4.1.0

v4.1.0 - 2023-12-06

Added

• packages: system/package management: add gnome-package-updater (gpk-update-viewer)
• system: add firmware for Realtek, Atheros, Broadcom and Intel Wi-Fi devices

Removed

• network: remove Pidgin instant messaging client

Changed

• update all packages to latest versions, rebase on Debian 12.2.0 [1] [2]
• grub: enable auto-detection of other Operating Systems (dual-boot configurations)
• firefox: update user.js to v0.9.0 (UI: replace the window title bar with the tabs bar)
• update documentation

4.0.0

v4.0.0 - 2023-07-13

Upgrade procedure: Follow the official Debian upgrade procedure, or backup your data, reinstall, and restore. Note: some changes will only take effect after creating a new user account. If upgrading without reinstalling, you will need to apply some of the changes below (notably add/remove packages) manually.

Added

• config: add the non-free-firmware component to APT sources list
• packages: utility: add alarm-clock-applet
• skel: bash: add an alias gss to show the status of git repositories under ~/GIT using mgitstatus

Changed

• rebase on Debian 12 "Bookworm"
• config: enable tap-to-click by default for all touchpads
• config: xfce4-panel: set clock panel plugin font to Roboto 9, set clock format to HH:MM
• config: autostart: disable alarm-clock-applet autostart
• config: remove catfish file search from Thunar custom actions and xfce4-whiskermenu favorites (Thunar file manager now has a native file search feature)
• config: xsettings: sync xfwm4 theme to GTK theme changes if possible
• config: use long date format to display dates in Thunar file manager
• config: remove pidgin from whiskermenu favorites
• config: remove custom wallpapers/backgrounds, use the new Debian 12 "Emerald" theme everywhere
• firefox: disable Mozilla VPN ads, re-enable WebGL full capability mode and extensions, display bookmarks toolbar by default, display separate search/location bars by default, disable Firefox studies (Shield), set the default search engine to DuckDuckGo instead of Google (update user.js to v0.8.0)
• cleanup: packages: update package names to their Debian 12 names
• tests: update test tooling
• doc: update documentation

Removed

• packages: system: remove hddtemp - can be replaced with the drivetemp kernel module (sudo modprobe drivetemp; sudo sensors)
• packages: graphics: remove gimp-gap (removed from Debian)
• packages: network: remove telegram-purple (removed from Debian) and purple-discord and purple-rocketchat, pidgin-opensteamworks
• packages: audio/video: remove subliminal
• packages: games: remove lutris (removed from Debian)
• packages: development: remove checkinstall, fakeroot, reportbug, meld
• cleanup/packages: remove obsolete packages whose functionality is now included in core packages (libreoffice-avmedia-backend-gstreamer, crda, gvfs-bin)

Fixed

• fix XFCE power manager unable to suspend the system on laptop lid close/low battery

3.1.1

v3.1.1 - 2022-11-11

Removed

• remove nextcloud-desktop
• remove zenity
• extras: remove Signal Desktop
• remove infrequently used firmware-netronome

Fixed

• decrease ISO image size to <2GB to allow upload on github releases

3.1.0

v3.1.0 - 2022-11-08

Added

• extras: add Signal Desktop encrypted messaging client
• extras: add Thunderbird Conversations extension
• packages: development: add mgitstatus (show status of multiple Git repositories)

Changed

• update all packages to latest Debian Stable versions
• update documentation

3.0.1

v3.0.1 - 2022-09-01

Added

• packages: system/virtualization: add libguestfs-tools, virt-p2v, libguestfs-rsync, libguestfs-rescue
• packages: internet: add purple-discord (Discord messaging service plugin for pidgin/libpurple)

Removed

• packages: remove gnome-clocks
• packages: remove NVIDIA proprietary drivers from the default installation

Changed

• update all packages to latest stable versions
• no longer install Linux kernel/firmware and NVIDIA drivers from backports, use versions from Debian Stable
• defaults/skel: autostart keepassxc on login
• defaults/skel: enable KeepassXC/Firefox integration by default
• defaults/skel: add keyboard shortcuts to tile the active window left/right/top right/bottom right (Super+Left/Right/Up/Down)
• defaults/skel: .gitconfig: remember git HTTP credentials, use rebase mode by default for git pull
• packages: install yt-dlp from debian backports instead of third-party repository
• firefox: always show the bookmarks toolbar (update user.js to v0.4.0)

