KaOS

Software Screenshot:
KaOS
Software Details:
Version: 2018.06 updated
Upload Date: 17 Aug 18
Developer: KaOS
Distribution Type: Freeware
Downloads: 262

Rating: 1.5/5 (Total Votes: 2)

KaOS is an open source Linux distribution built around the KDE Plasma Workspaces and Application project, as well as the pacman package manager software from the Arch Linux operating system.

Distributed as a 64-bit Live DVD

The system is distributed as a single Live DVD ISO image that supports only 64-bit hardware platforms. It can be written to a blank DVD disc with any CD/DVD burning software, or a USB flash drive using the UNetbootin application.

KaOS is completely independent and provides users with a rolling-release system, which will make sure that their installations will always be up-to-date without requiring them to download a new ISO image and upgrade the entire OS.

Boot options

The boot medium allows users to run the live environment with support for Nvidia and AMD/ATI Radeon graphics cards, run a memory test, detect the hardware components, or boot the currently installed operating system.

Based on Arch Linux and built around KDE

As mentioned, the live session is powered by the KDE project, which provides a modern computing experience with a neat collection of hand picked open source application for common tasks.

Its main goal is to be small and fully focused on KDE and Qt technologies. It is based on the Arch Linux operating system and uses the pacman application as its default package manager for installing, removing and updating software packages.

One of its key features is the graphical installer provided on the Live DVD, which not only that allows novice users to install the operating system with only a few mouse clicks, but it also provides advanced configuration options for experienced Linux users.

Default applications

Default applications include the QupZilla web browser, Calligra office suite, Quassel IRC client, Krita digital painting software, Clementine music player, Plasma Media Center, Kdenlive video editor, Dragon Player video player, and many others.

Even if it’s based on the Arch Linux operating system, KaOS has its own software repositories comprised of Core, Main and Apps groups, which will give users quick access to some of the best and useful applications, libraries and core components.

Bottom line

If you like KDE and Arch Linux-based distributions, you should really give KaOS a try. Who knows, it might become your only operating system.

What is new in this release:

  • Desktop:
  • A new addition for KaOS is a First Run Wizard. It will run on the newly installed system and enables with just a few clicks to adjust mouse behavior, menu launcher, desktop theme, used wallpaper, color scheme, widget style, window decoration and virtual desktops used. With one click this Wizard will also link to KaOS Documentation and all contact info.
  • Another first on this ISO is a new tool to write ISO files to USB. Not only does IsoWriter write to USB it also gives the option to recover your USB stick after using it for an ISO, something that regular dd copy or the previously used Imagewriter were not able to do.
  • The Plasma Desktop includes Frameworks 5.26.0, Plasma 5.7.90, KDE Applications 16.08.1 & not yet released ports of KDE Applications. All built on Qt 5.7.0. Changes in Plasma 5.8 include much improved support for multi-screen setups and docking stations, support for modifier-only shortcuts (default: Meta to open launcher menu), global shortcuts for launching applications and their jumplist actions, KWin now supports the llvmpipe driver for OpenGL, compositing removal of unredirect-fullscreen, replaced by compositing blocking and a rewritten Pager using less CPU and memory, shared back-end processing with the Task Manager.
  • For Plasma 5.8 the used Midna theme has been updated in many parts, this includes on all new SDDM theme, new gfxboot splashscreen, redone panel launchers, updated Logout and Lock screen, several new icons, including icons for the system tray.
  • The installer now automates setting your location on the world map and has improved volume scanning so it won't show live USB or optical drives as install options.
  • Base of the system:
  • Most notable major updates to the base of the system are a Boost 1.61.0, FFMPEG 3.1.3, Linux 4.7.3, Systemd 231, Poppler 0.47.0, Python 3.5.2, Gstreamer 1.8.3, Protobuf 3.0.2 and MariaDB 10.1.17
  • KaOS repositories no longer provide Qt 4. It is a good three years ago that development for Qt 4 stopped, late 2015 all support including security fixes ended. Any application that has not made the transition to Qt 5 in all this time can no longer be supported in KaOS. Either they actually are no longer maintained or their development is ignoring the implications of building on a possible insecure toolkit.
  • The Linux kernel has all the needed ucode build-in for a fully automated Early Microcode update.

