Distro Release: Linux Mint 11 LXDE

According to DistroWatch, the Linux Mint team has released the LXDE edition of Linux Mint 11. It looks like the major changes are to the appearance of a lot of applications, particularly the Software Manager. According to Linux Mint project leader Clement Lefebvre:

The Software Manager - many improvements were made to its graphical interface, and the Software Manager now looks much more polished. Application screens were visually improved, not only in the way they look but also in their layout and the information they show.

I'm surprised we're actually seeing this particular edition of Mint. I thought they were converting all their non-GNOME editions to rolling releases with a Debian code base.

Distribution Release: Linux Mint 11 "LXDE" (DistroWatch.com News)

Distro Release: WattOS R4

WattOS is one of my favorite lightweight distributions, despite a few minor quibbles about configuration options. Yesterday, the newest version, wattOS R4, was released. Among the changes are a "control panel user interface for simple configuration of your system in a familiar format" and a couple of changes to lighter software defaults, most notably switching from Firefox to Chromium as the default browser. 

I also like the new logo wattOS has adopted. It goes better with the default color scheme (assuming the default theme is still green-based) and may not look quite as awkward as part of the menu button.

PlanetWatt - wattOS R4

Distro Release: Tiny Core Linux 3.8

A new version of Tiny Core Linux has been released. It looks like most of the changes in version 3.8 are stability fixes and alterations to make the graphic interface more efficient.

http://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index.php?topic=11017.0

Distro Release: Zorin OS 5 Lite

Ubuntu Look has announced the release of Zorin OS 5 Lite. From what I could gather from a brief look around the Zorin OS site, it looks like Zorin OS is a derivative of Ubuntu that uses a more Windows-like desktop configuration and some unique features like a "Look Changer," and also includes proprietary media codecs.

It looks like the most significant difference between Zorin OS and Linux Mint is that Zorin OS comes in multiple free and paid versions. The free versions are Core, Lite, and Educational. The paid versions are optimized for purposes like business and gaming.

The Lite version uses Lubuntu as its base and features the LXDE desktop. On the one hand, I'm tempted to try this distribution. On the other hand, there are things about their marketing approach that annoy me. For example, their download page urges users to download the live disc using Firefox because "other browsers may corrupt the file and may cause errors." Since I've downloaded multiple distros in Chromium and Iron, I'm skeptical of that claim. This one's going to the bottom of my review queue, meaning I may get around to it after I've finished my current project and have reviewed every other distro I find remotely interesting.

Ubuntu Look » Zorin OS 5 Lite is now available

Distro Release: Tiny Core Linux 3.7

It seems like only yesterday (though it was actually last month) that I wrote a brief post about the release of Tiny Core Linux 3.6. Today, version 3.7 came out. It looks like this distribution has grown in the last month. Several of the new features in this point release make it a lot easier to dual boot with Windows on a desktop. Specifically, there seem to be a couple of packages that allow read and write access to NTFS (Windows Vista/7 file format) partitions. Apparently, Tiny Core Linux is no longer just for running from live media.

Distribution Release: Tiny Core Linux 3.7 (DistroWatch.com News)

Distribution Release: AV Linux 5.0

From Distrowatch:

Glen MacArthur has announced the release of AV Linux 5.0, a Debian-based distribution with a collection of audio and video production software and running on the LXDE desktop: "After more than five months of daily development following the release of 4.2, AV Linux 5.0 is here. This release balances the rock-solid reliability of Debian's stable release and fortifies it with some carefully selected packages to make it a state-of-the-art multimedia content creation powerhouse...."

Obviously, this distro looks like it's using LXDE to leave room for resource hungry audio and video applications rather than to run the OS on older computers. Since multimedia editing isn't my thing, I won't be reviewing this one, ever. However, it may be of interest to some people who stumble on this blog.

AV Linux 5.0 Release Announcement on Distrowatch

Puppy Linux With Enlightenment

Macpup looks interesting: Puppy Linux 5.25 + the Enlightenment desktop + Firefox 4. Lucid Puppy had a pretty good-looking default desktop, and Enlightenment looks incredibly slick for a lightweight desktop, based on my experience with Bodhi Linux. Therefore this distro could combine performance with beauty in a way that only Bodhi has before.

Distribution Release: Macpup 525 (DistroWatch.com News)

Distribution Release: Peppermint OS Two (DistroWatch.com News)

Peppermint OS Two has been released. This is the second version of the cloud-centric, Ubuntu-based distribution. It looks like the new version is specifically based on Lubuntu but uses the Openbox window manager alone rather than the complete LXDE desktop.

Distribution Release: Peppermint OS Two (DistroWatch.com News)

Distribution Release: Bodhi Linux 1.1.0 (DistroWatch.com News)

According to Distrowatch, Bodhi Linux 1.1.0 has been released. I enjoyed version 1.1.0, despite a few minor issues with the Enlightenment desktop, so 1.1.0 joins my ever-growing list of distros to review.

Distribution Release: Bodhi Linux 1.1.0 (DistroWatch.com News)

Distribution Releases: SalineOS 1.4, 1.0 "Personal Server" (DistroWatch.com News)

DistroWatch reports the release of SalineOS, a Linux distro based on Debian stable and featuring Xfce as its desktop environment. In a way, it's like Crunchbang without the Openbox option.

One distinctive thing about SalineOS is that it also comes in a "Personal Server" edition aimed at users who want to set up network servers at home.

Distribution Releases: SalineOS 1.4, 1.0 "Personal Server" (DistroWatch.com News)

Distribution Release: antiX M11 (DistroWatch.com News)

It looks like we have a new distro, based on MEPIS, with IceWM as the GUI. If antiX follows the MEPIS approach of providing a point-and-click way to do just about every task, it could be a godsend to people who have really old computers (with as little as 64 MB of RAM) but aren't into customization through the terminal and text file editing.

Distribution Release: antiX M11 (DistroWatch.com News)

Distribution Release: Tiny Core Linux 3.6 (DistroWatch.com News)

I have absolutely no need for a distro that runs entirely in RAM. However, if your resources are so limited that you do need such an OS, here it is:

Distribution Release: Tiny Core Linux 3.6 (DistroWatch.com News)