Fixed

• fix boot in legacy BIOS mode (Failed to load COM32 file vesamenu.c32)
• fix unattended-upgrades configuration (automatically update packages from Debian Backports)
• fix xfce4 power manager unable to suspend the system on laptop lid close/low battery

Upgrade procedure

If you have a system installed from a previous version of debian-live-config:

• Recommended: Backup user data, download the latest ISO image, reinstall (overwrite the existing installation), restore data from backups
• To upgrade without reinstalling:

# remove (or comment out) APT pinning configuration
sudo rm /etc/apt/preferences.d/99backports
# force downgrade of kernel/nvidia-driver to the stable version
sudo nano /etc/apt/preferences.d/99downgrade-backports

# paste this to /etc/apt/preferences.d/99downgrade-backports, save and exit
# always use kernel, firmware and nvidia drivers from stable
Package: linux-image-*
Pin: release a=bullseye
Pin-Priority: 1000

Package: linux-headers-*
Pin: release a=bullseye
Pin-Priority: 1000

Package: firmware-*
Pin: release a=bullseye
Pin-Priority: 1000

Package: nvidia-*
Pin: release a=bullseye
Pin-Priority: 1000

• Optionally, update your configuration according to changes since the last release. Changes to /etc/skel will only take effect after creating a new user account.

3.0.0

v3.0.0 - 2021-10-28

Download and installation

Changed

• rebase on Debian 11.1.0 "Bullseye"
• doc: increase RAM requirements to 2GB/recommended 4GB
• apt: update APT sources lists/configuration
• replace backintime backup tool with deja-dup
• games: install lutris from official Debian repositories, remove third-party package download
• extras: use .deb packages to manage additional/unofficial software (bleachbit-cleanerml, yt-dlp, pidgin-opensteamworks, user.js), remove custom installation logic, update all extra packages to latest releases
• network/audio-video: replace youtube-dl/streamlink with yt-dlp (third-party package)
• skel: update and fix conky configuration for recent versions
• skel/session: don't autostart blueman bluetooth manager by default
• skel/session: don't autostart keepassxc by default
• skel: update default UI configuration for thunar, ristretto, xfce4-desktop, xfce4-panel
• skel: replace xfce4-power-manager notification icon with battery panel plugin
• skel: xfwm4: enable video compositing by default (transparency effects)
• skel: xfwm4: disable confusing "Use mouse wheel on title bar to roll up the window" setting
• skel: thunar: add custom right-click menu actions to restore files/directories with deja-dup, and analyze disk usage (baobab) in the selected directory
• skel: vlc: don't ask for network metadata access, disable it by default
• prevent PC speaker beep when logging out of desktop sessions
• reduce ISO image size (don't keep APT indices on the live filesystem)
• doc: update user/maintainer documentation/download links
• doc: installation: rotate GPG key (old key expired)
• doc: update alternative/suggested packages list, remove packages no longer available in Debian 11
• skel/desktop: update backgrounds/themes for Debian 11
• skel: update default bash aliases (alias diff to colordiff, don't alias diff)
• tools: update tests/build configuration and automation tools, make build completely non-interactive
• system/config: enable UFW firewall at boot by default
• enable plymouth boot screen by default in the installed system

Added

• network: add support for more protocols in pidgin instant messenger: Discord, Telegram, Rocket.Chat, XMPP HTTP upload and message carbons, OMEMO encryption
• graphics: add gcolor3 color picker
• doc: add Software: Extras page listing all third-party downloads
• add live system language selection and custom theme in live media UEFI bootloader (GRUB)

