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 Q4OS 3.14.2 (Centaurus) running KDE Plasma version 5.14.5 | |
| Developer | Q4OS development team |
|---|---|
| OS family | Linux |
| Working state | Current |
| Source model | Open source |
| Latest release | Q4OS 4.7 (Gemini)[1] / November 22, 2021 |
| Available in | Multilingual |
| Update method | APT |
| Package manager | dpkg |
| Platforms | x86-64, i386, armhf, arm64 |
| Kernel type | Linux kernel |
| Userland | GNU |
| Default user interface | TDE, KDE Plasma |
| License | Free software licenses (mainly GPL) + some proprietary |
| Official website | q4os |
Q4OS is a light-weight Linux distribution, based on Debian, targeted as a replacement for operating systems that are no longer supported on outdated hardware.[2] The distribution is known for being similar in appearance to Microsoft Windows operating systems with one of its pre-installed themes inspired by the default look and feel of Windows 2000 and Windows XP.[3][4]
History edit
Development of Q4OS began in 2014 to coincide with Windows XP's end of extended support in the same year.[5]
As of April 2020, the core developers of Q4OS, initially starting the project in Germany,[6] are now operating in Prague, Czech Republic.[7][8]
Features edit
Editions edit
Q4OS Desktop installs an extensive set of applications including LibreOffice, a free and open-source office suite, with some proprietary software such as Google Chrome.[2]
Q4OS Basic installs "common utilities" and software libraries to the system.[citation needed]
Q4OS Pure installs only the desktop environment to the system that was included in the installation image.[citation needed]
Q4OS Live installs the live media environment as the system.[citation needed]
Desktop environments edit
Software installers edit
Releases edit
Stable versions of Q4OS are derived from Debian's Stable release branch with long-term support that lasts five years after their initial release.[4] Developmental "testing" versions of future releases are derived from the Debian Testing branch.[9]
| Version[10] | Codename | Release date | End-of-life | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5.17 | 2014-07-17 | "Development" version | ||
| 1.1-RC2 | 2015-04-14 | Second release candidate of Q4OS 1.1 | ||
| 1.2 | Orion | 2015-04-27 | Initial version to be specified under codename Orion | |
| 1.2.3 | 2015-06-08 | The LXQt desktop environment is now supported | ||
| 1.4 | 2015-09-04 | Initial version to support devices running on ARM architecture[11] | ||
| 1.6.3 | 2016-08-05 | Implemented UEFI support | ||
| 1.8.4 | 2017-04-26 | Icedove is replaced with Mozilla Thunderbird, LXQt is unsupported[12] | ||
| 2.0.2 | Scorpion | 2016-01-06 | Initial testing version of Q4OS Scorpion | |
| 2.3.6 | 2017-10-04 | "Final beta" release | ||
| 2.4 | 2017-10-04 | 2022-10 | Initial stable release of Q4OS Scorpion and to provide long-term support | |
| 2.5 | 2018-06-03 | 2023-06 | TDE is now bundled with KDE Plasma | |
| 3.1 | Centaurus | 2018-01-29 | Initial testing version of Q4OS Centaurus | |
| 3.8 | 2019-07-15 | 2024-07 | Initial stable release of Q4OS Centaurus | |
| 3.10 | 2020-01-04 | 2025-01 | TDE and KDE Plasma have been split into separate installation images | |
| 3.13 | 2020-12-19 | 2025-12 | The Snap daemon has been removed from default installation | |
| 4.0 | Gemini | 2020-02-16 | Initial testing version of Q4OS Gemini | |
| 4.6 | 2021-09-27 | 2026-09 | Initial stable release of Q4OS Gemini | |
| 4.7 | 2021-11-22 | 2026-11 | Latest stable release of Q4OS | |
Legend: Old version Older version, still maintained Latest version Latest preview version Future release | ||||
Distribution edit
Derivatives and flavors edit
Quark is a flavor of Q4OS, developed by the Q4OS team, that is based on Kubuntu instead of Debian.[13]
Hardware edit
| Desktop[14] | Minimum RAM amount | Minimum processor speed | Hard drive capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| TDE | 256 MB | 300 MHz | 3 GB |
| KDE Plasma | 1 GB | 1 GHz | 5 GB |
Reception edit
SourceForge featured Q4OS as "Community Choice" Project of the Month in April 2020.[8]
In January 2022, TechRadar considered Q4OS as one of the best light-weight Linux distributions of the year for its Windows installer and support for older hardware, notably systems running on 32-bit processors.[15]
See also edit
Notes edit
References edit
- ^ "Q4OS - desktop operating system". q4os.org. Retrieved 2022-02-13.
- ^ a b Wallen, Jack (2018-02-16). "Q4OS Makes Linux Easy for Everyone". Linux.com. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
- ^ Says, Jafcobend (2015-03-18). "Q4OS Is a Bare-Bones Business Tool". TechNewsWorld. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
- ^ a b Paul, John (2019-05-26). "Q4OS Linux Revives Your Old Laptop with Windows' Looks - It's FOSS". It's FOSS. Retrieved 2022-03-23.
- ^ Ranchal, Juan. "Q4OS: nunca ha sido más fácil usar Linux junto a Windows". MuyComputer (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-03-27.
- ^ Germain, Jack. "Fresh bit o' Linux to spruce up that ancient Windows Vista box? Why not, we say..." The Register. Retrieved 2022-03-27.
- ^ "Q4OS - desktop operating system". q4os.org. Retrieved 2022-03-09.
- ^ a b "April 2020, "Community Choice" Project of the Month – Q4OS". SourceForge Community Blog. 2020-04-03. Retrieved 2022-03-27.
- ^ "Development Release: Q4OS 4.2 Testing (DistroWatch.com News)". distrowatch.com. Retrieved 2022-03-09.
- ^ "Q4OS - desktop operating system". q4os.org. Retrieved 2022-03-21.
- ^ "Q4OS - desktop operating system". q4os.org. Retrieved 2022-03-09.
- ^ Nestor, Marius (2017-04-25). "Debian-Based Q4OS 1.8.4 Operating System Lets Users Select Alternative Desktops". Softpedia. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
- ^ Sharma, Mayank (2021-02-26). "Quark 20.04 review". TechRadar. Retrieved 2022-03-09.
- ^ "Q4OS - desktop operating system". q4os.org. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
- ^ Sharma, Shashank; Peers, Nick; Cox, Alex; Drake, Nate; Sharma, Mayank (2022-01-17). "Best lightweight Linux distros of 2022". TechRadar. Retrieved 2022-03-27.
