The Debian-based distro Sidux will shortly have a new version, code-named Pontos, that will concentrate on getting the Kernel 2.6.27 changes integrated error free.

The Sidux project essentially uses Debian Sid code, rids it of its most egregious bugs and enhances the distro with a few new scripts and packages.

Live CDs for Sidux Pontos are available for download for various desktops: a KDE-lite (English and German) at 460 MBytes and a KDE-full (more languages) at 1.9 Gbytes for 32-bit and 64-bit systems. The version of KDE is 3.5.10. Pontos is also available for XFCE desktops. It also supports X.org 7.3 and many other WLAN chips, such as from Intel (3945 and 4965) and Atheros (ath5k with 54/108 Mbits and ath9k with 802.11 draft-n).

Among the most obvious bugs Pontos fixes is one involving multiple optical disk drives. New in the software is insserv that reorders and opimizes the sysv initscripts, whereby users have an easier time activating and deactivating these scripts. Pontos also overhauled the installer and added new Internet access tools to handle PPP and GPRS/UMTS connections.

A separate webpage includes hints for hardware with non-free components. Because Kernel 2.6.27 splits out some binary firmware blobs, an extra repository holds the software for hardware with proprietary firmware. The list provided shows which devices are affected, including a few WLAN, DVB and audio cards, as well as a Bluetooth chipset.

Users wondering whether Sidux runs on its own processor can consult a list of hardware requirements. The best download site is probably here.

The Debian-based distro Sidux will shortly have a new version, code-named Pontos, that will concentrate on getting the Kernel 2.6.27 changes integrated error free.