Gnoppix 25.4 with GNOME 48.1 Release Notes

Announcements
1

**GNOME 48.1 Release Notes **

** This version is only available for Gnoppix Members **

Stability & Polish Update

Building on GNOME 48.0, this maintenance release delivers critical fixes, security patches, and component updates to refine the desktop experience. Below is a comprehensive breakdown of changes.

:wrench: Core System Improvements

1. Linux Kernel 6.14.2 Integration

  • Hardware Support:
    • AMD GPU: Better stability for RDNA3 GPUs (fixes intermittent hangs).
    • Intel: Improved power management for Alder Lake/Raptor Lake mobile CPUs.
    • Wi-Fi: Updated drivers for MediaTek MT7922 and Qualcomm QCA6390 chips.
  • Security: Patches for speculative execution vulnerabilities (CVE).
  • File Systems: Optimized Btrfs write performance under heavy I/O loads.

Impact: Smoother performance on modern hardware, especially laptops.

2. Mutter (Window Manager) 48.1

  • Fixed memory leaks when switching workspaces rapidly.
  • Corrected fractional scaling artifacts on high-DPI monitors.
  • Improved touchpad gesture recognition (reduced accidental workspace switches).

:desktop_computer: Application Updates

1. Firefox 137.0.1

  • Security: Critical fixes for zero-day vulnerabilities (CVE).
  • Wayland:
    • Fixed clipboard handling in XWayland apps.
    • Smoother scrolling with touchpad inertial scrolling.
  • Performance: Reduced CPU usage during video playback (WebRTC optimizations).

2. Files (Nautilus) 48.1

  • Search: Restored network share indexing speed (regression from 48.0).
  • UI:
    • Fixed thumbnail corruption for AVIF/HEIC images.
    • Addressed hangs when browsing SMBv1 shares.

3. Settings

  • Bluetooth: Re-enabled AAC codec support for Apple devices.
  • Display: Fixed 125%/150% scaling on mixed-DPI multi-monitor setups.

:globe_showing_europe_africa: Localization & Accessibility

  • Updated translations for 15+ languages (notable improvements for Hindi and Arabic).
  • Orca Screen Reader: Better compatibility with Firefox and LibreOffice.

:warning: Known Issues & Workarounds

Issue Workaround
NVIDIA drivers may cause tearing Enable “Force Full Composition Pipeline” in NVIDIA X Server Settings
Some extensions crash (e.g., Dash to Dock) Disable or update extensions via Extensions.gnome.org
Fractional scaling + X11 = blurry fonts Switch to Wayland or use integer scaling

:inbox_tray: Installation Instructions

**For Gnoppix Member **

  • Arch Linux only:
  • sudo pacman -Syu (available in [gnoppix] repo).

For Developers

  • Changelog: GNOME GitLab.
  • Build dependencies: Updated glib2 >= 2.78, gtk4 >= 4.14.

:light_bulb: Pro Tip: Verify your versions with:

gnome-shell --version && uname -r && firefox --version

:down_arrow: How to Get Gnoppix 25.4 with GNOME 48.1

Gnoppix Member-only download at:

https://patreon.gnoppix.com/iso/gnome/gnoppix25_4-gnome-481.iso

For full details, see the official changelog.

Need modifications? Let me know! :rocket:

Why These Updates Matter

  • Kernel 6.14.2 = Better hardware support.
  • Firefox 137.0.1 = Security + Wayland fixes.
  • GNOME 48.1 = Smoother desktop experience.