It's based on Ubuntu 14.0.4.5, offers Unity & GNOME desktops

Jan 19, 2017 01:16 GMT  ·  By

Vinux Linux, the Ubuntu-based computer operating system designed for blind and partially sighted people, has been updated today, January 18, 2017, to version 5.1.

Based on the Ubuntu 14.04.5 LTS (Trusty Tahr) operating system and offering both the Unity 7 and GNOME Shell 3.10.4 user interfaces, along with the lightweight MATE 1.8 desktop environment, Vinux Linux 5.1 introduces an up-to-date accessibility infrastructure by using Brltty 5.4, Orca 3.22 screen reader & magnifier, and AT-SPI 2.22.

The Speech Dispatcher 0.8.5, the independent layer for accessing speech synthesis, and liblouis 2.6.2, the open-source braille translator and back-translator, are also included in the Vinux Linux 5.1 release to improve the overall reliability of the OS for those in need, but the console speech changes from Vinux 4.0 are missing.

"We are unable to include the Vinux 4.0 console speech changes due to Vinux 5.1 not using ConsoleKit any longer," explained the developers in the official release announcement. "To use speechd-up log into your desktop session and run sudo speechd-up from a gnome-terminal or add a startup item to do it automatically upon login."

Vinux Linux 5.1 is a long-term supported release

Pre-installed in this release, users will find the Mozilla Firefox 48.0 web browser (upgradable to 50.1.0), Mozilla Thunderbird 45.2 email and news client (upgradable to 45.5.0), LibreOffice 4.2.8 office suite, Evince 3.12.2 document viewer, Clam AntiVirus (ClamAV) 0.98.7 antivirus (upgradable to 0.99), and eSpeak 1.48 speech synthesizer.

Being based on Ubuntu 14.04.5 LTS (Trusty Tahr), Vinux Linux 5.1 is using the long-term supported Linux 4.4 kernel, which means that it's also an LTS (Long Term Support) operating system that will offer security patches and software updates for a few more years. Download Vinux Linux 5.1 for 32- and 64-bit PCs right now from our website. If you're already using Vine 5.0, simply update your installation.