Zenwalk
Screenshot of Zenwalk Linux 6.0
Zenwalk 6.0
DeveloperJean-Philippe Guillemin
OS familyLinux (Unix-like)
Working stateCurrent
Source modelOpen source
Latest release15.0-221106[1] Edit this on Wikidata / 6 November 2022 (6 November 2022)
Update methodnetpkg (xnetpkg)
Package managernetpkg
Kernel typeMonolithic (Linux)
Default
user interface		Xfce
LicenseVarious
Official websitewww.zenwalk.org

Zenwalk GNU/Linux[2] is a desktop-focused Linux distribution founded by Jean-Philippe Guillemin. It is based on Slackware with very few modifications at system level making it 100% compatible with Slackware.[3] It aims to be a modern, multi-purpose Linux distribution by focusing on internet applications, multimedia and programming tools.[4] It comes with many specialized tools and is designed for beginner through advanced users, as it offers system configuration via both graphical tools and the command line.[lower-alpha 1]

History

Zenwalk was originally called Minislack up to version 1.1. It was renamed with version 1.2, released on 12 August 2005. Originally using KDE as its desktop environment, it moved to Xfce with version 0.3, although GNOME and KDE packages have always been available separately.

Aims

Zenpanel, a system configuration utility.

The Zenwalk Project aims to create a lightweight Linux distribution, through using only one application per task on the release ISO image; optimization for a specific instruction set architecture, to increase execution speed; and introducing a comprehensive package management system with dependency resolution.[18]

Package management

Zenwalk's netpkg in its GUI guise, xnetpkg.

Zenwalk uses the netpkg package management system. Developed in-house, it provides the main functionality of the apt-get variety of package managers. It uses Slackware's .tgz package format, but adds dependency resolution capabilities. It uses meta files to provide dependency information, as well as package description during the install process. This convenience is available only to the official Zenwalk mirrors listed in the netpkg configuration file, netpkg.conf. In addition to the original netpkg command line interface, xnetpkg provides a GUI frontend with similar capabilities.

Zenwalk is also compatible with Slackware package management tools such as slapt-get and its frontends, and have similar functionality as that of netpkg.

As of Zenwalk 4.6, package compatibility with Slackware is still maintained. Slackware packages may be used in place of Zenwalk packages where necessary.

Zenwalk release history[19]
version date
Minislack 0.1 May 21, 2004
Minislack 0.2 August 8, 2004
Minislack 0.3 February 17, 2005
Minislack 0.4 March 26, 2005
Minislack 1.0 April 24, 2005
Minislack 1.0.1 May 3, 2005
Minislack 1.1 June 10, 2005
Zenwalk 1.2 August 12, 2005
Zenwalk 1.3 October 15, 2005
Zenwalk 2.0 Core November 27, 2005
Zenwalk 2.0.1 December 4, 2005
Zenwalk 2.1 (Core) January 18, 2006
Zenwalk 2.2[20] February 16, 2006
Zenwalk 2.4[21] April 4, 2006
Zenwalk 2.6[22] May 23, 2006
Zenwalk 2.8[23] July 21, 2006
Zenwalk 3.0[24] September 8, 2006
Zenwalk 4.0[25] November 20, 2006
Zenwalk 4.2[26] January 6, 2007
Zenwalk 4.4[27] February 22, 2007
Zenwalk 4.4.1[28] February 24, 2007
Zenwalk 4.6[29] June 1, 2007
Zenwalk 4.6.1[30] June 6, 2007
Zenwalk 4.8[31] October 6, 2007
Zenwalk 5.0[32] January 18, 2008
Zenwalk 5.2[33] June 7, 2008
Zenwalk 6.0[34] March 7, 2009
Zenwalk 6.2[35] September 6, 2009
Zenwalk 6.4[36] May 27, 2010
Zenwalk 7.0[37] Mar 25, 2011
Zenwalk 7.2[38] Oct 11, 2012
Zenwalk 7.4[39] April 2014
Zenwalk 8.0[40] July 2016
Zenwalk 15.0[41] 4 February 2022

Supported architectures

Starting with version 8.0, Zenwalk Linux is built and optimized primarily for the x86_64 architecture; 32-bit i486 architecture is no longer supported.

Project versions

At one time there were five main versions of Zenwalk :

  • Zenwalk Standard, a distribution aimed at mainstream desktop and development use. Designed to be a stand-alone operating system, it installs to the hard drive by way of an ncurses-based installer. It includes all of the officially released software packages that are deemed most useful by the Zenwalk community. The default install also includes development packages like gcc, and some proprietary media packages (such as Adobe Flash Player) and drivers in order to provide a full featured default install. The default desktop environment is Xfce.
  • Zenwalk Core (discontinued), a Zenwalk system built for user customization. Released with no X Window System binaries, its aim was to allow a skilled user to build a system fit for their needs. The project's lead developer was Emmanuel Bailleul.
  • ZenLive (discontinued), a Zenwalk system built on a Live CD design. ZenLive followed the progress made by the full Zenwalk system closely, thus mirroring the version number, and attempted to stay true to the original distribution's goals. In addition, it included all of the necessary libraries and applications to develop and compile software, a particularly rare feature in Live CD distributions. The original ZenLive team left the project after version 6.0 was released but ZenwalkLive project was revived by an enthusiastic user and developed as a one-man-project. With version 6.4 the live-framework changed from deprecated linux-live-scripts to slackware-live-scripts.
  • Zenwalk Gnome (discontinued), with GNOME as the default desktop environment.
  • Zenwalk Openbox (discontinued), supplied with Openbox as stand-alone window manager. It was a very lightweight version of the operating system and did not use LXDE in its choice of software. It still uses Thunar File Manager over PCManFM which is standard on LXDE-based systems such as Lubuntu.

