The release of the Linux distribution Solus 4.6 has been published. It is not based on packages from other distributions and develops 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, will develop on the technologies of the SerpentOS distribution. The project code is distributed under the GPLv2 license, and the development uses C and Vala languages. Builds with Budgie, GNOME, KDE Plasma, and Xfce desktops are provided. 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 third stage of moving all executable files and libraries from root directories to the /usr section has been completed (the /bin, /sbin, and /lib* directories are now unified with the corresponding directories inside /usr and are linked by symbolic links). This restructuring will eliminate confusion regarding file placement and will bring the distribution in line with the requirements of systemd, which, starting from release 255, has discontinued support for separate directory hierarchies. All Solus users will be transitioned to the unified /usr section after installing updates.
- In addition to the default interface for installing applications, solus-sc (Solus Software Center), an experimental option is provided to use GNOME Software and KDE Discover application managers for installing and updating programs from Solus repositories, as well as managing packages in Flatpak format installed from the Flathub directory. GNOME Software can be used in editions based on Budgie, GNOME, and Xfce, while KDE Discover can be used in the KDE Plasma-based edition.
- System components and user programs have been updated. For example, the Linux kernel 6.10.13 has been proposed (packages with LTS kernel 6.6.54 and additional patches for AppArmor are available as options), Mesa 24.2.3, Firefox 131.0.3, LibreOffice 24.2.5.2, and Thunderbird 128.3.1.
- The Budgie desktop has been updated to version 10.9.2. Instead of some previously supplied GNOME applications by default, alternatives from the XApps set developed by the Linux Mint 22 project are now used. Specifically, the Evince document viewer has been replaced with XReader, the Eye of GNOME image viewer with XViewer, and the File Roller archive manager with Engrampa.
- The GNOME desktop has been updated to version 46.5, which introduces a global search feature, enhanced file manager performance, experimental support for Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), improved output quality when using fractional scaling, expanded capabilities for connecting to external services, an updated configurator, and an improved notification system.
- The KDE Plasma build has been updated to versions KDE Plasma 6.1.5, KDE Gear 24.08.1, KDE Frameworks 6.6.0, Qt 6.7.3, and sddm 0.21.0.
- The Xfce builds utilize components from the 4.18 branch, as well as packages Mousepad 0.6.2, Parole 4.18.1, Ristretto 0.13.2, Thunar 4.18.11, and Whiskermenu 2.8.3. Instead of the default File Roller archive manager, Engrampa from the MATE project is suggested, and XReader is used for viewing PDFs. A plugin for switching keyboard layouts is included. The repository has added packages xfdashboard, xfce4-battery-plugin, and xfce4-clipman-plugin.
Source: opennet.ru
