GeckoLinux [STATIC] [NEXT] 153.210608
GeckoLinux is pleased to announce the 153.210608 update to its full range of STATIC and NEXT editions. These updated editions are now based on the new openSUSE Leap 15.3 release, which in turn is built from SUSE Linux Enterprise (SLE) packages. The Linux kernel is still at version 5.3.18, but additional backports are included for better compatibility with newer hardware. GeckoLinux in turn continues to refine its package selection and unique configuration to provide a simple, clean system that works out of the box. For this GeckoLinux STATIC release, the Calamares installer is now at version 3.2.36, and has been configured to use the Btrfs filesystem with LZO transparent compression by default for the guided partitioning options, although of course all other modern Linux filesystems are also available with the custom partitioning option. When Btrfs is used, the Snapper system is now pre-configured for automatic timeline and administration snapshots, which can be easily managed via the YaST Filesystem Snapshots module. Additionally, zRAM swap is enabled out of the box, and the EarlyOOM daemon is also enabled to help prevent unrecoverable system freezes in low memory situations. NTP for automatic network time updates is now configured out of the box for all editions. Attention has also been given to using the appropriate input driver (libinput or Synaptics) for each desktop environment, and other minor tweaks and improvements are included in several editions. A variety of GeckoLinux STATIC ISO spins are available with polished desktop environments to suit every need and preference:
- Cinnamon 4.6.7
- XFCE 4.16
- Budgie 10.5.1
- Plasma 5.18 LTS / KF5 5.76 / KDE 20.04
- Mate 1.24
- Gnome 3.34
- LXQt 0.16
The GeckoLinux NEXT 153.210608 Plasma spin includes the following component versions:
- Plasma 5.22.0
- KDE Applications 21.04
- KF5 5.82.0
GeckoLinux STATIC spins are generated directly from unmodified openSUSE Leap 15.3 and Packman repositories, and the installed system can be updated directly from those official sources. The STATIC editions are good for users that prefer a system with few changes and less package updates. GeckoLinux NEXT additions include constantly updated versions of a specific desktop environment from semi-official openSUSE OBS repositories on top of the static openSUSE Leap 15.3 base. For users that want the latest stable editions of all packages, the GeckoLinux ROLLING editions based on openSUSE Tumbleweed are also available.
GeckoLinux continues to be focused on eliminating pain points and polishing its unique out of the box configuration on top of the stable and flexible openSUSE base. Proprietary media formats play out of the box, and additional user-installed multimedia applications work automatically with restricted media codecs thanks to the prioritized inclusion of the Packman repository. Proprietary hardware driver and firmware support has also been included as much as possible. Special attention has been given to optimal font rendering and color contrast. Google and Skype repositories are also configured out of the box for optional installation by the user of proprietary applications from those vendors. Third-party RPM packages can also be easily installed using the graphical YaST package manager. Significant changes have been made to the default openSUSE package manager configuration to suit GeckoLinux user preferences, and the PackageKit framework is completely avoided so as to eliminate many issues and annoyances. All GeckoLinux editions use the Calamares system installer, providing easy but powerful options for reliable installation of the live system.
Please download GeckoLinux from http://geckolinux.github.io and find more information about what makes GeckoLinux different from openSUSE. Thanks a lot, have fun!