ROSA Desktop.Fresh

2024: "Dew Fresh 12.5" with five custom environment options

STC IT ROSA April 2, 2024 presented an updated version of the free OS ROSA Fresh 12.5. The update includes a number of important improvements and additional features that make use computer even more convenient and secure.

ROSA Fresh 12.5 offers a large selection of installation images, allowing users to choose the optimal OS for their tasks. The updated version of the operating system includes five user environment options for three processor architectures (x64, i686, aarch64). Each of the system options contains a set of programs and components updated to the latest versions in the original ROSA design. You can choose from two fully functional graphics environments - KDE and GNOME, and two "light" systems with graphical interfaces - LXQt and Xfce, and a variant with a console, text interface for experienced users is also available - ROSA Fresh Server.

The updated 6.6 core with long-term security support provides optimal compatibility with the latest devices, and the MESA 23.3 graphics libraries, thanks to Steam support, open the door to the world of games and 3D graphics. Added advanced support for printers and scanners with ipp-usb and sane-airscan technologies, which makes it easier to use such peripherals.

Data security is a priority for ROSA. In this version of ROSA Fresh, the repository for security was completely redesigned and more than a thousand vulnerabilities were closed. Support for auto-tagging with data encryption has been implemented in the system installer, which will allow you to maintain data confidentiality even if the device is lost; there is also a function for saving passwords from encrypted disks in the non-volatile memory of a computer using TPM2 technology (luksunlock/lukslock), which allows you to work with a protected computer as conveniently as with a regular one.

ROSA Fresh 12.5 is available for download on the official STC IT ROSA website [

2023: Compatible with KOMPAS-3D and WINE @ Etersoft version 8

The company STC IT ROSA on June 2, 2023 announced the full compatibility of ROSA CHROME OS and ROSA FRESH OS with the KOMPAS-3D 3D modeling system developed by ASCON, as well as with the WINE @ Etersoft software version 8, x86_64, created by Etersoft. Read more here.

2021: ROSA Fresh 12 with closed-loop software environment and kickstart installation

On October 11, 2021, STC IT ROSA LLC introduced the ROSA FRESH 12 OS for individual/home use.

ROSA FRESH 12 is a continuation of the ROSA Fresh line. This is domestic, operating system Linux created jointly with the community and available to everyone for free and without registration.

The product was created on the 2021.1 platform with its own package base, which has demanded functionality. The ROSA FRESH 12 distribution retains an approach that saves the user time: the operating system requires a minimum amount of time to configure, and most of its functions are available out of the box. The interface is intuitive even for those who first encounter a Linux-based operating system.

Various DEs are available within the platform (KDE5, xfce, GNOME, lxqt), which allows users to customize the system to their requirements.

In the ROSA FRESH 12 system, functions have become available that are previously aimed only at experienced and corporate users, such as providing a closed-loop software environment and installation tools through kickstart scripts.

Native use of Nvidia graphics cards is ensured, a large number of peripheral equipment is supported, and a compatibility database is maintained to identify and solve problems.

The redesigned anaconda installer provides flexible system setup and installation capabilities, and the bootloader supports a fully localized interface. In addition, support is provided for multimedia functions, such as ultra-high definition video or photo viewing tools.

{{quote "The development team, with the support of the ROSA Linux community, is constantly improving the operating system: adds features, maximizes the versatility of the product - ensuring its operation on any device. The updated distribution makes it possible to use the OS on your home computer for every user who is not even familiar with the specifics of Linux. ROSA Fresh 12 is a graphical environment, ergonomics, intuitive interface and a large set of multimedia functions, "said Oleg Karpitsky, CEO of STC IT ROSA. }}

2016

ROSA Desktop Fresh R8

On August 2, 2016, STC IT ROSA introduced the ROSA Desktop Fresh R8 distribution.

