https://os.watch OS.watch is exploring the world of Operating Systems http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification python-feedgen https://os.watch/static/images/favicon.png https://os.watch 48 48 en Sat, 22 Aug 2026 16:28:17 +0000 https://os.watch/archcraft/2026.08.01 August 2026 ISO image of Archcraft is now available for download. A release focused on stability, compatibility and polish. From a completely revamped installation experience to improved desktop sessions, better VirtualBox support and countless bug fixes, this is one of the bigge August 2026 ISO image of Archcraft is now available for download. A release focused on stability, compatibility and polish. From a completely revamped installation experience to improved desktop sessions, better VirtualBox support and countless bug fixes, this is one of the biggest Archcraft updates yet. Highlights: brand new Qt6 SDDM theme; new Sway Wayland session; reliable encrypted installations across installers; restored Btrfs and XFS installation support (Calamares); updated to archiso 88-1; improved VirtualBox compatibility; better GTK/GNOME application integration; hundreds of small fixes and improvements. One of the biggest additions in this release is the introduction of Sway, providing another lightweight Wayland session alongside the existing window managers. https://os.watch/archcraft/2026.08.01 Sun, 02 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/aerynos/2026.08 From a development story arc perspective, AerynOS has been deliberately kept under a very tight leash over the last year, as we have focused on strengthening our core tooling and infrastructure code bases. Whilst we are nowhere near “done” with our vision for our tooling, now tha From a development story arc perspective, AerynOS has been deliberately kept under a very tight leash over the last year, as we have focused on strengthening our core tooling and infrastructure code bases. Whilst we are nowhere near “done” with our vision for our tooling, now that our ability to seamlessly deliver updates to our on-disk repository and file formats has been secured, you will see AerynOS deliberately transitioning into a more open and collaborative space for those of you who want to get involved with the project and work on areas that you find fun, interesting and engaging. This shift in approach has already been evident over the last couple of months, as engagement around the project continues to grow through all of our social media platforms and particularly in our Zulip server. Reilly has worked on adding OpenZFS data drive support in AerynOS. This means that we now support Btrfs, bcachefs and OpenZFS drives for user-managed data drives. Reilly has tested OpenZFS on one of his drives; however we need help from you all, our community of early adopters, to test OpenZFS on your drives and provide feedback that we can then use to iterate. https://os.watch/aerynos/2026.08 Mon, 03 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/nethydra/1.1.0 In this update we decide to make MATE as the default desktop for NetHydra (for SONAR it would still be using Xfce), classic and technical feel. As with every NetHydra release, this update also introduces several new tools and package additions to complement and expand the scope o In this update we decide to make MATE as the default desktop for NetHydra (for SONAR it would still be using Xfce), classic and technical feel. As with every NetHydra release, this update also introduces several new tools and package additions to complement and expand the scope of NetHydra: Fluxion - a security auditing and social-engineering research tool; ligolo-ng - an advanced, yet simple, tunneling/pivoting tool that uses a TUN interface; chisel - fast TCP/UDP tunnel, transported over HTTP, secured via SSH with a single executable; Evilginx2 - standalone man-in-the-middle attack framework used for phishing. Also, we've added some old tools into NetHydra ISO image, including cisco-auditing-tool (CAT), cisco-global-exploiter, cisco-torch, 0trace, unix-privesc-check and smtp-user-enum. https://os.watch/nethydra/1.1.0 Mon, 03 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/starbuntu/24.04.4.24 This release presents the new Linux kernel 7.1.5 as well as the new version 150.0.7871.186-1 of the web browser Google-Chrome-Stable. In addition, among other things, Starbuntu has improved its upgrade software. This release presents the new Linux kernel 7.1.5 as well as the new version 150.0.7871.186-1 of the web browser Google-Chrome-Stable. In addition, among other things, Starbuntu has improved its upgrade software. https://os.watch/starbuntu/24.04.4.24 Mon, 03 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/idealos/2026.08.08 2026.08.08 - iDeal OS 4.4. The release of iDeal