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DistributionsNews and Editorials VectorLinux 6.0VectorLinux never really gets the attention it deserves. I've tested several releases over the years and I always walk away impressed. Vector has original tools, stability, and high performance (at least on my hardware). Version 6.0 was released on February 21 and Vector shows really well. VectorLinux is based on the venerable Slackware Linux distribution but most of the packages are built from source by the developers. They use Slackware packages for some of the core system primarily as a time saver. Vector developers have been working hard to automate their build system so they can be less reliant on Slackware. Nearly 90% of their distribution is original work this release. Even if Slackware were to suddenly disappear, VectorLinux would continue to be developed. The original work in Vector sets it apart from other derivatives, some of which can be seen in the system tools and new graphical installer. The Graphical InstallerFor years Vector's installer approximated Slackware's famous ncurses interface, but the first thing you'll notice in this release is the new graphical installer. It was written from scratch with Gambas, but resembles the Red Hat/Fedora Anaconda in appearance and operation. It walks the user through installation and configuration much like any other Linux installer. There isn't an individual package selection step, but one can choose from six main categories such as Development, Kernel source, or X11. The process proceeded fairly smoothly on my HP Pavilion laptop with
one exception. Following the installation step a dialogue box appeared
stating that the next step would configure the bootloader. I clicked
<Okay> to close the pop-up and <Next> on the main screen.
With no visual feedback, the button did not depress, I clicked
<Next> a couple more times. I came to believe the installer had
frozen. However, it had not. For some reason Lilo is used instead of the
more common GRUB, and while my back was turned Lilo was installed over the
existing GRUB in the MBR. So it appears my clicks registered with the
back-end even though no visual feedback was received. Had I known I would
have chosen to skip the bootloader install in favor of adding VectorLinux
the existing The Interface & SoftwareVectorLinux is available in several formats and packages. The Deluxe and SOHO enhanced versions are available at the Vector CD Store for around $20. These contain extra packages such as KDE, OpenOffice.org, multimedia and other software, bundled on the CDs for convenience. There are installable Live CDs available for download as well as the Standard Version. I've had the honor of testing the enhanced versions in the past, but I chose to review the no-cost Standard Edition this release. The Standard Edition, targeting general desktop users, features the Xfce and LXDE desktops along with many other applications. VectorLinux includes security and other package updates. Users can track these from the news page, which is also available as an rss feed. In my opinion both desktops are decorated attractively and tastefully. They are similar for consistency. Handy links, plugins, and applets reside in the panel. I find the menus tidy and easy to navigate. The Standard version software stack consists of graphic applications like Inkscape, GQview and The GIMP; multimedia apps such as XMMS, MPlayer, VLC, and Xine; and AbiWord, Scribus, and Gnumeric for office tasks. For internet browsing you can choose from Firefox, Opera, Dillo, or SeaMonkey. There is also Pidgin for instant messaging and Deluge to download bittorrent files. KDE and lots of other software are available for install using the standard Slackware package manager or Gslapt front-end. Multimedia plugins and codecs are included as well as extra device drivers. Beware though as some of these are proprietary or patent encumbered (in places where software patents are recognized). Under the hood is Xorg Server 1.4.2, GCC 4.2.3, and Linux kernel 2.6.27.12. The i586 optimized kernel is built from scratch and includes several popular patches. These include Bootsplash, which allows what I think is a pretty boot sequence. TuxOnIce (formerly suspend2) is used for a suspend-to-disk implementation. This out-of-tree implementation is alleged to be more reliable and to have a better user interface. The VectorLinux ToolsThe Vector tools consist of small lightweight utilities that make up in function for what they may lack in glitz. Most hardware is auto-detected and auto-configured these days with any distribution, but if you'd like to customize your settings you could start with VASM. VASM is Vector's control center, which is a wrapper that conveniently places most of their tools under one interface. 
In the VectorLinux Control Center you will find broad categories listed that when clicked will bring up tools that will help you configure that portion of the system. For example, under Hardware you will find tools to view or configure the hardware devices of your computer. One of these is ALSA Sound, which brings up the ALSA Configurator that will attempt to detect and allow one to setup their sound card if needed. Keyboard Map will allow one to change the default keymap. Mouse provides for the configuration of tablets, pointing pens, and joysticks as well as serial, usb, and PS/2 mice. Mounter offers a choice in removable device management tools from either the more commonly used HAL or Vector's own VL-HOT. Hardware Set lets you choose which subsystems to start at boot such as PNP, ACPI, or Wireless. The Network category offers configurations for various networking tasks such as the firewall through the Firestarter setup wizard. Another lets users set or change the machine's hostname and DNS, while yet another helps to setup dial-up modems. The Wireless icon starts the wireless network configuration tool. I found Wicd to be reliable in establishing connections. 