This is the final release on the rosa2014.1 platform. Updates with the elimination of vulnerabilities will be released for another two years. DVD builds for i586 and x86_64 platforms have been prepared for free download, designed in versions with KDE 4 (2 GB), KDE Plasma 5 (2 GB), MATE (1.5 GB) and GNOME (1.5 GB)^[1].

Major changes

• The installer has added support for automatic DVD extraction after the system installation is completed, which simplifies installation in the virtual machine;
• The 7zip archiver fixed problems with determining the encoding of file names in zip archives;
• The update system has been improved to prevent packages from being removed in case of errors on mirrors, when due to lack of dependencies, users were asked to remove installed packages;
• PulseAudio settings have been changed to solve the problem of drowning out the sound of other applications when displaying Skype notifications;
• OpenSSL has disabled support for the SSLv2 protocol;
• Support for changing the screen resolution of the SDDM login manager in VirtualBox;
• Traceroute utility gets rid of suid root;
• Fixed the disconnection of a discrete video card on hybrid systems when using a built-in video card;
• Steam has been modified to use libraries from ROSA repositories, without installing Ubuntu components;
• Updated package versions: kernel Linux 4.1.25 + packages with cores 4.4.x and 4.6.x, Mesa 11.2.2 (with support for OpenGL 4.1), PulseAudio 8.0, NetworkManager 1.2.2, Chromium 51.0,, Firefox 46.0.1 Pale Moon 26.3.3,,,, Thunderbird 38.6 LibreOffice 5.1.4 Qt5 5.6.1 FFmpeg 2.8.7, GStreamer 1.6.3, drivers NVIDIA 361.42/364.15 are available.

ROSA Desktop Fresh R7

On February 25, 2016, STC IT ROSA announced the release of a version of the ROSA Desktop Fresh R7 distribution kit with the GNOME 3.16 desktop environment^[2].

The ISO image size is 1.5 GB (x86_64 and i586 in versions with UEFI and without UEFI).

Features

• Instead of ROSA Elementary, dark themes GNOME Shell (Korora) and GTK + (EvoPop Dark) are used, as well as a new set of EvoPop icons and new icons for LibreOffice.
• Basic delivery included
  • Deluge torrent client,
  • Audacity audio editor,
  • OpenShot video editor
  • additional multimedia codecs, including h.265.

All games are excluded from the basic delivery. By default, the Skype extension is disabled in GNOME Shell.

• Updated package versions, including the Linux 4.1.16 kernel (assemblies with kernels 4.2 and 4.3 are optionally available),
  • X Server 1.17.4is included
  • Mesa 11.0.6,
  • PulseAudio 7.1,
  • Chromium 48.0,
  • Firefox 44.0.2,

• * LibreOffice 4.4.7,
  • FFmpeg 2.8.5,
  • GStreamer 1.6.3,
  • GNOME 3.16.2,
  • NVIDIA 358.16 drivers (352.63, 340.96, 304.131),
  • AMD Catalyst 15.9;

• Improved support for systems with AMD and Intel graphics cards.
• Improved support for ThinkPad USB keyboards.
• The kernel update policy has been changed - now automatic updates work only within one branch, the transition to the next branch of the kernel is carried out manually.
• UEFI images for 32-bit systems have appeared.

2015

ROSA Desktop Fresh R5 с LXDE

STC IT ROSA celebrated the beginning of 2015 with the release of a fresh edition of the ROSA Desktop Fresh operating system distribution with the LXDE desktop. The distribution kit is not demanding on a video card, the system interface is similar to Windows XP. ROSA Desktop Fresh LXDE R5 is suitable for both work and entertainment, if you are not going to learn new interface concepts or deeply customize the system "for yourself."

This distribution kit will make the import substitution process easier for users, especially those who "replant" with Windows 95/XP/7 and are used to the classic desktop with a bottom panel. By the way, the LXDE distribution kit "STC IT ROSA" is also recommended on the popular entertainment resource as the "first Linux" for Windows users. ROSA Desktop Fresh R5 works correctly on various "weak" configurations from old desktops and laptops to modern economical netbooks.