OS 4.4 is a major upgrade on the footsteps of MX Linux 25.2 and Debian 13.6. We are pleased to introduce the new official iDeal OS repository. The entire operating system and all custom applications are now maintained as native .deb 2026.08.08 - iDeal OS 4.4. The release of iDeal OS 4.4 is a major upgrade on the footsteps of MX Linux 25.2 and Debian 13.6. We are pleased to introduce the new official iDeal OS repository. The entire operating system and all custom applications are now maintained as native .deb packages via APT, offering clear benefits. Automatic updates - simply run sudo apt upgrade to get the latest features and bug fixes; clean system - everything integrates perfectly with the traditional APT package manager; verified security - all packages are cryptographically signed by the iDeal OS RD team; future-ready - apps and system bug fixes, configuration files, wallpapers, themes, icons will be published through the same repository over time. The new Liquorix kernel offers improved responsiveness for interactive systems, enabling low-latency computing for audio/video production and reducing frame-time deviation in games. Waterfox is the new default web browser, a fork of Firefox with enhanced privacy features. https://os.watch/idealos/2026.08.08 Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/sparkylinux/8.4 A year ago, Debian dropped support for 32-bit live/install ISO images, so SparkyLinux dropped it as well. This decision has been reassessed, as it turns out there are still a significant number of people in the world who own “really old,” still functional computers with 32-bit pr A year ago, Debian dropped support for 32-bit live/install ISO images, so SparkyLinux dropped it as well. This decision has been reassessed, as it turns out there are still a significant number of people in the world who own “really old,” still functional computers with 32-bit processors. That's why SparkyLinux 8.4 restores support for 32-bit machines, offering, in addition to x86_64 and Aarch64 editions, also i686-pae live/install images as a ultra-light Openbox and CLI editions for self-configuration as you wish. Main changes: all packages updated from the stable Debian and SparkyLinux repositories as of August 9, 2026; PC 64-bit Linux kernel 6.12.101-LTS (7.1.8, 6.18.43-LTS, 6.12.102-LTS in SparkyLinux repositories); Arm64 Linux kernel 6.18.39; PC 32-bit Linux kernel 6.12.102-LTS; LibreOffice 25.2.3 (26.2.4 in Debian backports repository); KDE Plasma 6.3.6.... https://os.watch/sparkylinux/8.4 Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/titalcruiseos/5.4 Today is a truly special day for the entire team and for those who have closely followed every build, every proof of concept, and every tweak to our system images. We are proud to announce the general availability of TitalcruiseOS 5.4 (build 20260806), a cumulative update that no Today is a truly special day for the entire team and for those who have closely followed every build, every proof of concept, and every tweak to our system images. We are proud to announce the general availability of TitalcruiseOS 5.4 (build 20260806), a cumulative update that not only redefines our operating system's capabilities but also marks the official conclusion and pinnacle of the Fifth Generation (Gen 5). What began as a quest for an agile, low-latency desktop experience has evolved, with version 5.4, into a full-fledged software engineering workstation. What makes TitalcruiseOS 5.4 the most ambitious release of Gen 5? This 7.0 GB release is no mere patch; it represents a major architectural leap designed to deliver security and compatibility with the most demanding hardware on the market. We are moving beyond the limitations of the previous version to adopt the new Debian 14 'Forky' base. https://os.watch/titalcruiseos/5.4 Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/cachyos/260809 CachyOS Welcome got a DNS rework, so the speed-test based server ranking now correctly picks the fastest DNS server. In chwd, improved handheld detection via particular board name matching, and added Bulgarian localization. The kernel-manager backend was rewritten from C++ to Rus CachyOS Welcome got a DNS rework, so the speed-test based server ranking now correctly picks the fastest DNS server. In chwd, improved handheld detection via particular board name matching, and added Bulgarian localization. The kernel-manager backend was rewritten from C++ to Rust and integrated directly into chwd-kernel. Cachy-Update was rebased onto Arch-Update v4.x, with its systray applet rewritten in Rust. New --check --enable option turns on automated update checks and starts the systray in one step, tray now has configurable pagination via TrayUpdatesPerPage, and default check interval was raised to 6 hours. Shelly, our