The release of Rhino Linux 2024.1 has been presented, featuring a variant of Ubuntu with a continuous update delivery model that allows access to the latest versions of software. New versions are primarily ported from the devel branches of Ubuntu repositories, where packages with new versions of applications synchronized with Debian Unstable are built. Desktop components, the Linux kernel, boot splash screens, themes, the Firefox browser, and development tools are distributed through a separate Pacstall repository. Installation images capable of booting in Live mode are prepared for the x86_64 (2.3 GB) and ARM64 (2.2 GB) architectures, as well as for ARM devices like 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.
The graphical interface is built on the Unicorn user environment, which is a revamped version of Xfce, styled to be similar to GNOME while remaining lightweight. In Unicorn, the developers aimed to combine a more modern design with a traditional approach to desktop layout. For the application sidebar, Plank Dock is used, and the standard Xfce panel serves as the top panel. App Grid mode, based on Lightpad, is utilized for navigating installed applications.
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.
The new version incorporates the release of the Pacstall package manager 5.0.0, developing an equivalent concept to AUR for Ubuntu. Pacstall 5 significantly updates the pacscript package format, allows operations to be executed in an isolated environment, improves functionality with multiple repositories, and expands testing capabilities and issue notification features. The pacscript file format is similar to the capabilities of PKGBUILD in AUR, greatly simplifying the porting of packages from AUR to the Pacstall repository. Builds for desktop systems and Pine64 devices use the Linux kernel 6.9, while Raspberry Pi builds utilize kernel 6.8. Package versions have been updated.
Source: opennet.ru