Several tens of thousands of collected free programs and the most common cross-platform products such as Skype, Dropbox, Steam are waiting for users in the repositories, there is also a large collection of games and emulators, watching videos of various types and formats works. In addition - a "fresh" LibreOffice, a full classic TeX stack and a wide range of programs for documentation, layout and printing. For developers - LAMP/Ruby/Node/C + +/....

The system contains a number of additions of its own design "STC IT ROSA" regarding ergonomics and design: the user's usual "entry point" for setting up the system, "control center" is implemented. All basic components of the system are the same as in the distributions "STC IT ROSA" ROSA Fresh KDE and ROSA Fresh GNOME. Accordingly, all system plan improvements automatically fall into the LXDE distribution kit. Compared to the previous release, the following appeared:

• Loading in Secureboot mode and many other loader improvements.
• Updated versions of the kernel, MESA and X11 libraries, NVidia and AMD graphics drivers and application software.
• Automatic execution of TRIM for SSD (runs once a week), the ssd-utils package is included in the distribution.
• Support for systems with Intel + AMD hybrid graphics, new versions of XFdrake.
• Added battery light and power management from xfce.
• A number of bugs have been fixed (including the ROMP bug with playing files with Russian names).

The support period for this free version is 2 years. STC IT ROSA plans to regularly release updates and new releases; in the future, for lightweight editions of ROSA Fresh, it is possible to replace the LXDE environment with LXQT.

Release of ROSA Desktop Fresh R5 with GNOME published

On March 11, 2015, STC IT ROSA announced the release of ROSA Desktop Fresh R5 with the GNOME desktop environment. This is the first release of the ROSA Desktop Fresh line with the GNOME Shell desktop on the 2014.1 platform.

The GNOME Shell environment resembles various versions of Mac OS in appearance, design and functionality. The desktop is made in the style of "minimalism ergonomics" for concentrating the user on the main tasks, with a fixed arrangement of compact panels, other interface elements, very convenient on small laptop monitors, where each pixel of screen space counts.

In this version of the distribution, the developers of "STC IT ROSA" have completed a number of improvements that improve usability, both experienced and novice users:

• provides support for Windows hotkeys with training help.
• start shortcuts are easily added to the desktop,
• one click or hotkey shows a table with shortcuts,
• bookmarks are easier to make in the file manager.

There are improvements for the field of entertainment. In particular, watching video from FTP resources. This release dropped "Trey in Browse Mode" and removed GNOME Fallback mode for legacy computers and netbooks.

By default, the branding of the ROSA OS is set - many professionally rendered icons. Through "Fine Settings" you can easily set the standard Adwaita design or search for any other topic from hundreds of popular ones, and the wallpaper can be changed directly from the browser. Of the new original developments, ROSA Freeze ("freezing" the system from any changes) and ScreenPen deserve special attention, so you can recommend this distribution not only to fans of Mac interfaces with high-quality volumetric icons, but also to owners of laptops with a touchscreen, as well as teachers.

In addition to GNOME improvements, the R5 release included many system improvements, some of which were released and tested in the ROSA Fresh KDE R5 and ROSA Fresh LXDE R5 releases.

Compared to the previous release, there were downloads in Secureboot mode and a number of other improvements to the bootloader, for example, installation in a section and links to the grub menu.

Updated:

• X11 and Mesa kernel versions,
• NVidia and AMD graphics driver versions
• application software;
• automatic execution of TRIM for SSD;
• added support for systems with Intel + AMD hybrid graphics,
• new versions of XFdrake.

ROSA Desktop Fresh KDE R6 distribution is ready

On July 26, 2015, STC IT ROSA introduced the release of the ROSA Desktop Fresh KDE R6 distribution on the rosa2014.1 platform^[3].

A 1.9 GB DVD build has been prepared for download, designed in versions for the i586 and x86_64 platforms.

