Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Is Linspire dead?

 We have had many questions as to whether Linspire is still under active development.  It is.  When Linspire 14 Service Pack 1 was released we said that we were changing our development times.  Linspire would see new releases every 16 months and Xandros would get a 24 month release schedule.  As explained before we did this because we build our products on stability rather than "shiny and new" As we support school systems and commercial customers they dont upgrade every 6 months.

Linspire 14 Service Pack 2 will be released this month, Xandros 2025.6 will be released in June.  Linspire 15 will be released in October based on the 2024.04 LTS as we usually wait a year for bugs and everything to be worked out on new LTS releases.

We are constantly working on new stuff and we have a core group of beta testers and Linsiders who work on pre-release builds so we make sure we dont break anything that our customers need to work.

Linspire is not dead.

Thanks

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Monday, December 18, 2023

Linspire 14 Released


 Today, the Linspire team is proud to release Linspire 14.  Linspire is one of the best selling Linux desktop operating systems in the world and we continue that success with Linspire 14.  Linspire 14 has been engineered for performance and usability and we have unprecedented hardware support that takes advantage of newer systems and allows users to reinvigorate their legacy systems up to 7 years old.  Unlike some of our commercial competitors who only support hardware up to 2 or 3 years old, we fully support compatible legacy systems.

With Linspire 14, we have improved some underlying issues we had with Linspire 12 and have implemented fixes for Apples intel Mac systems, 5G and LTE networks, Virtual machine systems and better hardware compatibility for newer systems.

  • Linspire 14 contains the following features:
  • Customized GNOME 42.9 interface
  • Linux kernel 6.2.0-36
  • Google Chrome Web browser
  • Evolution Mail client
  • Multimedia support for proprietary codecs 
  • Video Player
  • Rhythmbox Music Player
  • VS Code
  • Powershell
  • Clang
  • GCC Compiler Suite

You can purchase this release from our webstore or below

Linspire Download Edition


Linspire Physical Media
Install Media
Order Notes
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Thursday, August 17, 2023

Linspire 14 Beta 2 Released

 Today we are happy to release the newest Beta for Linspire 14.  Linspire 14 Beta 2.  These are Beta builds which means they are provided for testing only we do NOT recommend these to be deployed in any kind of production environment.  These builds are for users to provide us with feedback.  This build uses the Ubuntu 22.04 LTS base.   Beta builds are free to download but are not representative of the final builds.  This will be the last beta build of Linspire 14 before we hit the Release Candidate stage.

Linspire 14 Beta 2 is our premium distribution it contains everything you need for a home user. Whether you are a student, home office worker, gamer or contemporary home user Linspire contains all the tools, codecs and applications to get you started. 

Some of the changes we have included are:

  • Linux kernel 6.2 which enhances device support and stability
  • Microsoft Edge as the main browser which is based on open source technologies and  uniquely engineered for security, privacy and performance
  • Bluetooth has been fixed
  • Minimal install now retains multimedia players and codecs
  • ext4, JFS and XFS are all installable target filesystems
  • Support for Uptrack has been improved
  • GNOME console and GNOME Text Editor replaces GNOME Terminal and Gedit 
Linspire 14 Beta 2 features are as follows: 

  • GNOME 42.9
  • GNOME Classic 
  • Linux Kernel 6.2 
  • Microsoft Edge 115 
  • Geary Mail Client 
  • Steam Client 
  • Discover Software Store 
  • Flatpak 1.14.4 
  • OnlyOffice 7.4 
  • Rhythmbox 
  • Totem 
  • Powershell 7.3.6
  • Full multimedia and codec support 

All security updates up 8/12/2023 Other changes we have made is that we have removed the Ubuntu Advantage Tools as well as Canonical specific tools. 

Linspire 14 RC1 will be released in October

You can download this release here:

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Thursday, July 20, 2023

Linspire 14 Beta 1 and Freespire 10 Beta 1 Released

 Today we are happy to release the newest Beta's of our flagship systems, Linspire 14 Beta 1 and Freespire 10 Beta 1.  These are Beta builds which means they are provided for testing only we do NOT recommend these to be deployed in any kind of production environment.  These builds are for users to provide us with feedback.  Both of these builds use the Ubuntu 22.04 LTS base.   Both are free downloads but as they are undergoing constant and consistent changes they are not representative of the final builds.

Linspire 14 Beta 1


Linspire 14 Beta 1 is our premium distribution it contains everything you need for a home user.  Whether you are a student, home office worker, gamer or contemporary home user Linspire contains all the tools, codecs and applications to get you started.

  • Linspire 14 Beta 1 changes are as follows:
  • GNOME 42.9
  • Linux Kernel 5.15.0-46
  • Google Chrome 114
  • Geary Mail Client
  • Steam Client
  • Discover Software Store
  • Flatpak 1.14.4
  • OnlyOffice 7.4
  • Rhythmbox
  • Totem
  • Full multimedia and codec support
  • All security updates up 7/15/2023

Other changes we have made is that we have removed the Ubuntu Advantage Tools as well as Canonical specific tools.  

