Bridge Linux GNOME

Welcome to the GNOME edition of Bridge Linux, an open source operating system built around the Linux kernel and based on the lightweight, yet powerful Arch Linux distribution. This flavor uses the modern GNOME desktop environment for its graphical session and includes specific applications.

Availability, boot options, supported architectures

Downloading Bridge Linux GNOME from our website is quite easy, just click the download link above to access the dedicated download section and choose the Live DVD for your hardware platform (64-bit and 32-bit ones are supported at this time). Please keep in mind that the distribution comes with both stable and testing releases.

The user must burn the Live DVD ISO images to blank DVD discs or USB flash drives of 1GB or higher capacity in order to boot them from the BIOS of the PC. Then, the boot loader will appear, allowing the user to start the live session with default options or by forcing the VESA framebuffer and using nomodeset, in case the first entry won't recognize some hardware components.

In addition, it is possible to run a memory diagnostic test using the Memtest86+ utility, view detailed information about your computer's hardware components, as well as to reboot or shutdown the machine. Unfortunately, there's no option to boot an existing operating system from the first disk drive.

Untouched GNOME desktop environment with lightweight apps

Booting the Live DVD using the default entry in the boot menu will take the user to an untouched version of the GNOME desktop environment, which provides users with a modern graphical session comprised of a clean desktop and a top panel from where you can access the pre-installed applications, interact with opened programs/windows, cycle between virtual workspaces, as well as to search the entire system for apps of files.

Default applications include the Chromium web browser, Evolution email and calendar client, Empathy multi-protocol instant messenger, GIMP image editor, Gedit text editor, Nautilus file manager, LibreOffice office suite, Shotwell image editor and organizer, Tomboy note-taking app, Totem video player, Banshee music player, as well as other GNOME specific utilities.

Bottom line

Summing up, we can happily report that the GNOME edition of Bridge Linux is a stable, modern and very productive operating system. It is here to showcase some of the best features of the Arch Linux distribution and the GNOME desktop environment. Also, don't hesitate to try out the KDE, Xfce and LXDE editions of Bridge Linux.