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 Fri, 17 Jul 2026 04:16:51 +0000 https://os.watch/starbuntu/24.04.4.18 This release presents the new Linux kernel 7.1.0 as well as the new versions 149.0.7827.114-1 of the web browser Google-Chrome-Stable and 2:21.1.12-1ubuntu1.6 of the X window system. In addition, among other things, Starbuntu has improved its upgrade software and added a very com This release presents the new Linux kernel 7.1.0 as well as the new versions 149.0.7827.114-1 of the web browser Google-Chrome-Stable and 2:21.1.12-1ubuntu1.6 of the X window system. In addition, among other things, Starbuntu has improved its upgrade software and added a very comfortable files and folders contrext menu item for compressing or decompressing their contents. https://os.watch/starbuntu/24.04.4.18 Wed, 17 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/haos/18.0 Home Assistant OS 18.0 is a major release bringing significant updates to all platforms. The Linux kernel has been updated from 6.12 to 6.18 across all targets, Docker has been upgraded to v29.5.3 with containerd v2.2.4, and the underlying Buildroot has been updated to 2025.02.14 Home Assistant OS 18.0 is a major release bringing significant updates to all platforms. The Linux kernel has been updated from 6.12 to 6.18 across all targets, Docker has been upgraded to v29.5.3 with containerd v2.2.4, and the underlying Buildroot has been updated to 2025.02.14. Disk images are now significantly faster to flash, the default swap size is now bounded to avoid problems on systems with very low or very high amounts of RAM, and the Raspberry Pi bootloader firmware can now be updated directly from Home Assistant. All users are recommended to update. The Raspberry Pi bootloader (EEPROM) firmware can now be checked and updated directly from Home Assistant OS. Home Assistant Core 2026.7.0 will also expose the firmware as an update entity. Note that updating the firmware is only possible when the system is booted from an SD card, or in general on Raspberry Pi 5 and on Home Assistant Yellow with a CM5. https://os.watch/haos/18.0 Fri, 19 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/porteux/2.7 First of all, apologies for the long delay. There were some upstream issues that were preventing a stable PorteuX release, most notably the ntfs3 kernel driver, now updated to the new ntfs-plus driver, which is faster and hopefully more reliable. Please note that any symlink crea First of all, apologies for the long delay. There were some upstream issues that were preventing a stable PorteuX release, most notably the ntfs3 kernel driver, now updated to the new ntfs-plus driver, which is faster and hopefully more reliable. Please note that any symlink created on an NTFS partition using ntfs3 will need to be regenerated. There are many exciting changes for this release, including a big round of build flag and stripping improvements for better performance and smaller modules, and many big upstream updates, such as GCC 16.1.0, FFmpeg 8.1.1, KDE Plasma 6.7.0, GNOME 50.2 and Qt 6.11.1. On top of that, many improvements were made to the build pipeline. https://os.watch/porteux/2.7 Sat, 20 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/steamos/3.8.10 SteamOS 3.8.10 has just been released for all users with the following changes: updated Arch system base; initial support for upcoming Steam Machine hardware; added support for waking from sleep via connected Steam Controller; substantially improved speed of future OS updates on SteamOS 3.8.10 has just been released for all users with the following changes: updated Arch system base; initial support for upcoming Steam Machine hardware; added support for waking from sleep via connected Steam Controller; substantially improved speed of future OS updates on high-speed connections; improved support for screen casting in Game Mode (e.g. OBS/Discord); fixed dropdown menus not appearing in some games; fixed excessive trackpad sensitivity on certain early Steam Deck LCD models; improved support for games that attempt to open PDF files in external viewers; fixed an issue where video output could become frozen while using Remote Play; fixed a possible session crash when using Game Recording with certain 'Maximum video height' settings; fixed an issue affecting certain titles (such as 'SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide') where the game window could have an incorrect position; fixed closing certain titles (such as 'STAR WARS Jedi: Survivor and Starfield') resulting in a session crash... https://os.watch/steamos/3.8.10 Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/kaos/2026.06 After almost three years of preparation and close the a year of trials, building, testing and rebuilding, KaOS is proud to present to you a first stable ISO image that is fully Dinit-based. For those interested in the reason why all these changes, please read systemd