Wednesday, March 1, 2023

Linspire 12 Released



Today PC/OpenSystems is proud to release Linspire 12 our premier desktop distribution based on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS.  Linspire 12 is the culmination of a year long development effort, the continuation of our long-standing tradition: to release the best commercially supported desktop distribution on the market. Unlike our competitors, we focus exclusively on making Linux accessible to the desktop audience. This means: We don’t make a server build, add an email client, slap on an office suite, and call the end result a desktop distribution. Instead, we focus on 4 main features : productivity, multimedia, web and development. For these we maintain very close relationships with our partners and customers to ensure that we deliver a distribution tailor-made for their needs. From the desktop environment to the choice of user applications, PC/OpenSystems includes only what we feel is the very best . 

 Linspire 12 includes the following, preinstalled: 
  •  GNOME 42.5 
  • Microsoft Edge 110 
  • Thunderbird 102 
  • Balena Etcher 
  • Rhythmbox 
  • GNOME Videos 
  • GNOME applications suite ie clocks, maps, weather, calendar and calculator 
  • Drawing application 
  • Full multimedia codec support 
For developers we include: 
  • .NET 7.0 SDK and runtime 
  • Powershell 7.3.2 
  • OpenJDK 11 SDK and Runtime 
  • Clang compiler suite 
  • Flatpak support 
Linspire 12 has a 12 month paid support period and is renewable yearly. This release will be supported for a standard 7 year period. You can purchase a digital download or physical media below.

Digital Download

Linspire Download Edition

Physical Media

Linspire Physical Media
Install Media
Order Notes










Wednesday, February 1, 2023

Linspire 12 Public Beta 1




As we approach our March 1, 2023 release date, the development team has received feedback from a few introductory alpha builds, and we are now ready to launch Public Beta 1 of Linspire 12.  Linspire 12 is Based on the Ubuntu 22.04 LTS code, Linspire 12 will feature GNOME 42.5 as its default desktop environment, with an optional KDE release arriving in the summer. Functionality and reliability were stressed, as Linspire is on 12 month release cycle. PC/OpenSystems has built a distribution which continues to be the intuitive, full-featured, high-performance Linux based desktop on the market. 

Linspire 12 PB 1 features: 

GNOME 42.5 
Thunderbird Mail 102.4.2 
Microsoft Edge Web browser 
All multimedia codecs for full playback 
Rhythmbox 
GNOME Videos 
.NET 7 
Powershell 
OpenJDK 11 

KNOWN ISSUES: PC platform : no reboot message when install completes; post-install, you have to reboot manually. This may be due to the Plymouth splash manager, but the cause is still unknown, an issue we are working to fix. 
Macbook Air / Macbook Pro (Intel) platforms : touchbar does not work; only gives Function key functionality. When the charging cable is plugged into the Macbook the screen blanks, then wakes up when mouse is moved or keyboard input is used. 
Microsoft Surface Pro / Microsoft Surface Laptop platforms: none that the development team is aware of, since we don’t have the ability to test on that hardware yet. 
All platforms : when hooking up a secondary HDMI display there have been reports it will drop to 1024x768 resolution. Another issue the team is working hard to fix. 

Linspire 12 Public Beta 1 is available today for free for testing; it will only be available for download. Physical install media will be available upon general availability 

WE DO NOT RECOMMEND DEPLOYING LINSPIRE PUBLIC BETA 12 ON PRODUCTION HARDWARE. NO WARRANTY IS EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED 

You can download it here: 

Thursday, January 5, 2023

Linspire 12 Public Alpha 1 Released

 Today we have released Linspire 12 Public Alpha 1.  This build highlights the newest LTS release.  This has been a longer release schedule then what we hoped for highlighting security and stability as Linspire will start to have a 12 month release cycle.

