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
-
Linux Foundation Reports that Open Source Delivers Better ROI
In a report that may surprise no one in the Linux community, the Linux Foundation found that businesses are finding a 5X return on investment with open source software.
-
Keep Android Open
Google has announced that, soon, anyone looking to develop Android apps will have to first register centrally with Google.
-
Kernel 7.0 Now in Testing
Linus Torvalds has announced the first Release Candidate (RC) for the 7.x kernel is available for those who want to test it.
-
Introducing matrixOS, an Immutable Gentoo-Based Linux Distro
It was only a matter of time before a developer decided one of the most challenging Linux distributions needed to be immutable.
-
Chaos Comes to KDE in KaOS
KaOS devs are making a major change to the distribution, and it all comes down to one system.
-
New Linux Botnet Discovered
The SSHStalker botnet uses IRC C2 to control systems via legacy Linux kernel exploits.
-
The Next Linux Kernel Turns 7.0
Linus Torvalds has announced that after Linux kernel 6.19, we'll finally reach the 7.0 iteration stage.
-
Linux From Scratch Drops SysVinit Support
LFS will no longer support SysVinit.
-
LibreOffice 26.2 Now Available
With new features, improvements, and bug fixes, LibreOffice 26.2 delivers a modern, polished office suite without compromise.
-
Linux Kernel Project Releases Project Continuity Document
What happens to Linux when there's no Linus? It's a question many of us have asked over the years, and it seems it's also on the minds of the Linux kernel project.