The new version of the Linux distribution "Solus 4.2" has already been released and in this new version several important updates are included of which we can highlight the Linux Kernel 5.10 as well as the updates for the desktop environments with which the distribution is shipped.
For those who do not know about Solus, they should know that this is a standalone Linux distribution which is not based on packages from other distributions and that it has the development of its own “Budgie” desktop environment.
In addition, Solus provides other versions with the GNOME, KDE Plasma, and MATE desktops.
To manage packages, use the eopkg package manager (Pardus Linux fork PiSi), which provides the usual tools for installing / removing packages, searching repositories, and managing repositories.
The Budgie desktop is based on GNOME technologies, but it uses GNOME's own shell, panel, applet, and notification system implementations of the Shell.
Budgie use the Budgie Window Manager window manager (BMW), which is an extended modification of the Mutter complement, In addition, it is based on a panel that is similar in the organization of work to classic desktop panels.
In Solus, all panel elements are applets, allowing you to flexibly customize the composition, change the location and replace the implementation of the main panel elements to your liking.
Available applets include the classic application menu, task switching system, an area with a list of open windows, virtual desktop display, a power management indicator, a volume control applet, a system status indicator and a watch.
Solus adheres to a hybrid development model, according to which major releases are issued periodically, in which new technologies and significant enhancements are proposed, and in the interval between significant releases, the distribution is developed using a mobile model upgrade package.
Solus 4.2 main news
In this new version of Solus 4.2 Linux kernel has been updated to version 5.10 to support new hardware based on AMD Ryzen 5 and Intel Comet Lake chips.
Besides that chart stack moved to Table 20.3.3 with which the new GPU support, API Vulkan 4.2, is received in Solus 1.2 and the shader compiler "ACO" as default on the AMD RADV driver, which is being developed by Valve as an alternative to the LLVM shader compiler.
On the part of desktop environments, in the case of the desktop Budgie, this has been updated to version 10.5.2, With the changes available to the ad text separately, the component Budgie Desktop View is used to place icons on the desktop instead of the previous implementation based on the Nautilus file manager and that in addition the systray code completely rewritten.
We can also find an improved configurator, application menu, application switching interface (Alt + Tab), volume control applet and raven sidebar.
On the part of the desktop environment GNOME, this has been updated to version 3.38. In addition to the standard components, GNOME-based session uses Dash to Dock panel, the drive menu applet to manage connected devices, and the Top Icons extension to place the icons on the system tray.
The desktop environment MATE has been updated to version 1.24, Brisk Menu has been updated to version 0.6.2.
Compilation of KDE Plasma has been updated to Plasma Desktop 5.20.5, KDE Frameworks 5.78, KDE Applications 20.12.1, and Qt 5.15.2.
As for the updated versions of the programs, included we can find: Firefox 85.0, LibreOffice 7.0.4.2, Thunderbird 78.6.1, ffmpeg 4.3.1, dav1d 0.8.1, gstreamer 1.18.2, Pulseaudio 14.1.
Finally, if you are interested in knowing more about it of the new version, you can check the details In the following link.
Download Solus 4.2
If you want to get the new version of Solus 4.2, you just have to go to its official website and in its download section you will find the links for each of the different versions of the Solus desktop environment.
The link is this. The size of ISO images is 1.8-2.1 GB (x86_64).
Excellent Solus, my favorite distro after Arch.