and the futu After almost three years of preparation and close the a year of trials, building, testing and rebuilding, KaOS is proud to present to you a first stable ISO image that is fully Dinit-based. For those interested in the reason why all these changes, please read systemd and the future of KaOS. A move away from systemd as init system is completed. KaOS now uses Dinit, turnstile, seatd for the system startup, seats and services. This does not mean the system is systemd free, a much reduced systemd is still in use mainly for udev and tmpfiles (this will stay for the foreseeable future, other options for udev and tmpfiles will be evaluated). Elogind is in use, though not for system login, but purely for a functional polkit. A new display manager is also in use, greetd with tuigreet has replaced sddm. Greetd fully integrates with seatd, so is a better fit for KaOS in the new setup. You will not find Plasma or Kwin on this ISO image, instead you will find a Niri/Noctalia based system. https://os.watch/kaos/2026.06 Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/starbuntu/24.04.4.19 This release presents the new Linux kernel 7.1.1 as well as the new versions 149.0.7827.155-1 of the web browser Google-Chrome-Stable and 2.4.7-1.2ubuntu7.14 of the print server CUPS. In addition, among other things, Starbuntu has further improved its upgrade software and its app This release presents the new Linux kernel 7.1.1 as well as the new versions 149.0.7827.155-1 of the web browser Google-Chrome-Stable and 2.4.7-1.2ubuntu7.14 of the print server CUPS. In addition, among other things, Starbuntu has further improved its upgrade software and its app for setting up the user's desktop environment during the boot process. https://os.watch/starbuntu/24.04.4.19 Sat, 27 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/drauger/7.8 I am proud to announce the stable release of Drauger OS 7.8, codename 'Urgal'. This release comes with a number of features and changes over 7.7: Drauger OS 7.8 ships with kernel 7.0, meaning immediate support of NTSYNC and a much improved performance over Drauger OS 7.7; we've u I am proud to announce the stable release of Drauger OS 7.8, codename 'Urgal'. This release comes with a number of features and changes over 7.7: Drauger OS 7.8 ships with kernel 7.0, meaning immediate support of NTSYNC and a much improved performance over Drauger OS 7.7; we've upgraded to Plasma 6.5, this comes with a number of creature comforts, including better VRR and HDR support; all Drauger OS installations now use Wayland by default; Firefox as a flatpak; following in Ubuntu's footsteps, we've switched to using sudo-rs over the traditional C-based sudo. The Edamame installer has seen a number of improvements: Quick Install now supports copying network settings with both NetworkManager and netplan; Edamame will now copy network settings from netplan from the live system to the installed system, so you shouldn't need to re-setup WiFi after installation; background optimizations to keep lower-end systems responsive... https://os.watch/drauger/7.8 Sun, 28 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/anduinos/2.0.0 Today, AIURSOFT Limited is announcing the general availability of AnduinOS 2.0.0. The project is now officially maintained by AIURSOFT Limited (Hong Kong), marking its transition from a solo-maintained effort to an internationally backed ecosystem. When we started this project, l Today, AIURSOFT Limited is announcing the general availability of AnduinOS 2.0.0. The project is now officially maintained by AIURSOFT Limited (Hong Kong), marking its transition from a solo-maintained effort to an internationally backed ecosystem. When we started this project, like many downstream Linux distributions, we used to rely on a series of complex imperative Bash scripts to modify an existing system image. While functional, it was fragile and difficult to maintain and upgrade. For version 2.0, we took a step back and rebuilt the entire foundation from the ground up. AnduinOS 2.0 is no longer a simple "remaster". It is now assembled entirely from scratch using a clean debootstrap and chroot pipeline, driven by our custom-built, declarative packaging toolchain (aosproj and apkg). The OS core has been meticulously modularized into 56 standard .deb packages across three tiers - Hard Replacements (e.g., overriding ubuntu-desktop), Soft Overrides (e.g., apt-config) and Branding/Capability extensions. https://os.watch/anduinos/2.0.0 Sun, 28 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/kalilinux/2026.2 It's the final week of Q2, and Kali Linux 2026.2 is here - right on schedule. We have been heads down since our last release, and we are ready to share what we have been working on. This release is a mix of desktop refreshes, infrastructure improvements, and quality-of-life chang It's the final week of Q2, and Kali Linux 2026.2 is here - right on