Apr 29, 2011 17:50 GMT  ·  By

Slackware 13.37 has been released, the latest major stable update to the venerable Linux distribution, the oldest surviving project that still sees active development. Many packages have been updated, including the desktop environments, and Slackware 13.37 also comes with a recent Linux kernel.

"After many months of development and careful testing, we are proud to announce the release of Slackware version 13.37," the team announced.

"We are sure you'll enjoy the many improvements. We've done our best to bring the latest technology to Slackware while still maintaining the stability and security that you have come to expect," the announcement continued.

Slackware 13.37 is based on the Linux 2.6.37.6 kernel and offers several builds that cater to different hardware configurations and user needs.

However, if want or need a newer build, the Linux 2.6.38.4 kernel is also offered as an alternative and there are ways of installing the Linux 2.6.39-rc4 kernel as well.

"Slackware 13.37 brings many updates and enhancements, among which you'll find two of the most advanced desktop environments available today: Xfce 4.6.2 ... and KDE 4.5.5," the announcement added.

Slackware boasts that the latest version is accessible to even inexperienced Linux users and has several features to make it a suitable desktop operating system.

ConsoleKit and PolicyKit are now included to enable users to run applications or perform tasks that require elevated privileges without actually using the root account.

There are plenty of updated packages, desktop users can now enjoy the very latest Firefox 4.0 web browser, Thunderbird 3.1.9, as well as GNOME apps such as Pidgin 2.7.11, GIMP 2.6.11 and others to complement the regular KDE SC apps.

Slackware Linux 13.37 is available for download here on Softpedia.