default GUI package manager, was rewritten from C# to Zig for its major release, dropping the managed runtime for native binaries with lower memory use and faster startup. The desktop app got a new first-run welcome screen, list and grid package browsing, AUR PKGBUILD previews with build output, and a Utilities page for database sync, cache cleanup and orphan removal. https://os.watch/cachyos/260809 Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/murena/4.1.1 Fairphone 6 is now available on AOSP 16 Backup & Restore (beta) - /e/OS can now automatically back up your apps and their data to your Murena Workspace and restore them on a new device or after a reset. Backups run automatically when your device is idle, and can be limited to Wi- Fairphone 6 is now available on AOSP 16 Backup & Restore (beta) - /e/OS can now automatically back up your apps and their data to your Murena Workspace and restore them on a new device or after a reset. Backups run automatically when your device is idle, and can be limited to Wi-Fi only, paused when the battery is low, and retried automatically if an upload fails. You can see your last backup time and status at a glance, with clear per-app information showing exactly what is backed up and what can be restored. /e/OS Passwords, a brand-new built-in password manager - save, automatically generate and autofill your passwords across apps and websites. An off-line cache lets you retrieve your passwords even without a connection, and your vault can be securely backed up and synced. Voice to Text (off-line) - Murena Voice to Text can now run entirely on your device, so you can dictate without an internet connection. The language model is downloaded on demand. Now available to all users, no premium account required. https://os.watch/murena/4.1.1 Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/soploslinux/2026.08 The day has finally arrived. Soplos Linux 2026.08 is now available as a stable version. After months of betas and release candidates, the project takes the final leap. The three variants of the distribution, 'Tyron', 'Tyson' and 'Boro', are published at the same time. Not one has The day has finally arrived. Soplos Linux 2026.08 is now available as a stable version. After months of betas and release candidates, the project takes the final leap. The three variants of the distribution, 'Tyron', 'Tyson' and 'Boro', are published at the same time. Not one has been left behind. Likewise, the core of the system advances in the three ISO images. The custom Soplos kernel goes up to version 7.1.5. Consequently, mesa-vulkan-drivers is also added in version 26.1.5, improving the standard Vulkan graphical support. Likewise, openssh-common is added, reinforcing the network tools available from the first boot. However, the most striking change in this version is something else. Soplos Linux 2026.08 completely removes the proprietary NVIDIA drivers from the ISO image. https://os.watch/soploslinux/2026.08 Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/starbuntu/24.04.4.25 This release presents the new version 151.0.7922.75-1 of the web browser Google-Chrome-Stable. In addition, among other things, Starbuntu has added an 'Open With' list of adequare mime type specific applications as well as improved its command entry software and also added a rout This release presents the new version 151.0.7922.75-1 of the web browser Google-Chrome-Stable. In addition, among other things, Starbuntu has added an 'Open With' list of adequare mime type specific applications as well as improved its command entry software and also added a routine for writing an ISO image to a storage medium. https://os.watch/starbuntu/24.04.4.25 Tue, 11 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/manjaro/26.1.0 Manjaro 26.1 'Bian-May' released. Since we released 'Anh-Linh' in January 2026 we worked hard to get the next release of Manjaro out there. We call it 'Bian-May'. The GNOME edition has received several updates to the GNOME 50 series. This includes a lot of fixes and polish when G Manjaro 26.1 'Bian-May' released. Since we released 'Anh-Linh' in January 2026 we worked hard to get the next release of Manjaro out there. We call it 'Bian-May'. The GNOME edition has received several updates to the GNOME 50 series. This includes a lot of fixes and polish when GNOME 50 originally was released in March 2026. GNOME's parental controls have made a massive leap forward in GNOME 50. For the first time it is now possible for parents and guardians to monitor screen time and set limits for child accounts, including bedtime schedules. The new features allow automatically locking the screen when a screen limit or bedtime is reached. Parents and guardians also have the ability to extend screen time past the limit when