The Zenwalk project today released Zenwalk Linux 4.6 (code-named Red Pill). The lightweight distribution utilizes a cutting-edge 2.6.21.3 Linux kernel with KVM support, along with the relatively new Xfce 4.4.1 desktop environment.

According to team manager Jean-Philippe Guillemin, “New init scripts and several performance enhancement have also been committed.” Additionally, “The Xfce desktop includes notification support to let systems like udev notify the user about automounted devices (USB keys, DVD, etc.).”

But, “The most important change in 4.6 at system level is the new tool chain, with GCC 4.1, which has been fully implemented,” Guillemin said.

Other key changes, according to Guillemin, are:

* The Thunar file manager now handles video thumbnails

* Many new panel plugins have been added or updated.

* X11 compositing (aka translucency, window shadows) is available out of the box.

Updated applications bundled in ZenWalk v4.6 are said to include:

* MPlayer 1.0rc1 media player

* Firefox 2.0.0.3 browser

* Thunderbird 2.0.0 email client

* GIMP 2.2.15 graphics editor

* GNOME Office

* GNUmeric 1.7.10 spreadsheet editor

Zenwalk Linux (formerly Minislack) is a Slackware-based Linux operating system that aims to be slim and fast by including only one application per task, with a focus on graphical desktop and multimedia usage, the project’s website says. Additionally, the distribution’s modular nature is said enable it to be used as a “finely-tuned modern server” for LAMP, messaging, or file sharing purposes.

You can download the Zenwalk 4.6 install CD iso image (451MB) from the main Zenwalk mirrors, here. The CD image file is available for direct download, here (direct link to iso).

Screen shots are available for viewing here and here, thanks to The Coding Studio.

Source: Desktop Linux

~LC