After two and a half years since the last version, the release of the new version of the project "Hyperbola GNU/Linux-libre 0.4" was announced , which is included in the list of completely free distributions of the Free Software Foundation.
For those unfamiliar with this Linux distribution, Hyperbola is based on stabilized segments of the Arch Linux package base , with some patches ported from Debian to improve stability and security.
The project is developed according to the KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) principle and aims to provide users with a simple, lightweight, stable, and secure environment.
Unlike Arch Linux's rolling update model, Hyperbola uses a classic release model with a long update release cycle for already released versions.
sysvinit is used as a portable initialization system by some developments in the Devuan and Parabola projects (Hyperbola developers oppose systemd).
The distro includes only free applications and comes with a Linux-Libre kernel stripped of non-free binary firmware elements. The project repository contains 5257 packages. To block the installation of non-free packages, blacklists and dependency-conflict-level locks are used, and it should also be noted that installing packages from the AUR is not supported.
Main novelties of Hyperbola 0.4
The release of Hyperbola 0.4 is positioned as a transition on the path to the previously announced migration to OpenBSD technologies. Going forward, attention will focus on the HyperbolaBSD project, which envisions the creation of a distribution kit supplied under a copyleft license, but based on an alternative kernel and a forked system environment of OpenBSD.
Under the GPLv3 and LGPLv3 licences, the HyperbolaBSD project will develop its own components intended to replace non-free or GPL-incompatible parts of the system.
The main changes in version 0.4 are related to removing unnecessary components and including them in alternative packages . For example, the Lumina desktop environment has been added, which can function without D-Bus, and therefore D-Bus support has been removed.
Support for Bluetooth, PAM, elogind, PolicyKit, ConsoleKit, PulseAudio, and Avahi has also been removed. The Bluetooth functionality components were eliminated due to their complexity and potential security issues.
In addition to sysvinit, experimental support for the runit init system has been added, while the graphics stack has been moved to the Xenocara components developed on OpenBSD (X.Org 7.7 with x-server 1.20.13 + patches). LibreSSL is used instead of OpenSSL. Systemd, Rust, and Node.js and their associated dependencies have been removed.
Regarding the Linux issues that prompted the Hyperbola developers to switch to OpenBSD technologies:
- The adoption of technical means of copyright protection (DRM) in the Linux kernel, for example, support for HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) copy protection technology for audio content was included in the kernel and video.
- Development of an initiative to develop drivers for the Linux kernel in the Rust language.
- The Hyperbola developers are not happy with the use of the centralized Cargo repository and have problems with the freedom to distribute packages with Rust. In particular, the terms of the Rust and Cargo trademark prohibit retaining the project name in the event changes or patches are applied (a package may only be redistributed under the Rust and Cargo name (if built from the original source). otherwise prior written permission must be obtained)
- Linux kernel development without security in mind (Grsecurity is no longer a free project and the KSPP (Kernel Self Protection Project) initiative is stalled).
- Many components of the GNU user environment and system utilities begin to impose redundant functionality without providing a way to disable it at compile time. Examples include assigning required dependencies to PulseAudio in gnome-control-center, SystemD in GNOME, Rust in Firefox, and Java in gettext.
Finally, if you are interested in trying this distribution, you should know that Hyperbola builds are generated for i686 and x86_64 architectures .
You can get them from this link.