What is new in version 2018.04:

  • Desktop:
  • A new addition for KaOS is a First Run Wizard. It will run on the newly installed system and enables with just a few clicks to adjust mouse behavior, menu launcher, desktop theme, used wallpaper, color scheme, widget style, window decoration and virtual desktops used. With one click this Wizard will also link to KaOS Documentation and all contact info.
  • Another first on this ISO is a new tool to write ISO files to USB. Not only does IsoWriter write to USB it also gives the option to recover your USB stick after using it for an ISO, something that regular dd copy or the previously used Imagewriter were not able to do.
  • The Plasma Desktop includes Frameworks 5.26.0, Plasma 5.7.90, KDE Applications 16.08.1 & not yet released ports of KDE Applications. All built on Qt 5.7.0. Changes in Plasma 5.8 include much improved support for multi-screen setups and docking stations, support for modifier-only shortcuts (default: Meta to open launcher menu), global shortcuts for launching applications and their jumplist actions, KWin now supports the llvmpipe driver for OpenGL, compositing removal of unredirect-fullscreen, replaced by compositing blocking and a rewritten Pager using less CPU and memory, shared back-end processing with the Task Manager.
  • For Plasma 5.8 the used Midna theme has been updated in many parts, this includes on all new SDDM theme, new gfxboot splashscreen, redone panel launchers, updated Logout and Lock screen, several new icons, including icons for the system tray.
  • The installer now automates setting your location on the world map and has improved volume scanning so it won't show live USB or optical drives as install options.
  • Base of the system:
  • Most notable major updates to the base of the system are a Boost 1.61.0, FFMPEG 3.1.3, Linux 4.7.3, Systemd 231, Poppler 0.47.0, Python 3.5.2, Gstreamer 1.8.3, Protobuf 3.0.2 and MariaDB 10.1.17
  • KaOS repositories no longer provide Qt 4. It is a good three years ago that development for Qt 4 stopped, late 2015 all support including security fixes ended. Any application that has not made the transition to Qt 5 in all this time can no longer be supported in KaOS. Either they actually are no longer maintained or their development is ignoring the implications of building on a possible insecure toolkit.
  • The Linux kernel has all the needed ucode build-in for a fully automated Early Microcode update.

What is new in version :

  • Desktop:
  • A new addition for KaOS is a First Run Wizard. It will run on the newly installed system and enables with just a few clicks to adjust mouse behavior, menu launcher, desktop theme, used wallpaper, color scheme, widget style, window decoration and virtual desktops used. With one click this Wizard will also link to KaOS Documentation and all contact info.
  • Another first on this ISO is a new tool to write ISO files to USB. Not only does IsoWriter write to USB it also gives the option to recover your USB stick after using it for an ISO, something that regular dd copy or the previously used Imagewriter were not able to do.
  • The Plasma Desktop includes Frameworks 5.26.0, Plasma 5.7.90, KDE Applications 16.08.1 & not yet released ports of KDE Applications. All built on Qt 5.7.0. Changes in Plasma 5.8 include much improved support for multi-screen setups and docking stations, support for modifier-only shortcuts (default: Meta to open launcher menu), global shortcuts for launching applications and their jumplist actions, KWin now supports the llvmpipe driver for OpenGL, compositing removal of unredirect-fullscreen, replaced by compositing blocking and a rewritten Pager using less CPU and memory, shared back-end processing with the Task Manager.
  • For Plasma 5.8 the used Midna theme has been updated in many parts, this includes on all new SDDM theme, new gfxboot splashscreen, redone panel launchers, updated Logout and Lock screen, several new icons, including icons for the system tray.
  • The installer now automates setting your location on the world map and has improved volume scanning so it won't show live USB or optical drives as install options.
  • Base of the system:
  • Most notable major updates to the base of the system are a Boost 1.61.0, FFMPEG 3.1.3, Linux 4.7.3, Systemd 231, Poppler 0.47.0, Python 3.5.2, Gstreamer 1.8.3, Protobuf 3.0.2 and MariaDB 10.1.17
  • KaOS repositories no longer provide Qt 4. It is a good three years ago that development for Qt 4 stopped, late 2015 all support including security fixes ended. Any application that has not made the transition to Qt 5 in all this time can no longer be supported in KaOS. Either they actually are no longer maintained or their development is ignoring the implications of building on a possible insecure toolkit.
  • The Linux kernel has all the needed ucode build-in for a fully automated Early Microcode update.

