Users will also get the Openbox and JWM desktops

Sep 26, 2014 12:59 GMT  ·  By

SparkyLinux, a lightweight Linux distribution based on Debian and featuring custom MATE, Xfce Openbox, and JWM desktops, has reached version 3.5 and is now ready for download.

The SparkyLinux 3.5 has kept the "Annagerman" codename and the system is still based on Debian GNU/Linux "Jessie." This is the unstable branch of Debian, but that doesn't mean that the SparkyLinux release is not stable. This is one of the few instances where the fact that the OS is based on something unstable is not an important factor.

This particular release incorporates a few separate desktops, MATE, Xfce, and Base Openbox & JWM. The MATE and Xfce desktops are the most famous, but they are all lightweight and they should be able to run on low-end machines.

New update is not all that new

Jumping from version 3.4 to 3.5 is not a big leap for the distribution, despite the fact that so many desktops are covered by this release. This is more about the package updates than anything else, but if you are a user of this distribution, it would be a good idea to upgrade as soon as possible.

"New Live/Install iso images provide packages update and a few changes. All packages have been synchronized with Debian "testing" repository as of 22/09/2014. Base Edition is available in two separated flavours now: Openbox and JWM. JWM Edition offers traditional desktop look and minimal set of applications as well as Openbox Edition. JWM Edition uses a little less the computer's power even that Openbox and can be used on old machines. Sparky JWM 32 bit consumes less that 90 MB of RAM memory after installation on a hard drive," writes the developer in the announcement.

The Linux kernel for SparkyLinux 3.5 has been updated to version 3.14.2 (3.14.15-2). It's not one of the newer ones, but it should prove to be adequate enough. Also, the MATE desktop environment is now at version 1.8.1, Xfce has been updated to version 4.10.1, Openbox (windows manager) is now at version 3.2.5-7, and JWM (also just a window manager) is now at version 2.1.0.

The developer has also added a few new tools to the system, including the Custom ISO Builder, Sparky-APTus-Extra (users can install more apps from the official repositories), and the Sparky Conky Manager, which manages conkies for users. Also, the TrueCrypt package has been removed.

A complete list of changes and new features are available in the official announcement. You can download SparkyLinux 3.5 MATE, SparkyLinux 3.5 Xfce, SparkyLinux Openbox 3.5, and SparkyLinux JWM 3.5 right now from Softpedia.

It's also worth noting that the Openbox and JWM are not your average desktops. They are pretty different from the other two and they will require more patience and attention from users.