The release of the Rhino Linux 2023.4 distribution has been announced, which implements a variant of Ubuntu with a continuous delivery update model, allowing access to the latest versions of software. New versions are mostly transferred from the devel branches of the Ubuntu repositories, where packages with new application versions are built, synchronized with Debian Sid and Unstable. Desktop components, the Linux kernel, boot splash screens, themes, the Firefox browser, and utilities developed by the project are distributed through a separate Pacstall repository. Installable images, which can boot in Live mode, are prepared for x86_64 (2 GB) and ARM64 (1.9 GB) architectures, as well as for ARM devices PineTab, PineTab2, PinePhone, PinePhone Pro, and Raspberry Pi.
Package management is handled by its own package manager rhino-pkg (rpk), which wraps around the APT, Pacstall, flatpak, and snap package managers. Rhino-pkg provides a single universal tool for performing standard operations with various package formats, such as installing, removing, updating, and searching for packages. The distribution is built using the LiveBuild toolkit from the Debian project with modifications sourced from VanillaOS. The Calamares installer is used for the installation of the distribution.
For the graphical interface, a custom user environment, Unicorn, has been employed, which is a redesigned version of Xfce, styled closer to GNOME but remaining lightweight. In Unicorn, the developers aimed to combine a more modern appearance with a traditional approach to desktop construction. Plank Dock is used as the application sidebar, and the standard Xfce panel serves as the top panel. Navigation through installed applications is facilitated by the App Grid mode, implemented on the basis of Lightpad.
Navigation between open windows and virtual desktops is organized using the Xfdashboard package, which implements a GNOME Shell and macOS Expose-style application switching interface for Xfce. For quick application launches, uLauncher is offered, providing a search bar for running commands, browsing directory contents, and finding programs and files. The project also develops a first setup wizard, an application for file sharing between different devices (a fork of Snapdrop), and an application for viewing system information and updating the distribution.
In the new version of the Unicorn user environment, an automatic window tiling feature is offered (activation occurs through an applet added to the top right corner of the panel). The corners of the uLauncher program launch interface have been rounded. A "rhino-pkg cleanup" command has been added to clear out broken dependencies and unnecessary packages that are no longer used in other packages.
The build for Pine64 devices offers increased stability for the modem on PinePhone and PinePhone Pro smartphones, includes GPS support, adds Wi-Fi support for PineTab2, and implements a flashlight feature for PinePhone and PineTab. The Linux kernel has been updated to version 6.6 in the main distribution edition, 6.7 in the edition for Pine64, and 6.5 in the edition for Raspberry Pi.
Source: opennet.ru