Screenshot of the desktop, 2015

Features of the version

• The build includes Chromium (in addition to Firefox), GIMP, Audacity, Kdenlive, EasyTag and Filelight.
• Added graphical interface for working with ROSA Linux hardware database (hw-probe).
• The SimpleWelcome menu and RocketBar settings have changed, rarely launched applications are hidden in groups.
• Changes have been made to the power management system parameters to prevent screen blanking when watching online videos;
• Software version updates: Mesa 10.5.3, PulseAudio 6.0, Chromium 43.0.2357.134, Firefox 39.0 (you can find Firefox ESR 24.8.0 in the repositories Thunderbird LibreOffice), 38.0.1. 4.4.3, Audacity 2.1.0, Kdenlive 15.04.3, Qt 4.8.7/5.4.2, tcl/tk 8.6.4, FFmpeg 2.5.6, NVIDIA drivers († ia340) 340.76/346.47, AMD Catalyst 15.5 drivers, Qt Creator 3.4.1.
• Packages with KDE Frameworks 5 and Plasma 5 have been added to the repository. To improve the integration of Qt5 applications with the working environment, the framework integration package KDE4 presented;
• Packages with new drivers have been prepared for some common Realtek WiFi adapters (RTL8723BE, RTL8812AU, etc.);
• XFdrake simplifies the free graphics driver configuration dialog and improves auto-detection of current graphics settings;
• Improved support for Optimus and Primus hybrid graphics systems.
• Significantly improved printer support, auto-connect restored, and network printing errors fixed
• Several advanced loader options have been added to the installer, in particular, the ability to use the reference Grub menu. Improved user and language location, simplified choice of languages ​ ​ and in the absence of a network, improved support for UEFI, Secure Boot and GPT disks.

2014

ROSA Desktop Fresh KDE R5

On December 25, 2014, Rosa introduced ROSA Desktop Fresh KDE R5, an operating system of the ROSA Desktop Fresh family with a KDE desktop.

Updated features, capabilities

According to the developers, ROSA Desktop Fresh KDE R5 is suitable for both entertainment and work. In the repositories, users have access to a collection of games and emulators, including the possibility of modern entertainment on Steam.

For communication, the usual text and video communication software is used, including Skype. It works by watching videos of various types and formats. The distribution includes fresh LibreOffice 4.3.3, a full classic TeX stack and well-known open source programs for documentation, layout and printing. Developers are provided with full-fledged LAMP/C + +/environments.

Changes in the technical part of ROSA Desktop Fresh KDE R5 from the previous release:

• Added support for booting when Secure Boot is enabled (instructions to enable Secure Boot without reinstalling).
• The desktop environment has KDE4 updated to version 4.14.3.
• The default LTS kernel has been updated to 3.14.25 (also the 3.17.6 kernel is available in a separate repository).
• Mesa updated to 10.3.3.
• Firefox has been updated to 34.0 (Firefox ESR 24.8.0 with a classic interface is also available in repositories).
• The OpenCV library suite has been updated to version 2.4.10 and now uses the GStreamer 1.0 API. This eliminated the drop in Digikam associated with the simultaneous use of GStreamer 1.0 and 0.10.
• Drivers for NVidia video cards († ia340) have been updated to version 340.65.
• Drivers for AMD graphics cards (fglrx) - up to version 14.301.1001 (corresponding to AMD Catalyst 14.9).
• Fixed problems with video playback in KLook and TimeFrame after switching to GStreamer 1.0 API.
• Fixed problems with video preview in Dolphin (bugs closed in KDE upstream:# 334924,# 339882,# 337033,# 337107).
• Fixed issue with copying > 2Gb files when using kamera KIO slave (closed bug in KDE upstream:# 340908).
• The Qt4 has added support for status notifier item mode for system tray elements. To switch to this mode, you need to install the sni-qt package containing the Qt4 plugin systemtrayicon.
• Added Qt4 and Qt5 bindings to python3.
• The K3b settings in Desktop Settings KDE4 moved from the Access Rights section to the root of the settings, since the Access Rights section is no longer used by any program and it is not obvious that the Access Rights item corresponds to the K3b settings.
• A new category "Games - > Emulators" has been added to the classic application launch menu. Game platform emulators are no longer displayed in the Utilities - > Emulators and Games - > Others categories.
• It became possible to configure the automatic execution of TRIM for SSD (runs once a week), the ssd-utils package is included in the distribution kit.
• Added support for systems with Intel + AMD hybrid graphics. Fixed errors when configuring Intel + NVidia hybrid graphics on systems with some graphics card models.
• Optimizations in the proprietary NVidia driver that require writing to executable memory are forcibly disabled, since in some cases they lead to program drops (in particular, Pipelight and FS-UAE).
• Numerous fixes in graphics tuning tools on systems with AMD Radeon graphics cards.
• Fixed the operation of Samba on computers with long names.
• Added the ability to print on printers connected to the Samba network.
• The Shorewall firewall has been restored to health.
• The installer has added the ability to skip the installation of the initial bootloader (for those who want to save their current bootloader).

