Softpedia Linux Weekly, Issue 217

The following Linux-based operating systems have been announced last week: Chakra GNU/Linux 2012.09 and Pear Linux 6 Alpha 1. In other news: New games powered by the Unity 4 game engine were announced for Linux; Canonical presents the top 10 Ubuntu app downloads for August 2012. Softpedia Linux Blog news includes articles about Arch Linux 2012.09.07, 0 A.D. Alpha 11, Empathy 3.6 Beta 2, PureOS 6.0, Linux kernel 3.6 RC5, GNOME 3.6 Beta 2, Xfce 4.12, SimplyMEPIS 12.0 Alpha 2, IPFire 2.11 Core 62, Mozilla Firefox 15.0.1, Qt Creator 2.6 Beta, Manjaro 0.8.1 Pre1, Parted Magic 2012_09_12, Caligra 2.5.2, Super OS 11.10, Qt 4.8.3, Calibre 0.8.69, Zentyal 3.0, Bodhi 2.1.0, Ubuntu GNOME Remix 12.10 Alpha 2, openSUSE Edu Li-f-e 12.2, Linux kernel 3.5.4, Wine 1.5.13, LPS Public 1.3.6, and much more. For this week we've also prepared a nice review for the Google Earth 6.2.2.6613 app. The weekly ends with the video clip of the week, the new and updated Linux distributions, as well as the development releases.


Summary:

· Announced Distro: Chakra GNU/Linux 2012.09 · Announced Distro: Pear Linux 6 Alpha 1 · Other News: Unity 4 games and Top 10 Ubuntu apps for August · Softpedia Linux Blog: Xfce 4.12, Ubuntu 12.10 default wallpapers, and more... · Review of the Week: Google Earth 6.2.2.6613 · Video Clip of the Week: FORCED Greenlight Trailer · New Distributions: TheSSS 4.0 and BACKTRACK codename whydah R1 · Distributions Updated Last Week: PureOS 6.0, Parted Magic 2012_09_12, Super OS 11.10, and more... · Development Releases: Ubuntu GNOME Remix 12.10 Alpha 2, Mageia 3 Alpha 1, SimplyMEPIS 12.0 Alpha 2, and more...

On September 8th, Anke Boersma has announced the immediate availability for download of the Chakra GNU/Linux 2012.09 operating system, dubbed Clair, and dedicated to the memory of Claire Lotion, a KDE contributor. This release includes the latest KDE 4.9.1 desktop environment, as well as the latest LibreOffice and Calligra office suites.

Highlights of Chakra GNU/Linux 2012.09:

· Linux kernel 3.4.6;
· Linux kernel 3.0.35 (optional);
 ·KDE Software Compilation 4.9.1;
 · GRUB2 2.00;
· Qt 4.8.2;
· Added Dharma artwork, including a new theme and wallpaper;
· Added Kapudan, a desktop greeter for first timers with Chakra;
· Improved most of the Chakra tools, like cinstall/cbundle, tribe, spun, and welcome-plasmoid;
· Updated Poppler, OpenJPEG, and OpenAL;
· New sound-stack;
· Updated the latest proprietary video drivers;
· Move to /usr/lib to prepare for systemd switch.

Chakra GNU/Linux 2012.09

Download Chakra GNU/Linux 2012.09 now from Softpedia.

On September 13th, David Tavares has announced that the first Alpha version of the upcoming Pear Linux 6 operating system is now available for download and testing. Dubbed Bartlett, Pear Linux 6 Alpha 1 is now based on the latest LTS release of the Ubuntu OS and it is powered by Linux kernel 3.2 with support for PAE (Physical Address Extension).

Highlights of Pear Linux 6 Alpha 1:

· Based on Ubuntu 12.04.1 LTS (Precise Pangolin);
· Linux kernel 3.2 with PAE;
· Added Pear Linux Shell 6.0;
· Added Pear Linux Panel 1.0;
· Pear Linux Control Center;
· Updated Pear Appstore to version 6.0;
· Added new Pear Linux icons;
· Added new Pera Linux desktop theme
· Added new boot splash;
· Added new login screen;
· Added new desktop notification system;
· Updated lots of applications.

Pear Linux 6 Alpha 1

Download Pear Linux 6 Alpha 1 now from Softpedia. Remember that this is an alpha version and it should NOT be installed on production machines. It is intended for testing purposes only.

Other News:

· On September 11th, Softpedia announced that more games will be published on Linux, based on Unity 4.0 game engine, especially on the Ubuntu platform, via Ubuntu Software Center. Read more about it here.


