14 DAY TRIAL // GNU/Linux developer Arne Exton shares with us the availability of a new build of his Gentoo-based exGENT Linux-based operating system, which now includes all the recently released technologies and open source applications.
exGENT Build 170303 has been released today, March 3, 2017, and includes the first point release of the Linux 4.10 kernel, as well as the lightweight Xfce 4.12.1 desktop environment and the GRUB2 bootloader, which replaces the GRUB Legacy bootloader used in previous versions in an attempt to implement the Calamares installer.
"The boot loader GRUB Legacy has been replaced by GRUB2. I started this build in the hope that I should be able to implement a new independent installer program called Calamares," said Arne Exton. "I wasn’t able to do it now, though (many dependencies to satisfy). My old installer script will have to do until I find a solution."
Here are some of the apps that ship with exGENT Build 170303
As expected, the new exGENT build is fully synchronized with the software repositories of Gentoo Linux, which means that it includes all the latest software versions. Among the applications pre-installed in exGENT Build 170303, we can mention Mozilla Firefox and Thunderbird, Gparted, GNU Emacs, as well as Google Chrome.
Moreover, the VLC Media Player, Spotify client, AbiWord word processor, NetworkManager network connection manager, and Samba file sharing tool are also installed by default in exGENT Build 170303, along with the latest Nvidia 378.09 graphics driver for those who will use the distro with a Nvidia GPU.
As Gentoo is the kind of GNU/Linux distribution where you have to learn to compile software from sources, exGENT also comes with all the compilation tools you need for such a task. You can download the exGENT Build 170303 64-bit Live ISO image right now from our website, and don't forget to study the full list of installed packages.
exGENT is a distro designed for the experienced Linux user, but Arne Exton also recommends it to those of you who want to learn the ways of Linux. The Live DVD/USB image can be used to either utilize the operating system directly from the bootable medium or install it on your PC, an operating that won't take more than 10 minutes.
