Foresight Linux is a Linux distribution for your desktop that features a rolling release schedule that always keeps your desktop up to date; a revolutionary package manager, Conary; the latest GNOME desktop environment and an innovative set of excellent, up to date packages.

This beta is not recommended for production use, but is ready for wide spread testing. We appreciate your help in testing this latest Foresight release.

We hope you enjoy using Foresight Linux as much as we do. Because your desktop should be cool.

Foresight Linux 2.0 Beta 1 Release Notes

1. What's new
   1. PackageKit
   2. Compiz-Fusion
   3. Syslinux
   4. Updates and bug fixes from Alpha 4 to Beta 1
   5. Current Issues
   6. Packages not included
1. Downloading and Installing
2. Filing Issues and Bugs
3. Getting Help
4. Contribute to Foresight Linux
5. More information
6. Credits

What's new

In addition to a new toolchain, the Foresight 2.0 beta series features a new tar-based installer, that should install in less than 10 minutes, including formatting a 200 GB hard drive. Foresight also features new editions including KDE and XFCE in addition to GNOME available for x86 and x86_64 processors. Users should find it much easier to install and use binary video card drivers from Nvidia and ATI than in Foresight 1.x

PackageKit

With the 2.0 release of Foresight, the Foresight System Manager has been officially replaced with PackageKit. PackageKit aims to be a unified package manager and installer available for many different Linux distributions, and Foresight is proud to be the first distribution to ship with PackageKit using the Conary backend. PackageKit is a GUI tool for managing software packages and updates for your computer, including installing, removing or searching for new software.

After a default installation, PackageKit is installed and running on your system. PackageKit is configured to check for updates once a day, and you will be prompted to install them by clicking on the PackageKit icon on your panel.

To manually search, add or remove software, click on System -> Administration -> Add / Remove Software.

Additional documentation on using PackageKit can be found on the Foresight Linux Wiki at http://wiki.foresightlinux.com/confluence/

Compiz and Compiz Fusion

The Foresight Beta includes a new group build of the Xorg stack, Compiz and Compiz Fusion. Users should see speed improvements with all three major graphics cards, including Nvidia, ATI and Intel. Fusion Icon has been deprecated in Foresight 2.0.

To start Compiz, press and hold ALT+F2 and type “compiz”. Intel and ATI users may need to update their xorg.conf and switch from vesa to intel and radeon respectively. Nvidia users should run “sudo conary update nvidia nvidia-kernel” to install the Nvidia drivers.

Syslinux

Syslinux has been added as the default bootloader during installation. Syslinux is under active development, and Foresight is proud to be the first distribution shipping with Syslinux. After installation and during boot-up, Syslinux will appear as Extlinux at the bootloader screen. GRUB is still an option during installation.

Major updates and bug fixes from Alpha 4 to Beta 1

• PackageKit has been updated to 0.1.7 released 2/14/08. PackageKit features a new UI from Alpha 3 that shows what kind of updates are available and what packages are available for update.
• GNOME has been updated to 2.21.92
• The new GNOME clock applet includes the ability to add weather and timezones.
• Flash is fixed and included in the default 32 bit installation
• GNOME-DO is included in the default installation and started in a user’s session. To bring up GNOME-DO press Super+spacebar. (Super is also known as the Windows button on most keyboards). This can be remapped by using Gconf.
• GNOME-DO has been updated to the latest release (bzr 113) and includes the new background theming. Users will need to install plugins manually.
• OpenOffice.org has been fixed and is now available in the default installation.
• Transmission, a Bittorrent client, has been added to the default installation and has been updated to the latest release, 1.04. (FL-856)
• Keyboard layout options are now recognized (FL-859)
• Liferea should now be working (FL-868)
• Anaconda templates have been fixed, including the bug with the ability to log in as root without a password
• Proprietary codecs have been removed. Users will be prompted to install them automatically the first time they try to use them.

Current Issues

• The latest ATI drivers need to be packaged.
• Unpinning and uninstalling an older kernel when you have multiple kernels may cause Syslinux to not boot. (FL-864)

Packages Not Included by default

• Glipper
• GIMP. GIMP is not included at this time as we work on trying to get Foresight down to one installation CD. This will be evaluated for inclusion at a later time. GIMP is available for installation in the repository.

Downloading and Installing

• The latest beta release is available as x86 and x86_64 installable ISOs from Foresight’s project page on rBuilder at http://www.rpath.org/rbuilder/project/foresight/release?id=6002.

Filing Issues and Bugs

Please report any issues or bugs you encounter while testing the beta of Foresight 2.0. Foresight’s issue tracker, JIRA, is available at http://issues.foresightlinux.org.

Getting Help

Help is available in many forms, and you can choose what you’re most comfortable with.

• IRC: Visit the Foresight IRC channel, #foresight on Freenode, and ask questions. We have one of the most friendly IRC channels you’ll come across with everyone from users to developers reaching out to help answer questions.
• Forums: Our forums continue to grow, and are a good source of information to check if a specific problem or question has come up before.
• Wiki: Documentation on the wiki is growing on a daily basis, with updates often to the Frequently Asked Questions and other how-to’s to get you going with Foresight Linux.
• Mailing Lists:
  • General List: Subscribe or view archives at http://lists.rpath.org/mailman/listinfo/foresight-distro.

Contribute to Foresight Linux

Foresight Linux has a vibrant and friendly community, ready to assist any level of user. Participation is also welcome and encouraged! There are several different ways to engage with the Foresight community:

• You can find us in #foresight on chat.freenode.net. Foresight users can click the X-Chat GNOME icon in Applications -> Internet menu to access IRC.

• Contribute to the Foresight Wiki.

• Package and maintain software. Visit the Developer Wiki at http://wiki.foresightlinux.com/confluence/display/DEV/Foresight+Linux+Development for more information.

More Information

You can find more information about Foresight on our website at http://www.foresightlinux.org.

If you’re new to using Foresight, a Getting Started with Foresight Linux Userguide is available on the Foresight Wiki at http://wiki.foresightlinux.com/confluence/display/docs/Getting+Started+with+Foresight+Linux. This documentation is in the process of being updated for Foresight 2.0.

Ask live questions in IRC on the Freenode network in the #foresight channel.

Subscribe to the Foresight Linux Newsletter in your feed reader, such as Liferea, at http://feeds.feedburner.com/foresightnewsletter.

Credits

Thanks to Ken VanDine, Antonio Meireles and all the developers and users who contributed to this release. Please file any bugs!

Thank you for testing this latest beta release.