Removed

• system: remove primus (conflicts with nvidia drivers), irqbalance (unused,
• utilities: remove xfce4-notes (package was removed from Debian 11)
• remove less used/unused packages by default, reduce dependencies and image size: asunder (audio CD ripper), xfburn (CD/DVD burning), libasound2-plugin-equal (can be replaced with pulseaudio-equalizer), gimp-gmic (image processing utilities), pulseaudio-module-zeroconf, pandoc (documentation generator), advancecomp (compression utilities), blender (3D editor), shellcheck, asciinema, gnome-settings-daemon, wine (let lutris manage wine versions/architectures), inkscape vector editor, pstoedit, gimp-help-fr, cmatrix, gitg (git repository viewer), reduce number of default installed fonts
• extras: remove xfce4-terminal-colorschemes
• extras: remove custom nano text editor syntax highlighting
• remove custom grub configuration, revert to debian defaults
• remove HTTPS everywhere firefox addon (replaced with built-in "HTTPS only" mode)

Fixed

• apt: always install/upgrade Linux kernel and Nvidia drivers from backports
• skel: fix default file associations for text and media files
• installer: fix unbootable system when selecting "whole disk with encrypted LVM" in debian installer disk partitioning options
• fix not working/partially working desktop session language selection

Upgrade procedure

If you have a system installed from a previous version of debian-live-config:

• Recommended: Backup user data, download the latest ISO image, reinstall (overwrite the existing installation), restore data from backups
• To upgrade without reinstalling:

# read Debian 11 release notes: https://www.debian.org/News/2021/20210814
# replace buster with bullseye in your APT sources
sudo sed -i 's/buster/bullseye/g' /etc/apt/sources.list /etc/apt/sources.list.d/*
# install the updated APT configuration
sudo rm -v /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian-buster-updates-security-backports.list
wget https://gitlab.com/nodiscc/debian-live-config/-/blob/bullseye/config/archives/debian-updates-security-backports.list.chroot
sudo mv -v debian-updates-security-backports.list.chroot /etc/apt/sources.list.d/
# run the upgrade
sudo apt update && sudo apt dist-upgrade
# optionally, update your configuration according to changes since the last release:
# https://gitlab.com/nodiscc/debian-live-config/-/compare/2.2.5...3.0.0
# /etc/skel modifications will only take effect after creating a new user account

2.2.5

v2.2.5 - 2020-12-16

Removed

• remove Liferea feed reader from default install
• remove gnome-maps from default install

Fixed

• nano: fix loading of syntax highlighting configuration from ~/.nano/*.nanorc

Changed

• update third-party Lutris package to 0.5.8.1
• update documentation/.gitconfig examples
• tools: improve build/cleanup automation

2.2.4

v2.2.4 - 2020-10-22

Added

• add Lutris gaming platform
• add sensible defaults for mousepad text editor

Fixed

• fix display of virt-manager console (add missing gir1.2-spiceclientgtk-3.0 package)

Changed

• update all packages to latest version (Debian 10.6)
• replace ntp time synchronization service with chrony
• keyboard shortcuts: add ctrl+alt+shift+left/down/right/up to move current windows to the left/down/right/up workspace
• libvirt: set the default URI to qemu:///system (virsh now works without sudo or --connect)
• dotfiles/conky: don't draw shades by default
• update documentation
• tools: various Makefile improvements

2.2.3

v2.2.3 - 2020-05-10

Bugfix release.

Fixed

• packages: add non-free nvidia-driver (fix no display at X startup on nvidia cards)
• packages: fix inability to mount luks encrypted disks (missing libblockdev-crypto2 package)
• packages: fix lightdm not showing the user list (missing accountsservice package)
• doc: fix readthedocs TOC/typos/syntax, reorder graphics package list, update auto-generated documentation (make doc), add links to source mirrors

Changed

• dotfiles: .bash_aliases: add example of return code indication in bash prompt
• tools: remove unused build dependencies (xmlstarlet, shellcheck), add gnupg to build dependencies (checksums signing), add python3-venv to build dependencies (doc generation)

v2.2.2

v2.2.2 - 2020-04-11

Changed

• Disable window manager compositor by default (improve video performance/prevent tearing)
• Update user.js to 0.1

Added

• Documentation at https://debian-live-config.readthedocs.io/ (auto-generated with Sphinx/python script)

Fixed

• Fix APT sources lists not present in the final image
• Improve/cleanup makefile and package lists
• Fix error during installation in EFI boot mode