Q4OS Centaurus 3.2 - new testing release

q4osteam · 2018-04-24 08:40

A new updated image of the Q4OS Centaurus testing live media has been just released, its core is based on the latest Debian Buster testing and Trinity Desktop 14.0.5 testing versions.

There are significant updates and fixes included in this Q4OS relase, the most important are as follows:
- No packages from Debian Stretch repositories needed anymore, now using Debian Buster repositories strictly.
- Significant updates in Q4OS specific applications and tools, Desktop profiler, Software Centre, Debonaire theme, Bourbon Start menu, and others. They are adapted to be used within Debian Buster.
- KDE5 Plasma, as one of the Q4OS alternative desktops, integration has been tuned and significantly improved. It is now more isolated from the default TDE desktop and could be installed alongside, KDE5 user configuration will not affect TDE themes and other settings.
- Many more fixes and improvements.

We recommend for current Centaurus users to not upgrade, but perform a new fresh installation in case you want to check all new features and improvements.

Keep in mind, this is a Testing release. Although it should be quite stable and usable, it is not completed yet. We don't recommend to use Q4OS Centaurus in production environments.

You can download the new live-CD image from the Q4OS Testing releases page:
https://www.q4os.org/downloads2.html

Dai_trying · 2018-04-24 08:47

Thank you guys, downloading as I type.

Does this include the TDE bug 2729 fix?

q4osteam · 2018-04-24 08:52

Dai_trying wrote:

Does this include the TDE bug 2729 fix?

Yes, it should, but we haven't tested it yet. If you would post some observations about this one, it would be appreciated

Dai_trying · 2018-04-24 08:59

Will post as soon as I get it installed and tested, again thank you.

Dai_trying · 2018-04-25 09:18

Posting from a new Centaurus installation and the trash bin bug appears to be gone (WooHoo!) although this theme doesn't change the trash icon so I might try switching theme later to see if that works ok too, but I would imagine it will work fine.

Second point is I notice this installation has the "standard file structure" in $HOME which I certainly find easier to manage and use and would think it to be more familiar to other users too.

Thirdly the desktop seems to be clean and responsive and after my initial tests I am very happy with it. Keep up the great work guys, this could be (is) the best Q4OS yet!

EDIT: Just one down side of this is that it still wiped my previous Q4OS Windows install UEFI entry, I can easily put it back but I would think this is something that could be improved.

Last edited by Dai_trying (2018-04-25 10:47)

OldCodger · 2018-04-28 09:32

Couple of observations :
Applications that I would expect to prompt (via TDESUDO) for admin privileges no longer do so.
For example : Menu > Programs > Synaptic just launches synaptic with no tdesudo prompt.
Also, Menu > Programs > Accessories > System > SuperUser > Konqueror - no tdesudo prompt.

On my existing Q4OS 2.4 system both those actions cause an admin password prompt.
Note : On both systems I have the timestamp_timeout value set to 0 in the q4_sudo_confd file.

Secondly, there appears to be a noticeable delay when shutting down.
On my existing Q4OS 2.4 system, when I shutdown/restart I get the Trinity Desktop dialog box saying
"Closing Applications" with a progress bar. This almost immediately goes to 100% and the system shuts down.
On 3.2, I get the same dialog box but the progress bar is stuck at 0% for at least ten seconds before it (quickly)
fills to 100% and the system shuts down.

Otherwise, easy to install and runs quick.

q4osteam · 2018-04-28 10:12

Thanks for the feedback, we will check all glitches mentioned and fix them, as possible.

Timmi · 2018-06-04 06:02

OK, now I am really confused. (I'm not a Q4os user yet)

I thought that 3.1 would come out of testing, and then be made available for other processors too,
and that then 2.x would logically be retired.

But instead, 2.5 and a 3.2 testing come out.

Perhaps someone could enlighten the uninitiated as to the meaning of the version nomenclature here?

q4osteam · 2018-06-04 07:40

Timmi wrote:

I thought that 3.1 would come out of testing, and then be made available for other processors too,
and that then 2.x would logically be retired.

Right, 3.x series will become stable depending on Debian Buster release timing. We suppose, it will come in about a year, please see https://q4os.org/downloads2.html

Dai_trying · 2018-06-04 07:43

Q4OS Scorpion 2.x is the stable version and the installation iso images are still updated throughout it's lifespan with security updates and bug-fixes.

Q4OS Centaurus 3.x is the testing version and will likely be updated more often as new features/updates and bug-fixes are implemented more often.