The released release is aimed at home and users with advanced requirements who can independently take care of the configuration and constant system health.

Download images for 32-bit and 64-bit platforms here.

The distribution is based on the rosa2014.1 platform with a support period of 2 years (until autumn 2016). Several more releases of the distribution will be released on the basis of this platform, similar to the rosa2012.1 platform.

ROSA Desktop Fresh R4

On October 8, 2014, STC IT ROSA introduced an update to the KDE desktop-based OS distribution.

The new distribution kit is designed for home users for everyday communication, entertainment and users with special requirements who can independently take care of the configuration and constant operation of the system.

The repositories have a collection of games, you can install Steam and the usual software for texts and video communication, including Skype. Works watching modern video formats. A fresh LibreOffice is supplied as an office suite, the repositories have a full TeX stack and all well-known OpenSource programs for documentation, layout and printing.

For developers - full-fledged environments LAMP and C++.

The OS distribution can be downloaded and tried on the official STC IT ROSA website:

Support for Smart Battery and Powercom UPS

On July 14, 2014, Dew"" announced support UPS Powercom for new versions of Rosa Fresh and Rosa Enterprise Desktop.

When connected via a USB UPS port with Smart Battery support, the software installs the necessary driver on its own and everything is ready to go.

Additionally, you can install UPS monitoring software from the repository to obtain data on the UPS load level, battery charge and remaining operating time.

The new version of Rosa OS and Powercom UPS ensure safe user operation and data safety with minimal time.

ROSA Desktop Fresh R2

ROSA Desktop Fresh R3 is a planned update of the distribution kit in the ROSA Desktop Fresh line, which includes the latest bug fixes, improvements, add-ons and software updates. The Fresh line is intended for technically competent users who want to get the latest versions of user software, including with support for new equipment. Fresh versions serve as the basis for the development of new versions of certified and enterprise solutions with increased stability and security requirements. This family of distributions is being developed both by ROSA and by the community.

The main changes in the distribution:

• All major applications have been updated to the latest current versions (Firefox 28.0, Chromium 34, Mozilla Thunderbird 24.4, Clementime 1.2.2 (assembled with Vkontakte support), VLC 2.1.3).
• Updated the kernel (3.10.34 with support for BFQ version 7, backported patches that fix the screen brightness control mechanism for some laptop models) and a number of drivers.
• The urpmi-recover tool has been added to manage rollbacks of package base updates and the graphical interface to it.
• Improved the operation of devices using the PTP protocol (cameras, etc.).
• Improved the operation of devices using the MTP protocol (smartphones with Android 4.x, etc.).
• The KDE Desktop Graphics Environment has been updated to version 4.12.
• Systemd System Manager has been upgraded to version 208 and has been upgraded to major system services that previously used SysVinit.
• The system installer has been updated.
• All the latest security updates and bug fixes are integrated.