schedule. We have been heads down since our last release, and we are ready to share what we have been working on. This release is a mix of desktop refreshes, infrastructure improvements, and quality-of-life changes that we think you will appreciate. The summary of the changelog since the 2026.1 release from March is: desktop environments - bump to GNOME 50 and KDE Plasma 6.6; helper scripts consistency - consistency to our little launches at starting services; APT format - goodbye sources.list, hello sources.list.d/kali.source; VM boot optimisation - smaller initrd + faster boot times = happy virtual machine users; reboot warning - heads-up, polkit and xrdp upgrades require a system reboot; Kali kernel incoming - staying with 6.19 for now, how to get 7.0 early; build scripts incoming - heads-up with some changes on the way; new tools - as always, various new shiny packages have been added (9). https://os.watch/kalilinux/2026.2 Mon, 29 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/mageia/10 We increase hardware requirements for 32bit systems, you will require a CPU with SSE2 features. You will find that extension for the packages and the part for architecture in the name of the ISO images have changed from i586 to i686. Also, due most of the software projects are dr We increase hardware requirements for 32bit systems, you will require a CPU with SSE2 features. You will find that extension for the packages and the part for architecture in the name of the ISO images have changed from i586 to i686. Also, due most of the software projects are dropping 32-bit support, you can find that the support is not as full as in the x86_64 systems. Our atelier and dev teams have worked hard to find the best balance between visual appeal and disk space usage. As usual, we've selected a range of resolutions for the main background to accommodate a wide variety of monitors, and we've also optimized their sizes using tools available in our repositories. For the main screensavers, we have chosen an image size of 3840×2160 and the JXL format, allowing them to look great on modern 2K and even 4K monitors, while maintaining a disk space footprint similar to those included in Mageia 9, which used lower resolutions and the JPG format. https://os.watch/mageia/10 Mon, 29 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/slackel/9.0 Slackel MATE 9.0 is the latest major release branch of the Greek-developed Linux distribution, built on top of the Slackware 'Current' tree and incorporating advanced administration tools borrowed from Salix Linux. This version delivers an optimized, lightweight computing environ Slackel MATE 9.0 is the latest major release branch of the Greek-developed Linux distribution, built on top of the Slackware 'Current' tree and incorporating advanced administration tools borrowed from Salix Linux. This version delivers an optimized, lightweight computing environment paired with the highly stable and customizable MATE desktop interface. Core technical specifications: base distribution synchronized with the Slackware 'Current' tree; desktop environment - MATE; Linux kernel - 6.18.37 for the 64-bit architecture and 6.12.94 for the 32-bit edition; architecture - available in both 64-bit (x86_64) and 32-bit (x86) systems; package management - uses package management tools, like slapt-get and gslapt, for streamlined dependency handling. To accommodate different system requirements and user preferences, the installer supports three distinct deployment modes: full installation - deploys the comprehensive MATE environment alongside standard internet browsers, multimedia applications, and productivity tools... https://os.watch/slackel/9.0 Mon, 29 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/archbang/010726 Pleased to announce the release of ArchBang running the Mango window manager. This marks a full rebrand from FruitBang back to ArchBang. A new ISO image, dated 1st July, has just been uploaded as promised, carrying up-to-date packages and the latest Linux kernel. Getting started Pleased to announce the release of ArchBang running the Mango window manager. This marks a full rebrand from FruitBang back to ArchBang. A new ISO image, dated 1st July, has just been uploaded as promised, carrying up-to-date packages and the latest Linux kernel. Getting started - hit the yellow rocket icon on the waybar toolbar and you're off. Most of what you need is accessible from that menu. In ~/Scripts you'll find a few useful tools, including a yay installer and abi-install, a GUI installer (optional/unwanted for terminal users, but sticking around). A note on installers: arch-browser-installer is still very much a work in progress, treat it as beta, and only test it in a virtual machine for now. abi-install isn't going anywhere; it's aimed at users less confident on the terminal, and we're interested in continuing to develop that idea. Grab the ISO image and give it a