You can download this release here:

https://distro.ibiblio.org/blacklab/Beta/Linspire-14-2023.07.29-desktop-amd64.iso

https://distro.ibiblio.org/blacklab/Beta/Linspire-14-2023.07.29-desktop-amd64.md5

https://distro.ibiblio.org/blacklab/Beta/Linspire-14-2023.07.29-desktop-amd64.sha256

Beta 2 will be released mid-August

Freespire 10 Beta 1


Freespire 10 Beta 1 is our free distribution. Freespire can be redistributed freely and installed on multiple machines and modified as the user see's fit.  This distribution can be used by the power user and Linux enthusiast.  In this release we limit the number of proprietary non-free drivers and codecs that we include.  Whether you are a developer, Linux power user or contemporary home user Freespire contains all the tools, utilities and applications that you need.  Whether you want to experiment with different desktop environments you can download multiple software packages from the Ubuntu repositories or Flatpak. 

Freespire 10 Beta 1 changes are as follows:

  • GNOME 42.9
  • Linux Kernel 5.15.0-46
  • Brave Browser 1.52.130
  • Geary Mail Client
  • Steam Client
  • Discover Software Store
  • Flatpak 1.14.4
  • OnlyOffice 7.4
  • Rhythmbox
  • Totem
  • Free format multimedia and codec support
  • All security updates up 7/15/2023

In this release we have removed the Ubuntu Advantage Tools as well as Canonical specific tools.  

You can download these ISO's here:

https://distro.ibiblio.org/blacklab/Beta/Freespire-10-desktop-amd64.iso

https://distro.ibiblio.org/blacklab/Beta/Freespire-10-desktop-amd64.sha256

https://distro.ibiblio.org/blacklab/Beta/Freespire-10-desktop-amd64.md5

We will be releasing Beta 2 in September 2023


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Monday, May 29, 2023

Linspire 12 Service Pack 1 Release


Today the Linspire development team is pleased to announce the release of Linspire 12 Service Pack 1.  Linspire is our premier commercial desktop Linux product for home users, small business users and freelance developers.  Linspire is a powerhouse for users who want a stable and easy to install release of Linux and is compatible with all types of hardware.  Our backwards compatibility with systems 7 years old and is supported on recycled or new modern hardware.  Linspire 12 SP1 is our latest improvements to the Linspire release.  As always we aim to create the best desktop Linux distribution on the market and we strive to continue that excellence.  While there have been many improvements under the hood one of the major changes you will notice is in the user interface.  While yes, the desktop environment that we use is GNOME many of our users and customers have told us that they want the more traditional user interface that is not so different from Windows 10 or Windows 11 and in this release we have delivered that.  You have your classic "dock" as well as "start" menu.  If you prefer the traditional GNOME 4 layout its easy to switch back.

As always we have also worked on security and reliability.  This release also fixes many of the core bugs that came about from our initial released.

Linspire 12 Service Pack 1 is not only for productivity its also built for anyone who produces or consumes multimedia.  With support for all multimedia codecs, you are unlimited in the formats you decide to use or consume.

Here is a list of some of the important changes:

  • Kernel 5.19.0-42
  • OnlyOffice 7.3
  • Etcher 1.8
  • Microsoft Edge Web browser 113
  • Thunderbird  102
  • Powershell
  • OpenJDK
  • .NET Core 7
  • VS Code 1.78
  • Powershell 7.3.4
  • Discover Software Store
  • Muon Package Manager
  • Flatpak

All security updates up to May 23, 2023.  For a full list of packages included you can read that here

There are many in the Linux community who have expressed concern regarding our use of Microsoft applications in Linspire.  These tools are provided for familiarity and ease of use.  We in NO WAY provide any information to Microsoft or any third party.  We do not provide customer data including 

  • System Specs 
  • Customer names 
  • Private Information 
  • Payment Details 
  • Contents of individual contracts
  • Technical support information

If you do not wish to use the Microsoft tools they are simple to remove and you can add any alternatives that you wish to use.

Current customers can perform a system update and get the new update.  If you need a new ISO please contact the support team.  New users can order the digital download below and/or physical media from our webstore

Linspire Download Edition



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Friday, March 31, 2023

2023 Tax Season with Linspire




Tax season is upon us folks once again, and this being our  7th year partnering with Turbotax and with H&R Block Linspire users can now prepare their returns effectively and efficiently.  Both applications have been thoroughly tested with the Linspire 12 and PC/OS OpenDesktop 22.04 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, " Its that time of year again.  The complexity of these apps year after year grows with more amazing features; testing grows just as complex.  We have worked with these companies to standardize and improve their progressive web apps year after year.  We are very proud to work with these companies to make sure desktop Linux just works."

Turbotax
H&R Block

If you are still running legacy systems like Windows 8/10/11 on your PC or any Intel based Mac 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



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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










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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: 

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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

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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



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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




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Is Linspire dead?

 We have had many questions as to whether Linspire is still under active development.  It is.  When Linspire 14 Service Pack 1 was released ...

  • Linspire 14 Released
     Today, the Linspire team is proud to release Linspire 14.  Linspire is one of the best selling Linux desktop operating systems in the world...
  • 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 culmina...