needed. We also ship Big Parental Controls 1.0 from our sister-project Big Linux from Brazil, to comply with recent laws there. https://os.watch/manjaro/26.1.0 Wed, 12 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/galactic_mandate_linux/v07 Galactic Mandate Linux v07 is the latest release, featuring a signed APT suite, migration and desktop package updates, and a direct AMD64 installer ISO. Users can upgrade existing installations with `sudo gm-upgrade v07` or install v07 directly, with support for legacy BIOS, UEFI Galactic Mandate Linux v07 is the latest release, featuring a signed APT suite, migration and desktop package updates, and a direct AMD64 installer ISO. Users can upgrade existing installations with `sudo gm-upgrade v07` or install v07 directly, with support for legacy BIOS, UEFI, and Safe Graphics. The release also delivers a complete suite of themed NF applications, consistent desktop context menus, updated system behavior, and a unified installer shortcut across the live desktop and application menu. https://os.watch/galactic_mandate_linux/v07 Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/omarchy/4.0.0 Omarchy 4 aka 'Quattro' is the biggest release since the project started. The entire desktop shell has been reimagined in Quickshell - the bar, launcher, menus, notifications, on-screen displays, control panels, lock screen, and polkit agent now all live inside a single long-runn Omarchy 4 aka 'Quattro' is the biggest release since the project started. The entire desktop shell has been reimagined in Quickshell - the bar, launcher, menus, notifications, on-screen displays, control panels, lock screen, and polkit agent now all live inside a single long-running shell process with a plugin architecture. That means Waybar, Walker, Mako, SwayOSD, hyprlock, hypridle, swaybg and polkit-gnome are all gone, replaced by one coherent, fully-themed, IPC-scriptable shell. Headline features: reimagine the entire desktop shell in Quickshell; move Omarchy internals from git to system packages for safely separating user modifications; offer dual-boot installation when free space is available; setup a machine for a new owner during install, so OEMs and gift givers can prepare a machine for others; allow for factory reset from new Quattro installs for safe resale/gifting of your machine; shrink the ISO image by over a gigabyte (now under 6GB); speed up installation by +30%; convert all Hyprland configurations to lua for full 0.56 compatibility.... https://os.watch/omarchy/4.0.0 Mon, 17 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/tuxedo/20260813 Welcome to the open beta of the next generation of TUXEDO OS. TUXEDO OS is moving to a new foundation - Debian 'Testing'. With this open beta, we are opening up the development process and inviting you to try the new system, use it in real-world scenarios and help us shape the fi Welcome to the open beta of the next generation of TUXEDO OS. TUXEDO OS is moving to a new foundation - Debian 'Testing'. With this open beta, we are opening up the development process and inviting you to try the new system, use it in real-world scenarios and help us shape the final release. This is not just about finding crashes or obvious bugs. We want to know how the system feels. If something surprises you, confuses you, slows you down or simply does not behave the way you expected: please tell us. Future versions of TUXEDO OS will use Debian 'Testing' as their permanent base. We call this approach 'Continuous Debian'. It allows us to keep the hybrid release model of TUXEDO OS while working on a more flexible and continuously updated foundation. For everyday use, much of TUXEDO OS will remain familiar. The system continues to use Debian's package management ecosystem and KDE Plasma as its desktop environment. https://os.watch/tuxedo/20260813 Mon, 17 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/prismlinux/2026.08.15 After more than two months without a release, PrismLinux Reborn 1.0 is finally here. This release represents a major round of redesign, migration, optimization and ecosystem cleanup across the distribution. The installer has been comprehensively redesigned and polished as part of After more than two months without a release, PrismLinux Reborn 1.0 is finally here. This release represents a major round of redesign, migration, optimization and ecosystem cleanup across the distribution. The installer has been comprehensively redesigned and polished as part of its migration away from web technologies to a native implementation. New and improved installer features include: keyboard language selection during installation; optional Chaotic-AUR support; boot manager selection between GRUB, systemd-boot and rEFInd; GRUB as the default boot manager; firmware-aware choices — systems