NEWS 200428 about exGENT (Gentoo) 64 bit
I’ve made a new version of exGENT with only a few necessary packages pre-installed. It uses LXQt 0.14.1 as Desktop environment and kernel 5.6.7-gentoo-aufs-exton corresponding Kernel.org’s latest stable kernel 5.6.7. The ISO file is of 2100 MB. Despite this exGENT version 200428 runs surprisingly fast from DVD or USB. Even in VirtualBox and VMware. Faster than most other Linux live systems. I call my new version exGENT 2020 LXQt Live DVD/USB. It replaces version 200119. All installed packages in exGENT have been updated to the latest available version by 200428. Study the full package list.
What’s new in kernel 5.6? – The most exciting kernel in years!
What’s new in exGENT Build 200428?
The boot loader Grub Legacy has been replaced by Grub2. In exGENT versions before 170309 the file system wasn’t writable when running exGENT live (from DVD). Now you can emerge (install) new programs/packages even while running the system from a DVD or USB stick. If you do that and later decide to install exGENT to hard drive all your changes will follow! (That is if you use the install scripts in /root/install). Furthermore you can install/transfer exGENT to a USB stick with the dd command in Linux or use Rufus or Etcher in Windows. Such installations were impossible before. NOTE: I have not installed Google Chrome. It’s not needed anymore, since Netflix nowadays runs very well in Firefox. About the LXQt Desktop environment: LXQt is a lightweight Qt desktop environment. It will not get in your way. It will not hang or slow down your system. It is focused on being a classic desktop with a modern look and feel. MOST IMPORTANT: Now you can install exGENT to hard drive in two ways. You can still use the install scrips in /root/install. That is the best way to install exGENT on non UEFI computers for example VirtualBox and VMware. The second way is to use the Calamares Installer.
Is exGENT Build 200428 unique?
If you have a look at Gentoo’s download site you will notice that the latest Gentoo live system is from 20160704 (!?). Furthermore there are only a few other distros based on Gentoo. The most well-known are Funtoo Linux and Sabayon Linux. Funtoo isn’t a live system. Sabayon is a live system distributed with different Desktops variants. (Not with LXQt though). I have tried some of them on the computers I have access to. None of Sabayon’s variants could run live. Not even in VirtualBox and VMware. My guess is that exGENT has better hardware recognition than Sabayon.
Screenshots
1. exGENT Build 200428 running Spotify
2. exGENT Build 200428 – root’s Desktop
3. exGENT running Calamares in VirtualBox
4. exGENT running in VirtualBox
About exGENT Rpi4 Build 200410
I’ve created an exGENT/Gentoo system for Raspberry Pi 4. Read more about it…
andex.exton.net – latest is AndEX 10 (with GAPPS) and AndEX Pie 9.0 (also with GAPPS)!
and
about my Pie, Oreo, Nougat, Marshmallow and Lollipop versions for Raspberry Pi 3/2 at
raspex.exton.se – latest is RaspAnd Pie 9.0 (without GAPPS) and RaspAnd Oreo 8.1 (with GAPPS)!
