB, VOID (runit) is 96MB, Alpine (OpenRC) is 128MB, CRUX (sysVinit) is 192MB, antiX (runit) is 256MB. Arch (systemd)...wtf!? 512MB!!!
Xfce runs fine on VOID and Alpine if you have 512MB. This is too heavy. Arch and pacman have serious design flaws. Arch is an overrated netmeme-only distro, and systemd is too bloated.
38 • RHEL clones on desktop (by Bart on 2024-12-12 09:31:24 GMT from Sweden)
Yes, I use Almalinux KDE spin. It supports old hardware that will no longer be supported with RHEL 10 and Rocky 10. I enable EPEL, RPMfusion, ELRepo, Synergy and Negativo17: something is certainly missing (for example handbrake, asunder, k3b does not work, xfburn, unrar non-free, rar). Enterprise use only.
39 • RHEL clones on desktop (by Syd on 2024-12-12 15:19:59 GMT from Norway)
@38 Bart Asunder can be replaced by: cdparanoia & lame/oggenc/flac
K3b does not see 'cdrecord' (xorriso already provides cdrecord), but it creates anyway ISO images to burn with ‘xorriso -as xorrecord -v dev=/dev/sr0 blank=as_needed name_of_image.iso’ (or dd).
Uget is absent, but can be replaced by Wget.
Some workaround is needed on the desktop.
40 • Rhel clones (by Ali on 2024-12-12 20:07:30 GMT from Iran)
Rhel clones are great choice for desktops especially for those who want a stable and predictable OS to get their jobs done. Thanks to flatpak and containers, small repository is not a deal breaker anymore. I'm running Rocky Linux on my laptop for one year and I'm very grateful.
41 • Backdoor? (Re. 3) (by uz64 on 2024-12-13 10:58:16 GMT from United States)
"My mind boggles as to why organizations or institutions create these spins, for what purpose? Are they backdoored? Do they get some ego boost from slapping their wallpaper with their school logo on it?"
If you care so much, why not just examine the source code and find out if there are any dirty secrets lurking within? As long as it is free and open source and you have the technical understanding, you have the ability to examine the code and find out exactly what it does if you really care. Meanwhile, the rest of us who just don't care will just do the same thing we do when any other new, useless distro that doesn't offer anything of value to us is released: ignore it and keep using what we always have, or what works best at the current time.
42 • Linux Spin Backdoors (by Kruger on 2024-12-13 23:11:36 GMT from Australia)
@41 >>If you care so much, why not just examine the source code and find out if there are any dirty secrets lurking within?
This has to be the most absurd and over used idiotic phrase in the opensource community ever created, especially in regards to an entire distro.
The fact that you think it is feasible to examine the source code of an entire Linux distro, just shows me you are not grounded in reality. Linux kernel 6.12.1 has almost 40 million lines of code, and that is the kernel only.
It's not feasible for a single person, even with experience in programming C, to read 40 million lines of code and search for backdoors. It's absurd.
So the next time you spout such nonsensical elitist drivel, think first.
Asking the question whether some Linux distros have been backdoored is not a fools errand and a serious concern considering the number of spins is increasing every year and we just don't know what has been changed in them.
Sure I can do like you and ignore it, but that doesn't make the issue go away or the possibility disappear.
Linux security is something we should all be thinking about.
Number of Comments: 42
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Archives |
• Issue 1108 (2025-02-10): Serpent OS 0.24.6, Aurora, sharing swap between distros, Peppermint tries Void base, GTK removinglegacy technologies, Red Hat plans more AI tools for Fedora, TrueNAS merges its editions |
• Issue 1107 (2025-02-03): siduction 2024.1.0, timing tasks, Lomiri ported to postmarketOS, Alpine joins Open Collective, a new desktop for Linux called Orbitiny |
• Issue 1106 (2025-01-27): Adelie Linux 1.0 Beta 6, Pop!_OS 24.04 Alpha 5, detecting whether a process is inside a virtual machine, drawing graphics to NetBSD terminal, Nix ported to FreeBSD, GhostBSD hosting desktop conference |
• Issue 1105 (2025-01-20): CentOS 10 Stream, old Flatpak bundles in software centres, Haiku ports Iceweasel, Oracle shows off debugging tools, rsync vulnerability patched |
• Issue 1104 (2025-01-13): DAT Linux 2.0, Silly things to do with a minimal computer, Budgie prepares Wayland only releases, SteamOS coming to third-party devices, Murena upgrades its base |
• Issue 1103 (2025-01-06): elementary OS 8.0, filtering ads with Pi-hole, Debian testing its installer, Pop!_OS faces delays, Ubuntu Studio upgrades not working, Absolute discontinued |
• Issue 1102 (2024-12-23): Best distros of 2024, changing a process name, Fedora to expand Btrfs support and releases Asahi Remix 41, openSUSE patches out security sandbox and donations from Bottles while ending support for Leap 15.5 |
• Issue 1101 (2024-12-16): GhostBSD 24.10.1, sending attachments from the command line, openSUSE shows off GPU assignment tool, UBports publishes security update, Murena launches its first tablet, Xfce 4.20 released |
• Issue 1100 (2024-12-09): Oreon 9.3, differences in speed, IPFire's new appliance, Fedora Asahi Remix gets new video drivers, openSUSE Leap Micro updated, Redox OS running Redox OS |
• 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 |
• Full list of all issues |
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Random Distribution | 
tinysofa classic / enterprise server
tinysofa enterprise server was a secure server targeted enterprise grade operating system. The 1.x tree was based on Trustix Secure Linux. The 2.x tree was based on Fedora Core, with ideas from SUSE and Conectiva. It was Linux 2.6 based, with a fully functional SELinux infrastructure. It features a small installation size, APT as an advanced package management tool, secure defaults and services, a turn key ASP.NET server solution, PostgreSQL replication, and much more.
Status: Discontinued
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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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