Years-unused wattOS 12 surprises Linux users

Six years after the last R10 release, lightweight Linux distribution wattOS 12 is rebased on the stable Debian 11 branch.

Users choose lightweight Linux distributions because they can bring aging hardware back to life, or simply because they provide a lightning-fast desktop environment.

Of course, users have many choices, such as MX Linux, Sparky Linux, Linux Lite, Lubuntu, antiX, GeckoLinux, and more.

Now, this list also includes wattOS, but if you've only recently started using Linux, it's normal not to have heard of it. Why? There had been no development activity for the past six years and the project was widely thought to have been abandoned until recently, when it was revived.

Before we continue, let’s take a quick look at this distribution.

What is wattOS?

wattOS is a lightweight Linux distribution that released its first stable version in June 2010. After nine consecutive stable releases, mostly based on Ubuntu, with the latest R10 released in September 2016, wattOS has gone without any development in the past six years and has, predictably, disappeared from Linux users.

We can only guess at the reasons for the lack of development over the past six years, but the fact that wattOS is primarily built and supported by one person goes a long way to answering that question.

Unfortunately, it is very common in the Linux world for a distribution to start with great enthusiasm, but be built around one person, lack regular maintenance, and more importantly, lack predictability for the future. common.

But let’s get back to the topic. wattOS is a great option for bringing your old PC back to life by including a minimal set of pre-installed applications and using the lightweight LXDE desktop environment.

Now, 6 years have passed since the last release of R10, wattOS returns with a new R12 version, bringing surprises to everyone. Let's see what has changed.

What’s new in wattOS 12

The important news with this release is that the new wattOS 12 is now entirely based on the Debian 11 (Bullseye) stable branch instead of Ubuntu. This move increases the distribution's lightweight and greater stability.

wattOS 12, LXDE Desktop

Installer

The installation of wattOS 12 is done entirely in graphical mode, using the famous Calamares installer. Therefore, installation is simple and straightforward, making it easy to get started even for novice Linux users.

Calamares Installer

Software and Applications

wattOS 12 continues to stick to the philosophy it has followed since launch - including a minimum of pre-installed software, allowing users to install what they deem necessary.

The full range of optional client applications includes only Firefox 102.5.0 esr browser, Mousepad 0.5.2 text editor, Transmission 3.0 torrent client and VLC 3.0.17 media player.

In addition, users also get the lightweight LXDE 11 desktop environment and PCManFM 1.3.2 file manager.

PCManFM File Manager

This means that if you need other browsers, office suites, email clients, video and audio editing software, development tools, etc., you will have to install them yourself.

Under the hood, wattOS 12 is powered by the Linux 5.10 kernel. In addition, Synaptic Package Manager is provided for users who prefer to use graphical tools instead of directly using APT commands to install, remove and update software.

Synaptic Package Manager

Alternatively, you can use Gdebi, a small application that helps you install DEB files while handling dependencies.

Software Repository

This distribution does not have its software repository. Instead, all available software is installed from the official Debian 11 stable release. However, for user convenience, Debian backports, contribs, and non-free repos are included and enabled by default.

As a result, users have access to newer versions of software packages and firmware as well as more comprehensive installation software.

Finally, wattOS 12 supports Flatpak by default, so users can take advantage of the vast array of software available on Flathub in addition to the packages available in the Debian repositories.

You can learn more about the new version through the official announcement or by visiting the project’s website.

Summarize

Bringing wattOS back to life is a good thing and will only benefit the Linux community. wattOS is fast thanks to its minimalist approach that includes software and a lightweight LXDE desktop environment. Just very fast.

In other words, wattOS can turn any old computer into a smooth-functioning desktop workstation.

Is it suitable for new Linux users? Well, the answer is, no. Its minimalist approach assumes some knowledge of software management.

However, due to the solid Debian base on which it is built, wattOS is expected to run smoothly for a long time without causing any problems to the users after loading all the necessary software.

Now that the re-arrival of wattOS 12 is a fact, hopefully the distribution will continue to move forward and bring us more options.

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