Barry Kauler, founder of the Puppy Linux project, has published an experimental EasyOS 4.5 distribution that combines Puppy Linux technologies with containerized isolation to run system components. The distribution kit is managed through a set of graphical configurators developed by the project. The size of the boot image is 825 MB.
In the new release:
- The Linux kernel has been updated to version 5.15.78. In the kernel, when compiling, settings are included to improve support for KVM and QEMU, as well as the use of TCP syncookie to protect against flooding with SYN packets.
- The panel used to view IP TV on the desktop has been upgraded to MK8 version.
- The development of the woofQ build system has been moved to GitHub.
- Package versions have been updated, including Firefox 106.0.5, QEMU 7.1.0, and Busybox 1.34.1.
- Preparations have been made to revise the root-only model (because the current model of working as root with resetting privileges at each application launch is too complicated and insecure, experiments are being carried out to provide the ability to work as a non-privileged user).
- The OpenEmbedded (OE) environment used for rebuilding packages has been updated to version 3.1.20.
- Moved script to start Pulseaudio to /etc/init.d.
- Changed the installation process of the system, which is separated from the bootloader. The previously used rEFInd/Syslinux bootloaders have been replaced with Limine, which supports booting on systems with both UEFI and BIOS.
- Added SFS packages with Android Studio, Audacity, Blender, Openshot, QEMU, Shotcut, SmartGit, SuperTuxKart, VSCode and Zoom.
- Added 'deb2sfs' utility to convert deb packages to sfs. Improved 'dir2sfs' utility.
- The ability to print from programs built with GTK3 has been adjusted.
- Added compiler support for the Nim language.
Distribution features:
- Each application, as well as the desktop itself, can be run in separate containers, which are isolated using Easy Containers' own mechanism.
- Running as root by default with resetting privileges on launch of each application, since EasyOS is positioned as a single user Live system.
- The distribution is installed in a separate subdirectory and can coexist with other data on the drive (the system is installed in /releases/easy-4.5, user data is stored in the /home directory, and additional application containers are placed in the /containers directory).
- Encryption of individual subdirectories (for example, /home) is supported.
- It is possible to install meta-packages in SFS format, which are mountable images with Squashfs, combining several regular packages and essentially resembling the appimages, snaps and flatpak formats.
- The system is updated in atomic mode (the new version is copied to another directory and the active directory with the system is switched) and supports rollback of changes in case of problems after the update.
- There is a run from RAM mode in which the system is copied into memory at boot and runs without accessing disks.
- To build the distribution, the WoofQ toolkit and package sources from the OpenEmbedded project are used.
- The desktop is based on the JWM window manager and the ROX file manager.
- The basic package includes applications such as Firefox, LibreOffice, Scribus, Inkscape, GIMP, mtPaint, Dia, Gpicview, Geany text editor, Fagaros password manager, HomeBank personal finance management system, DidiWiki personal wiki, Osmo organizer, Planner project manager, system Notecase, Pidgin, Audacious music player, Celluloid, VLC and MPV media players, LiVES video editor, OBS Studio streaming system.
- For easy file sharing and printer sharing, a native EasyShare application is offered.
Source: opennet.ru