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GeckoLinux [STATIC] [all editions] 153.220104

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@geckolinux geckolinux released this 06 Jan 19:45
· 5 commits to geckolinux-release since this release
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The GeckoLinux project is pleased to announce major updates to all editions of the Static branch, built from openSUSE Leap 15.3.

New features in GeckoLinux Static 153.220104 editions

Thanks to some important improvements from the Calamares installer project, and after lots and lots of trial and error to tweak the GeckoLinux configuration, inclusion of openSUSE's famous integration of the GRUB bootloader with Btrfs and Snapper snapshots has finally arrived in GeckoLinux. This also required a major rework of the default Btrfs subvolume layout, allowing for effective snapshot rollbacks without manual manipulation of the bootloader or default subvolumes. Important note: When performing a rollback in GeckoLinux for the first time the command is slightly different from vanilla openSUSE: sudo snapper --ambit classic rollback (please see the wiki entry).

Another important improvement to all GeckoLinux editions is the addition of improved installation logic based on whether the system is running in EFI or legacy BIOS mode, leading to much better reliability during future GRUB bootloader updates.

An additional workaround has been added to avoid a bug in openSUSE's GRUB routine when generating entries for other dual-boot Linux systems on Btrfs subvolumes.

To make package downloads from the openSUSE mirror network much more reliable, repository URLs have been adjusted to use openSUSE's new mirrorcache.opensuse.org system.

Finally, logic has been added to the Calamares configuration to use Btrfs LZO compression on legacy BIOS systems, whereas Zstd compression is now used on EFI installations of the Static edition.

GeckoLinux overview

GeckoLinux spins are generated directly from unmodified openSUSE Tumbleweed and Packman packages sourced from those official upstream repositories, and the installed system can be updated directly from those same official sources. GeckoLinux is focused on eliminating pain points and polishing its unique out-of-the-box configuration on top of the stable and flexible openSUSE base. Proprietary media formats play out of the box, and additional user-installed multimedia applications work automatically with restricted media codecs thanks to the prioritized inclusion of the Packman repository. Proprietary hardware driver and firmware support has also been included as much as possible. Google and Skype repositories are also configured out-of-the-box for optional user installation of proprietary applications from those vendors. Third-party RPM packages can be easily installed using the graphical YaST package manager, and various configuration tweaks are included to modify openSUSE's default package management behavior. GeckoLinux uses the Calamares system installer, providing easy and flexible options for reliable installation of the live system. Important note: Non-English language packs are available and easily installable. Please see the wiki entry for more information.

Please download GeckoLinux from https://geckolinux.github.io and find more information about what makes GeckoLinux different from openSUSE. Thanks a lot, have fun!