GeckoLinux Distro Has a New Release After Two Years, Based on openSUSE Leap 15.2

GeckoLinux, the openSUSE-based GNU/Linux distribution for detail oriented geckos, has a new release after more than two years of absence from the Linux scene.

I have to admit that I forgot about GeckoLinux. Last time I wrote about it was back in June 2018, when the development team released new major Stable and Rolling versions. The Stable version was actually the first distro to be based on the openSUSE Leap 15 operating system series.

Stable GeckoLinux releases are based on the latest openSUSE Leap, while Rolling releases use the rolling openSUSE Tumbleweed repositories. Today, the team announced GeckoLinux 152 as the latest Stable release, based on openSUSE Leap 15.2.

“Despite the lack of new ISO refreshes during the past couple of years, users have continued to be able to install and update GeckoLinux systems thanks to the fact that it directly uses openSUSE and Packman repository sources,” reads the announcement.

Besides all the new features and improvements of openSUSE Leap 15.2, the GeckoLinux 152 release provides users with an up-to-date installation media if they want to deploy the distribution on new computers without having to download hundreds of updates from the repositories.

The new release is available in all the flavors that have consecrated it, including KDE Plasma, GNOME, Xfce, Cinnamon, MATE, LXQt, and BareBones. GeckoLinux 152 includes the following desktop environment releases, KDE Plasma 5.18.5, GNOME 3.34.4, Xfce 4.14, Cinnamon 4.4.8, MATE 1.24, and LXQt 0.14.1.

What makes GeckoLinux different from other openSUSE-based distros is that it comes with support for proprietary media formats and various multimedia apps that work out of the box with them thanks to the integrated Packman repository, uses the Calamares installer, and offers Google and Skype repositories if you want to install more proprietary apps.

Another interesting change in the new release is the fact that the BareBones flavor, which targets advanced Linux users who want to fully customize their installations, is now using the IceWM window manager instead of Openbox. It also comes with the Firefox web browser, Calamares installer, and the full suite of YaST tools.

Without further ado, you can download GeckoLinux 152 right now from the official website. Below I’ve attached screenshots of all supported flavors to make it easier for you to choose between them. Each flavor comes with a curated selection of software.

New GeckoLinux Rolling and NEXT Plasma releases are expected in the near future too.