TECH

Slackware-based PorteuX 1.7 portable Linux now available with a new kernel, smaller ISOs, updated desktops, and more

Less than two months since the release of version 1.6, PorteuX 1.7 arrives with several fixes, sub-500 MB ISOs, as well as updates to most of the seven desktop environments supported. The seven are GNOME, Cinnamon, KDE, LXDE, LXQt, MATE, and Xfce. The Linux kernel 6.11.4 is used for all these flavors.

Not to be confused with Porteus, which is also based on Slackware, PorteuX is a portable Linux distro that aims to be lightweight, ultrafast, modular, and immutable (if needed). Inspired by Slax and Porteus, it comes with no less than 7 desktop choices, namely Cinnamon, GNOME, KDE Plasma, LXDE, LXQt, MATE, and Xfce. Now, version 1.7 brings the Linux kernel labeled 6.11.4, alongside updated desktops, apps, smaller ISO files, and several fixes.

While the KDE edition has slightly more than 500 MB in size (551 MB for KDE 6.2.1 and 502 MB for KDE 5.23.5), all the others stay below the 500 MB threshold. The most compact PorteuX 1.7 flavor to get is the one that uses LXDE 0.10.1, with just 431 MB in size. However, one should keep in mind that no web browsers, mail clients, or office suites are included. The list of packages includes glibc 2.40, gtk 4.16.3, gnome-shell 47.1, kmod 33, samba 4.21.1, wayland 1.23.1, qt 6.7.3, and Python 3.11.10. To keep the distro as light as possible, non-essential components included by most other distros, such as vim, were not included.

Many of the fixes in the list target issues in Xfce 4.18, but there are also several fixes and improvements to GNOME, LXDE, or Cinnamon. There are no less than 45 changes mentioned in the release notes, and the PorteuX team considers version 1.7 "a big release" that delivers "a very exciting and, hopefully, fast and stable system for everyone" willing to give it a chance.

Those who want to have more portable Linux distros at hand on a single USB drive can currently grab a 9-in-1 32 GB stick off Amazon for $19.99. Configured by EZISTOL, it includes Ubuntu, Mint Cinnamon, MX Linux Xfce, Elementary OS, Linux Lite Xfce, Manjaro KDE, Peppermint, Zorin OS Xfce, and Pop!_OS.

by mundophone