ROSA Desktop Fresh R2 users will receive an update to ROSA Desktop Fresh R3 through the standard update system. The first beta version of the new ROSA Software Center is available for testing, which is planned to be used by default in the next release of ROSA Desktop Fresh.

The next release of the ROSA Desktop Fresh distribution is planned to be released in the third quarter of 2014 based on the new rosa2014.1. The new platform will update the system base, development tools, system libraries, etc.

GNOME Desktop Environment-Based Update

On January 30, 2014, ROSA announced the release of a new distribution kit ROSA Desktop Fresh R2 based on the GNOME desktop.

Major changes

The distribution is based on the ROSA Desktop Fresh R2 code, where a stable and proven release of GNOME 3.8, additionally modified, is chosen as the graphical desktop environment.

• In addition to the standard GNOME 3 interface, you can use a classic mode similar to the usual GNOME 2 - with a menu and a bottom panel. For "weak" computers and netbooks, the company's own development is offered "DEW" - an undemanding implementation of the GNOME FallBack mode, based on the old version of the classic GNOME 3.6.

• By default, the rosa-elementary design, developed by the designers of the ROSA company, is set: in addition to hundreds of professionally made icons, the design pursues rational ergonomic goals: for example, in this GNOME theme, KDE applications do not look alien, and the type of windows is more familiar to Windows users.

• The new distribution kit of the ROSA company is designed both for home users - for everyday communication and entertainment, and for users with non-trivial requirements - who are able to independently take care of the configuration and constant operation of the system. A collection of games has been collected in the repositories, you can install Steam and the usual software for text and video communication, including Skype.

• You can view videos of all types and formats. As an office suite - LibreOffice, but in the repositories there is a full TeX stack and all well-known open-source programs for documentation, layout and printing. For developers - development environments - LAMP and C++.

ROSA Desktop Fresh 2012 using the GNOME desktop environment

Traditionally, original versions of the ROSA Desktop operating system are based on the KDE desktop, in which developers make many design changes and functional additions. Its own recognizable theme "DEW," a proprietary set of applications, many of which are deeply integrated with KDE (TimeFrame, StackFolder, RocketBar, KLook, KDM) - all this has already become the company's hallmark and brought it fame among Linux fans.

However, some users are active supporters of another desktop - GNOME. This DE has its own approach to building a graphical environment, as well as greater integration capabilities into the current IT infrastructure. Members of the ROSA community, led by Denis Koryavov and Arkady Shane, developed their version of the ROSA Desktop Fresh 2012 operating system using the GNOME desktop environment.

2013

LXDE-based update

On December 30, 2013, ROSA announced the expansion of the ROSA Desktop Fresh R2 distribution line - an update on the LXDE light working environment platform.

This distribution is based on the ROSA Desktop Fresh R2 code platform. The LXDE version contains only the most necessary tools and is created on the principle of "simple and beautiful": due to the simplicity of the interface, the maximum speed of operation is achieved. The desktop is based on the GTK + 2 framework, but some of the components use the latest GTK + 3/GNOME3 developments, so the system is conservative with elements of the latest components.

Major changes

• The release includes all fixes as of December 24, 2013.
• The main components of LXDE have been updated to the latest stable versions - pcmanfm 1.1.2, lxpanel 0.6.1.
• The power and notification manager from XFCE adapted for use with systemd is used.
• LightDM now allows you to enter the distribution into LDAP and AD domains.
• As part of the release, a new experimental theme of icons and the appearance of Rosa LXDE Flat. You can change the theme to standard rosa-elementary through lxappearance and qtconfig.
• By default, composite mode is enabled using compton. It is possible to disable it by removing the autorun string from/etc/xdg/lxsession/LXDE/autostart

Beta ROSA Fresh R1 on GNOME 3.8

The release of the public beta of the official build of the ROSA Fresh R1 distribution based on the GNOME desktop version 3.8 was announced by ROSA on July 18, 2013.

Based on KDE and LXDE

The build is based on the same repositories as the previously introduced KDE and LXDE versions of ROSA Desktop Fresh R1.