What is new in version 2017.09:

  • Desktop:
  • A new addition for KaOS is a First Run Wizard. It will run on the newly installed system and enables with just a few clicks to adjust mouse behavior, menu launcher, desktop theme, used wallpaper, color scheme, widget style, window decoration and virtual desktops used. With one click this Wizard will also link to KaOS Documentation and all contact info.
  • Another first on this ISO is a new tool to write ISO files to USB. Not only does IsoWriter write to USB it also gives the option to recover your USB stick after using it for an ISO, something that regular dd copy or the previously used Imagewriter were not able to do.
  • The Plasma Desktop includes Frameworks 5.26.0, Plasma 5.7.90, KDE Applications 16.08.1 & not yet released ports of KDE Applications. All built on Qt 5.7.0. Changes in Plasma 5.8 include much improved support for multi-screen setups and docking stations, support for modifier-only shortcuts (default: Meta to open launcher menu), global shortcuts for launching applications and their jumplist actions, KWin now supports the llvmpipe driver for OpenGL, compositing removal of unredirect-fullscreen, replaced by compositing blocking and a rewritten Pager using less CPU and memory, shared back-end processing with the Task Manager.
  • For Plasma 5.8 the used Midna theme has been updated in many parts, this includes on all new SDDM theme, new gfxboot splashscreen, redone panel launchers, updated Logout and Lock screen, several new icons, including icons for the system tray.
  • The installer now automates setting your location on the world map and has improved volume scanning so it won't show live USB or optical drives as install options.
  • Base of the system:
  • Most notable major updates to the base of the system are a Boost 1.61.0, FFMPEG 3.1.3, Linux 4.7.3, Systemd 231, Poppler 0.47.0, Python 3.5.2, Gstreamer 1.8.3, Protobuf 3.0.2 and MariaDB 10.1.17
  • KaOS repositories no longer provide Qt 4. It is a good three years ago that development for Qt 4 stopped, late 2015 all support including security fixes ended. Any application that has not made the transition to Qt 5 in all this time can no longer be supported in KaOS. Either they actually are no longer maintained or their development is ignoring the implications of building on a possible insecure toolkit.
  • The Linux kernel has all the needed ucode build-in for a fully automated Early Microcode update.

What is new in version 2017.07:

  • Desktop:
  • A new addition for KaOS is a First Run Wizard. It will run on the newly installed system and enables with just a few clicks to adjust mouse behavior, menu launcher, desktop theme, used wallpaper, color scheme, widget style, window decoration and virtual desktops used. With one click this Wizard will also link to KaOS Documentation and all contact info.
  • Another first on this ISO is a new tool to write ISO files to USB. Not only does IsoWriter write to USB it also gives the option to recover your USB stick after using it for an ISO, something that regular dd copy or the previously used Imagewriter were not able to do.
  • The Plasma Desktop includes Frameworks 5.26.0, Plasma 5.7.90, KDE Applications 16.08.1 & not yet released ports of KDE Applications. All built on Qt 5.7.0. Changes in Plasma 5.8 include much improved support for multi-screen setups and docking stations, support for modifier-only shortcuts (default: Meta to open launcher menu), global shortcuts for launching applications and their jumplist actions, KWin now supports the llvmpipe driver for OpenGL, compositing removal of unredirect-fullscreen, replaced by compositing blocking and a rewritten Pager using less CPU and memory, shared back-end processing with the Task Manager.
  • For Plasma 5.8 the used Midna theme has been updated in many parts, this includes on all new SDDM theme, new gfxboot splashscreen, redone panel launchers, updated Logout and Lock screen, several new icons, including icons for the system tray.
  • The installer now automates setting your location on the world map and has improved volume scanning so it won't show live USB or optical drives as install options.
  • Base of the system:
  • Most notable major updates to the base of the system are a Boost 1.61.0, FFMPEG 3.1.3, Linux 4.7.3, Systemd 231, Poppler 0.47.0, Python 3.5.2, Gstreamer 1.8.3, Protobuf 3.0.2 and MariaDB 10.1.17
  • KaOS repositories no longer provide Qt 4. It is a good three years ago that development for Qt 4 stopped, late 2015 all support including security fixes ended. Any application that has not made the transition to Qt 5 in all this time can no longer be supported in KaOS. Either they actually are no longer maintained or their development is ignoring the implications of building on a possible insecure toolkit.
  • The Linux kernel has all the needed ucode build-in for a fully automated Early Microcode update.

