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Q4OS

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Q4OS
Q4OS 3.14.2 (Centaurus) running KDE Plasma version 5.14.5
DeveloperQ4OS development team
OS familyLinux
Working stateCurrent
Source modelOpen source
Latest releaseQ4OS 4.7 (Gemini)[1] / November 22, 2021; 3 years ago (2021-11-22)
Available inMultilingual
Update methodAPT
Package managerdpkg
Platformsx86-64, i386, armhf, arm64
Kernel typeLinux kernel
UserlandGNU
Default
user interface		TDE, KDE Plasma, LXQt[a]
LicenseFree software licenses (mainly GPL) + some proprietary
Official websiteq4os.org Edit this at Wikidata

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 preinstalled themes inspired by the default look and feel of Windows 2000 and Windows XP.[3][4]

History

Development of Q4OS began in 2014 to coincide with Windows XP's end of extended support in the same year.[5]

In 2019, version 3.8 was released which was based on Debian Buster.[6]

The original KDE based version has been discontinued since around 2008.[7]

As of April 2020, the core developers of Q4OS, initially starting the project in Germany,[8] are now operating in Prague, Czech Republic.[9][10]

Features

It is using the Trinity Desktop Environment, which is a fork of K Desktop Environment 3.[11]

Releases

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.[12]

Version[13] Codename Release date End-of-life Description
Latest preview version of a future release: 0.5.17 2014-07-17 "Development" version
Latest preview version of a future release: 1.1-RC2 2015-04-14 Second release candidate of Q4OS 1.1
Old version, no longer maintained: 1.2 Orion 2015-04-27 Initial version to be specified under codename Orion
Old version, no longer maintained: 1.2.3 2015-06-08 TDE is now bundled with the LXQt desktop environment
Old version, no longer maintained: 1.4 2015-09-04 Initial version to support devices running on ARM architecture[14]
Old version, no longer maintained: 1.6.3 2016-08-05 Implemented UEFI support
Old version, no longer maintained: 1.8.4 2017-04-26 LXQt has been removed from default installation, Icedove is replaced with Mozilla Thunderbird[15]
Latest preview version of a future release: 2.0.2 Scorpion 2016-01-06 Initial testing version of Q4OS Scorpion
Latest preview version of a future release: 2.3.6 2017-10-04 "Final beta" release
Old version, yet still maintained: 2.4 2017-10-04 2022-10 Initial stable release of Q4OS Scorpion and to provide long-term support
Old version, yet still maintained: 2.5 2018-06-03 2023-06 TDE is now bundled with KDE Plasma
Latest preview version of a future release: 3.1 Centaurus 2018-01-29 Initial testing version of Q4OS Centaurus
Old version, yet still maintained: 3.8 2019-07-15 2024-07 Initial stable release of Q4OS Centaurus
Old version, yet still maintained: 3.10 2020-01-04 2025-01 TDE and KDE Plasma have been split into separate installation images
Old version, yet still maintained: 3.13 2020-12-19 2025-12 The Snap daemon has been removed from default installation
Latest preview version of a future release: 4.0 Gemini 2020-02-16 Initial testing version of Q4OS Gemini
Old version, yet still maintained: 4.6 2021-09-27 2026-09 Initial stable release of Q4OS Gemini
Current stable version: 4.7 2021-11-22 2026-11 Latest stable release of Q4OS
Legend:
Old version, not maintained
Old version, still maintained
Latest version
Latest preview version
Future release

Reception

SourceForge featured Q4OS as "Community Choice" Project of the Month in April 2020.[10]

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.[16]

Forks

The Linux distribution Quark is a fork of Q4OS.[17]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Removed since Q4OS 1.8.4 (Orion).

References

  1. ^ "Q4OS - desktop operating system". q4os.org. Retrieved 2022-02-13.
  2. ^ Wallen, Jack (2018-02-16). "Q4OS Makes Linux Easy for Everyone". Linux.com. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  3. ^ Says, Jafcobend (2015-03-18). "Q4OS Is a Bare-Bones Business Tool". TechNewsWorld. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ Ranchal, Juan. "Q4OS: nunca ha sido más fácil usar Linux junto a Windows". MuyComputer (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-03-27.
  6. ^ Nestor, Marius (28 July 2019). "Q4OS Operating System Brings the Trinity Desktop to Debian GNU/Linux 10 "Buster"". Softpedia. Retrieved 2021-09-06.
  7. ^ Apfelböck, Hermann (2018-12-02). "Linux auf dem Stick: 10 Ideen für den Einsatz". PC-WELT (in German). Retrieved 2021-09-06.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ^ Germain, Jack. "Fresh bit o' Linux to spruce up that ancient Windows Vista box? Why not, we say..." The Register. Retrieved 2022-03-27.
  9. ^ "Q4OS - desktop operating system". q4os.org. Retrieved 2022-03-09.
  10. ^ a b "April 2020, "Community Choice" Project of the Month – Q4OS". SourceForge Community Blog. 2020-04-03. Retrieved 2022-03-27.
  11. ^ Thommes, Ferdinand. "Das Design von Windows XP lebt in Linux weiter". ComputerBase (in German). Retrieved 2021-09-06.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. ^ "Development Release: Q4OS 4.2 Testing (DistroWatch.com News)". DistroWatch. Retrieved 2022-03-09.
  13. ^ "Q4OS - desktop operating system". q4os.org. Retrieved 2022-03-21.
  14. ^ "Q4OS - desktop operating system". q4os.org. Retrieved 2022-03-09.
  15. ^ Nestor, Marius (2017-04-25). "Debian-Based Q4OS 1.8.4 Operating System Lets Users Select Alternative Desktops". Softpedia. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
  16. ^ Sharma, Shashank; Peers, Nick; Cox, Alex; Drake, Nate; Sharma, Mayank (2022-01-17). "Best lightweight Linux distros of 2022". TechRadar. Retrieved 2022-03-27.
  17. ^ February 2021, Mayank Sharma 26 (2021-02-26). "Quark 20.04 review". TechRadar. Retrieved 2021-09-06.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)


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