spin. Feedback and bug reports welcome as always. https://os.watch/archbang/010726 Mon, 29 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/starbuntu/24.04.4.20 This release presents the new Linux kernel 7.1.2 as well as the new versions 149.0.7827.200-1 of the web browser Google-Chrome-Stable and 5.38.2-3.2ubuntu0.3 of the programming language Perl. In addition, among other things, Starbuntu has worked on its documentation and published This release presents the new Linux kernel 7.1.2 as well as the new versions 149.0.7827.200-1 of the web browser Google-Chrome-Stable and 5.38.2-3.2ubuntu0.3 of the programming language Perl. In addition, among other things, Starbuntu has worked on its documentation and published an introductory video of itself on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBNtfLh3K-o (currently only in German). https://os.watch/starbuntu/24.04.4.20 Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/galactic_mandate_linux/99 Galactic Mandate Linux version 99 adds a deeper visual conversion than earlier preview builds. The system now boots into a custom FUI desktop with HUD rails, live CPU, memory, and swap readouts, theme-linked book cover wallpaper, custom app launchers, and a first-start tour that Galactic Mandate Linux version 99 adds a deeper visual conversion than earlier preview builds. The system now boots into a custom FUI desktop with HUD rails, live CPU, memory, and swap readouts, theme-linked book cover wallpaper, custom app launchers, and a first-start tour that explains where everything is. The new control center acts as the command room for the distro. It lets users switch between the hand-authored Galactic Mandate themes, preview the desktop language, control the FUI shell, and rehearse or disable yellow/red alert effects. Main features: Space-FUI desktop built on Ubuntu Budgie, Wayland and labwc; eight selectable book-cover themes with coordinated GTK, icons, wallpaper, shell chrome, window borders, terminal colors, and custom app palettes. HUD shell with live telemetry, clock, theme identity, book identity, and buy book control.... https://os.watch/galactic_mandate_linux/99 Thu, 02 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/calyxos/7.2.2.0 CalyxOS 7.2.2.0 is up online. This release will receive all future updates. If you haven’t previously installed 7.2.1.0 (test build) and want to start or continue using CalyxOS, you need to flash your phone and install 7.2.2.0. With CalyxOS releases back to normal, we will contin CalyxOS 7.2.2.0 is up online. This release will receive all future updates. If you haven’t previously installed 7.2.1.0 (test build) and want to start or continue using CalyxOS, you need to flash your phone and install 7.2.2.0. With CalyxOS releases back to normal, we will continue with other backlog issues. Join the Matrix channel for our progress and user support. Dear CalyxOS community members, we are excited to share the release of CalyxOS 7.2.2.0. This means CalyxOS is officially back from the hiatus! It has been an enduring journey for our team to resume CalyxOS releases, and we deeply appreciate all the support and solidarity we received from you along this journey, especially the latest voluntary testing you did with us. Below we are sharing some important notes for anyone planning to install or reinstall CalyxOS, along with our next steps as we work through a large backlog of issues. https://os.watch/calyxos/7.2.2.0 Thu, 02 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/ultramarinelinux/44 We have gotten tons of feedback and praise for switching to Plasma as our recommended edition. This release comes with Plasma 6.7, the new Union theme engine, performance improvements, and bug fixes galore. Budgie has made the switch to Wayland. It now sports the SDDM window mana We have gotten tons of feedback and praise for switching to Plasma as our recommended edition. This release comes with Plasma 6.7, the new Union theme engine, performance improvements, and bug fixes galore. Budgie has made the switch to Wayland. It now sports the SDDM window manager and a new Bluetooth app. This was the second to last edition to be stuck on X11, so we're really excited to finally modernize it. If you're upgrading from 43 you'll be prompted to visit this wiki page and follow its instructions, we were not able to automatically transition users to SDDM for stability reasons, but you can follow our simple instructions to switch. We've made a couple improvements to the GNOME edition that make things significantly better. Most notably, we fixed that annoying 'Window is Ready' notification, now a window will just focus itself like it would on the other editions. We're also enabling the minimize and maximize buttons on every window by default... https://os.watch/ultramarinelinux/44 Thu, 02 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/deepin/25.2.0 Treeland Desktop Environment Upgrade: Treeland stability and usability have been significantly improved, with over 20 fixes for stability and high-frequency interaction issues. It also now supports key DDE core capabilities, including input devices, display settings, personalizat Treeland Desktop Environment Upgrade: Treeland stability and usability have been significantly improved, with over 20 fixes for stability and high-frequency interaction issues. It also now supports key DDE core capabilities, including input devices, display settings, personalization, power management, and other essential desktop features, making daily use under Treeland more complete. File Management and Search Capabilities Upgrade: Added file indexing configuration, allowing users to control indexing independently and flexibly balance search speed and resource usage. New image content search lets you find local images by text contained within them. Global search, shared access, and external storage capabilities have also been enhanced, making file discovery and management more efficient. DDE Desktop Experience Enhancements: Taskbar icon split mode now supports displaying icons per window, improving identification efficiency in multi-window scenarios. Display settings now include cross-screen splicing mode, and update settings add intelligent mirror source selection. Additionally, daily desktop interactions such as notifications, networking, launcher, and taskbar have been further optimized. Kernel and Security Updates: Updated 6.6 and 6.18 kernel branches, enhancing underlying system stability, security, and compatibility with new hardware, while improving overall performance. Synchronized integration of system updates, Qt6, PipeWire, initramfs, virtualization, and other base component updates, along with multiple security fixes, to improve system stability, security, and long-term maintainability. https://os.watch/deepin/25.2.0 Wed, 08 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/osint_vm/2026.5 We at the Trace Labs OSINT VM team are happy to announce the release of the Trace Labs OSINT VM 2026.05 This version migrates the entire underlying operating system from Kali Linux to Debian 13. This change reduces the overall image size and gives us tighter control over the fina We at the Trace Labs OSINT VM team are happy to announce the release of the Trace Labs OSINT VM 2026.05 This version migrates the entire underlying operating system from Kali Linux to Debian 13. This change reduces the overall image size and gives us tighter control over the final output by eliminating tools that don't support our mission. The Trace Labs mission is to crowdsource OSINT to find missing people. We don't need exploit kits, packet analyzers, or port scanners to facilitate this mission because we rely on information that's publicly available. Removing these tools from our VM image by starting with a clean Debian base allows us to focus on delivering a high-quality tool specifically designed for OSINT collection rather than a hybrid OSINT/red team tool. https://os.watch/osint_vm/2026.5 Wed, 15 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/starbuntu/24.04.4.21 This release presents the new Linux kernel 7.1.3 and the new version 150.0.7871.46-1 of the web browser Google-Chrome-Stable. In addition, among other things, Starbuntu has improved its package manager as well as its app for searching items in nested lists This release presents the new Linux kernel 7.1.3 and the new version 150.0.7871.46-1 of the web browser Google-Chrome-Stable. In addition, among other things, Starbuntu has improved its package manager as well as its app for searching items in nested lists https://os.watch/starbuntu/24.04.4.21 Thu, 16 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://os.watch/opnsense/26.7 The first implementation of the new Interface Assignments framework replaces the legacy module and establishes the foundation for future API-driven interface management. While the initial release focuses on feature parity, upcoming versions will further expand its capabilities. C The first implementation of the new Interface Assignments framework replaces the legacy module and establishes the foundation for future API-driven interface management. While the initial release focuses on feature parity, upcoming versions will further expand its capabilities. Continuing the modernization of firewall management introduced in previous releases, version 26.7 further streamlines the platform by migrating Outbound NAT to the new Source NAT architecture. This creates a more consistent management experience while simplifying future development. Organizations using KEA DHCP benefit from expanded configuration capabilities, including support for Dynamic DNS (DDNS) and dynamic IPv6 prefix delegation, providing greater flexibility in modern network environments. https://os.watch/opnsense/26.7 Thu, 16 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000