MX Linux is a Debian-based Linux/GNU distribution aiming at elegance, stability, and performance.
We previously covered its new Fluxbox edition in the beta phase, but now the stable release is out. Let us explore what’s new with MX Linux 21 “Wildflower”.
MX Linux 21 Key Highlights
MX Linux 21 is based on Debian 11 “Bullseye” running Linux Kernel 5.10LTS, and with the new update, you can find some new applications and upgrades to the current list.
The “Wildflower” series included a new edition with Fluxbox 1.3.7, which will bring older computers back to life. In case you did not know, Fluxbox is a window manager that works seamlessly on high-end computers but is light on resources.
For the installer, there is a new partition selection area. It comes with support for LVM(Logical Volume Manager).
MX Linux 21 has a neat graphical installer.
When booting your system, whether you are going with live boot or persistence, you can choose using the updated UEFI live system boot menu instead of the older console menus.
For desktop environments, Xfce 4.16 and KDE Plasma 5.20 are the latest versions available.
However, the Xfce “ahs” edition is not yet available.
A new handy utility that is presented is using the admin’s password by default for administrative tasks. However, you can turn it off if you do not need it.
Other Improvements
The installer and live system have been updated to the latest versions.
Most of the translation functionality is still in progress. On the other hand, some parts of the translation are working flawlessly.
The default package set now includes the Mesa Vulkan drivers.
There is better support for Wifi for some Realtek hardware.
The Debian security repository is enabled by default.
Xfce has seen some improvements. One of which is an added samba shares plugin for the Thunar file manager.
KDE has seen a fix regarding its file manager Dolphin.
Summing Up
MX Linux 21 is currently the latest stable release. It is more elegant and more performant, so it is becoming more popular as a daily driver.
Even though MX Linux is a relatively new Linux/GNU distribution compared to other popular options, it has a lot of potential for providing a complete operating system backed by Debian, the MX repository, and antiX Linux.
A Linux enthusiast and an aspiring solutions architect. Currently learning French by studying sociology-focused novels to understand the language, its magnificent writers, and human beings.
