ExTiX 20.2 – Build 200127
I have made a new version of ExTiX – The Ultimate Linux System. I call it ExTiX 20.2 KDE Plasma Live DVD. (The previous KDE version was 19.1 from 181228). The best thing with ExTiX 20.2 is that while running the system live (from DVD/USB) or from hard drive you can use Refracta Snapshot (pre-installed) to create your own live installable Ubuntu 20.04 system. So easy that a ten year child can do it!
ExTiX 20.02 KDE Plasma DVD 64 bit is based on Debian and (upcoming) Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. The original system includes the Desktop Environment Gnome. After removing Gnome I have installed KDE Frameworks 5.66.0 with KDE 4.19. KDE Frameworks are 60 addon libraries to Qt which provide a wide variety of commonly needed functionality in mature, peer reviewed and well tested libraries with friendly licensing terms.
The system language is ENGLISH.
Used KERNEL
My special kernel 5.5.0-rc7-exton.
What’s new in Linux kernel 5.5?
NEWS ABOUT ExTiX 20.2 Build 200127 with the KDE Plasma Desktop environment, Calamares Installer and Refracta Snapshot
1. ExTiX KDE Plasma is based on (upcoming) Ubuntu 20.04 LTS Focal Fossa. KDE 4.19 is used as Desktop environment. All packages have been updated to the latest version by 200127. Kernel 5.5.0-rc7-exton is used.
2. I have removed Google Chrome. It is now possible to watch Netflix movies in Firefox.
3. Other included important/useful packages are: GParted, Brasero, GCC and other compilation tools so that you can install packages from source. Furthermore “all” multimedia codecs. Everything the average Linux user could wish for I would say.
4. The best thing with ExTiX 20.2 is that while running the system live (from DVD/USB) or from hard drive you can use Refracta Snapshot (pre-installed) to create your own live installable Ubuntu system. Very easy to do. When starting Refracta Snapshot you will see this.
5. I have installed Calamares Installer as in my other ExTiX builds. Calamares is an installer framework. By design it is very customizable, in order to satisfy a wide variety of needs and use cases. Very easy to use. You can use Calamares to install ExTiX on both UEFI computers and non UEFI computers (for example VirtualBox and VMware).
WHAT’S SO SPECIAL about ExTiX and especially the new version from 200127?
1. The ExTiX ISO’s are ISO-hybrids, which means that they can very easily be transferred (copied) to a USB pen drive. You can even run ExTiX from the USB stick and save all your system changes on the stick. I.e. you will enjoy persistence!
2. Another big improvement is that ExTiX can run from RAM. Use Boot alternative 2 (load to RAM). When the system has booted up you can remove the disc (DVD) or USB stick. You’ll need at least 4 GB RAM to run ExTiX that way. Running from RAM means that the system will run faster than from DVD or USB stick. Everything will be super fast I would say!
3. I’ve replaced kernel 4.20.0-exton with kernel 5.5.0-rc7-exton. Latest by 200127.
4. I have replaced Ubuntu’s installation program Ubiquity (live installer) with Calamares. You can also (still) use Refracta Installer. They work very well. I.e. a new user (your user) will be created during the installation process and you’ll get a chance to change root’s password. Just start any of the installers from the menu under System.
5. The best thing with ExTiX 20.2 is that while running the system live (from DVD/USB) or from hard drive you can use Refracta Snapshot (pre-installed) to create your own live installable Ubuntu 20.04 system.
6. Nvidia proprietary Graphics driver 440.44 (patched for kernel 5.5) is pre-installed in ExTiX 20.2.
The importance of ExTiX 20.2 being based on upcoming Ubuntu 20.04
Ubuntu 20.04 LTS is due to be released on April 23, 2020. ExTiX 20.2 is therefore (of course) not the most stable Linux system out there. ExTiX 20.2 is not for “daily use” I would say. Having said that I also must say that I haven’t bumped into any problems when running ExTiX 20.2 on my computers. I also must say that this version of ExTiX is very fast and responsive. Especially if you run ExTiX from RAM. My guess is that you can avoid all problems if you upgrade ExTiX 20.2 every week. I.e. once you have installed the system to hard drive.
SCREENSHOTS
Screenshot 1 of ExTiX 20.2 Desktop – logged in as the ordinary user extix
Screenshot 2 – ExTiX is running in VirtualBox
Screenshot 3 – the installation using Calamares is ready
Screenshot 4 – Refracta Snapshot has started
andex.exton.net – latest is AndEX 10 (with GAPPS) and AndEX Pie 9.0 (also with GAPPS)!
and
about my Pie, Oreo, Nougat, Marshmallow and Lollipop versions for Raspberry Pi 3/2 at
raspex.exton.se – latest is RaspAnd Pie 9.0 (without GAPPS) and RaspAnd Oreo 8.1 (with GAPPS)!
About the Author
Article 200127 about ExTiX 20.2 at 9to5Linux by Marius Nestor (previously at Softpedia.com)
“ExTiX 20.2 Is the First Distro to Be Based on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS, Linux Kernel 5.5.
ExTiX 20.2 distribution has been released today and it appears to be the first GNU/Linux distribution to be based on the upcoming Ubuntu 20.04 LTS operating system and the Linux 5.5 kernel series.
Developer Arne Exton announced earlier a new version of his ExTiX GNU/Linux distribution, dubbed “The Ultimate Linux System”, which is based on the upcoming Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (Focal Fossa) operating system, but uses KDE Plasma as default desktop environment and Calamares as default installer.
ExTiX 20.2 is also one of the first GNU/Linux distributions to adopt the recently released Linux 5.5 kernel series, which brings a new Airtime Queue Limits (AQL) feature, SMB multichannel support, SMB rootfs, a new unit testing framework called kunit, Btrfs RAID1 with 3- and 4- copies, and three new Btrfs checksums.
Best of all, the included Linux kernel has been patched for the latest Nvidia 440.44 proprietary graphics driver for Nvidia GPUs. This is good news for Linux gaming, but considering the fact that the OS is based on an unstable Ubuntu release, it’s not recommended for daily use.”
READ MORE: https://9to5linux.com/extix-20-2-is-the-first-distro-to-be-based-on-ubuntu-20-04-lts-linux-kernel-5-5