Zenwalk

Zenwalk 6.0
Developer	Jean-Philippe Guillemin
OS family	Linux (Unix-like)
Working state	Current
Source model	Open source
Latest release	15.0-221106[1]  / 6 November 2022; 14 months ago (6 November 2022)
Update method	netpkg (xnetpkg)
Package manager	netpkg
Kernel type	Monolithic (Linux)
Default user interface	Xfce
License	Various
Official website	www.zenwalk.org

Zenwalk GNU/Linux^[2] is a desktop-focused Linux distribution founded by Jean-Philippe Guillemin. It is based on Slackware with very few modifications at system level making it 100% compatible with Slackware.^[3] It aims to be a modern, multi-purpose Linux distribution by focusing on internet applications, multimedia and programming tools.^[4] It comes with many specialized tools and is designed for beginner through advanced users, as it offers system configuration via both graphical tools and the command line.^[a]

History

Zenwalk was originally called Minislack up to version 1.1. It was renamed with version 1.2, released on 12 August 2005. Originally using KDE as its desktop environment, it moved to Xfce with version 0.3, although GNOME and KDE packages have always been available separately.

Aims

The Zenwalk Project aims to create a lightweight Linux distribution, through using only one application per task on the release ISO image; optimization for a specific instruction set architecture, to increase execution speed; and introducing a comprehensive package management system with dependency resolution.^[18]

Package management

Zenwalk uses the netpkg package management system. Developed in-house, it provides the main functionality of the apt-get variety of package managers. It uses Slackware's .tgz package format, but adds dependency resolution capabilities. It uses meta files to provide dependency information, as well as package description during the install process. This convenience is available only to the official Zenwalk mirrors listed in the netpkg configuration file, netpkg.conf. In addition to the original netpkg command line interface, xnetpkg provides a GUI frontend with similar capabilities.^{[citation needed]}

Zenwalk is also compatible with Slackware package management tools such as slapt-get and its frontends, and have similar functionality as that of netpkg.^{[citation needed]}

As of Zenwalk 4.6, package compatibility with Slackware is still maintained. Slackware packages may be used in place of Zenwalk packages where necessary.^{[citation needed]}

Supported architectures

Starting with version 8.0, Zenwalk Linux is built and optimized primarily for the x86_64 architecture; 32-bit i486 architecture is no longer supported.^{[citation needed]}

Project versions

At one time there were five main versions of Zenwalk :

• Zenwalk Standard, a distribution aimed at mainstream desktop and development use. Designed to be a stand-alone operating system, it installs to the hard drive by way of an ncurses-based installer. It includes all of the officially released software packages that are deemed most useful by the Zenwalk community. The default install also includes development packages like gcc, and some proprietary media packages (such as Adobe Flash Player) and drivers in order to provide a full featured default install. The default desktop environment is Xfce.^{[citation needed]}
• Zenwalk Core (discontinued), a Zenwalk system built for user customization. Released with no X Window System binaries, its aim was to allow a skilled user to build a system fit for their needs. The project's lead developer was Emmanuel Bailleul.^{[citation needed]}
• ZenLive (discontinued), a Zenwalk system built on a Live CD design. ZenLive followed the progress made by the full Zenwalk system closely, thus mirroring the version number, and attempted to stay true to the original distribution's goals. In addition, it included all of the necessary libraries and applications to develop and compile software, a particularly rare feature in Live CD distributions. The original ZenLive team left the project after version 6.0 was released but ZenwalkLive project was revived by an enthusiastic user and developed as a one-man-project. With version 6.4 the live-framework changed from deprecated linux-live-scripts to slackware-live-scripts.^{[citation needed]}
• Zenwalk Gnome (discontinued), with GNOME as the default desktop environment.^{[citation needed]}
• Zenwalk Openbox (discontinued), supplied with Openbox as stand-alone window manager. It was a very lightweight version of the operating system and did not use LXDE in its choice of software. It still uses Thunar File Manager over PCManFM which is standard on LXDE-based systems such as Lubuntu.^{[citation needed]}

Derivatives

There are currently three known Zenwalk-based distributions:

• Arudius, a now-discontinued live CD distribution for information assurance with tools for penetration testing and vulnerability analysis^[42]
• SLAMPP, intended to be used as a home server^[43]
• Zencafe, an Indonesian distribution designed for internet cafes^[44]

Live USB

A Live USB of Zenwalk Linux for versions up to 5.2 can be created manually or with UNetbootin.^[45] Current versions of Zenwalk can also booted from a USB using Ventoy, but only for installation, not a live session.^[46]