14 DAY TRIAL // The following Linux-based operating systems have been announced last week: Toorox 08.2012 Xfce and Lite, antiX M12, Snowlinux 3 RC and Slackware Linux 14.0 RC1. In other news: Ubuntu Tweak 0.7.3 supports Ubuntu 12.10 and Linux Mint 13; Nvidia released version 304.37 of their graphics driver for Linux systems with a huge list of improvements. Softpedia Linux Blog news includes articles about ClearOS Community 6.3.0, Scientific Linux 6.3, Damn Small Linux 4.11 RC1, Bridge Linux 2012.8, Arch Linux 2012.08.04, GhostBSD LXDE 3.0 Beta 1, digiKam 2.8.0, LibreOffice 3.6.0, Samba 3.6.7, NetSecL OS 4.0, CrunchBang 11 R20120806, Calibre 0.8.64, LinHES 7.4, Linux kernel 3.4.8, Untangle 9.3, 4MLinux Allinone Edition 4.0 Beta, Vendetta Online 1.8.223, BackTrack 5 R3, Evolution 3.5.5.1, AmaroK 2.6.0, LibreOffice 3.5.6, Linux kernel 3.5.2, and much more. For this week we've also prepared an interesting review for the Mozilla Thunderbird 14.0 application. The weekly ends with the video clip of the week, the new and updated Linux distributions, as well as the development releases.
Summary:
On August 3rd, Jörn Lindau proudly announced the immediate availability for download of the Toorox 08.2012 Xfce and Lite editions, a Linux Live-DVD based on Gentoo. Toorox Xfce 08.2012 is based on Linux 3.3.8-gentoo and comes with the latest Xfce desktop environment, 4.10.
Highlights of Toorox 08.2012 Xfce and Lite:
• Chromium 21.0.1180.55 is now the default Internet browser; • Claws-Mail 3.8.1 is now the default email client; • Based on Linux kernel 3.3.8-gentoo; • XFCE has been updated to version 4.10.0; • Midori 0.4.6 browser is also available; • GIMP was updated to version 2.8.0; • Wine was updated to version 1.5.9 (development version); • Pidgin has been updated to 2.10.6; • Audacious has been update to version 3.3; • Amarok has been updated to version 2.5.0; • Kino has been updated to version 1.3.4; • Abiword was update to version 2.8.6; • Xorg-Server is now at version 1.12.3; • Mirage has been updated to version 0.9.5.2.
Download Toorox 08.2012 Xfce and Lite now from Softpedia.
On August 7th, the developers behind the antiX operating system have announced that version 12 of the antiX ?MEPIS Linux distribution is now available for download. antiX MEPIS M12 is codenamed Edelweißpiraten and comes in three distinct flavors.
The Full version has five window managers: IceWM (which is used as default), Fluxbox, JWM (all with or without a Rox desktop), wmii (already configured), and dwm. All the above distributions use the Debian Testing repositories, all applications upgraded via Debian 'Testing' repositories up to 06 August 2012, and they feature Linux kenel 3.5.0, customized for antiX to allow booting with PI and AMD K5/K6 CPUs.
Download antiX MEPIS M12 now from Softpedia.
Also on August 7th, Lars Torben Kremer has announced the Release Candidate version of the upcoming Snowlinux 3 Linux distribution, based on Linux Debian 6.0 "Squeeze" Stable and powered by the GNOME 2 desktop environment. Snowlinux 3 RC has been dubbed Crystal and it comes with GNOME 2.
There is a good reason for this decision, as the developers have explained it. Apparently, due to some important modifications to GNOME 3 and Unity, the implementation of GNOME 2 was the only way to go. There are also many important modifications that need to be mentioned. The most important of them is the implementation of Linux kernel 3.2.0 LTS (Long Term Support), which means Snowlinux 3 will be supported until February 2014.
Download Snowlinux 3 RC now from Softpedia. Remember that this is a development release and it should NOT be installed on production machines. It is intended for testing purposes only.
On August 9th, Patrick Volkerding announced the first Release Candidate of the upcoming Slackware 14.0 Linux distribution. The biggest change in Slackware 14.0 RC1 is the introduction of a new Linux kernel. The previous version was based on Linux Kernel 2.6.37.6, but the new one is based on Linux kernel 3.2.26, at least so far.
Highlights of Slackware Linux 14.0 RC1:
• The dependency on icu4c in the Makefile has been removed; • Patched to prevent a reset that causes partial printing with certain printers; • Linux kernel 3.2.26; • KDE 4.8.5; • Improper password/passphrase caching has been fixed; • Added default policy files for udisks2 and NetworkManager events; • Replaced gptfdisk utilities with the rebuilt versions.