When Centaurus becomes Stable it will keep it's 3.x revision numbers but will be known as Stable and then a new Testing version will be released based on the next Debian Testing version and although the name is likely not decided yet it will probably have the 4.x revision number.

So to round it up,
The recommended version to use for production environments is Scorpion 2.x which is the Stable version and this will remain the case until approximately 2020 although Long Term Support will keep this version going for another 2 years after this.
Centaurus 3.x should only be used for Testing purposes and could possibly give errors or failures until it becomes Stable (around 2020) and will then remain Stable until approximately 2023 (again with an added two years for Long Term Support).

EDIT:
Oops looks like I was too slow this time

Last edited by Dai_trying (2018-06-04 07:44)

q4osteam · 2018-06-04 07:46

@Dai_trying
Thanks for the precise explanation

Dai_trying · 2018-06-04 10:58

q4osteam wrote:

@Dai_trying
Thanks for the precise explanation

You are welcome

witloof · 2018-06-07 02:49

Just one more question from Mr witloof

For Centaurus 3.2, do we report bugs and/or misbehavior in the same forums as Scorpion 2.5,
or do we have a different forum ( as I think we should )

Can't see/find a different section , hence the question

q4osteam · 2018-06-07 06:54

You can post and report anything about Centaurus in the same forum. Marking topic subject as Centaurus related anyhow would be convenient.

witloof · 2018-06-12 11:29

I just have installed : Trinity, then LXQT, then Cinnamon, then Gnome.
As far as installation + quick check is concerned, no problems.
Real testing is gonna take time

But, I think this is just great.
Congratulations

Last edited by witloof (2018-06-12 13:04)

Timmi · 2018-06-14 05:23

Thanks very much guys.
So, if I understand correctly,
2.x is Debian stable, and 3.x is Debian bleeding edge (testing, unstable, or whatever codename one wants to give it).

Timmi · 2018-06-14 05:43

How does the performance of 2.4 vs 2.5 compare, on old hardware?
I presume that 2.5 better integrates fixes for Sceptre and Meltdown?
Is 2.5 much slower?

I ask, because I'm pondering putting this distro onto my young daughter's eeePC 1000he (Atom N280 processor, non-pae, 2gb).
Most recent versions of even lightweight distros are slow on it (especially Peppermint, which in it's latest versions has really become a resource hog - and since most are based on Debian, I'm really wondering.

With this in mind, would Q4os be a wise choice for a netbook?
How does it stack up against other low-resource distros?

Last edited by Timmi (2018-06-15 01:07)

Dai_trying · 2018-06-14 08:46

I have no tests to compare speed between 2.4 and 2.5, but I think the spectre/meltdown issues were already incorporated into 2.4 so I would not expect to see much of a difference.

There have been some posts both here and in the Debian User Forum where people have installed to netbooks so I cannot say it will go without issue, but from what I have read it should be possible and Q4OS will likely run better than most other distros on a low resource machine.

Q4OS Forum

#1 2018-04-24 08:40

Q4OS Centaurus 3.2 - new testing release

#2 2018-04-24 08:47

Re: Q4OS Centaurus 3.2 - new testing release

#3 2018-04-24 08:52

Re: Q4OS Centaurus 3.2 - new testing release

#4 2018-04-24 08:59

Re: Q4OS Centaurus 3.2 - new testing release

#5 2018-04-25 09:18

Re: Q4OS Centaurus 3.2 - new testing release

#6 2018-04-28 09:32

Re: Q4OS Centaurus 3.2 - new testing release

#7 2018-04-28 10:12

Re: Q4OS Centaurus 3.2 - new testing release

#8 2018-06-04 06:02

Re: Q4OS Centaurus 3.2 - new testing release

#9 2018-06-04 07:40

Re: Q4OS Centaurus 3.2 - new testing release

#10 2018-06-04 07:43

Re: Q4OS Centaurus 3.2 - new testing release

#11 2018-06-04 07:46

Re: Q4OS Centaurus 3.2 - new testing release

#12 2018-06-04 10:58

Re: Q4OS Centaurus 3.2 - new testing release

#13 2018-06-07 02:49

Re: Q4OS Centaurus 3.2 - new testing release

#14 2018-06-07 06:54

Re: Q4OS Centaurus 3.2 - new testing release

#15 2018-06-12 11:29

Re: Q4OS Centaurus 3.2 - new testing release

#16 2018-06-14 05:23

Re: Q4OS Centaurus 3.2 - new testing release

#17 2018-06-14 05:43

Re: Q4OS Centaurus 3.2 - new testing release

#18 2018-06-14 08:46

Re: Q4OS Centaurus 3.2 - new testing release

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