Under XWindows you can configure the Display Manager (graphical login preference), Boot Mode (text or graphical, server or desktop) and Video Configuration. Setups for CUPS, SAMBA, and Init Runlevels can be found under Service. Within the Filesystem panel CFdisk can be started, filesystem formats can be done, partitions can be added to /etc/fstab, and the Bootloader can be installed or restored. Also found is the Backup System. With this tool one can schedule regular daily backups as a cronjob or initiate manual backup or restore operations. Vector has original BASH scripts backupsys and backupsync which can perform full or incremental functions. Utilities include vcpufreq, Vpackager, Hardinfo, VLFreeMem, and Gslapt.
Vcpufreq is a simple but effective means to set the current or default
clock speed of your CPU. This is especially useful for saving battery life
of mobile computers or reducing heat and wear. Vpackager allows
users to build software packages. Hardinfo packs a lot of system
information within a small tidy application and also allows the user to
compare their system performance to others. VLFreeMem frees
up memory by dropping the page, inode, and dentry caches when clicked by
echoing "3" into the Gslapt is the front-end to Slackware's package management system. It functions much like Synaptic or any other graphical package manager. You can search for the software of interest, mark it for installation, and click to apply. It, as well as its dependencies, will be installed with some nice graphical feedback to keep you informed. It will also track and install package and security updates as found on the preconfigured Vector software repositories. Closing ThoughtsVectorLinux strives to provide a high-performance, easy-to-use, stable Linux desktop distribution. It always performs very well for me on any machine tested. I was impressed with its out-of-the-box support for my Broadcom wireless ethernet chip that usually requires Ndiswrapper and Windows drivers. The included NVIDIA graphic drivers and multimedia support were a nice convenience. It does everything I require with no hassles. As usual, I enjoyed using VectorLinux and wonder why it isn't more popular.
New Releases Jaunty Alpha 6 releasedThe sixth alpha release of Ubuntu's Jaunty Jackalope (v9.04) is available for testing. The following editions are available for download: Ubuntu Desktop, Server, Netbook Remix, MID, Ubuntu Education Edition, Kubuntu, Xubuntu, UbuntuStudio and Mythbuntu. Click below for more information.
Distribution News Debian GNU/Linux Debian and keyboard mapping copyrightsThe debian-legal list often serves as an early warning system for interesting copyright issues. Currently, the project is discussing the fate of a French Dvorak keyboard mapping which is evidently subject to a copyright claim by one Francis Leboutte, who says it can only be used under a Creative commons noncommercial, no-derivatives license. That license, being non-free, would exclude the this keyboard mapping (which is implemented entirely in free software) from the Debian distribution. But there is a clear question here: can a keyboard layout be copyrighted at all? Click below for the debian-legal discussion; this issue has also come up in the freedesktop.org bug tracker.
Debian Policy 3.8.1 releasedDebian Policy 3.8.1 is out with the first round of Policy changes for the squeeze development cycle. "The next time you upload a package, please check it against the new version of Policy and update Standards-Version in debian/control accordingly."
Section changes in the archiveJoerg Jaspert looks at some changes in the Debian archives as the new development cycle gets underway. "As Lenny is finally released, and we are early in the cycle for squeeze, now is the best time to do some long-needed changes to our archive. Much of what we are currently doing is not visible to you as a user of the archive, but this change is."
Changes in ftpmasterJoerg Jaspert reports on some changes to Debian's FTPMaster team. They are still looking for new people to join the team. Click below for the requirements.
Kicking off Squeeze: initial tidbits from the RMsThe Release Managers have some additional information on the squeeze kickoff. For those not following along at home, squeeze is currently Debian-testing and it will be the new version Debian when it's ready.
Fedora Fedora Board Recap 2009-03-10Click below for a recap of the March 10 meeting of the Fedora Advisory Board (click below). Topics include Trademark Followup and What is Fedora?.
