USU Linux Desktop

USU Desktop (formerly Learn free with Ubuntu) is an open source desktop operating system built around the KDE desktop environment and based on the world’s most popular free Linux distribution, Ubuntu. It has been designed from the ground up as a starting point for learning how to use Linux.

Availability and boot options

The project is distributed into multiple flavors, Desktop, Mini and Netbook, each one with its own features and target audience. All of them are available for download for free, as Live CD/DVD ISO images, supporting both 32-bit and 64-bit architectures.

The default language is Bulgarian, but it can be easily changed to English using the F2 key. Only three options are available on the boot menu, to try USU without installing, to check the disc for error (if using an optical media), and boot an existing operating system installed on the first disk drive.

A wonderful collection of applications

Being designed to be used as a learning tool, the Desktop edition of USU includes a wide range of educational applications, such as Celestia space simulator, MuseScore music score typesetter, Blender 3D rendering software, Kalgebra mathematical calculator, and Fritzing electronics designer.

In addition, it also includes Marble virtual globe, TuxPaint interactive paint tool, Kalzium periodic table of elements, LibreCAD 2D CAD (Computer-aided design) application, Gobby collaborative text editor, Step interactive physics simulator, and many others.

Users will be able to send emails with Mozilla Thunderbird, write documents and do office tasks with LibreOffice, manage their financial information with HomeBank, manage their projects with OpenProj, browse the web with Mozilla Firefox, as well as to chat with their friends using Pidgin.

Additionally, it is possible to download torrent and magnet files using Transmission, transfer files with FileZilla, listen to music with Clementine, watch movies with VLC Media Player, edit videos with Kdenlive, edit images with GIMP, organize photos with digiKam, and edit diagrams with Dia.

USU also comes with a great collection of games, among which we can mention Solitaire, Sudoku, Mahjong, КAtomic, Mines, Tetris, Frozen-Bubble, Hedgewars, TuxType, TuxMath, as well as the GCompris suite of educational apps and games.

Bottom line

All in all, USU Desktop edition is a really great Ubuntu-based operating system that can be used as a starting point to use Linux. It can be easily deployed on educational environments and supports English and Bulgarian languages.

What is new in this release:

• Based on Kubuntu 12.04;
• Includes up-to-date KDE 4.9.1

What is new in version 9.1:

• Based on Kubuntu 12.04;
• Includes up-to-date KDE 4.9.1

What is new in version 6.2:

• Based on Ubuntu 10.10
• Includes latest updates from February 2011
• New kernel 2.6.35-26 with better hardware support
• New tool for creating live USB flash within Windows environment

What is new in version 6.0:

• Based on Ubuntu 10.10;
• Optmized for speed - to 4x faster precessing of jpegs thanks to libjpeg-turbo; more responsive dinamy processor switching;
• Supports installations directly from Windows environment, thanks to WUBI;
• Included tool for GRUB restoration and configuration;
• Better detection of Broadcom wifi cards
• Includes Gnome Zeitgeist for more logical way of finding and working with recent documents;
• Includes application for dynamical change of the wallpaper (crebs);
• New video converter a�� vidrop - with simple and advanced mode;
• Includes Hamster Time tracking;
• Includes Getting Things Gnome for task management;
• Updated look and feel

What is new in version 5.2:

• Based on Ubuntu 10.04.1
• Comes with kernel 2.6.35 for better hardware support and power management
• Built-in Virtual additions for VirualBoxq for easy use in a virtual environment
• Updated version of many of the most important applications - OpenOffice.org, Oracle Java, Adobe Flash, VLC Media Player, Firefox and more.

What is new in version 4.0:

• Based on Ubuntu 9.10;
• Improved hardware support, thanks to the new kernel 2.6.31;
• Updated and extended user manual with more than 100 topics (in Bulgarian language);
• More than 15 brand new applications - photo manager, non-linear video editor, OCR application, quick file viewer, unit converter, simple scan tool, graphic editor, mobile devices video converter and more;
• Updated versions of the desktop and included applications ;
• New hardware notifications;
• Quick removal for portable devices;
• Touchscreen support and calibration;
• Better launcher for Windows with included tool for quick creation of Live USB Flash;
• Updated visual appearance.

What is new in version 3.0:

• Extended hardware support, thanks to the new kernel 2.6.28;
• Entirely revised manual- added integrated search by title. In addition, all
• contents is updated to match the current versions of the applications in the OS.
• Also, there are included a new manuals;
• Collection of applications is enriched with new, including: GRAMPS (genealogical
• research), HomeBank (personal accounting), FileZilla (FTP client), BackInTime (backup
• system), Little Wizard (development environment for children), Gambas (development
• environment based on a Basic interpreter), etc.;
• A visual appearance of the work environment is completely changed for more modern
• look.

What is new in version 2.1:

• Over 10 new manuals in Bulgarian language;
• More translated applications in Bulgarian language (phone manager, subtitle
• editor, gnome color chooser, etc.);
• New applications for everyday use - dates, tasks, contacts, Deluge torrent
• client, BG/EN dictionary gbgoffice, etc.;
• Additional optimization of visual appearance for more consistent look among the
• multiple included applications;
• Additional software repositories, providing actualized versions for some
• applications (SMPlayer, Miro, LMMS,Gnome Subtitles, WINE); access to new
• applications; semi-weekly language translations update; EееРРsupport through
• modified kernel linux-eeepc, etc.;
• Now we have our own meta-package lfu-desktop. It is now empty, but in the
• future wea��ll use it for improvement of the LFU, and eventually, for transformation
• from regular Ubuntu to LFU.
• Some errors were corrected, and few small changes are applied:
• The initial boot screen is in Bulgarian language;
• Choosing of English language for the live DVD now loads English locale, instead
• of Bulgarian.
• SMPlayer now comes preconfigured for bulgarian users;
• Gnome Subtitles not anymore gives error when loading Cyrillic subtitles;
• Delugе torrent client replaces qBittorrent;
• Code::Blocks replaces Anjuta.

What is new in version 2.0:

• Based on latest Ubuntu 8.04.1;
• Over 25 new applications;
• More applications, translated in Bulgarian language;
• Updated user manual in Bulgarian language with over 20 new topics;
• Integrated LiveUSB creator;
• Updated and extended Windows launcher, and many more...