MX Linux has undoubtedly become one of the fastest growing distributions in recent memory. Compared to a few years ago, it is now one of the hottest topics of discussion in the Linux community. With its unique and innovative MX Tools, familiar layout, and now the Advanced Hardware Support (AHS) edition, MX has proven time and time again that it deserves its own slice in the spotlight.
MX Linux is based on the popular Debian distribution, however, it allows for quite a few advancements over its parent. For this reason, MX Linux has become popularized not only for new users, but also veterans in the Debian ecosystem and beyond. Though many attribute it as an awesome distribution for older hardware, the AHS version now allows MX Linux to take advantage of users with newer hardware stacks, increasing its sphere of influence quite a bit.
In addition, MX Linux is well-known for its transparency within the Linux community and the original creator, Dolphin Oracle, can be found hanging out in many highly popular Linux community areas. Due to his impressive involvement with users, MX Linux has cultivated an extremely passionate, friendly, and compassionate community surrounding the distribution and the philosophy behind MX itself.
This week, the MX Linux developers announced the release of their second refresh of the highly-touted MX Linux 19 series. Version 19.2 comes with all the updates that dropped into Debian “Buster” 10.4 including kernel version 4.19 as well as an updated kernel version 5.6, Mesa 20, and an updated firmware package with the AHS ISO image. Contrary to past system upgrades, MX now supports an auto-updated kernel along with all of the Debian sources by default, which is awesome!
Along with the low-level system upgrades, popular applications and tools have been updated from the Debian 10.4 stable repository including Xfce 4.14, GIMP 2.10.12, Mesa 18.3.6, Firefox 76, VLC Media Player 3.0.10, Clementine 1.3.1, Thunderbird 68.6.1, LibreOffice 6.1.5, and more in MX Linux’s own repository.
Some of the MX applications that have received significant attention in the new release include mx-installer, mx-packageinstaller, and conky-manager. In addition, the recently added Fluxbox version of MX, known appropriately has MX Fluxbox, has seen some significant updates including localized default menus, an updated artwork package, a new vertical launcher bar, updated documentation, and a new MX Tool to manage the idesk settings. Also, many of the MX applications have received multiple translation updates from MX Linux 19.1.
This is definitely some significant work for the new point release that should heavily improve the functionality and quality-of-life of MX users everywhere. I want to give my sincere congratulations to Dolphin Oracle, the entire MX development team, and anyone who helped to make this release come to fruition. Keep up the awesome and innovative work!
If you would like to read the offcial MX Linux 19.2 release notes by Dolphin Oracle, you can find them here. In addition, if you would like to keep up-to-date with everything going on in the MX Linux world, you can follow them on their official Twitter, Facebook, Mastodon, Reddit, and YouTube. If you would like to give MX Linux 19.2 a spin for yourself, you can find the direct download and torrent links for the different ISO images here.
This is an excerpt from Linux++ Issue 20. You can find the full issue here.
I, for one, would like to see MX get more bloat, in the way of more tasteful GRUB themes, LightDM login screen themes, etc. I use MX as my daily driver, but the boot up sequence, right up to the time of login, is nowhere as visually appealing as other more mainstream distros.
I hope MX Linux can attract more “artsies”, or maybe do more “borrowing” from the other distros here.
Every distro has the right for its choices so we can later decide if it is for us.
I think MX Linux is an interesting project and a nice distribution indeed that takes default Debian to another level but it is true, it is not that appealing to myself with all those custom tools (that other people love about the distro) and the ‘bloated’ app selection. But I get it.
It sure makes Debian (one of the best distributions) more accesible to absolute new users that do not care about Debian proper or do not know it.
If you find Debian too bare bones or boring and default Ubuntu too ‘mainstream’ or heavy than definitely go for it. MX Linux is a fun distribution and probably has one of the best and friendliest community out there in Linux space with very helpful and knowledgeable people.
Join the discussion at forum.tuxdigital.com