The release of the Linux distribution Solus 4.7 has been published, which is not based on packages from other distributions and is developing its own installer, package manager, and configurator. Previously, the Budgie desktop was part of the distribution, but it is now a standalone project. The next branch, Solus 5, is set to develop on the technologies of the SerpentOS distribution. The code of the project's developments is distributed under the GPLv2 license, and the development uses the C and Vala programming languages. Builds are provided with the Budgie, GNOME, KDE Plasma, and Xfce desktops. The size of the ISO images is 2.6-2.9 GB (x86_64).
The package manager eopkg (a fork of PiSi from Pardus Linux) is used to manage packages, providing familiar tools for installing/removing packages, searching the repository, and managing repositories. Packages can be categorized into thematic components, which in turn create categories and subcategories. For example, Firefox is categorized under component network.web.browser, which belongs to the network applications category and the Web applications subcategory. More than 2000 packages are available for installation from the repository.
The distribution adheres to a hybrid development model, according to which significant releases are periodically issued, offering new technologies and substantial improvements, while in between the major releases, the distribution is developed using a rolling model for package updates.
The Budgie environment is based on GNOME technologies and its own implementation of the GNOME Shell (in the next Budgie 11 branch, they plan to separate the desktop functionality from the layer responsible for visualization and information output). The Budgie Window Manager (BWM), an enhanced modification of the base Mutter plugin, is used for window management. Budgie's core consists of a panel similar in functioning to classic desktop panels. All panel elements are applets, allowing flexible configuration of the content, repositioning, and replacing implementations of basic panel elements to personal preference.
Among the available applets, one can note the classic application menu, task switcher, area with a list of open windows, and preview. virtual desktops, a power management indicator, a volume control applet, a system status indicator, and a clock. To play music in the editions with Budgie and GNOME desktops, the Rhythmbox player is offered with the Alternate Toolbar extension, providing an interface with a compact panel implemented using client-side window decoration (CSD). For video playback in the Budgie and GNOME editions, Celluloid is used. In the KDE edition, Elisa is available for music playback, while Haruna is used for video. In the Xfce edition, the Parole player is utilized for multimedia file playback.
Key Changes:
- The system components and user programs have been updated, including the Linux kernel 6.12.9 (with optional packages for the LTS kernel 6.6.70 and additional patches for AppArmor), Mesa 24.3.3, Firefox 134.0.2, LibreOffice 24.8.4.2, and Thunderbird 128.6.0.
- A new application installation center (Software Center) has been proposed for testing, supporting packages in the Flatpak format and Appstream metadata. Additionally, the option to use GNOME Software and KDE Discover application managers for installing and updating programs from Solus repositories, as well as managing Flatpak packages installed from the Flathub catalog, has been provided.
- Additional firmware for NVIDIA GPUs is included in the ISO images.
- In the Budgie desktop builds, version 10.9.2 continues to be supplied.
- The GNOME desktop has been updated to GNOME 47.3, which features a new style for dialog windows, improved performance on systems with low screen resolution, hardware acceleration for video encoding when recording screencasts, and a complete redesign of the open and save file dialogs.
- The KDE-based build has been updated to versions KDE Plasma 6.2.5, KDE Gear 24.12.1, KDE Frameworks 6.10.0, Qt 6.8.1, and sddm 0.21.0.
- The Xfce builds utilize the 4.20 branch with experimental Wayland support. Updated Mousepad 0.6.3, Parole 4.18.2, Ristretto 0.13.2, Thunar 4.20.1, and Whiskermenu 2.8.3.
Source: opennet.ru
