Distributions

Distribution News

Debian GNU/Linux

The Debian Weekly News for September 24, 2002 is out. There's a Debian Cluster serving as a research tool at Syddansk Universitet (University of Southern Denmark); SE Linux for Woody; and much more.

Rob Bradford supplied Bits from the RNE, a request for feedback on the 3.0r1 release notes.

Here's Gerfried Fuchs, the Website Translation Coordinator, with Bits from a WTC. Translators are needed to help keep non-English web sites up-to-date. "So, if you are interested and like to help to make the website more useful for the people in your country who aren't that good in english feel free to contact one of your translation coordinators..."

Raphaël Hertzog introduces the Package Tracking System. There are some new tools to help Debian developers keep track of their packages and any outstanding bug reports.

Comments (1 posted)

EnGarde Secure Professional launched

Guardian Digital has sent out a press release announcing the launch of EnGarde Secure Professional, a hardened Linux distribution which, they claim, can be securely set up and run without the need for a Linux administrator on staff.

Full Story (comments: none)

Mandrake Linux

MandrakeSoft has announced the release of Mandrake Linux 9.0, codenamed "Dolphin." It includes all the latest stuff: 2.4.19 kernel, GNOME 2.0.1, KDE 3.0.3, OpenOffice 1.0.1, Mozilla 1.1, GCC 3.2, etc. This release is certified as being compliant with the Linux Standard Base 1.2. Enhanced security is also claimed: "In early 2000, MandrakeSoft first introduced the concept of "security levels" to the Linux world; in Mandrake Linux 9.0, that concept is expanded with the integration of professional Intrusion detection tools and utilities, encrypted communication support, encrypted filesystems, secured authentication, and more."

As is typical with Mandrake releases, this distribution is available for download immediately; the retail version can be purchased for delivery within a few weeks.

Mandrake Linux ProSuite 9.0 has been registered as conforming to the LSB Runtime Environment for IA32 version 1.2 product standard.

The Mandrake Linux Community Newsletter for September 19 is out. It looks at the new "Linux-Campus Courseware" offering, Kohan: Immortal Sovereigns, the OpenBrick, and more.

Comments (none posted)

SCO Linux 4.0 Open Beta

The SCO Group has an open beta of SCO Linux 4.0 powered by UnitedLinux, available with free registration. SCO Linux 4.0 is the successor to OpenLinux Server 3.1.1. This beta should provide users with a taste of how United Linux will effect the products formerly branded Caldera Open Linux.

Comments (none posted)

New Distributions

BanShee Linux/R

BanShee Linux/R is a two-floppy rescue system using uClibc and Busybox to make sure that the system is as small as possible. Initial verion 0.5 was released September 18, 2002.

Comments (none posted)

eLSD, Linux Society Distro

eLSD is a new distribution from the Linux Society. Derived from Devil-Linux this initrd-centric, bootable CD distribution comes in three flavors.
0.1 - Devil-Linux offered as a build and burn kit.
0.2 - This version begins to make changes towards the eLSD goals by creating a bigger divide between the initrd/linuxrc boot and the init/boot in the OS. It also boots w/o the floppy that includes the /etc filesystem.
0.3 - This version actually converts Devil-Linux into an optional hard drive boot OS. The boot process occurs entirely in the initrd phase and then accesses the harddrive. This kit offers a robust kernel, two custom initrds -- one that boots to busybox/tinylogin -- and grub and parted support.

Full Story (comments: none)

Firegate Server

The Firegate Server from Wiresoft is a self-managing server operating system designed for small and mid-sized businesses. It securely connects offices to the Internet and to each other, protecting valuable electronic information. Office staff can securely surf the web, send and receive email, host the company Web site, share files, host a customer database, and more. It is controlled through a simple Web browser or mobile telephone interface and managed by an artificial intelligence-based administration service. This package is a Linux-based system which also contains proprietary software. The Firegate Server, SMB Edition 7.1, was released September 25, 2002.

Comments (1 posted)

MoviX

MoviX is a CD-ready tiny (~5MB) Slackware-based Linux distribution containing all you need to boot a PC from CD (using syslinux) and automagically play all the avi files you put in the CD root with mplayer through the framebuffer. You can use it to play all your movies, even on a diskless PC. Version 0.3 was released with minor feature enchancements, less than a week after the initial version, 0.2.

Comments (none posted)

Serverdisk diskette distro

Serverdisk diskette distro is a Linux floppy disk distribution which includes FTP and HTTP servers. Just a small server, not intended to be a rescue disk or standalone firewall. The initial version, 0.1, was released September 19, 2002.

Comments (none posted)

Minor distribution updates

ClumpOS

ClumpOS has released R7.0. This release has been updated for Linux 2.4.19/MOSIX 1.8.0.

Comments (none posted)

herbix

herbix has fixed some bugs in v1.0-41.

Comments (none posted)

Kaiwal Linux becomes GrandLinux

Thai distribution Kaiwal Linux has changed its name to GrandLinux. GrandLinux 4.4 is available now. The website is in Thai. (Thanks to Joe Klemmer)

Comments (none posted)

uClinux

uClinux has released 2.5.38-uc0 with major feature enhancements.

Comments (none posted)

SnapGear Embedded Linux Technical Bulletin #13 - Using Flash Memory with uClinux

SnapGear's Greg Ungerer discusses theory and methods for building uClinux systems that boot, run and operate using Flash memory.

Full Story (comments: none)

Warewulf

Warewulf has released v1.1 with minor feature enhancements.

Comments (none posted)

Wolverine Firewall and VPN Server

The Coyote Linux Wolverine Firewall and VPN Server released 1.0RC2 (build 254) with minor bug fixes.

Comments (none posted)

Distribution reviews

Review: Lindows 2.0 has beautiful skin, iffy personality (Register)

Here's a review of Lindows 2.0, courtesy of NewsForge. "Because Lindows is marketed to the disgruntled Windows user, I figured I'd try to do it justice and install it on a Windows ME system. I put the CD in, it "auto-started" and told me I didn't have one gigabyte available on the "C:" drive. The only option was to exit. Why couldn't I select a different drive letter? There's plenty of space on the D partition. But there was no way to do that."

Comments (2 posted)

Page editor: Rebecca Sobol
Next page: Development>>