without systemd-boot or rEFInd support, including legacy BIOS installations, will only offer GRUB; Flatpak enabled by default for every supported desktop environment. Driver handling has been optimized. The installer now detects the system and installs the drivers and related packages appropriate for that hardware. https://os.watch/prismlinux/2026.08.15 Mon, 17 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/starbuntu/24.04.4.26 This release presents the new versions 151.0.7922.108-1 of the web browser Google-Chrome-Stable and 255.4-1ubuntu8.17 of systemd. In addition, among other things, Starbuntu has anchored the freshly introduced 'Open With' list of adequare mime type specific applications in its des This release presents the new versions 151.0.7922.108-1 of the web browser Google-Chrome-Stable and 255.4-1ubuntu8.17 of systemd. In addition, among other things, Starbuntu has anchored the freshly introduced 'Open With' list of adequare mime type specific applications in its desktop environment and, moreover, adjusted its documentation according to this new achievement. https://os.watch/starbuntu/24.04.4.26 Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/fydeos/23.0 We are delighted to announce the release of FydeOS 23 'Chromatic Cadence'. This release upgrades the underlying Chromium OS platform from r144 to r150 and introduces a new Android subsystem framework, refreshed system apps, and enhanced remote desktop capabilities for enterprise We are delighted to announce the release of FydeOS 23 'Chromatic Cadence'. This release upgrades the underlying Chromium OS platform from r144 to r150 and introduces a new Android subsystem framework, refreshed system apps, and enhanced remote desktop capabilities for enterprise devices. FydeOS 23 focuses on strengthening the foundations of the operating system. These changes provide a more robust base for future improvements to app compatibility, system maintenance, and enterprise device management. FydeOS 23 upgrades the Android subsystem across all editions to Android 13 and introduces fyDroid, a new implementation for supporting Android apps on FydeOS. We plan to make fyDroid fully open source. Going forward, we will continue to develop this framework, progressively update its Android version, and improve app compatibility, performance and security. https://os.watch/fydeos/23.0 Thu, 20 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/garuda/260819 When creating new disk layouts, the installer will pick the biggest sector size a disk supports, and for people wanting to encrypt their disks with LUKS, the installer now uses LUKS2 with argon2 encryption and the same sector size as the disk. Previously, this would default to 51 When creating new disk layouts, the installer will pick the biggest sector size a disk supports, and for people wanting to encrypt their disks with LUKS, the installer now uses LUKS2 with argon2 encryption and the same sector size as the disk. Previously, this would default to 512 on disks that supported the more optimal size of 4096. A new default kernel:laptop: Traditionally, Garuda Linux has shipped with linux-zen for many years, mostly due to being more stable than alternatives that were around during the time we chose it as our kernel of choice. This is going to change starting with this release - linux-garuda is the excellent Linux CachyOS many of us already used, ensured to always build against the NVIDIA drivers via DKMS before updating. https://os.watch/garuda/260819 Thu, 20 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/mainstreamos/1.3.0 Put the dock on any edge of the screen: top, bottom, left or right; the bar steps aside when you give the dock the edge it was using; themes now carry which edge the dock sits on, along with everything else they remember; the flexible-space widget is retired — the bar packs its o Put the dock on any edge of the screen: top, bottom, left or right; the bar steps aside when you give the dock the edge it was using; themes now carry which edge the dock sits on, along with everything else they remember; the flexible-space widget is retired — the bar packs its own sections now, and a layout you already saved moves across on its own; bar pop-ups open centered under the widget they belong to, wherever you have put it; a pop-up near the edge of the screen stays on screen instead of running off it; the media widget keeps its size and its pop-up in the right place outside the center; the timer keeps a steady width while it counts down, instead of nudging its neighbors; dividers stay inside the bar's rounded background; close the window rule editor from its own corner, and switch between rules without closing it.... https://os.watch/mainstreamos/1.3.0 Thu, 20 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000