Netrunner OS 23 “Vaporwave” Launches Based on Debian GNU/Linux 11 “Bullseye”
Dubbed “Vaporwave,” Netrunner OS 23 is here almost two years after Netrunner OS 21.01. It is the first release of this GNU/Linux distribution for desktop computers based on the latest and greatest Debian GNU/Linux 11 “Bullseye” operating system series.
Previous Netrunner OS versions were derived from Debian GNU/Linux 10 “Buster” and shipped with Linux kernel 5.9. The new Netrunner OS release is powered by Debian Bullseye’s long-term supported Linux 5.10 kernel series, which will be supported with security and bug fixes until December 2026.
Update (by Roy):
In It's FOSS:
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Netrunner 23 "Vaporwave" Release Combines the Stability of Debian 11 and Linux Kernel 5.10 LTS
Netrunner is a Debian-based Linux distro for PCs/ARM-based computers that has been around since 2010 and has been getting a steady flow of updates.
In a recent announcement, they released Netrunner 23 “Vaporwave” with a few improvements.
Jack Wallen:
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Netrunner OS 23 is Now Available
The latest version of this Linux distribution is now based on Debian Bullseye and is ready for installation and finally hits the KDE 5.20 branch of the desktop.
Netrunner "Vaporware" version 23 has been made available by Blue Systems, arriving some two years after the previous milestone release. Unlike Netrunner 21, version 23 migrates to Debian Bullseye, which means it also includes the 5.10.19 Linux kernel.
As well, Netrunner 23 includes KDE Plasma 5.20, Qt 5.15.2, Firefox 102 ESR, LibreOffice 7.0.4, VLC 3.0.18, Audacious 4.0.5, Thunderbird 102.6.0, GIMP 2.10, and much more. But don't think you'll be getting a stock KDE desktop.
The developers have added a number of customizations to the desktop, such as an overview-like main menu, a unique theme that helps to make it stand out, simplified System Settings with Plasma Tweaks, a unified look for both KDE and non-KDE applications, GTK apps with standard Kwin borders, Task Manager with expanding icons, Show Desktop hot-spot in the lower right corner, and more.
Also Wallen (but another site):
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Netrunner 23 'Vaporware' is a Linux distribution ready for productivity and gaming | ZDNET
I cannot even count the number of Debian-based Linux distributions there are on the market. But when you whittle that list down to those that are both productive and game-ready, the options are much fewer. One of those options is Netrunner.
According to the official website, "Netrunner is a complete Linux Operating System for PCs, laptops/netbooks and ARM microcomputers, that makes exclusive use of the KDE Plasma desktop environment." I find that description quite lacking because the distribution isn't just a complete Linux operating system, but a platform for fun and work.
With plenty of applications pre-loaded, you can immediately start playing and working without having to install much in the way of third-party software.
The only tools you might have to add would be the likes of Spotify and Slack. The caveat to that is you would need to first install either Snap or Flatpak.
Drama queen Brian Fagioli with loaded headlines again:
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Netrunner Linux distro ain’t dead after all
Netrunner is one of my absolute favorite Linux distributions, but I haven’t been recommending it to people lately. Why? Well, to be honest, I thought the operating system was dead. You see, the last time the developers released a new version of Netrunner was early 2021. I assumed development had ended. The year 2022 came and went without any substantial Netrunner news.
But no, Netrunner lives! Out of the blue, a new version of the KDE-focused operating system is made available for download. Code-named "Vaporwave" (no, not vaporware), Netrunner 23 is based on Debian 11 "Bullseye" stable for the first time. Yes, fans of Netrunner can finally have modern Debian.
After nearly two years of silence regarding the operating system's development, you would expect a rather detailed announcement, but nothing could be further from the truth. Shockingly, we are treated to only two substantive sentences, which we share below.