This release includes:

Linux kernel 5.15

GNOME Desktop

Thunderbird

OnlyOffice 7.2

Microsoft Edge 108

The full suite of GNOME multimedia players

Known issues:

Branding incomplete

Issues with some Dell and Sony systems with UEFI enabled

Display backwards when using a HDMI mirroring device

Some issues when installing proprietary drivers the system locks up

You can download the release here:

THIS IS AN ALPHA BUILD AND WE DO NOT ENDORSE THE USE ON PRODUCTION SYSTEMS

https://distro.ibiblio.org/blacklab/beta12/Linspire-12-1A77-desktop-amd64.iso

https://distro.ibiblio.org/blacklab/beta12/Linspire-12-1A77-desktop-amd64.md5

Thursday, April 7, 2022

2022 Tax Season with Linspire




Tax season is upon us folks and with Linspire, you can now get your taxes completed effectively and efficiently.  This year like with the last 6 years we have worked with Intuit and H&R Block to make sure their customers can prepare their tax returns online with Linspire.  Both applications have been tested with the Linspire 11.5 and PC/OS OpenDesktop 20.04 so you can rest assured that all your preparation tasks can be completed.

Our Lead System designer and developer Roberto Dohnert had this to say, " With the complexity of these apps growing more amazing over the years; testing has become just as complex.  We are very proud to work with these companies to make sure desktop Linux works."

If you are still running Windows 8/10/11 on your PC and would like to upgrade you can purchase Linspire here.

If your order the box set over the Digital Download in order notes type "TaxPrep" to ensure 48-hour shipping



Linspire Download Edition


Linspire Support License
Install Media
Order Notes



Monday, March 14, 2022

Linspire 11.5 Released


Today, the PC/OpenSystems LLC development team is pleased to announce the release of Linspire 11.5, a fully commercial supported release. With a great application lineup, Linspire remains the #1 desktop Linux distribution for home users. Linspire 11.5 also includes tools and resources to help users switching from legacy operating systems / other LInux distributions. 

 We have also introduced a new minimal install feature that allows just the web browser and essential system services to be installed for users who just want a PWA platform. Gamers are not forgotten; the Steam Launcher is included in the minimal install for users who want to turn their PC into a dedicated gaming console. 

Linspire 11.5 support comes with a 1 year subscription for both phone and e-mail. The self support option, even though focused on the self-sufficient power user, does come with installation support and priority bug submissions. Linspire is released with incremental upgrades and ISO refreshes every 6 to 8 months; new versions will be released every 12 to 16 months. 

 For security, reliability and long term viability, Linspire is attractive, flexible and well-supported. The distribution includes : 

KDE Plasma 5.18.8 - The fast and lean Linux desktop, fully functional and performance enhanced; peerless in terms of speed and user friendliness. 
Kernel 5.13.0-35 LTS - Long Term Support kernel designed to stand the test of time. 
Flatpak - Alternative package manager to SNAP, the current Ubuntu standard.  SNAP has now been disabled by default.  SNAP packages will not be able to be installed.
Microsoft Edge 99 - Web browser from Microsoft, built using the Open Source Chromium project,  engineered for privacy, web app integration and performance 
Kpat - Solitaire game 
Knights - Chess game 
Steam Launcher - Want to play all your steam games on Linux? We make that extremely simple with the Steam launcher. Being that it is included in the base install you don't have to worry about it removing your desktop environment. 
OnlyOffice - Office suite that can handle even the most complex documents and is compatible with Microsoft Office. 
DragonPlayer - Multimedia player 
 Juk - Music Player 
PowerShell 7.2 - Alternative shell thats a free/open source project from Microsoft 
BTRFS, XFS. JFS. EXT4 - available filesystems for installation 
Timeshift - Snapshot utility which allows you to set restore points in case of errors 
Audio recorder - Sound recorder. 
Balena Etcher - Utility for writing ISO’s to a USB stick 
Active Directory integration - Use active directory in your infrastructure? You can add Linspire clients to them 