The main features of the release

• Added the ability to use Bierman's typographic layout.
• By default, the white GNOME Shell skin is used.
• Some extensions are available out of the box, such as Dash to Dock, Weather, Notification Alert, Alternative Status Menu, classic GNOME mode, etc.
• As the default browser, it was decided to return to Firefox due to problems obtaining keys for the Chromium API.
• Use the gnome-initial-setup utility to initially configure the environment the first time a new user logs on.
• GNOME Control Center has transferred the ability to customize the display of fonts from the gnome-tweak-tool utility.
• By default, Ubuntu patches are used to improve font display on LCD monitors.

ROSA Desktop Fresh R1 GNOME Components

• Linux kernel version 3.8.12
• Firefox 22
• Evolution 3.8.3
• Libreoffice 3.6.6
• ROSA Media Player 1.6.

The developers have warned of possible flaws, so the use of this image is recommended, first of all, for experienced users who want to take part in testing.

ROSA Desktop Fresh R2

ROSA Desktop Fresh R2 is a planned update of the ROSA Fresh platform. The "R" line is intended for technically competent users who want to receive fresh software versions that have fairly new equipment and do not have increased requirements for system stability. This family of distributions is being developed both by ROSA specialists and by the community. Compared to R1, many system components have been updated (kernel version 3.10.19, systemd-204, Xorg-1.14), desktop environment (KDE 4.11) and user software (Firefox-25, Libreoffice-4.1, etc.). A number of system utilities have been finalized. In addition, the administrative image includes all fixes, improvements and additions released from the date of the previous R1 release. This version of ROSA Desktop Fresh R2 includes KDE4 as the primary desktop environment. In the near future, revisions of the system will be presented with an updated GNOME and LXDE desktop.

2012

ROSA Desktop.Fresh 2012

ROSA introduced in December 2012 a new operating system for personal computers ROSA Desktop.Fresh 2012. The product is aimed at enthusiasts and experienced Linux users who can appreciate the drive from working with fresh software. Fresh is a non-profit product and is distributed free of charge.

ROSA Desktop.Fresh 2012 is the name of a line of non-commercial operating systems for personal computers branded ROSA. The name emphasizes the "freshness" of the components of user and system software relative to corporate versions. Thus, the distribution reflects the view of the international DEW team on the optimal balance between the degree of novelty of the distribution components and its stability for home users and non-critical applications in business.

During the creation of ROSA Desktop.Fresh 2012, the DEW team, which includes specialists from Russia, Ukraine, Italy, Romania, the USA, Brazil and other countries, did a huge amount of work. About 1 million lines of code were changed. We even made a special video that demonstrates how it happened.

Among the main advantages of Fresh are the excellent state of all repositories, stable operation and high boot speed of the system as a whole. (As tests showed, the distribution began to load almost twice as fast as its predecessors). This was achieved largely due to the development of its own environment for developing and building free ROSA ABF software and the active use of international code quality verification standards. In addition, the developers have made a transition to a new version of the package manager, did a lot of work to adapt the batch base to the new system components and fixed a lot of problems with inter-batch dependencies.

In addition, a massive update of user software to the current versions was carried out. Fresh versions of more than 16 thousand packages in our repositories have become available. Including a client of the YouMagic IP telephony service from the Russian telecommunications operator MTT.

ROSA Desktop. Fresh 2012 also developed ROSA's proprietary developments:

TimeFrame and SimpleWelcome were completely rewritten using QML technology, which led to an increase in their performance. In SimpleWelcome, developers abandoned the use of Plasma, which reduced memory consumption and significantly increased its speed and stability. From previous versions, the new TimeFrame differs in support for social networks. Thanks to this, users were able to use Facebook and Vkontakte without opening the browser. Also, it became possible to scroll through the tape of time, including multi-jests.

The main innovation in SimpleWelcome is the ability to group icons, and preview the applications included in the group. The Welcome tab is enhanced with the ability to pin selected icons. And the size of the icons will surely be appreciated by the owners of touch screens.

