That Linux is difficult is increasingly a thing of the past. Today we can find a large number of different distributions, each with a series of functions and characteristics of its own so that each user can choose which one best suits their needs. Many of these distros also bet on a desktop very similar to Windows so that new users who are beginning to take the first steps within this new OS have it as easy as possible. And one of the most Windows-like distros that we can find today is Netrunner.
Netrunner is a Linux distribution, based on Debian, that wants to become the destination of all those users who, tired of the problems with Windows 10, want to start taking their first steps in this other operating system. This distribution has been around for more than 10 years and is available for both desktop and laptop PCs and ARM-based computers. It has a KDE Plasma desktop and a large number of programs installed by default so that the transition, and the user experience, of this new OS, are as smooth as possible.
Like any other Linux distribution, Netrunner receives new versions of the distro so that the operating system can always be up to date. In this specific case, this distro receives a major update every year. And, following this development model, now it is the turn of Netrunner 21.01, also known as "XOXO".
What's new in Netrunner 21.01 "XOXO"
This new version of Netrunner does not bring great news, but it is a maintenance update. The first changes we find are in the graphical environment, or desktop, of the distro. The new version 21.01 brings with it the KDE Plasma 5.14.5 desktop along with version 18.08 of the KDE Applications. Other components of this distro have also been updated, such as KDE Frameworks 5.54 and Qt 5.11.3. And of course, it includes Mesa 18.3.6 and X.Org Server 1.20.4.
This distro now uses Debian 10.7 "Buster" as a base and mounts the Linux kernel 5.9.15, which has been imported directly from Debian's own repositories. Thanks to this new kernel, the general operation of the most modern hardware has been improved, and problems with printers, Wi-Fi and Ethernet connections have been solved.
The rest of the programs in this distro have also been updated to their most recent versions. Among them, we can highlight LibreOffice, Firefox ESR, GIMP, Krita, Inkscape, Kdenlive, Steam, Skype, and Pidgin, among others.
Download and update
This new version of Netrunner is now available for all users who want to download it. Of course, it is completely free. We can find the ISO image of this version in the following link. The full version of XOXO occupies 2.6 GB, and they come with all the programs that we have mentioned to be able to start using it from the first moment. We can also find a smaller Core version for those who want to do a minimal installation. But this has not yet been updated to 21.01.
If we already have the 2020 version installed on the PC, we can make the leap to Netrunner XOXO in the same way that we can update any Linux. Just run the following command:
sudo apt upgrade && sudo apt full-upgrade
And, when finished, we must use Synaptic to install the following two packages:
- linux-image-amd64
- firmware-linux
We can now enjoy the new Netrunner 21.01 "XOXO".
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