Derivatives

There are currently three known Zenwalk-based distributions:

  • Arudius, a now-discontinued live CD distribution for information assurance with tools for penetration testing and vulnerability analysis[42]
  • SLAMPP, intended to be used as a home server[43]
  • Zencafe, an Indonesian distribution designed for internet cafes[44]

Live USB

A Live USB of Zenwalk Linux for versions up to 5.2 can be created manually or with UNetbootin.[45] Current versions of Zenwalk can also booted from a USB using Ventoy, but only for installation, not a live session.[46]

See also

Notes

References

  1. ↑ "New Zenwalk Current ISO 2022 07 November is ready". Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  2. ↑ Guillemin, Jean-Philippe (4 February 2022). "Zenwalk GNU Linux". zenwalk.org. Archived from the original on 28 March 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  3. ↑ JP Guillemin (10 February 2016). "Now Zenwalk 8.0 BETA 2".
  4. ↑ Claus Futtrup (19 September 2005). "An introduction to Zenwalk 1.2".
  5. ↑ MiniSlack is no mini Slack | Tux Machines
  6. ↑ MiniSlack: A noteworthy Linux distribution, OSNews
  7. ↑ Let's Take a Zenwalk | Tux Machines
  8. ↑ Review: Zenwalk Linux 2.0.1, OSNews
  9. ↑ Zen Yourself Free: a Windows Defector Discovers ZenWalk, OSNews
  10. ↑ DistroWatch Weekly, Issue 239, 11 February 2008
  11. ↑ "Zenwalk 6 Review | LinuxBSDos.com". Archived from the original on 20 June 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  12. ↑ "Zenwalk 6.2 Review | LinuxBSDos.com". Archived from the original on 20 June 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  13. ↑ Spotlight on Linux: Zenwalk Linux 6.4 "Live" | Linux Journal
  14. ↑ Zenwalk 7 review | LinuxBSDos.com
  15. ↑ DistroWatch Weekly, Issue 427, 17 October 2011
  16. ↑ DistroWatch Weekly, Issue 482, 12 November 2012
  17. ↑ DistroWatch Weekly, Issue 674, 15 August 2016
  18. ↑ Mayank Sharma (14 February 2008). "Tiny Zenwalk 5.0 packs a big punch".
  19. ↑ Zenwalk Releases Announcements on Distrowatch Archived September 28, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  20. ↑ Zenwalk 2.2 Release Announcement Archived June 24, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  21. ↑ Zenwalk 2.4 Release Announcement Archived October 13, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
  22. ↑ Zenwalk 2.6 Release Announcement Archived June 29, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  23. ↑ Zenwalk 2.8 Release Announcement Archived October 13, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
  24. ↑ Zenwalk 3.0 Release Announcement Archived February 23, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  25. ↑ Zenwalk 4.0 Release Announcement Archived February 19, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  26. ↑ Zenwalk 4.2 Release Announcement Archived February 19, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  27. ↑ Zenwalk 4.4 Release Announcement Archived March 1, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  28. ↑ Zenwalk 4.4.1 Release Announcement Archived August 4, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  29. ↑ Zenwalk 4.6 Release Announcement Archived June 4, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  30. ↑ Zenwalk 4.6.1 Release Announcement Archived July 16, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  31. ↑ Zenwalk 4.8 Release Announcement Archived October 11, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  32. ↑ Zenwalk 5.0 Release Announcement Archived January 20, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  33. ↑ Zenwalk 5.2 Release Announcement Archived June 8, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  34. ↑ Zenwalk 6.0 Release Announcement Archived March 11, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  35. ↑ Zenwalk 6.2 Release Announcement Archived December 3, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  36. ↑ Zenwalk 6.4 is ready ! Archived October 23, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  37. ↑ Zenwalk 7.0 is available ! Archived April 22, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  38. ↑ Zenwalk 7.2 has been launched Archived October 17, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  39. ↑ "Zenwalk Forum".
  40. ↑ "Zenwalk Forum".
  41. ↑ "Zenwalk 15.0 "Skywalker" milestone is ready".
  42. ↑ "Arudius – TDI".
  43. ↑ "SLAMPP Live CD/DVD » Home".
  44. ↑ "Zencafe Linux | Straight Forwards to the Future". Archived from the original on 28 May 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  45. ↑ UNetbootin - Homepage and Downloads
  46. ↑ Sun, Hailong (28 March 2022). "Tested OS Series". ventoy.net. Archived from the original on 28 March 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
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