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DistributionsNews and Editorials Distribution list update The LWN.net Distributions List contains 355 active distributions at this writing. This number is always in flux as new distributions are added almost every week. Distributions are also deleted from the list during rounds of link checking. It takes quite a while to check the entire list (nearly 400 links counting both active and historical distributions), and we try to be conservative about removing distributions. When web sites time out they are checked periodically over a period of months. Smaller projects may go for long periods without updates, and still be very much alive. Domain names disappear, but that doesn't necessarily mean the distribution is gone, it might have moved. Google may find lost distributions, but following trails of links can also be prohibitively time consuming.So periodically we like to mention those distributions that have been removed from this list. If you know that one of these deleted distributions is really alive and well, let us know and we'll put it back. Since we haven't done an update like this in over a year, the list is quite long, so let's get started. Chinese company BluePoint Software might still have something. The domain name disappeared for a while, although now an old site seems to back with some embedded Linux appliances. UK company Eridani Star System is alive and well, however they discontinued production of Eridani Linux in August 2003. Source-based Darkstar Linux never seemed to get off the ground. The Flying Linux web site claimed the project would return for nearly two years before disappearing. The domain name must have finally expired. OpenClassroom was another project that never seemed to get going, and finally disappeared. Go!Linux once came with the German magazine, PC!Linux. Happy Linux was a Chinese distribution. J-LINUX was an Italian distribution, based on Mandrake Linux. Lanthan Linux was from Germany. Linux/MNIS was from France. Monkey Linux supported the Czech language. Finnish company Probatus Oy once made Spectra Linux. TechLinux was from Brazil. LNX System is gone (not to be confused with LNX-BBC which is still around). Netule still has a .com site, but the distribution's .org site is gone. SCO Linux and Caldera OpenLinux are gone from the list. There's still a mention of UnitedLinux in the historical section. Embedix was Lineo's Embedded Linux distribution and now belongs to Metrowerks. Metrowerks provides Board Support Packages, embedded Linux tools and other products based on and for Linux - but not a stand-alone distribution. Midori Linux was created at Transmeta to demonstrate Linux on the company's new Crusoe processors. Linux should run on a laptop powered by Crusoe, but all mention of Midori Linux is gone from their site. ClumpOS has been replaced by PlumpOS and TrX has been replaced by GNOPPIX. Also gone: BanShee Linux/R, BYO Linux, Effort Linux, eLSD (Linux Society Distro), Floppix, IceLinux, Kaladix Linux, Keeper Linux, KSI-Linux, LEM, Linux Cyrillic Edition, Linux On A Floppy (LOAF), LSD, LuteLinux, Melon, MiniLinux, NeoLinux, PocketLinux, Proxyfloppy, Pygmy Linux, Rabid Squirrel Linux, Royal Linux, RU.nix, ShareTheNet, spyLinux, and Intimate (iPAQ).
Distribution News Fedora Core Fedora Core 3 Test 1 is out, (almost) right on schedule. The usual rules apply; this is a test and may eat your production systems, report all bugs, have fun, etc. Here's the announcement and a list of mirrors.FC2 updates:
Progeny Debian 2.0 Developer Edition beta 1 The first beta release of Progeny Debian 2.0, Developer Edition is out. "This version of Progeny Debian was built using the new Anaconda for Debian, based on Anaconda from Fedora Core 2, and contains many updates to components from Debian's current testing distribution ('sarge')."
Onebase Project Releases 'KDE-3.3 Beta 1' LiveCD (KDE.News) KDE.News reports on the newest release from the Onebase Linux Project. "The Onebase Linux Project has released a special flavor of its OnebaseGo-2.0 edition, which includes the complete KDE 3.3 Beta 1 "Klassroom" suite and KOffice 1.3.2. The main purpose of this flavor (LiveCD) is to try, test and report bugs on this beta version. And also to provide a technology preview for KDE users."
Debian GNU/Linux Here's the Debian Weekly News for July 13, 2004, with a look at the transition of GNOME 2.6 into testing, Debian use at Google, the Santa Fe desktop, commercial support for Debian, and other topics.The next Bug-Squashing Party will be held July 16 - 18, 2004. "As usual we will coordinate over #debian-bugs in freenode (irc.debian.org) where you will find pointers to all the useful websites, too."
Gentoo Weekly Newsletter - Volume 3, Issue 28 The Gentoo Weekly Newsletter for the week of July 12, 2004 is now available. This week's edition looks at a Portage update, new Nvidia drivers, and several other topics.