This release also contains many functionality / security updates. You can purchase Linspire 11.5 below. If you need a high performance OS for your enterprise or education facility, Xandros OpenDesktop is designed and engineered for crucial deployments and you can find that here

Linspire Physical Media
Install Media
Order Notes
You can also purchase the digital download here

Linspire Download Edition




Tuesday, December 28, 2021

Linspire 11 Released




Today, the PC/OpenSystems LLC Development team releases Linspire 11, a major update to our flagship product. We continue to focus on our cloud first strategy by including all of Google's services that our users rely on - Gmail, Docs, Maps. However, traditional use cases have not been abandoned - Linspire 11 allows proper installation of any and all Linux based desktop applications without relying on a virtual machine / half-baked container setup. Linspire 11 features a modified version of GNOME 3 set up with a more traditional look that Windows users will find reassuringly familiar and have zero issues becoming accustomed to. A beautiful and intuitive desktop, top-notch performance, and uncompromising security - Linspire 11 is the only true replacement for ChromeOS and Windows 11 that you will need. At the end of the day, Linspire is the premiere desktop Linux system for both the average PC user who wants their computer to just work, and the performance-focused tweaker. 

The distribution includes : 

  • GNOME 3.36.8 Desktop 
  • Dash-2-Panel GNOME extension 
  • Kernel 5.11.0-43 
  • Google Chrome 96 
  • Ice SSB 
  • Kpatience 
  • Dreamchess 
  • Gmail 
  • Google Docs
  • Google Calendar 
  •  Google Keep 
  • YouTube 
  • Google Translate 
  • Google News 
  • Paramount + Streaming Services 
  • Pixlr X 
  • Rhythmbox 
  • Video Player (Totem) 
  • XFS/JFS/ZFS support 
  • Samba 4.10 

Linspire 11 includes several other security and feature updates. One difference we did make is we have dropped the inclusion of the .NET Core 6. But it is still available for download from the repositories. Below we have a short FAQ about Linspire 11. 

You can purchase Linspire below. 

Linspire Physical Media
Install Media
Order Notes

Linspire Download Edition
Desktop Environment



 FAQ 

What changes have been made to Linspire 11 vs its predecessor? 

 Linspire 11 is a hybrid system, allowing the user to run PWA (Progressive Web Apps) as well as traditional desktop applications available in the Software center. We have changed the focus of our system to concentrate on PWAs but to still remain flexible, so users can run the legacy apps they need / want in tandem with the newer cloud-based offerings. This release is GNOME only; going forward there will be no other desktop environments offered on Linspire. 

Are the web apps included just bookmarks to Google services? 

No, the PWAs included are full fledged desktop applications, integrated with system services so that features users are accustomed to like drag and drop work seamlessly. PWAs take full advantage of system hardware, but sandboxed, so that if one application misbehaves you can kill it without taking down the rest of your system, web apps, or browser sessions. Also, you can launch the individual applications without having to run separate browser sessions. 

What are some advantages of using PWAs vs traditional desktop applications? 

Google Docs and Microsoft Office are two of the most used office suites in schools, enterprises and at home. So people can use the applications they are familiar, independent of the operating system, and take their work with them : documents created in Google Docs are stored in Google Drive. So that document, spreadsheet or presentation is stored in the cloud if your system crashes; you can hop onto another system, log in, and these documents are ready for use. GNOME fully integrates Google Drive in with your system so it's mounted like any other removable storage device. 

What is the difference between Linspire and Chrome OS/CloudReady? 

