Solus Linux 4.8 Removes Python 2
Solus Linux 4.8 has been released with the latest Linux kernel, updated desktops, and a key removal.
The rolling release Solus Linux has a new version out, and it includes all the usual upgrades to many bits and pieces. Key upgrades include the latest versions of Budgie (10.9.4), Gnome (49.1), KDE Plasma (6.5.3), and Xfce (4.20). As well, you get kernel 6.17, Mozilla Firefox 145, LibreOffice 25.2.6, and Mozilla Thunderbird 140.5. Other updates include Mesa, GIRepository, and systemd.
There are also two removals of note. First, the Gnome version of Solus is now Wayland-only, which means X11 doesn't even ship with the ISO. That is not the case with the other desktops, as they have yet to make the permanent switch. As well, Python 2 has finally been removed.
There's also a new repository, called Polaris, which, according to the official release notes, "unlocked our ability to remove 'Usr-Merge' compatibility symbolic links from packages, update our systemd package, and more."
Finally, Solus has abandoned the Solus Software Center in favor of Gnome Software. One of the reasons for this is that the Solus Software Center was written in Python 2, so it couldn't make the jump. As well, the official release statement claims, "Users get programs that better integrate with their desktop, and we get a lot of time freed up to pursue other ways to make Solus better. While this solution isn’t perfect, either, we feel that it is better for us in the long run as we improve our packages over time to work better with these other software centers."
Download the ISO for your desktop of choice from the official Solus download page.