· On September 12th, Canonical published the top 10 app downloads for August 2012, from Ubuntu Software Center. On the paid apps chart, it looks like last month's first place Braid game has been dethroned by a new tool, MC-Launcher, a Minecraft mod installator launcher, followed closely by some of the best games from the Humble Indie Bundle V, Bastion and Amnesia: The Dark Descent. Read more about it here.

Softpedia Linux Blog:

· Arch Linux 2012.09.07 Has Linux Kernel 3.5.3
· 0 A.D. Alpha 11 Adds Briton and Gaul Factions

· PureOS 6.0 Has GNOME 3.4.2
· Download Linux Kernel 3.6 Release Candidate 5
· GNOME 3.6 Beta 2 Is Now Ready for Testing
· Xfce 4.12 Will Be Released on March 10th, 2013
· Cinnamon Desktop Arrives on openSUSE 12.2
· SimplyMEPIS 12.0 Alpha 2 Is Available for Testing
· Mandriva Announces Mandriva Class
· Game Engine Torque 3D Goes Open Source
· IPFire 2.11 Core 62 Fixes Outgoing Firewall
· Mark Shuttleworth Invests 1 Million Dollars in Inktank
· Ubuntu One Music Store Available Now on Web and Mobile
· Firefox 15.0.1 Officially Lands in Ubuntu
· The Default Wallpaper of Ubuntu 12.10
· Qt Creator 2.6 Beta Fixes qmake Bug
· Manjaro 0.8.1 Pre1 Available for Testing
· Calibre Plugin of the Week: FictionDB
· Ubuntu Server Guide Needs Your Collaboration
· Parted Magic 2012_09_12 Has Mozilla Firefox 15.0.1
· Caligra 2.5.2 Fixes Plugins Bug
· Super OS 11.10 Is Based on Ubuntu 11.10
· Qt 4.8.3 Has WebKit 2.2.3
· Pro Pinball: Revived & Remastered Could Arrive on Linux
· Canonical Announces Major Landspace Update
· Calibre 0.8.69 Improves Metadata Download
· Zentyal 3.0 Is Based on Ubuntu 12.04 LTS
· Bodhi 2.1.0 Has Four New Themes
· Upcoming Features of GNOME 3.8
· Ubuntu GNOME Remix 12.10 Alpha 2 Released
· openSUSE Edu Li-f-e 12.2 Is Based on openSUSE 12.2
· Linux Kernel 3.5.4 Is Available for Download
· Wine 1.5.13 Has Raw Input Support for Keyboard and Mouse
· LPS Public 1.3.6 Removes Firefox Extension Blocklisting
· New Kernel Vulnerabilities Affect Ubuntu 11.10 and 11.04

Review of the Week: Google Earth 6.2.2.6613

· Building a software that can catalog an entire planet is not a feat for everyone, and if there is someone out there who is up for the task, then Google is surely the only company capable to do it.

Google Earth 6.2.2.6613 on Ubuntu 12.04 LTS

Google has dedicated a lot of time and effort to this project and it shows. 3D buildings are added all the time, new sources for images are implemented on a regular basis, and they even managed to help government authorities to control a crisis like the one in Haiti by refreshing their images just a few days after the calamity.

Read the complete review here.

Video Clip of the Week: FORCED Greenlight Trailer

· For this week we've posted an 720p HD video clip that showcases one of the five new video games based on Unity 4 with support for Linux. The video has 1 minutes and 58 seconds, and it was posted by betaDwarf.


New Distributions:

· TheSSS 4.0
· BACKTRACK codename whydah R1

Distributions Updated Last Week:

· PCLinuxOS 2012.09
· Arch Linux 2012.09.07
· PureOS 6.0
· 4MLinux Game Edition 4.0
· Instant WebKiosk 2.1
· Parted Magic 2012_09_12
· Super OS 11.10
· ArchBang 2012.09.14
· Zentyal 3.0
· Bodhi 2.1.0
· openSUSE Edu Li-f-e 12.2
· LPS-Public 1.3.6

Development Releases:

· Mageia 3 Alpha 1
· Clonezilla LiveCD 2.0.0-16
· SimplyMEPIS 12.0 Alpha 2
· DRBL Live Xfce 2.0.1-4
· IPFire 2.11 Core 3.0 Alpha 1
· Manjaro Linux 0.8.1 Pre1
· Ubuntu GNOME Remix 12.10 Alpha 2

See you again at the end of next week for another issue of Softpedia Linux Weekly.