Mandrakelinux Community Newsletter - Issue #93 The Mandrakelinux Community Newsletter for July, 13 2004 has news on Mandrakesoft's acquisition of Edge IT, and other topics.
Java Desktop support site launched (News.com) News.com covers the launch of the Java Desktop support site, JDShelp.org. "JDShelp.org opened for business Monday with a collection of how-to articles, user forums and software download links. The idea is to help novice users--particularly individuals and small businesses without Sun service contracts--get comfortable with open-source software, said co-founder Sam Hiser, who came up with the idea for JDShelp.org with software developer Tom Adelstein. The two recruited a few more open-source backers to launch the site."
Xandros Linux in Acadia University Xandros has announced that Acadia University selected the Xandros Desktop Operating System as the Linux distribution of choice for its undergraduate students. The Canadian university offers a customized version of the Xandros Desktop OS on Dell D600 laptops as part of its teaching and learning environment.
Minor distribution updates AGNULA/DEMUDI 1.2.0-beta2 IS OUT AGNULA/DeMuDi 1.2.0-beta2, the Debian-based GNU/Linux distribution for audio/video, has been released. This version of the 1.2.0 series sports tighter integration with Debian, using the Sarge Debian Installer and the CDD (Custom Debian Distributions) framework. Many bugs have been fixed.
CrashRecoveryKit v2.6.7 released CrashRecoveryKit has released CRK v.2.6.7-mdk100, crash247-mdk100.iso, based on Mandrakelinux 10.0 (Official). "The ram filesystem is 24 Mb and now needs at least 32 ram to boot. The Logical Volume Manager (LVM2) administration tools and the NTFS driver v2.1.14 and ntfsprogs-1.9.2-1 have been added. In addition CD/DVD Burning support is added, using the OSS DVD version of cdrtools-2.01a27 and growisofs v5.17. Next to mounting remote NFS shares also remote CIFS SMB Samba or Windows folders can be mounted for backup over the network. The boot method is changed to isolinux. The kernel 2.6.7 is configured to use the so-called Preemptible scheduler profile."
Damn Small Linux Damn Small Linux has released v0.7.2 with minor feature enhancements. "Changes: This release adds myDSLgui, a click and run system for extensions, includes the Lua scripting language and Lua sockets, replaces Scite with Beaver, replaces nvi with vim, changes the user from damnsmall to dsl (also removes 'damn' from the boot process), upgrades busybox, simplifies the filetool.lst usage, updates the Firefox flash plugin in the Firefox download script, and shrinks the ISO by nearly 1 MB."
DNA Linux DNA Linux has released v0.3 with major feature enhancements. "Changes: This release features an updated base distro (Slax 4.1.2 instead of 3.x series) that includes several modifications and the last NCBI BLAST (2.2.9)."
GNOPPIX GNOPPIX has released 0.7 beta 1. "The Gnoppix Project is pleased to announce the first beta of Gnoppix version 0.7. Gnoppix is a free operating system, with the gnome desktop environment, features cryptographic software, is compatible with the FHS v2.2 and supports software developed for the LSB. Gnoppix 0.7-Series comes with Gnome 2.6"
Hiweed GNU/Linux Hiweed GNU/Linux has released v0.3RC2 with major bugfixes. "Changes: Users can now startx at any time, and the stardict's soundmark-display is okay. aptitude was removed, and aumix-gtk was replaced by xfce4-mixer."
Linux Live Linux Live has released v4.1.4 with minor feature enhancements. "Changes: This version skips exporting variables to profile.d unless it exists, improves the accuracy of some requirement descriptions, updates isolinux to 2.10, and supports creating an ISO from a read-only filesystem."
Yoper Yoper has announced the Public Release of Yoper V2. "Seamless updating and software integration provided by Apt/Synaptic. Leading edge Technology enhancements using Linux kernel 2.6.7, bolstered with performance patches, innovative Prelinking, win4lin support, vmware support, vmware module integration, Nvidia 3D support, reiserfs4, Secure Shell file System, CDROM Supermount, and Ndiswrapper for Windows binary driver Integration."
Distribution reviews First look: Vidalinux (linux.com) Linux.com looks at Vidalinux, a new distribution based on Gentoo. "Vidalinux is a promising new GNU/Linux distribution based on Gentoo Linux and developed in Puerto Rico. It's currently in beta pending the first release -- and as such is full of bugs and problems. However, there's a bright future for this distro with its OS X-like GNOME interface and the new graphical front end for Gentoo's Portage system, Porthole."
Page editor: Rebecca Sobol |
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