What is new in version 2017.06:

  • Desktop:
  • A new addition for KaOS is a First Run Wizard. It will run on the newly installed system and enables with just a few clicks to adjust mouse behavior, menu launcher, desktop theme, used wallpaper, color scheme, widget style, window decoration and virtual desktops used. With one click this Wizard will also link to KaOS Documentation and all contact info.
  • Another first on this ISO is a new tool to write ISO files to USB. Not only does IsoWriter write to USB it also gives the option to recover your USB stick after using it for an ISO, something that regular dd copy or the previously used Imagewriter were not able to do.
  • The Plasma Desktop includes Frameworks 5.26.0, Plasma 5.7.90, KDE Applications 16.08.1 & not yet released ports of KDE Applications. All built on Qt 5.7.0. Changes in Plasma 5.8 include much improved support for multi-screen setups and docking stations, support for modifier-only shortcuts (default: Meta to open launcher menu), global shortcuts for launching applications and their jumplist actions, KWin now supports the llvmpipe driver for OpenGL, compositing removal of unredirect-fullscreen, replaced by compositing blocking and a rewritten Pager using less CPU and memory, shared back-end processing with the Task Manager.
  • For Plasma 5.8 the used Midna theme has been updated in many parts, this includes on all new SDDM theme, new gfxboot splashscreen, redone panel launchers, updated Logout and Lock screen, several new icons, including icons for the system tray.
  • The installer now automates setting your location on the world map and has improved volume scanning so it won't show live USB or optical drives as install options.
  • Base of the system:
  • Most notable major updates to the base of the system are a Boost 1.61.0, FFMPEG 3.1.3, Linux 4.7.3, Systemd 231, Poppler 0.47.0, Python 3.5.2, Gstreamer 1.8.3, Protobuf 3.0.2 and MariaDB 10.1.17
  • KaOS repositories no longer provide Qt 4. It is a good three years ago that development for Qt 4 stopped, late 2015 all support including security fixes ended. Any application that has not made the transition to Qt 5 in all this time can no longer be supported in KaOS. Either they actually are no longer maintained or their development is ignoring the implications of building on a possible insecure toolkit.
  • The Linux kernel has all the needed ucode build-in for a fully automated Early Microcode update.

What is new in version 2017.04:

  • Desktop:
  • A new addition for KaOS is a First Run Wizard. It will run on the newly installed system and enables with just a few clicks to adjust mouse behavior, menu launcher, desktop theme, used wallpaper, color scheme, widget style, window decoration and virtual desktops used. With one click this Wizard will also link to KaOS Documentation and all contact info.
  • Another first on this ISO is a new tool to write ISO files to USB. Not only does IsoWriter write to USB it also gives the option to recover your USB stick after using it for an ISO, something that regular dd copy or the previously used Imagewriter were not able to do.
  • The Plasma Desktop includes Frameworks 5.26.0, Plasma 5.7.90, KDE Applications 16.08.1 & not yet released ports of KDE Applications. All built on Qt 5.7.0. Changes in Plasma 5.8 include much improved support for multi-screen setups and docking stations, support for modifier-only shortcuts (default: Meta to open launcher menu), global shortcuts for launching applications and their jumplist actions, KWin now supports the llvmpipe driver for OpenGL, compositing removal of unredirect-fullscreen, replaced by compositing blocking and a rewritten Pager using less CPU and memory, shared back-end processing with the Task Manager.
  • For Plasma 5.8 the used Midna theme has been updated in many parts, this includes on all new SDDM theme, new gfxboot splashscreen, redone panel launchers, updated Logout and Lock screen, several new icons, including icons for the system tray.
  • The installer now automates setting your location on the world map and has improved volume scanning so it won't show live USB or optical drives as install options.
  • Base of the system:
  • Most notable major updates to the base of the system are a Boost 1.61.0, FFMPEG 3.1.3, Linux 4.7.3, Systemd 231, Poppler 0.47.0, Python 3.5.2, Gstreamer 1.8.3, Protobuf 3.0.2 and MariaDB 10.1.17
  • KaOS repositories no longer provide Qt 4. It is a good three years ago that development for Qt 4 stopped, late 2015 all support including security fixes ended. Any application that has not made the transition to Qt 5 in all this time can no longer be supported in KaOS. Either they actually are no longer maintained or their development is ignoring the implications of building on a possible insecure toolkit.
  • The Linux kernel has all the needed ucode build-in for a fully automated Early Microcode update.

What is new in version 2017.02:

  • Desktop:
  • A new addition for KaOS is a First Run Wizard. It will run on the newly installed system and enables with just a few clicks to adjust mouse behavior, menu launcher, desktop theme, used wallpaper, color scheme, widget style, window decoration and virtual desktops used. With one click this Wizard will also link to KaOS Documentation and all contact info.
  • Another first on this ISO is a new tool to write ISO files to USB. Not only does IsoWriter write to USB it also gives the option to recover your USB stick after using it for an ISO, something that regular dd copy or the previously used Imagewriter were not able to do.
  • The Plasma Desktop includes Frameworks 5.26.0, Plasma 5.7.90, KDE Applications 16.08.1 & not yet released ports of KDE Applications. All built on Qt 5.7.0. Changes in Plasma 5.8 include much improved support for multi-screen setups and docking stations, support for modifier-only shortcuts (default: Meta to open launcher menu), global shortcuts for launching applications and their jumplist actions, KWin now supports the llvmpipe driver for OpenGL, compositing removal of unredirect-fullscreen, replaced by compositing blocking and a rewritten Pager using less CPU and memory, shared back-end processing with the Task Manager.
  • For Plasma 5.8 the used Midna theme has been updated in many parts, this includes on all new SDDM theme, new gfxboot splashscreen, redone panel launchers, updated Logout and Lock screen, several new icons, including icons for the system tray.
  • The installer now automates setting your location on the world map and has improved volume scanning so it won't show live USB or optical drives as install options.
  • Base of the system:
  • Most notable major updates to the base of the system are a Boost 1.61.0, FFMPEG 3.1.3, Linux 4.7.3, Systemd 231, Poppler 0.47.0, Python 3.5.2, Gstreamer 1.8.3, Protobuf 3.0.2 and MariaDB 10.1.17
  • KaOS repositories no longer provide Qt 4. It is a good three years ago that development for Qt 4 stopped, late 2015 all support including security fixes ended. Any application that has not made the transition to Qt 5 in all this time can no longer be supported in KaOS. Either they actually are no longer maintained or their development is ignoring the implications of building on a possible insecure toolkit.
  • The Linux kernel has all the needed ucode build-in for a fully automated Early Microcode update.

What is new in version 2017.01:

  • Desktop:
  • A new addition for KaOS is a First Run Wizard. It will run on the newly installed system and enables with just a few clicks to adjust mouse behavior, menu launcher, desktop theme, used wallpaper, color scheme, widget style, window decoration and virtual desktops used. With one click this Wizard will also link to KaOS Documentation and all contact info.
  • Another first on this ISO is a new tool to write ISO files to USB. Not only does IsoWriter write to USB it also gives the option to recover your USB stick after using it for an ISO, something that regular dd copy or the previously used Imagewriter were not able to do.
  • The Plasma Desktop includes Frameworks 5.26.0, Plasma 5.7.90, KDE Applications 16.08.1 & not yet released ports of KDE Applications. All built on Qt 5.7.0. Changes in Plasma 5.8 include much improved support for multi-screen setups and docking stations, support for modifier-only shortcuts (default: Meta to open launcher menu), global shortcuts for launching applications and their jumplist actions, KWin now supports the llvmpipe driver for OpenGL, compositing removal of unredirect-fullscreen, replaced by compositing blocking and a rewritten Pager using less CPU and memory, shared back-end processing with the Task Manager.
  • For Plasma 5.8 the used Midna theme has been updated in many parts, this includes on all new SDDM theme, new gfxboot splashscreen, redone panel launchers, updated Logout and Lock screen, several new icons, including icons for the system tray.
  • The installer now automates setting your location on the world map and has improved volume scanning so it won't show live USB or optical drives as install options.
  • Base of the system:
  • Most notable major updates to the base of the system are a Boost 1.61.0, FFMPEG 3.1.3, Linux 4.7.3, Systemd 231, Poppler 0.47.0, Python 3.5.2, Gstreamer 1.8.3, Protobuf 3.0.2 and MariaDB 10.1.17
  • KaOS repositories no longer provide Qt 4. It is a good three years ago that development for Qt 4 stopped, late 2015 all support including security fixes ended. Any application that has not made the transition to Qt 5 in all this time can no longer be supported in KaOS. Either they actually are no longer maintained or their development is ignoring the implications of building on a possible insecure toolkit.
  • The Linux kernel has all the needed ucode build-in for a fully automated Early Microcode update.

What is new in version 2016.11:

  • Desktop:
  • A new addition for KaOS is a First Run Wizard. It will run on the newly installed system and enables with just a few clicks to adjust mouse behavior, menu launcher, desktop theme, used wallpaper, color scheme, widget style, window decoration and virtual desktops used. With one click this Wizard will also link to KaOS Documentation and all contact info.
  • Another first on this ISO is a new tool to write ISO files to USB. Not only does IsoWriter write to USB it also gives the option to recover your USB stick after using it for an ISO, something that regular dd copy or the previously used Imagewriter were not able to do.
  • The Plasma Desktop includes Frameworks 5.26.0, Plasma 5.7.90, KDE Applications 16.08.1 & not yet released ports of KDE Applications. All built on Qt 5.7.0. Changes in Plasma 5.8 include much improved support for multi-screen setups and docking stations, support for modifier-only shortcuts (default: Meta to open launcher menu), global shortcuts for launching applications and their jumplist actions, KWin now supports the llvmpipe driver for OpenGL, compositing removal of unredirect-fullscreen, replaced by compositing blocking and a rewritten Pager using less CPU and memory, shared back-end processing with the Task Manager.
  • For Plasma 5.8 the used Midna theme has been updated in many parts, this includes on all new SDDM theme, new gfxboot splashscreen, redone panel launchers, updated Logout and Lock screen, several new icons, including icons for the system tray.
  • The installer now automates setting your location on the world map and has improved volume scanning so it won't show live USB or optical drives as install options.
  • Base of the system:
  • Most notable major updates to the base of the system are a Boost 1.61.0, FFMPEG 3.1.3, Linux 4.7.3, Systemd 231, Poppler 0.47.0, Python 3.5.2, Gstreamer 1.8.3, Protobuf 3.0.2 and MariaDB 10.1.17
  • KaOS repositories no longer provide Qt 4. It is a good three years ago that development for Qt 4 stopped, late 2015 all support including security fixes ended. Any application that has not made the transition to Qt 5 in all this time can no longer be supported in KaOS. Either they actually are no longer maintained or their development is ignoring the implications of building on a possible insecure toolkit.
  • The Linux kernel has all the needed ucode build-in for a fully automated Early Microcode update.

