PureOS

PureOS is an open-source operating system derived from the highly acclaimed Debian GNU/Linux distribution and designed with the new Linux user in mind. It features two editions, one with the GNOME desktop environment, and another one with the Openbox window manager.

It is available only for USB devices

The OS is available only for USB devices, as it is distributed as zip archives that contain the directory structure of the distribution, ready for deployment on a USB thumb drive of 1GB or higher capacity.

Detailed installation instructions about how to create a bootable USB device are provided by the developer on the readme.txt file distributed along with the USB directory structure.

Choose between GNOME or Openbox as the default desktop environment

The user can choose between GNOME or Openbox as the default desktop environment for PureOS, simply by downloading the respective zip archive from the downloads section on Softoware.

Default applications on the GNOME edition

The GNOME edition comes with the Chromium web browser, Gedit text editor, Evince document viewer, Eye of GNOME image viewer, File-Roller archive manager, Nautilus file manager, GNOME MPlayer video player, GNOME Tweak Tool and Synaptic Package Manager. It also includes support for reading and writing from/to NTFS partitions.

Default applications on the Openbox edition

The Openbox edition includes the Chromium web browser, Leafpad text editor, GNU sed stream editor, Squeeze archive manager, Thunar file manager, as well as Synaptic Package Manager. This flavor also includes support for reading from and writing to the NTFS partitions of a Microsoft Windows operating system.

Bottom line

Summing up, PureOS is indeed a pure operating system, a one of a kind distribution of Linux that provides users with the choice of two graphical desktop environments, it is low on resources and includes just the right amount of applications.

What is new in this release:

• Main features:
• Kernel 3.3.6
• Gnome 3.4.2
• Office:
• LibreOffice 3.5.4 : Calc, Draw, Impress and Writer
• Internet:
• Iceweasel 13.0
• Icedove 10.0
• Transmission
• FileZilla
• Multi-media:
• Banshee
• VLC
• Brasero
• Graphics:
• GIMP 2.8.0
• Evince
• Eye of Gnome
• System:
• GParted
• smxi/sgfxi scripts
• scripts and Nautilus actions for modules management: activate, debs2lzm, debs2lzm-file, dir2lzm, lzm2dir et find2lzm (thanks to Nico from Linux-live-CD)

What is new in version 2.0:

• Kernel 2.6.33 with Squashfs 3.4 + lzma
• KDE 4.3.4, Iceweasel 3.5.8 + Strata aero theme and Icedove 2.0.0.22 + Lightning 0.9
• OpenOffice.org 3.2.0 (Calc, Draw, Math et Writer) with help
• Gimp 2.6.8 with help, Gwenview with Kipi-plugins and Okular
• Akregator, FileZilla, qBittorrent, Kopete and Wicd
• K3B, VLC and Songbird 1.4.3
• smxi/sgfxi scripts and scripts for module management
• GParted, Krusader...

What is new in version 2.0 Beta 2:

• KDE 4.2.4
• OpenOffice.org 3.1.0 - Calc + Draw + Impress + Writer (Base has been removed)
• the Kommander installer replaces the Zenity installer
• WICD replaces KNetworkManager
• additions: sux, mc, krusader...
• QtCurve theme and identical fonts for KDE and the GTK apps

What is new in version 2.0 Beta 1:

• kernel 2.6.27.8 + linux-headers + ndiswrapper module
• Environment: KDE 4.2.2
• Office: OpenOffice.org 3.0 (Base, Calc, Draw, Impress et Writer) with help
• Internet: Iceweasel 3.0, Icedove 2.0 + Lightning 0.9, Akregator, FileZilla, Kopete and qBittorrent
• Graphism: Gimp 2.6.6 (with help), Gwenview and Okular
• Multimedia: ISO Master, K3b, Songbird and VLC
• Utilities and system: Dolphin, GParted, Synaptic, Ark...
• Smxi/sgfxi scripts for system maintenance and nvidia/ati drivers installation
• Scripts for module management (deb2lzm, debs2lzm, debs2lzm-file, debs2nod, debs2nod-file, nodinstall)

What is new in version 1.1 2009:

• kernel 2.6.27.7 + linux-headers + ndiswrapper module
• upgrade from Debian testing repository on 2009-01-12
• KDE 3.5.10, Iceweasel 3.0.5 and Icedove 2.0.19 + Lightning 0.9
• added scripts from Nicolas Villa (Linux-live-cd) so you can build and activate your own modules (see here)
• added module manager from Slax (adapted by N. Villa)
• added KGet, KGpg and KPat
• added Amaya 11, recordMyDesktop and ISO Master
• Songbird 1.0.0 replace amaroK...