Linspire is an Ubuntu Linux based distribution and contains many of the applications and familiar interfaces commonly found in Linux. It does, however, include all multimedia codecs / plugins by default and some hardware drivers not included in other distros. Chrome OS and CloudReady are not Linux distributions; they use the Linux kernel, and that’s where their similarity to a Linux distribution ends. Running full-fledged Linux applications on Chrome OS requires a container application called Crostini - essentially a minimal install of Debian 11 (currently in beta). While this works, it is basically like running your Linux apps in a virtual machine. Linspire is a fully native environment, not virtualized. Apps can be added through the Software center, or Flatpaks, Snaps and Appimages. Chrome OS runs on specialized hardware and can't run on common PC hardware; Linspire can and does run well on a variety of vendor PC platforms. CloudReady does support (some) PC hardware, but only runs Web applications. CloudReady does not support Android; Crostini is also not supported in CloudReady but can be used - the results are hit and miss. 

I don't like Google or Microsoft ANYTHING. I don't like Chrome or Edge. What are my choices in Linspire? 

 Linspire allows you to remove Chrome and install whatever browser you wish in its place; Firefox, Opera, Midori, Epiphany are all available in the repositories. You can also use the Menu Editor in Preferences and remove the Chrome Apps submenu; your system is then completely “de-googlized” and whatever apps you want or desire can be substituted in their place. With Chrome OS you are stuck with Chrome and Google's services. 

What information do you share with Google? 

 Absolutely NONE. The only time any information is exchanged with Google is when you decide to use their services. Google does not get any sales information from us and your information is not stored and is not sold by PC/OpenSystems LLC at ANY TIME. 

 I hate GNOME. What can I use besides GNOME? 

 Same as a preferred browser, XFCE, Budgie, Plasma or any other desktop environment can be downloaded and installed from the repositories; knock yourself out. 

 I don't “buy” Linux at any time and don't wish to support Linspire. What are my options? 

 You are not buying Linux you are purchasing support.  If you do not need support you can download and install Freespire. Freespire is free to use, download and redistribute. 

 Will you guys ever do IoT? 

 Right now we do support Intel's IoT offerings. We want to support the Pi and other ARM based IoT devices. 

I am a professional YouTuber or reporter and I want to review Linspire. Can I get a free copy? 

You can contact our press contact at press@pc-opensystems.com or support@pc-opensystems.com and we will handle that on a case by case basis. We love Youtubers and we like the press, good or bad.

Thursday, September 2, 2021

Linspire 10 SP2 Released


Today, the PC/OpenSystems LLC Development team has released Linspire 10 SP 2, a major update which begins a new chapter in Linspire’s story by taking it to the cloud. Linspire streamlines all of Google’s services into the distro; users can create any web app they want, on the fly, using the IceSSB utility which seamlessly turns any web page / web app into a dedicated desktop application utilizing the Chrome/Chromium framework. Which includes 1). full use of audio / video and 2). drag and drop from the Caja file manager. And never fear : all of the applications and resources of the Ubuntu repositories are available as well as installation from traditional Debian/Ubuntu packages, Flatpak and AppImage are available for traditional use cases. The underpinnings of Linspire still support a full-blown Linux desktop experience. 

Play games, watch and listen to all multimedia formats, install a Office-compatible productivity suite and more. PCOS has released cloud-focused operating systems in the past as special or limited releases, but we have wanted to make these changes distribution-wide; we feel that now is this time. Widespread positive user feedback confirmed this shift. When all is said and done, Linspire is the premiere desktop Linux system for both the average PC user who wants their computer “To just work” and the performance-focused power user. 

The distribution includes : 

  • XFCE Desktop or GNOME 3.34 Desktop 
  • Kernel 5.4.0-81
  • Synaptic 
  • Google Chrome 93
  • Ice SSB 
  • Kpatience 
  • Dreamchess 
  • Gmail 
  • Google Docs 
  • Google Calendar 
  •  Google Keep 
  • YouTube 
  • Google Maps 
  • Weather.com 
  • Krita 
  • Rhythmbox 
  • Video Player (Totem) 

 Linspire 10 SP 2 includes several other security and feature updates including a very important kernel update and some urgent Systemd fixes. You can purchase Linspire below. Make sure you designate which desktop you wish to use.

Linspire Physical Media
Install Media
Order Notes

Linspire Download Edition
Desktop Environment