What is new in version 2016.09:

  • Desktop:
  • A new addition for KaOS is a First Run Wizard. It will run on the newly installed system and enables with just a few clicks to adjust mouse behavior, menu launcher, desktop theme, used wallpaper, color scheme, widget style, window decoration and virtual desktops used. With one click this Wizard will also link to KaOS Documentation and all contact info.
  • Another first on this ISO is a new tool to write ISO files to USB. Not only does IsoWriter write to USB it also gives the option to recover your USB stick after using it for an ISO, something that regular dd copy or the previously used Imagewriter were not able to do.
  • The Plasma Desktop includes Frameworks 5.26.0, Plasma 5.7.90, KDE Applications 16.08.1 & not yet released ports of KDE Applications. All built on Qt 5.7.0. Changes in Plasma 5.8 include much improved support for multi-screen setups and docking stations, support for modifier-only shortcuts (default: Meta to open launcher menu), global shortcuts for launching applications and their jumplist actions, KWin now supports the llvmpipe driver for OpenGL, compositing removal of unredirect-fullscreen, replaced by compositing blocking and a rewritten Pager using less CPU and memory, shared back-end processing with the Task Manager.
  • For Plasma 5.8 the used Midna theme has been updated in many parts, this includes on all new SDDM theme, new gfxboot splashscreen, redone panel launchers, updated Logout and Lock screen, several new icons, including icons for the system tray.
  • The installer now automates setting your location on the world map and has improved volume scanning so it won't show live USB or optical drives as install options.
  • Base of the system:
  • Most notable major updates to the base of the system are a Boost 1.61.0, FFMPEG 3.1.3, Linux 4.7.3, Systemd 231, Poppler 0.47.0, Python 3.5.2, Gstreamer 1.8.3, Protobuf 3.0.2 and MariaDB 10.1.17
  • KaOS repositories no longer provide Qt 4. It is a good three years ago that development for Qt 4 stopped, late 2015 all support including security fixes ended. Any application that has not made the transition to Qt 5 in all this time can no longer be supported in KaOS. Either they actually are no longer maintained or their development is ignoring the implications of building on a possible insecure toolkit.
  • The Linux kernel has all the needed ucode build-in for a fully automated Early Microcode update.

What is new in version 2016.07:

  • Desktop:
  • The Plasma Desktop includes Frameworks 5.24.0, Plasma 5.7.2, KDE Applications 16.04.3 & not yet released ports of KDE Applications. All built on Qt 5.7.0. Changes in Plasma 5.7 include improved workflows, the return of the agenda view in the calendar, the Volume Control applet gained the ability to control volume on a per-application basis & allows you to move application output between devices using drag & drop, new System Tray & Task Manager, plus huge steps towards a Wayland-based windowing system.
  • K3b is back on this ISO as the default CD/DVD creator. The port to Qt 5/Frameworks 5 has progressed to such a state that it is a fully functioning application again.
  • Some of the latest Qt 5 applications that just moved into the KaOS repositories include Amarok (back as a Frameworks 5 application), Mediainfo and Cryfs-Gui.
  • Kernel with build-in Microcode support:
  • With the move to the Linux kernel 4.6, it is now possible to fully automate the Early Microcode update. This new kernel has all needed ucode build-in, thanks to commits like these. For users, this means no need to install any ucode package, no need to adjust bootloaders or have an extra initrd just for Microcode loading. Many modern CPUs require loading microcode before everything else, as the update causes system instability otherwise.
  • Base of the system:
  • Encrypted file system support is included in the installer. LUKS encryption is available for both the automated install options as well as manual.
  • Most notable major updates to the base of the system are a GCC 5.4.0, Binutils 2.26.1 new toolchain, Linux 4.6.4, LLVM/Clang 3.8.1, Poppler 0.45.0, Python 3.5.2, Pulseaudio 9.0, Xorg-Server 1.18.4 and MariaDB 10.1.15
  • KaOS repositories no longer provide Qt 4. It is a good three years ago that development for Qt 4 stopped, late 2015 all support including security fixes ended. Any application that has not made the transition to Qt 5 in all this time can no longer be supported in KaOS. Either they actually are no longer maintained or their development is ignoring the implications of building on a possible insecure toolkit.
  • Common Notes:
  • The artwork includes custom icon themes for light and dark themes. Midna and Midna Dark both create a complete unified look from boot-up all the way through logout.
  • This ISO uses the CRC and finobt enabled XFS filesystem as default. CRCs enable enhanced error detection due to hardware issues, whilst the format changes also improves crash recovery algorithms and the ability of various tools to validate and repair metadata corruptions when they are found. The free inode btree does not index used inodes, allowing faster, more consistent inode allocation performance as filesystems age.
  • It is possible for both the Live session and installed system to start a Plasma Wayland session right from the login manager. An X11 session is of course still default, but the drop-down menu has a Wayland entry too. With Plasma 5.7, the Wayland session is now possible on more systems.
  • KaOS uses the Systemd provided Systemd-boot for UEFI installs.

