Sabayon Linux 3.4

Sabayon is a Gentoo-based Linux distribution that focuses on the user. The philosophy of the Sabayon project is based on two acronyms. The first is the well-known promise to KISS (Keep it Simple Stupid). The second acronym defining the Sabayon experience is what the developers call OOTB (Out Of The Box functionality). The goal is for everything in Sabayon to just work without a lot of tinkering. We are proud to bring you Sabayon Linux as this month's Linux Magazine DVD.

The emphasis on out-of-the-box functionality means that Sabayon includes a broad collection of pre-installed multimedia codecs and drivers.

Updates

Sabayon 3.4 comes with Linux kernel 2.6.22, as well as KDE 3.5.7 and Gnome 2.18.2. You'll also find enhanced virtualization tools and support for the Ext4 file system. Version 3.4 also provides Windows-ready NTFS read and write support and the Wine-Doors utility, which lets you easily install certain Windows applications on your Linux system.

Laptops and Multimedia

The Sabayon project says their latest Linux is "the most laptop aware" version of Sabayon yet, with more testing for portable environments, better laptop optimization, and improved wireless support. Multimedia extras include tools such as the Elisa Media Center technology preview.

Topping off this latest offering from the Sabayon team is a rich collection of games, including FlightGear, Battle of Wesnoth, and Second Life support.

Try It!

The practical and user-friendly Sabayon Linux regularly finishes in the top 5 for downloads at the popular Distrowatch website. Sabayon comes with codecs and drivers that could save you hours of configuration time, and the quick release cycle means the next update is always just around the corner.

We hope you enjoy this month's Sabayon Linux 3.4e DVD

System Requirements

Processor: i586 class or later (starting from AMD K5 and Intel Pentium).

Memory: at least 192MB (256MB recommended).

Free Disk Space: 10GB free space for a permanent installation.

Hardware: OpenGL-capable graphics card; DDC-capable monitor.

What Sabayon Isn't

The Sabayon developers describe what Sabayon is by describing what it isn't. According to the project website, Sabayon:

  • is NOT a binary-only distribution. Sabayon policy does not support the idea of forking the Gentoo package management system. If you don't like compiling source code, wait for the next release. You can update your system by running the Sabayon installer and choosing the Upgrade option. Sabayon release cycles are very short. In you just want to keep your computer secure, use the glsa-check utility.
  • is NOT developed with politics in mind. If we choose one application over another similar tool, it is just because it works better with our OOTB philosophy.
  • is NOT company driven. We have always been users, then developers. That's our power and our view. We only want something that works without Microsoft and their superficial operating system implementation.
  • is NOT Ubuntu. We don't try to mimic any other distribution. We just take the best from each one.

Figure 1: The Sabayon installer offers an easy upgrade option.

Figure 2: You'll find a convenient collection of desktop tools.

Figure 3: Sabayon also supports a number of virtualization alternatives.

Figure 4: Try your luck with the rich collection of pre-installed games.
Help & Support

Community support is available through the Sabayon forum: http://www.sabayonlinux.org/forum. You'll find additional tips, documentation, and articles at the Sabayon wiki: http://wiki.sabayonlinux.org.

Highlights

Linux kernel 2.6.22

X.org 7.3

Gnome 2.18.2

KDE 3.5.7

glibc 2.5

Metisse (Preview) 0.4

Evolution 2.10

Firefox 2.0

GIMP 2.3.15

OpenOffice 2.2

Gstreamer 0.10.12

F-Spot 0.3.5

K3b 1.0

Kaffeine 0.8.4

Totem 2.18.1

RealPlayer 10.0.8

Elisa (Preview) 0.1.6

Mono 1.2.3

Perl 5.8.8

Python 2.4.4

Ruby 1.8.6

Additional Resources

[1] Sabayon website: http://www.sabayonlinux.org/

[2] Sabayon Planet blog: http://planet.sabayonlinux.org/

[3] Wine-Doors: http://www.wine-doors.org/wordpress/

[4] Fluendo media center: http://elisa.fluendo.com/