MX-23 Libretto beta 2 released
The MX project has announced the release of MX-23 Beta 2, the latest development release from the MX Linux. Built from Debian 12 “Bookworm” and MX repositories, MX-23 offers a range of exciting features and improvements. In this article, we’ll explore the key updates, desktop versions, accessibility enhancements, MX Tools improvements, and important testing areas for this release.
What’s new in MX-23 BETA 2?
MX-23 Beta 2 builds upon the previous beta release, incorporating all the bug fixes and changes to date. Notable additions include default wallpapers and theming options, enhancing the visual appeal of the system. Furthermore, the installer now supports both swapfiles and swap partitions. By default, the “regular” auto installation will utilize swapfiles, streamlining the installation process. The installer has undergone various adjustments, such as GUI refinements, improved debconf value settings for seamless legacy grub-pc updates, fixes for grub installation functions, and cleanup of unnecessary “dump” entries that may hinder system performance. Moreover, the installer GUI provides additional help guidance, ensuring a smooth installation experience. It is important to note that the “–oem” option, enabling user creation on the first boot after installation, is currently experiencing a known issue, but it will be addressed in an upcoming update.
Enhanced Live Boot Menus
The live boot menus have been enhanced to provide a more visible “check media” function directly in the top-level menu. This feature allows for media verification before booting, ensuring system integrity.
Desktop Versions
MX-23 Beta 2 offers major desktop versions, including:
- Xfce 4.18
- Fluxbox 1.3.7
- KDE/Plasma 5.27
Accessibility Enhancements
All MX-23 releases now come with accessibility tools, such as the Orca screen reader and screen magnifier tools. Fluxbox and Xfce include the Magnus screen magnifier, while KDE/Plasma utilizes KMag. Please note that due to Debian’s Orca packaging, Orca does not appear in the menus but can be launched manually. Notably, Orca is configurable through KDE’s integrated accessibility settings.
MX Tools Enhancements
MX Tools, a collection of handy applications, have received several bug fixes and enhancements. Each tool now launches with individual policy kit configurations, offering more fine-grained control compared to previous releases. The previously preinstalled mx-pkexec is no longer present. Additionally, the popular MX Snapshot tool has undergone significant attention to provide users with advanced customization options for snapshot boot configurations, ensuring compatibility across different machines. MX-Updater has also reverted to using apt as the default backend, as the previously used Nala experienced unforeseen issues.
Other Updates and Configurations:
- All MX-23 releases now utilize Pipewire and WirePlumber instead of PulseAudio.
- The UFW firewall is now enabled by default for improved security.
- Fluxbox release introduces new configuration options and “appfinder” configurations for Rofi, replacing Xfce4-Appfinder. While Fluxbox relies less on Xfce applications, it retains Thunar as the default file manager. Furthermore, the MX-Tweak’s theme module now supports theming on Fluxbox.
- KDE/Plasma has undergone several tweaks in the settings to accommodate new configuration options available in Plasma 5.27. Root actions, including root Dolphin instances via the root service menu actions, remain available.
Download MX Linux 23 BETA 2
For testing purposes, you can download the following ISO images:
Xfce:
KDE/Plasma:
Fluxbox:
MX-19 Pattitto Feo
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