System76 Skips Pop!_OS 22.10 to Focus on COSMIC Desktop
In a move that is sure to raise some eyebrows, System76 has chosen to concentrate on COSMIC Desktop instead of staying in step with Ubuntu releases.
The next release of Ubuntu is due any time now. That version is 22.10 which highlights the GNOME 43 desktop environment. Since Pop!_OS began, it has followed the Ubuntu release schedule very closely, which makes perfect sense, given the OS is based on Canonical's desktop operating system.
But with the release of Ubuntu 22.10 comes a big shift for System76. Instead of bothering with remaining in lockstep with Canonical, the company has decided to focus all of its efforts and get its new, in-house, Rust-based desktop environment ready for the masses. That environment is COSMIC Desktop and it makes perfect sense for System76 to take this step.
In the Reddit r/pop_os group, System76 developer Michael Aaron Murphy stated, “We are going to focus our development time onto the Rust implementation of COSMIC instead of 22.10. It takes a lot of effort to support multiple releases of Ubuntu, and the 6 month release cycle really eats into development time and stability of the product.”
For those who are concerned that Pop!_OS will then fall behind the curve, remember the current release is an LTS (Long Term Support), so there's no worry Pop!_OS will all of a sudden become unreliable or insecure.
One thing that is uncertain (according to Murphy) is whether or not System76 will also skip the 23.04 and 23.10 releases. To that, Murphy says it's a decision that will be made “when we get there.”
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you've found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
The GNU Project Celebrates Its 40th Birthday
September 27 marks the 40th anniversary of the GNU Project, and it was celebrated with a hacker meeting in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland.
-
Linux Kernel Reducing Long-Term Support
LTS support for the Linux kernel is about to undergo some serious changes that will have a considerable impact on the future.
-
Fedora 39 Beta Now Available for Testing
For fans and users of Fedora Linux, the first beta of release 39 is now available, which is a minor upgrade but does include GNOME 45.
-
Fedora Linux 40 to Drop X11 for KDE Plasma
When Fedora 40 arrives in 2024, there will be a few big changes coming, especially for the KDE Plasma option.
-
Real-Time Ubuntu Available in AWS Marketplace
Anyone looking for a Linux distribution for real-time processing could do a whole lot worse than Real-Time Ubuntu.
-
KSMBD Finally Reaches a Stable State
For those who've been looking forward to the first release of KSMBD, after two years it's no longer considered experimental.
-
Nitrux 3.0.0 Has Been Released
The latest version of Nitrux brings plenty of innovation and fresh apps to the table.
-
Linux From Scratch 12.0 Now Available
If you're looking to roll your own Linux distribution, the latest version of Linux From Scratch is now available with plenty of updates.
-
Linux Kernel 6.5 Has Been Released
The newest Linux kernel, version 6.5, now includes initial support for two very exciting features.
-
UbuntuDDE 23.04 Now Available
A new version of the UbuntuDDE remix has finally arrived with all the updates from the Deepin desktop and everything that comes with the Ubuntu 23.04 base.