What is new in version 2016.06:

  • Kernel with build-in Microcode support
  • KDE Frameworks 5.23.0
  • KDE Plasma 5.6.95
  • KDE Applications 16.04.2
  • Full Disk Encryption
  • Calamares 2.3

What is new in version 2016.04:

  • Not the customary bi-monthly release this time, but celebrating the three-year anniversary of KaOS by releasing 2016.04. Reason for this earlier release is the move to Qt 5.6 and with that an update and/or rebuild of the complete Desktop.
  • QtWebengine has now replaced QtWebkit as the base for the default web-browser Qupzilla. You will find a much better multimedia experience, were full-screen video is now supported, sites like Vimeo just work and there is no longer a need to use the unmaintained since 2012 flashplugin. Pepperflash is fully compatible with new Qupzilla 2.0
  • The Plasma Desktop includes Frameworks 5.21.0, Plasma 5.6.2 and KDE Applications 16.04.0.
  • Most notable major updates to the base of the system are Boost 1.60.0, ICU 57.1, Xorg-server 1.18.3, gstreamer group is at 1.8.0, Libarchive 3.2RC, Alsa packages moved to 1.1.1, Linux 4.4.5, Mesa 11.2.0, Pulseaudio 8.0 and Mariadb 10.1.12.
  • Some KDE applications look like they might not make the kf5 migration. One such app is kget, it was partially ported, but all work on it has stalled for too long to keep it an option for KaOS. A new and very complete download manager has replaced kget. Fatrat will be part of KaOS default installs from now on. Another change is the move to Cantata as the default Music Manager, Clementine's focus is still on developing for Qt 4 plus has security issues which new Sqlite tried to avoid. Cantata is fully Qt 5 ported and very well-integrated in the Plasma 5 desktop.
  • This ISO KaOS uses the Systemd provided Systemd-boot for UEFI installs, Gummiboot is depreciated.

What is new in version 2016.03:

  • The Plasma Desktop includes Frameworks 5.20.0, Plasma 5.5.5 and KDE Applications 15.12.2. A few enhancements to the Plasma 5 experience have been added, these are KaOS specific extras.
  • You now have the option to calculate the md5sum from any file from the Dolphin service menu.
  • Since the kf5 move there has not been a fully working GUI for user management, there is one added now for KaOS, you will find it under systemsettings, account details.
  • From there you can create new users, change existing user(s) role or delete a user. Also added it is a KCM for locale/language settings.
  • Thanks to the contributions of fabianalexisinostroza & forostm the artwork received a redesign in many elements. A new icon theme for light and dark themes has arrived. The Midna Dark theme received a complete overhaul with a new plasma theme, window decorations, colorscheme and new sddm & splash themes. The new work brings to Midna Dark a complete unified look.
  • Most notable major updates to the base of the system are a Glibc 2.23/Binutils 2.26 based new toolchain, a move of the xorg stack to 1.18, gstreamer group is at 1.6.3, a move to Pacman 5, Linux 4.4.5, Mesa 11.1.2, Pulseaudio 8.0 and Mariadb 10.1.12.
  • Calamares, the used installer framework, has moved to the 2.1 series.
  • Among the new applications that are now fully ported to Qt5/Frameworks 5, Kjots, Keneric, Kcolorchooser, SqliteBrowser and Grub2-editor.
  • KaOS uses the Systemd provided Systemd-boot for UEFI installs.

Screenshots

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