The functionality of the Klook utility has expanded. Support for remote file systems was provided via SMB, FTP, WebDav, etc. The quality of the graphics display has improved significantly.

The StackFolder utility has fixed a memory leak that manifested itself when working with large pictures. Added colorful documentation that talks about the capabilities of stacks and integration with KLook.

In the ROSA Media Player, several errors were fixed that affected the stability of the work, and the graphic theme was changed, which made ROMP more attractive.

To popularize the original developments of the company, a video was prepared with a demonstration of the next generation ROSA proprietary utilities.

One of the hallmarks of ROSA products has always been the original design. Especially for ROSA Desktop. Fresh 2012, the proprietary graphic theme has been significantly redesigned. Explicitly highlighted areas for which you can move application windows. Work continued to bring different elements to a single style. For example, the topic of the bootloader program has changed. As a result, the appearance of the system has become more holistic and modern.

Several developments of our company's specialists, which appeared as part of the work on the distribution, were adopted in Upstream free software. For example, patches that improve the functionality of the protocol for working with remote file systems will be available in KDE starting from version 4.10. And in the GRUB2 project, it will be possible to graphically design inactive items of the bootloader program menu and correctly display local language characters (for example, Russian) in the console. More details about these developments can be read in the New Year's release in the process bulletin of the company "DEW Point."

Fresh is very different from its predecessors. The platform was created by ROSA as a platform for experimenting with new software. The distribution is positioned as a product for the community, that is, users who understand the main components of Linux systems and expect to receive a tool with a wide selection of personal settings.

ROSA Desktop Fresh R1

ROSA Desktop Fresh R1 is a name for distributions based on the ROSA Fresh platform. The "R" line is designed for technically competent users and enthusiasts who appreciate the functional saturation and novelty of the distribution components without a significant drop in quality. This family of distributions is being developed both by the company and by the community.

Among the key innovations, it is worth noting:

• Microsoft Hyper-V support allows ROSA to be hosted in public Microsoft Azure cloud data centers and private clouds for virtual desktop organization. Soon, the VM Depot catalog will contain ready-made system images for deploying ROSA to Azure out of the box.
• Steam support makes it possible to connect to a game service and gain access to many high-quality games under Linux.
• The new release made changes to the desktop environment: improved font smoothing, thanks to the use of a new rasterizer from Adobe and Google, and also redesigned the proprietary graphic theme ROSA. Updated popular user applications Libreoffice, Firefox, Thunderbird and Chromium.
• The system part has updated the system kernel to version 3.8.12. In addition, X-Server 1.13.3 is supplemented with patches that improve the monitor detection system. Also updated video drivers - Intel to version 2.21.6, NVIDIA 319.17 and NVIDIA304 (for cards <8xxx) 304.88, AMD Catalyst (fglrx) 13.4. Системные репозитории подключены сразу после установки, благодаря чему пользователь может сразу получать обновления системы.
• ROSA Desktop Fresh 2012 users will receive the ROSA Desktop Fresh R1 update through the standard update system.

ROSA Desktop Fresh R1 based on LXDE

The main difference between the LXDE-based version is minimalism while maintaining flexibility and usability. The new version contains only the most necessary tools and is built on the principle of "the simpler - the faster": due to the simplicity of the interface in the absence of "beautiful" effects, the maximum speed of operation is achieved. At the heart is the time-tested GTK + 2 framework, but some of the components use the latest GTK + 3/GNOME3 developments, so the system is characterized by healthy conservatism with elements of the latest components.

The new distribution kit "DEW" stands out from the background of analogues by a convenient system control center: it can be launched through the "Application Menu" or the "lxde-control-center" command. This Control Center allows you to change many system settings. The main system characteristics are similar to the KDE4-based ROSA R1 release, except for memory requirements - the LXDE version can be installed on machines with 256 MB of RAM, the recommended volume is from 384 MB.

Notes