System76 Releases Pop!_OS
An Ubuntu-based operating system designed for professionals.
System76, one of the few hardware vendors that sell systems preloaded with Linux, has released the final version of Pop!_OS, their own Ubuntu-based distribution.
System76 CEO and founder Carl Richell told us in an interview that the OS is the result of the feedback that they received from their customers. What makes Pop!_OS different from many other Linux distributions is that System76 sells Linux hardware, so they do have a very trusted channel of feedback from customers.
System76 caters to professionals who use desktop Linux for their workloads. In a press release, System76 said that the OS is geared toward users in STEM, computer scientists, makers, and developers. During the release of 3D rendering software as open source, Pixar developers were spotted using System76 machines running Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
Pop!_OS is seen as a System76 response to Canonical’s withdrawal from the consumer space. Richell said that their current focus is on offering a very stable and minimalistic experience around Ubuntu and Gnome to cater to its customers.
Contrary to Linux Mint, Pop!_OS will be based on the latest Ubuntu instead of the long-term support (LTS) version. Richell said that they have been working with Ubuntu for more than 12 years, and they have all the needed expertise to keep up with Ubuntu. The good news is, now that Unity is discontinued, Ubuntu will focus on a rock solid base that can be used in enterprise setups. Because Gnome is already mature, it’s more predictable than Unity, making the job of System76 developers easy to tack to slow-moving stable targets.
The primary focus of System76 will be to offer a very polished experience on the machines, including hardware support and optimization. System76 is also working on setting up their own manufacturing unit, where they will build desktops and laptops in-house.
Even though Pop!_OS is designed for System76 machines, it’s freely available for anyone to use.
You can download it from GitHub.
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
-
TUXEDO Computers Unveils Linux Laptop Featuring AMD Ryzen CPU
This latest release is the first laptop to include the new CPU from Ryzen and Linux preinstalled.
-
XZ Gets the All-Clear
The back door xz vulnerability has been officially reverted for Fedora 40 and versions 38 and 39 were never affected.
-
Canonical Collaborates with Qualcomm on New Venture
This new joint effort is geared toward bringing Ubuntu and Ubuntu Core to Qualcomm-powered devices.
-
Kodi 21.0 Open-Source Entertainment Hub Released
After a year of development, the award-winning Kodi cross-platform, media center software is now available with many new additions and improvements.
-
Linux Usage Increases in Two Key Areas
If market share is your thing, you'll be happy to know that Linux is on the rise in two areas that, if they keep climbing, could have serious meaning for Linux's future.
-
Vulnerability Discovered in xz Libraries
An urgent alert for Fedora 40 has been posted and users should pay attention.
-
Canonical Bumps LTS Support to 12 years
If you're worried that your Ubuntu LTS release won't be supported long enough to last, Canonical has a surprise for you in the form of 12 years of security coverage.
-
Fedora 40 Beta Released Soon
With the official release of Fedora 40 coming in April, it's almost time to download the beta and see what's new.
-
New Pentesting Distribution to Compete with Kali Linux
SnoopGod is now available for your testing needs
-
Juno Computers Launches Another Linux Laptop
If you're looking for a powerhouse laptop that runs Ubuntu, the Juno Computers Neptune 17 v6 should be on your radar.