The new version of Calculate Linux 20.6 has already been released and it is available to the general public. In this new version of the distribution the developers focused on improving performance and memory management of the system since now instead of using a swap partition, Zram was included, as well as the work on the implementation of Zstd, among other things.
For those who do not know of this distribution, you should know that it is a distro created on the basis of Gentoo Linux supports a continuous update release cycle and is optimized for rapid deployment in a corporate environment.
And as such it is compatible with Gentoo ports, It uses the OpenRC initialization system and uses the Rolling update model.
It supports multiboot and modifying the boot image using proprietary utilities.
The framework includes a selection of utilities specially developed for the Calculate project to adjust, assemble and install the system.
Main new features of Calculate Linux 20.6
As we mentioned at the beginning, in this new version, optimizations were carried out download, RAM requirements were reduced, added support for presetting browser plugins to work with Nextcloud and more.
As instead of a swap disk partition, now Zram is enabled by default, in addition to the fact that for kernel, modules, and initramfs, the transition to compression was done using the Zstd algorithm.
By default, the PusleAudio sound server is enabled, but the option to select ALSA is preserved.
Added support for configuring the Passman and FreedomMarks browser plugins to work with Nextcloud when creating a user profile.
Also Enhanced Wi-Fi module support is highlighted, the package manager has improved the removal of unused dependencies.
The binary repository includes 6 Linux kernels of different versions, including the futex-wait-multiple patch to speed up Steam.
Image order in multiboot Flash has been changed: main image is always last.
On the part of the corrections the following stand out:
- Fixed the execution of suspend and hibernate in Xfce.
- Fixed touchpad after standby.
- Fixed disabling the image when using in-memory caching (docache).
- Fixed local overlay configuration.
- Added ability to interrupt build of package with wrong patch in templates.
- Fixed PXE loading and installation.
- An error has been solved when simultaneously configuring the package and installing it on the system.
- The run definition emerge with cl-update is fixed.
- Added removal of .old files in / boot when distributing the distribution package.
- Added support for eix-diff in the build image.
- The lpadmin group has been added to the default group list.
- Added support for utilities with sys-apps / portage without Python 2.7.
- Fixed definition of a video controller.
- Added ability to select VESA from video driver list.
- Fixed installation of x11-drivers / nvidia-drivers at boot time.
- Fixed image preparation with x11-drivers / nvidia-drivers.
- The initialization of the user directory when using an encrypted profile is fixed.
- Added the ability to specify additional kernel boot parameters in the image.
As for the the changes within the different versions of the distribution, the following stand out:
- CLD (KDE desktop): Updated the KDE Frameworks packages to version 5.70.0, KDE Plasma to 5.18.5, KDE Applications to version 19.12.3, LibreOffice to 6.4.3.2 and Chromium to 83.0.4103.106
- CLDC (Cinnamon desk): Cinnamon 4.4, LibreOffice 6.4.3.2, Chromium 83.0.4103.106, Evolution 3.34.4, Gimp 2.10.18, Rhythmbox 3.4.4
- CLDL (LXQt desktop): LXQt 0.14.1, LibreOffice 6.4.3.2, Chromium 83.0.4103.106, Claws Mail 3.17.5, Gimp 2.10.18, Clementine 1.4.0 RC1
- CLDM (MATE desktop): MATE 1.24, LibreOffice 6.4.3.2, Chromium 83.0.4103.106, Claws Mail 3.17.5, Gimp 2.10.18, Clementine 1.4.0 RC1
- CLDX (Xfce desktop): XFCE 4.14, LibreOffice 6.4.3.2, Chromium 83.0.4103.106, Claws Mail 3.17.5, Gimp 2.10.18, Clementine 1.4.0 RC1
- CLDXS (Xfce Scientific desktop): Xfce 4.14, Eclipse 4.13.0, Inkscape 1.0, LibreOffice 6.4.3.2, Chromium 83.0.4103.106, Claws Mail 3.17.5, Gimp 2.10.18
- CDS (Directory Server): OpenLDAP 2.4.50, Samba 4.11.8, Postfix 3.5.1, ProFTPD 1.3.7 RC3, Bind 9.14.8
- CLS (Linux Scratch): the Xorg server was updated to version 1.20.8 and the Linux kernel 5.4.45 is included
- CSS (ScratchServer): Linux kernel 5.4.45, Calculate Utilities 3.6.7.42
If you want to know more about it, you can consult the release note.