KaOS 2023.11 has been released, marking the final Plasma 5 release for the distribution. This release emphasizes the transition to Qt6/kf6/Plasma 6 as the future direction for development, with a Plasma 6 Alpha ISO available for exploration. Significant updates include a move to OpenSSL 3.1.4, updated Glib2 2.78.1, LLVM/Clang 17.0.4, and a kernel upgrade to Linux 6.5.11. SDDM 0.20.0 now offers Wayland mode, and the automated partitioning option in the Calamares installer supports various filesystems. The KaOS-specific IsoWriter tool allows for writing ISO files to USB with integrity verification. LibreOffice replaces Calligra as the default office application. The release also features custom themes and various enhancements for a smoother user experience.
EasyOS Kirkstone-series version 5.6.1 was released on November 10, 2023, with an update to include Firefox as the default browser instead of Chromium. However, this release has encountered a significant issue where the Firefox window periodically flickers, causing text-entry boxes to lose focus, making it challenging to type. The issue has become a showstopper for some users, and the reasons for this problem are not mentioned in Firefox's release notes. As a result, the plan is to compile the latest Chromium for EasyOS 5.6.2 to revert to Chromium as the built-in browser.
BackBox Linux 8.1 released. The BackBox team is happy to announce the updated release of BackBox Linux, version 8.1, code name 'Sara'. In this release, we have addressed a few minor bugs, updated the kernel stack and base system, and enhanced our hacking tools. What’s new: updated Linux Kernel 5.15; updated desktop environment; updated hacking tools; updated ISO Hybrid with UEFI support. System requirements: 64-bit processor; 1,024 MB of system memory (RAM); 30 GB of disk space for installation; graphics card capable of 800×600 resolution; DVD-ROM drive or USB port. The ISO image for 64bit architecture can be downloaded from the official web site download section.
This release provides a huge step in regards of big upgrade of the Operating System as it is based on Debian Bookworm 12.2 with Linux Kernel 6.1 which is very significant in regards to bootup speed and drivers improvements for a better system resource usage. Also, the Linux the kernel has continued to evolve with ongoing codebase cleanups and maintenance, ensuring stability and reliability in the Linux ecosystem. OpenSSL version 3 (OpenSSL 3.0.0), which is a significant update to the widely-used cryptographic library, brings several key improvements, including enhanced modularity, improved security, and better support for modern cryptographic algorithms and protocols. OpenSSL 3 introduces a modular architecture, allowing developers to more easily customize their builds and reduce the attack surface. It features better support for the latest TLS versions, like TLS 1.3, as well as post-quantum cryptographic algorithms, addressing emerging security concerns.
Fedora Workstation now features GNOME 45, which brings better performance and many usability enhancements, including a new workspace switcher and a much-improved image viewer. If you’re looking for a different desktop experience, our Budgie Special Interest Group has created Fedora Onyx, a Budgie-based “Atomic” desktop in the spirit of Fedora Silverblue. Of course, that’s not all - we also have updated desktop flavors featuring KDE Plasma Desktop, Xfce, Cinnamon, and more.
Clonezilla live version 3.1.1-27 brings significant improvements and bug fixes. The release includes updates to the underlying GNU/Linux operating system, now based on Debian Sid repository as of November 2, 2023. The Linux kernel has been upgraded to version 6.5.8-1. Language files have been updated, and notable package updates include Partclone 0.3.27 with new options, Package ezio 2.0.5 with various enhancements, and the inclusion of packages like acpitool, ntfs2btrfs, zfsutils-linux, and vim in the live system. Additionally, it features improvements such as support for an extra "root" directory for the root file system with grub reinstallation and new options for TUI wizard, as well as multicast deployment from raw devices. This release also offers enhanced support for SSDs, updated Memtest86+, and the ability to choose a NIC in lite server mode when multiple network cards are present.
RoshanOS 3 was made available on 2023-11-07
NuTyX 23.11.0 and cards 2.7.1 are now available, featuring bug fixes such as displaying version-release info and addressing issues with folder mounting. Updated packages include SysV, systemd, xorg-server, Mesa 3D, Gtk4, Qt, NVIDIA and legacy drivers, Python interpreter, XFCE, MATE, GNOME, and KDE desktop environments, various browsers, and numerous desktop applications. The release also includes Long Term Support (LTS) kernels and offers 13 desktop options in XORG, OPENBOX, LXDE, XFCE4, JWM, CDE, LXQT, ENLIGHTENMENT, MATE, CINNAMON, BUDGIE, GNOME, and KDE5. The upgrade process is as simple as running 'sudo cards upgrade.' Special thanks are extended to the BLFS Team and Spiky for their contributions and support from the user community.
Starbuntu 22.04.3.7 with the new Linux kernel 5.15.0-88 and a thorough revision of the Starbuntu App Menu including now the possibility of entering parameters.
In the latest release, several important changes were introduced, including the inclusion and enabling of Wayland. However, users were cautioned to ensure their hardware supports Wayland before using it. Nvidia drivers were also updated, with support for most cases, and legacy Nvidia GPUs were no longer supported. A new theme and style based on the Layan theme were implemented. Users can apply the theme to Flatpaks through the provided tool. Additionally, there was a note regarding GTK themes, stating that they won't work for GTK4/LibAdwaita apps due to limitations set by the developers. The detailed changelog included optimizations to the KDE desktop, the removal of Intel Arc/iGPU drivers, and specific support details for Nvidia GPUs. Users were also given a way to roll back Nvidia drivers if they were installed incorrectly.