EasyOS Excalibur-series 7.4.4

EasyOS was created in 2017, derived from Quirky Linux, which in turn was derived from Puppy Linux in 2013. Up until mid-2025, Easy was built in woofQ, which takes as input binary packages from any distribution, and uses them on top of the unique EasyOS infrastructure.

Throughout 2020, the official release for x86_64 PCs was the Buster-series, built with Debian 10.x Buster DEBs.

EasyOS has also been built with packages compiled from source, using a fork of OpenEmbedded (OE). Currently, the Scarthgap release of OE has been used, to compile binary packages for x86_64.

Earlier releases of EasyOS compiled in OE are the  Kirkstone-series, Dunfell-series and Pyro-series. They have also been compiled for aarch64 and EasyOS runs on the Raspberry Pi4.

The last release of the x86_64 Dunfell-series was January 10, 2023, version 4.5.5. The announcement and release notes are here:

https://bkhome.org/news/202301/easyos-dunfell-series-version-455-released.html

The latest (maintenance) release of the Kirkstone-series was on August 14, 2024, version 5.8.4, announcement here:

https://bkhome.org/news/202408/easyos-kirkstone-series-version-584.html

The latest (maintenance) release of the Scarthgap-series was version 6.6.9, on May 27:

https://bkhome.org/news/202505/easyos-scarthgap-series-version-669-released.html

The Daedalus-series was first released in October 2024. It is built with packages from the Devuan Daedalus repository (equivalent to Debian Bookworm). The latest release is version is 6.6.8, see announcement:

https://bkhome.org/news/202505/easyos-daedalus-series-version-668-released.html

The "new kid on the block" is EasyOS built with woofQ2. As from mid-July 2025, all of the above are retired; still available for download, but no longer being developed. However, it may be that Easy Scarthgap will have one or more maintenance releases.

woofQ2-built EasyOS has version numbering starting from 7.0. It is built from Devuan Excalibur (equivalent to Debian Trixie) binary packages, with major structural changes, including based on Debian's APT package management and enhanced Easy Containers.

It should be noted that version 7.0+ implies improvements and less bugs compared with earlier releases; however, this series is a complete redesign, from the ground-up, and likely there are some brand-new issues. We hope that nothing serious emerges, and anyway, updating is very simple, via the "update" button on the desktop.

The latest version is becoming mature, though Easy is an experimental distribution and some parts are under development and are still considered as beta-quality. However, you will find this distro to be a very pleasant surprise, or so we hope.

Version 7.0 release notes

Major changes since the woofQ-built EasyOSs. Some highlights:

There have been major challenges, seemingly all conquered (touch wood). Let us know in the forum if you encounter any issues.

Version 7.0.2 release notes

  • Kernel version bump from 6.12.41 to 6.12.42
  • Added missing 'setpriv' utility
  • Changed /etc/init.d/uuidd to not-executable
  • Fixed "Calculator" button in EasyApps

Version 7.0.3 release notes

Version 7.0.5 release notes

Version 7.0.6 release notes

Version 7.0.8 release notes

Version 7.0.9 release notes

Version 7.0.8 was withdrawn soon after uploading, due to issues with overlayfs. For now, have gone back to aufs.

  1. Fix for PC_HARDWARE_PROFILE — September 10, 2025

Version 7.0.11 release notes

Back on to overlayfs; the issues seem to have been sorted.

The last one is by forum member SteveS, see forum post:

http://forum.puppylinux.com/viewtopic.php?t=15720 

Version 7.0.12 release notes

Version 7.0.13 release notes

If running 7.0.11 or 7.0.12, you must update to 7.0.13; it fixes an overlay session-save bug.

Version 7.0.16 release notes

The change to overlay has brought new issues; working through them, for now, do not choose direct-save of session.

Version 7.0.17 release notes

Just this one thing:

Version 7.0.18 release notes

Just this one thing (and a few small tweaks):

Version 7.0.19 release notes

Also, there were reports of gtk3 segfaults, so I have compiled gtk+3, version 3.24.43, the version used in Yocto and with a patch from Yocto. The Debian Trixie gtk+3 is version 3.24.49, and my compiled package replaces the debs.

Version 7.0.20 release notes

Very annoying; The latest Debian Chromium package, version 141.0.7390.54, is broken. See here. Have rebuilt EasyOS with an older version of Chromium.

Version 7.0.23 release notes

This version fixes direct-save and consequently a fundamental structural change. The initrd also has a fundamental restructuring.

Note that updating an installation from 7.0.20 or earlier, will work; however, rollback will not. Or rather, rollback can be done, but with manual work, see here.

