Linux Format - UK (2019-12)

Distro watch

What’s behind the free software sofa?

EXTIX 19.

GHOSTBSD 19.

ALT Linux is available in Workstation, Server and

Education editions, and uses its own repository known

as Sisyphus. The latest version has now been released,

and it brings updates to apt, as well as introducing

rpmlib support for FileDigests for installing third-party

packages without needing to repackage – and much

more. For more information check out the release

announcement for all editions of ALT Linux at:

http://bit.ly/LXF257ALTLinux.

ALT Linux is one of the best-supported

Linxu distros in Russia, with a huge

collection of documentation.

GhostBSD is a rolling-release distro

based on TrueOS and uses the MATE

desktop environment.

ExTiX is billed as the ‘ultimate Linux

system.’ Quite a bold claim, but it’s

certainly a very decent live image.

Tails (The Amnesic Incognito Live System)

is a Debian-based Live DVD/USB that offers

complete internet anonymity for users.

The latest stable build of GhostBSD is now available.

Improvements have been made to the Live ISO

image, and as the release announcement at

http://bit.ly/LXF257GhostBSD states, 19.10 is a

“significant improvement of over 19.09.” Other changes

in 19.10 include UEFI multiboot installation support and

the removal of netmount services. You do not need to

reinstall GhostBSD if you’re already using v19.09.

ALT LINUX 9.

A new version of this distro is now available to

download. Based on Ubuntu 19.10 and featuring the

LXQt desktop, this new feature is available in an ISO

file that’s smaller than ever at just 1.2GB. It comes with

plenty of new features, including the ability to use the

Refracta Snapshot app to create your own live Ubuntu

system. Find out more at http://bit.ly/LXF257ExTiX.

Tails 4.0 is now ready to download, and this is the first

version of the Live DVD/USB distro with a big privacy

focus that is based on Debian 10 ‘Buster’. According to

the release statement (http://bit.ly/LXF257Tails),

this new version brings updates to “most of the

software included in Tails and some important

usability and performance improvements,” and

introduces more changes than any version in years.

OPINION

Announced last month

at the Open Source

Summit in Lyon, the Kernel CI

project, which powers

kernelci.org with automated

testing for the upstream

Linux kernel, has joined the

Linux Foundation. This is a

new home for a project that

has sailed through uncharted

waters for over five years.

Given the huge scale at

which the Linux kernel is

being used, achieving

comprehensive test coverage

for it is an incredibly

challenging goal. Based on

the open source philosophy

principles, Kernel CI’s

distributed architecture

makes this possible by

enabling the whole kernel

community to collaborate

around a single upstream CI

system. Becoming part of the

Linux Foundation will let the

project flourish and become

in turn an integral part of the

Linux kernel development

workflo in general.

One thing we can be sure of

is that there is no reason for

the current development

plans to stop or be impacted

in any way. On the contrary,

there is indeed a strong need

to extend test coverage and

the capabilities of Kernel CI at

large, with a huge potential to

improve upstream kernel

development as a direct

result. Becoming part of the

Linux Foundation should be

about facilitating progress in

this direction above all.

Guillaume Tucker

Senior Software

Engineer, Collabora

KERNEL CI’S

NEW HOME

TAILS 4.

http://www.techradar.com/pro/linux December 2019 LXF257 9

NEWSDESK

Distro watch

What’sbehindthefreesoftwaresofa?

EXTIX19.

GHOSTBSD19.

ALTLinuxisavailableinWorkstation,Serverand

Educationeditions,andusesitsownrepositoryknown

asSisyphus.Thelatestversionhasnowbeenreleased,

andit bringsupdatestoapt, aswellasintroducing

rpmlibsupportforFileDigestsforinstallingthird-party

packageswithoutneedingtorepackage– andmuch

more.Formoreinformationcheckouttherelease

announcementforalleditionsofALTLinuxat:

http://bit.ly/LXF257ALTLinux.

ALTLinuxisoneofthebest-supported

LinxudistrosinRussia,witha huge

collectionofdocumentation.

GhostBSDisa rolling-releasedistro

basedonTrueOSandusestheMATE

desktopenvironment.

ExTiXisbilledasthe‘ultimateLinux

system.’Quitea boldclaim,butit’s

certainlya verydecentliveimage.

Tails(TheAmnesicIncognitoLiveSystem)

isa Debian-basedLiveDVD/USBthatoffers

completeinternetanonymityforusers.

ThelateststablebuildofGhostBSDisnowavailable.

ImprovementshavebeenmadetotheLiveISO

image,andasthereleaseannouncementat

http://bit.ly/LXF257GhostBSDstates,19.10isa

“significantimprovementofover19.09.”Otherchanges

in19.10includeUEFImultibootinstallationsupportand

theremovalofnetmountservices.Youdonotneedto

reinstallGhostBSDif you’realreadyusingv19.09.

ALTLINUX9.

A newversionofthisdistroisnowavailableto

download.BasedonUbuntu19.10andfeaturingthe

LXQtdesktop,thisnewfeatureisavailableinanISO

filethat’ssmallerthaneveratjust1.2GB.It comeswith

plentyofnewfeatures,includingtheabilitytousethe

RefractaSnapshotapptocreateyourownliveUbuntu

system.Findoutmoreathttp://bit.ly/LXF257ExTiX.

Tails4.0isnowreadytodownload,andthisisthefirst

versionoftheLiveDVD/USBdistrowitha bigprivacy

focusthatisbasedonDebian 10 ‘Buster’.Accordingto

thereleasestatement(http://bit.ly/LXF257Tails),

thisnewversionbringsupdatesto“mostofthe

softwareincludedinTailsandsomeimportant

usabilityandperformanceimprovements,”and

introducesmorechangesthananyversioninyears.

OPINION

Announcedlastmonth

attheOpenSource

SummitinLyon,theKernelCI

project,whichpowers

kernelci.orgwithautomated

testingfortheupstream

Linuxkernel,hasjoinedthe

LinuxFoundation.Thisis a

newhomefora projectthat

hassailedthroughuncharted

watersforoverfiveyears.

Giventhehugescaleat

whichtheLinuxkernelis

beingused,achieving

comprehensivetestcoverage

forit is anincredibly

challenginggoal.Basedon

theopensourcephilosophy

principles,KernelCI’s

distributedarchitecture

makesthispossibleby

enablingthewholekernel

communitytocollaborate

arounda singleupstreamCI

system.Becomingpartofthe

LinuxFoundationwillletthe

projectflourishandbecome

inturnanintegralpartofthe

Linuxkerneldevelopment

workfloingeneral.

Onethingwecanbesureof

is thatthereis noreasonfor

thecurrentdevelopment

planstostoporbeimpacted

inanyway.Onthecontrary,

thereis indeeda strongneed

toextendtestcoverageand

thecapabilitiesofKernelCIat

large,witha hugepotentialto

improveupstreamkernel

developmentasa direct

result.Becomingpartofthe

LinuxFoundationshouldbe

aboutfacilitatingprogressin

thisdirectionaboveall.

GuillaumeTucker

SeniorSoftware

Engineer,Collabora

KERNEL CI’S

NEW HOME

TAILS4.

http://www.techradar.com/pro/linux December 2019 LXF257 9

NEWSDESK