Gentoo Linux Initial Council Meeting Summary for 12 March 2009A summary of the March 12, 2009 meeting of the Gentoo council is available (click below). Topics include EAPI-3 Proposals, Technical Agenda Items and more.
SUSE Linux and openSUSE openSUSE-GNOME Team meeting minutes from 05-March-2009The minutes from the openSUSE GNOME team meeting for March 5, 2009 are available (click below). Topics include 11.2 planning, random bugs, GNOME:Factory Status and mailing list threads.
New Distributions SYSSYS is an easy to install and use distribution. There are plenty of applications for beginners and advanced users. This non-commercial distribution aims to make Linux and open software easy for all kinds of users. SYS packages can be used for Slackware and VectorLinux too. More information about SYS can be found on LinuxQuestions.
Distribution Newsletters Ubuntu Weekly Newsletter #133The Ubuntu Weekly Newsletter for the week ending March 14, 2009 is out. "In this issue we cover: Jaunty Jackalope Alpha 6 released, Ubuntu Testing Day: Notify-OSD, MOTU Council News, Hug Day: March 19th, Ubuntu Florida Rocks Florida Linux Show, gmail filters for bug email, Inside Launchpad AJAX sprint, Ubuntu Forums Beginners Team, Ubuntu Forums Interview: Connor Imes, Canonical QA Desktop Automation Sprint, Ubuntu Women project status, Ubuntu Drupal 6.2.0 released, Ubuntu Podcast #21, Server Team Meeting Minutes, US Teams Meeting Minutes, and much, much more!"
OpenSUSE Weekly News/62This issue of the OpenSUSE Weekly News covers openSUSE Trademark Guidelines Released, Ken Yap: How to clone a VirtualBox Linux VM to a real machine (v0.9), 11.2 Roadmap and Fixed Release Cycle for openSUSE, Rupert Horstkötter: OSF Status Report #3 and several other topics.
Fedora Weekly News #167The Fedora Weekly News for the week ending March 15, 2009 is available. "This week Announcements links to some helpful "Fedora Classroom IRC Logs" including one on using mock. PlanetFedora big-ups several posts including David Lutterkort's explanation of how config file manipulation can be simplified using XPath to query Augeas. Marketing notes the latest meeting log. QualityAssurance reports that the last "Test Day" for Intel graphics chipsets was valuable and advertizes the next for XFCE. Developments summarizes the "Provenpackager Re-Seed" and watches aghast as the "Mono Conflagration Jumps to Blog". Artwork listens to some ideas about a "Theme Song". Virtualization reports the Xen "dom0 Kernel: Better, Still not Ready" and KVM "Snapshot Support Discussed"."
DistroWatch Weekly, Issue 294The DistroWatch Weekly for March 16, 2009 is out. "This week we follow up on our introduction to Logical Volume Management with a walk-through guide on using it with some of the most popular Linux distributions. In the news section, Slackware presents a massive first update of its 'current' tree since version 12.2 was released three months ago, Ubuntu packages Plymouth, the kernel-based mode-setting splash program for 'Karmic Koala', openSUSE battles to restore its main download server after a hardware fault, Tiny Core presents a new version of its revolutionary 10 MB desktop distro, and Debian delivers the first glimpses of 'Squeeze', the distribution's next stable release. The issue also focuses on the ext4 file system after reports of possible data loss - is it safe to use it? Finally, two links to interviews with Debian and Ubuntu developers, as well as TuxRadar's nostalgic look at the best desktop environments of 2000."
Newsletters and articles of interest High-security, RAMdisk Linux rev'd (DesktopLinux)DesktopLinux looks at Tin Hat Linux. "An interesting physical security-focused Linux distribution was upgraded a couple of days ago. Tin Hat Linux reportedly takes a Vista-like five minutes to boot, because its whole filesystem is decrypted and loaded from an optical drive onto a RAMdisk (tmpfs). But after that, it's likely Puppy-fast!"
Tiny Core: A Linux desktop in just 10MB (Tectonic)Tectonic takes a look at Tiny Core Linux. "In what must be one of the smallest Linux versions ever, Tiny Core Linux is a portable Linux desktop that is just 10MB in size. With the 10MB disk image in hand users can run it from a CD, USB drive or just as a minimal hard drive installation."
Page editor: Rebecca Sobol |
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