Version 7.0.24 release notes

Important refinements.

Version 7.0.27 release notes

The main thing is setup SeaMonkey Mail module for external storage.

Note that Chromium gets automatically bumped at every release. Now at version 142.0.7444.59

Version 7.0.28 release notes

Various little fixes, package updates.

Version 7.0.30 release notes

Important improvements and fixes:

Version 7.0.32 release notes

More important fixes:

Version 7.0.34 release notes

Useful tweaks and fixes:

Version 7.1 release notes

So many 7.0.x releases since 7.0, resolving issues and many enhancements, finally reaching the rock-solid 7.1. Changes since 7.0.34:

Version 7.1.1 release notes

Little but important fixes:

Version 7.1.2 release notes

Amazing, we keep finding more things to fix. Little improvements also.

Version 7.1.3 release notes

More fixes:

Version 7.1.4 release notes

More bugs found, run-as-user useful new feature:

Version 7.1.5 release notes

The big news is the jump to latest version of Limine, also bug fixes:

Version 7.2 release notes

Versions 7.1.x have been incremental bumps heading to 7.2

Version 7.2.1 release notes

Small fixes:

Version 7.2.2 release notes

Tracked down some bugs:

Version 7.2.3 release notes

Various fixes and version bumps:

Version 7.2.4 release notes

Most important is new clone app:

Version 7.2.5 release notes

Significant improvements:

Version 7.2.99 release notes

This is the release candidate for 7.3.

Version 7.3 release notes

A significant milestone release. An incredible amount of refining since 7.2.

Note that CherryTree no longer builtin, restored NoteCase builtin.

Version 7.3.1 release notes

Very interesting enhancements to ROX-Filer and JWM, bug fixes for Limine Installer, Phomemo printers:

Version 7.3.2 release notes

Eye candy, usability enhancements, fixes:

Version 7.3.3 release notes

More nice improvements:

Version 7.3.4 release notes

The resurrection of pBurn!

Version 7.3.7 release notes

Fixes, tweaks, change media player:

Version 7.3.8 release notes

The big changes are, moved to Xlibre and EcoTube media player:

Version 7.3.9 release notes

This is a release-candidate for 7.4, marking a fundamental commitment to a "legacy" architecture, embracing Xlibre and gtk2-ng. And, finally, supporting Sound Open Firmware (SOF), so audio will work on the most modern computers.

Changes since 7.3.8:

Note, not built with excalibur-backports.

ROX-Filer is one of our fantastic gtk2-based apps, and we have been on a roll enhancing it; the latest feature is video-thumbnails. We intend that a lot of other excellent but neglected gtk2-based apps will find their way into EasyOS.

Version 7.4 release notes

A milestone release embracing so-called legacy software architecture, with Xlibre and gtk2-ng. Now with Qt5 libraries builtin, with SMPLayer and Symphytum. Changes since 7.3.9:

Version 7.4.1 release notes

Have removed Xlibre back on Xorg, to find out if fixes nvidia gpu problems. Also, some nice enhancements:

Version 7.4.2 release notes

Still on Xorg, more YouTube videos, new EasySR screen recorder, little fixes:

Version 7.4.3 release notes

Little fixes, more videos:

Version 7.4.4 release notes

Bug fixes:


About EasyOS

Why would you choose EasyOS instead of some other Linux distribution?

For a quick overview of how EasyOS is different from other Linux distributions, read this:

https://easyos.org/about/how-and-why-easyos-is-different.html

You will notice that the download is quite small, yet contains just about every application you would ever need, such as Firefox|Chromium browser, LibreOffice, Gimp, Dia, Inkscape, Planner, Grisbi, Osmo, NoteCase, Celluloid and Audacious. There are powerful system managers, such as NetworkManager, EasyContainers, EasyVersionControl and BluePup.

BluePup for example, is a bluetooth manager, unique to EasyOS. Another unique tool is 'easydd', a GUI or CLI tool for writing a drive-image file to SD-card or USB-stick.

Links

Website: https://easyos.org/

News: https://bkhome.org/news

Forum: https://forum.puppylinux.com/viewforum.php?f=63

We are very grateful to Ibiblio for hosting EasyOS, right from the start:

https://distro.ibiblio.org/easyos/amd64/releases/excalibur/

EasyOS has a mirror of ibiblio.org in Europe, thanks to NLUUG, here:

https://ftp.nluug.nl/os/Linux/distr/easyos/

Thanks also to aarnet for mirroring in Australia:

https://mirror.aarnet.edu.au/pub/easyos/amd64/releases/excalibur/


Legal statement:  https://easyos.org/about/legal-disclaimers-miscellania.html