Download Slackware Linux 14.0 RC1 now from Softpedia. Remember that this is a development release and it should NOT be installed on production machines. It is intended for testing purposes only.
· On August 12th, Ubuntu Tweak, an application designed to config Ubuntu easier for everyone, providing a lot of many useful desktop and system options which the default desktop environment doesn't provide, has reached version 0.7.3. Ubuntu Tweak 0.7.3 comes with a few important changes and new features. The most important one is the addition of an option to turn on/off Guest account. This is really important, especially for Ubuntu. Another thing we have to mention is the fact that the application now officially supports Linux Mint 13 and partially Ubuntu 12.10, although it could be unstable as the latest version of Ubuntu is just an Alpha. Read more about it here.
· On August 13th, Nvidia has announced the immediate availability for download of the 304.37 version of its graphics driver for Linux, Solaris and FreeBSD operating systems. Nvidia 304.37 video driver has one of the largest changelogs we've seen in a while. Usually, video drivers come with just a few small updates and support for the newer video cards, but this time Nvidia has outdone itself. It's like they're trying to recuperate the last couple of years. Read more about it here.
· ClearOS Community 6.3.0 Available for Download · Scientific Linux 6.3 RC2 Available for Testing · Nvidia Fixes Exploit and Updates Drivers for Linux · Damn Small Linux 4.11 RC1 Has Updated JVM · Bridge Linux 2012.8 Has GRUB2 · Arch Linux 2012.08.04 Has GRUB 2.0 · GhostBSD LXDE 3.0 Beta 1 Available for Testing · digiKam 2.8.0 Fixes Lots of Crashes · LibreOffice 3.6.0 Brings Word Counter in Status Bar · Samba 3.6.7 Officially Announced · NetSecL OS 4.0 Has LXDE · CrunchBang 11 R20120806 Available for Download · Scientific Linux 6.3 Available for Download · Calibre 0.8.64 Has Catalogs in AZW3 Format · LinHES 7.4 Has MythTV 0.25.2 · Linux Kernel 3.4.8 Is Available for Download · Untangle 9.3 Officially Announced · Calibre Plugin of the Week: Wiki Reader · 4MLinux Allinone Edition 4.0 Beta Has Wine 1.4.1 · Vendetta Online 1.8.223 Officially Released · Red Hat Announces a Preview OpenStack Distribution · BackTrack 5 R3 Available for Download · Evolution 3.5.5.1 Ready for Testing · AmaroK 2.6.0 Has New Features for iPod, iPad and iPhone · Humble Bundle for Android 3 Comes to Ubuntu 12.04 · Download LibreOffice 3.5.6 Office Suite · Linux Kernel 3.5.2 Is Available for Download
Review of the Week: Mozilla Thunderbird 14.0
· Mozilla built the best non-commercial email solution and called it Thunderbird. Now, they announced that Thuderbird would have its development slowed down in the coming years, but all it’s not lost and I hope this review will make you a faithful user of Thunderbird and convince Mozilla to not abandon it.
I can’t stress enough the importance of Thunderbird in our daily lives. I understand the world is changing, but Mozilla must adapt and change its applications accordingly. Shutting them down is not really an option. The day that Thunderbird will be officially gone, a lot of people will mourn over it, while cursing the gods and the Mozilla developers.
Read the complete review here.
Video Clip of the Week: Humble Bundle for Android 3
· For this week we've posted an 720p HD video clip that promotes the latest Humble Bundle for Android, and Linux, and Mac, and Windows. The video is in português and it has 2 minutes and 28 seconds, and it was posted by WolfireGames.
Distributions Updated Last Week:
· ClearOS 6.3.0 · Bridge Linux 2012.8 · Arch Linux 2012.08.04 · NetSecL 4.0 · CrunchBang Linux Stable 11 R20120806 · Scientific Linux 6.3 · Parted Magic 2012_08_09 · LinHES 7.4 · Antivirus Live CD 4.0-0.97.5 · BackTrack 5 R3 · Semplice Linux 2.0.4 · Webconverger 14.0
· Damn Small Linux 4.11 RC1 · 4MLinux Allinone Edition 4.0 Beta · Clonezilla LiveCD 2.0.0-5 · BlankOn 8.0 RC2 · Salix OS Xfce 14.0 Alpha 1 · CRUX 2.8 RC0 · Slackware 14.0 RC2
See you again at the end of next week for another issue of Softpedia Linux Weekly.