Distro watch
What’s behind the free software sofa?
SUPERGAMER 5
LINUX LITE 4.
There’s a new version of the user-friendly platform for
showing image and video files on a Raspberry Pi. This
new version brings in more configuration options. The
release announcement (which can be read at http://
bit.ly/LXF260Slideshow), reveals the “New features for
the v13 release: media.conf now replaces all the .txt
files for configuring the system behaviour.” USB devices
are now also automatically unmounted once media is
copied to an internal SD card to avoid losing data.Raspberry Slideshow 13.0 is a distro
that enables a Raspberry Pi to be used
in digital signage.If you know someone who’s looking for a
new OS after Windows 7’s End of Life,
then Linux Lite is a great choice.SuperGamer is a live distro aimed at
PC gamers.The latest version of Archman brings an
overhauled look to the Arch-based distro.To coincide with Windows 7 entering its End of Life
phase, where Microsoft will no longer provide updates
and patches, Linux Lite has been updated. Based on
Ubuntu 18.04 and with the Windows 7-like Xfce
desktop, Linux Lite 4.8 hopes to win over ex-Windows 7
users with a familiar user interface and apps they may
already be using. To find out more, read the release
announcement at http://bit.ly/LXF260LinuxLite.RASPBERRY SLIDESHOW 13.
SuperGamer is an Ubuntu-based distro aimed at PC
gamers, with scripts in the live image for quickly
downloading and installing Steam, Lutris and
PlayOnLinux (an emulation layer based on Wine that
enables you to run Windows games in Linux). This new
version is based on Ubuntu 19.10, has the Linux kernel
5.3, with a cleaned up look and feel. You can find out
more (and download the ISO) at the SuperGamer
website at http://bit.ly/LXF260SuperGamer.A new version of this Arch-based distro with the Xfce
desktop has been released. The main change of the
latest version, codenamed ‘Lake Van’, comes with an
alternative package installation program called
tkPacman. A centred panel at the bottom of the screen
with a smart hiding feature makes it easy to switch
between apps, and numerous cosmetic changes have
been included. Head over to http://bit.ly/
LXF260Archman for the full release announcement.OPINION
If you have a device
with Mali T720 or T820,
then you are in luck – your
device is now supported via
Panfrost in upstream Mesa
at feature parity with other
Mali GPUs. So get out your
Allwinner H6 or Amlogic
S912 board, grab the latest
Mesa and enjoy a match of
SuperTuxKart all with fully
free and open source
mainline drivers!
These Mali GPUs, found in
devices like television boxes,
prioritise simplicity. But
that’s simplicity for the
hardware. For us, on the
other hand, new changes
often mean new complexity- but we’re up to the
challenge. Over the past few
months, fellow Collaboran
Tomeu Vizoso and I reverse-
engineered the Mali T
and adapted Panfrost for
the new devices.
With improvements
relating to Mali’s tiler,
framebuffer descriptors,
and our open source
compiler, we enabled
OpenGL ES 2.0 support for
T720 and T820, and we
have added these boards to
our continuous integration
infrastructure to ensure that
they continue to work
beautifully well.
Panfrost is now ready for
daily use on Mali GPUs,
ranging from T720 to T860,
and all of the source code is
upstream... so enjoy it and
happy hacking!
Alyssa Rosenzweig
Software Developer
for Collabora.OPENING UP
MALI T
ARCHMAN GNU/LINUX 2020-
http://www.techradar.com/pro/linux March 2020 LXF260 9NEWSDESK
Distro watch
What’sbehindthefreesoftwaresofa?
SUPERGAMER 5
LINUXLITE4.
There’sa newversionoftheuser-friendlyplatformfor
showingimageandvideofilesona RaspberryPi.This
newversionbringsinmoreconfigurationoptions.The
releaseannouncement(whichcanbereadathttp://
bit.ly/LXF260Slideshow), revealsthe“Newfeaturesfor
thev13release:media.confnowreplacesallthe.txt
filesforconfiguringthesystembehaviour.”USBdevices
arenowalsoautomaticallyunmountedoncemediais
copiedtoaninternalSDcardtoavoidlosingdata.RaspberrySlideshow13.0isa distro
thatenablesa RaspberryPitobeused
indigitalsignage.If youknowsomeonewho’slookingfora
newOSafterWindows7’sEndofLife,
thenLinuxLiteisa greatchoice.SuperGamerisa livedistroaimedat
PCgamers.ThelatestversionofArchmanbringsan
overhauledlooktotheArch-baseddistro.TocoincidewithWindows7 enteringitsEndofLife
phase,whereMicrosoftwillnolongerprovideupdates
andpatches,LinuxLitehasbeenupdated.Basedon
Ubuntu18.04andwiththeWindows7-likeXfce
desktop,LinuxLite4.8hopestowinoverex-Windows 7
userswitha familiaruserinterfaceandappstheymay
alreadybeusing.Tofindoutmore,readtherelease
announcementathttp://bit.ly/LXF260LinuxLite.RASPBERRYSLIDESHOW13.
SuperGamerisanUbuntu-baseddistroaimedatPC
gamers,withscriptsintheliveimageforquickly
downloadingandinstallingSteam,Lutrisand
PlayOnLinux(anemulationlayerbasedonWinethat
enablesyoutorunWindowsgamesinLinux).Thisnew
versionisbasedonUbuntu19.10,hastheLinuxkernel
5.3,witha cleaneduplookandfeel.Youcanfindout
more(anddownloadtheISO)attheSuperGamer
websiteathttp://bit.ly/LXF260SuperGamer.A newversionofthisArch-baseddistrowiththeXfce
desktophasbeenreleased.Themainchangeofthe
latestversion,codenamed‘LakeVan’,comeswithan
alternativepackageinstallationprogramcalled
tkPacman. A centredpanelatthebottomofthescreen
witha smarthidingfeaturemakesit easytoswitch
betweenapps,andnumerouscosmeticchangeshave
beenincluded.Headovertohttp://bit.ly/
LXF260Archmanforthefullreleaseannouncement.OPINION
If youhavea device
withMaliT720orT820,
thenyouareinluck– your
deviceisnowsupportedvia
PanfrostinupstreamMesa
atfeatureparitywithother
MaliGPUs.Sogetoutyour
AllwinnerH6orAmlogic
S912board,grabthelatest
Mesaandenjoya matchof
SuperTuxKartallwithfully
freeandopensource
mainlinedrivers!
TheseMaliGPUs,foundin
devicesliketelevisionboxes,
prioritisesimplicity.But
that’ssimplicityforthe
hardware.Forus,onthe
otherhand,newchanges
oftenmeannewcomplexity- butwe’reuptothe
challenge.Overthepastfew
months,fellowCollaboran
TomeuVizosoandI reverse-
engineeredtheMaliT
andadaptedPanfrostfor
thenewdevices.
Withimprovements
relatingtoMali’stiler,
framebufferdescriptors,
andouropensource
compiler,weenabled
OpenGLES2.0supportfor
T720andT820,andwe
haveaddedtheseboardsto
ourcontinuousintegration
infrastructuretoensurethat
theycontinuetowork
beautifullywell.
Panfrostisnowreadyfor
dailyuseonMaliGPUs,
rangingfromT720toT860,
andallofthesourcecodeis
upstream...soenjoyit and
happyhacking!
AlyssaRosenzweig
SoftwareDeveloper
forCollabora.OPENING UP
MALI T
ARCHMANGNU/LINUX2020-
http://www.techradar.com/pro/linux March 2020 LXF260 9
NEWSDESK