Trisquel

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Trisquel GNU/Linux

Trisquel GNU/Linux, often shortened to just Trisquel, is a rather particular flavor of Linux distribution . It’s built upon the foundation of Ubuntu , which itself is a derivative of Debian , but it carves out its own niche with a staunch commitment to free software principles. This isn’t just a minor tweak; it’s the core philosophy. The project’s aim is to provide a system entirely devoid of proprietary software or firmware . To achieve this, they take Ubuntu’s kernel and meticulously remove any bits that don’t adhere to their strict definition of freedom. Think of it as a digital detox. It’s worth noting that Trisquel operates as a non-profit, relying on user donations to keep the lights on. Their logo, a triskelion – a symbol with ancient Celtic roots – is a fitting emblem for a project that champions a particular, almost philosophical, approach to computing. The Free Software Foundation officially recognizes Trisquel as a distribution that exclusively contains free software, which is no small endorsement in the free software community.

Overview

Trisquel offers a few distinct flavors, each catering to slightly different needs, though all adhering to the same free software ethos.

• Trisquel: This is the flagship version. It comes equipped with the MATE desktop environment , offering a familiar and functional graphical user interface (GUI). It boasts a substantial number of localizations, with English, Spanish, and 48 other languages pre-installed on a 2.9 GB live DVD image. If you need more languages, they can be downloaded during installation, assuming you have an internet connection.

• Trisquel Mini: For those with older, less powerful hardware or a penchant for efficiency, Trisquel Mini is the answer. It’s designed to be nimble, running smoothly on netbooks and aging machines. It opts for the lightweight LXDE desktop environment and utilizes lighter alternatives for applications typically found in more resource-intensive environments like GNOME or KDE . It uses lightweight GTK+ and X Window System components. While it supports English and Spanish out of the box, it comes on a more compact 1.5 GB live DVD image.

• Triskel: If the MATE desktop isn’t your cup of tea, Triskel offers an alternative that features the KDE graphical interface. It’s available as a 2.3 GB live DVD image, providing a different aesthetic and user experience while maintaining the core Trisquel philosophy.

• Trisquel Sugar TOAST: This edition is built around the Sugar desktop environment, a project specifically designed for children’s educational use. It aims to make learning interactive and engaging, replacing the standard MATE desktop with Sugar’s unique interface and tools.

• Trisquel NetInstall: For the more technically inclined or those who prefer a minimalist setup, NetInstall provides a tiny 25MB CD ISO image. This image contains just enough to kickstart a network-based installation, fetching all subsequent packages directly from the internet. It’s a barebones approach for users who want precise control over their installation.

Internationalization

Trisquel makes a considerable effort to be accessible globally. The full installation is a linguistic smorgasbord, offering 51 languages out of the box. This impressive list includes Albanian , Arabic , Aranese , Asturian , Basque , Bulgarian , Catalan , Central Khmer , Simplified Chinese , Traditional Chinese , Croatian , Czech , Danish , Dutch , English , Esperanto , Estonian , Finnish , French , Galician , German , Greek , Hebrew , Hindi , Hungarian , Indonesian , Irish , Italian , Japanese , Korean , Latvian , Lithuanian , Low German , Norwegian Bokmål , Norwegian Nynorsk , Occitan , Punjabi , Polish , Portuguese , Romanian , Russian , Serbian , Slovak , Slovenian , Spanish , Swedish , Tamil , Thai , Turkish , Valencian , and Vietnamese . These are all packed into a downloadable 1.2-gigabyte DVD image.

Source Code

For those who want to delve deeper or perhaps recompile, the complete source code for the full Trisquel 11 installation is available. It comes in a rather substantial tar file, weighing in at approximately 8.8 or 9.4 gigabytes. If you prefer a more distributed approach, the source code can also be obtained via a torrent file.

History

The genesis of Trisquel can be traced back to 2004. Initially, it was sponsored by the University of Vigo with the specific goal of improving Galician language support within educational software. The project was formally introduced in April 2005, and it garnered significant attention, even featuring Richard Stallman , the founder of the GNU Project , as a distinguished guest. According to Rubén Rodríguez, the project director, the focus on the Galician language had an unexpected ripple effect, sparking interest among emigrant communities from the Province of Ourense in South America and Mexico. By December 2008, Trisquel had achieved a significant milestone: the Free Software Foundation added it to their official list of FSF-endorsed GNU/Linux distributions, a testament to its unwavering commitment to free software principles.

Release History

The evolution of Trisquel is marked by a series of releases, each building upon the last and reflecting changes in the underlying Ubuntu base and the broader free software landscape.

It’s important to note that releases utilizing GNOME 3.x employed GNOME Classic/Flashback rather than the default GNOME Shell . Since version 6, Trisquel has been consistently based on the LTS (Long-Term Support) versions of Ubuntu .

Included Software

Trisquel comes with a curated selection of software, all of which is free software.

*The rebranding of Firefox to Abrowser is a consequence of the Mozilla Trademark Policy, which restricts modifications that incorporate their trademark without explicit consent. †Features like not initiating network connections automatically fall under this category.

Beyond this core set, Trisquel includes tools for remote desktop operations, photo/image viewing , scanner integration, a variety of games (solitaire, Minesweeper , chess, Mahjongg, Sudoku), and utilities for managing software. This includes both the powerful Synaptic Package Manager and a simpler “Add/Remove Applications” interface for easier discovery of popular programs.

In earlier versions, Gnash , a free SWF viewer, was provided instead of the proprietary Adobe Flash Player .

Trisquel has also offered specialized editions in the past:

• Trisquel LTSP classroom server: Managed via iTALC .
• Trisquel Pro: A business-oriented edition, only featured with Trisquel 2.0 LTS Robur (2008).
• Trisquel Edu: An education-focused edition, also only released with Trisquel 2.0 Robur (2008).
• Trisquel on Sugar: An educational version utilizing the Sugar desktop environment, released concurrently with Trisquel 7.
• Trisquel Gamer: An independent edition maintained by David Zaragoza, bundling 55 free games. It was released with Trisquel 3.5 (2010), which is now unsupported.

Reception

Trisquel has generally been met with a mix of praise and pragmatic observations, particularly concerning its strict adherence to free software.

Jesse Smith, writing for DistroWatch , reviewed the 4.0 release, Taranis. He described it as refined and dependable, though he noted some difficulty in removing software as a minor inconvenience. He lauded Trisquel for demonstrating practical utility rather than just blindly adhering to free software criteria. Later, reviewing Trisquel 7.0, Smith acknowledged the potential challenges with hardware requiring proprietary drivers or firmware, and the less-than-perfect Flash support with Gnash . However, he concluded that Trisquel 7.0 was nearly as capable as distributions that did not restrict themselves to free software, finding it stable, functional, user-friendly, and easy to install. He particularly recommended it for those who value or wish to promote free software, calling it an excellent example of what free software can achieve. When reviewing the 11.0 release, Aramo, in 2023, Smith reiterated Trisquel’s success in showcasing free software capabilities but also pointed out the inherent limitations, stating, “This is, of course, the point of Trisquel, being a beacon of free-only software… This distribution offers a narrower path to walk, but it is a very smooth, pretty path.”

Jim Lynch of Desktop Linux Reviews found the 5.5 release, Brigantia, to be “well-ordered and well developed,” recommending it to users regardless of their stance on free software, deeming it suitable for both beginners and advanced users.

Chris Fisher and Matt Hartley of The Linux Action Show! appreciated Trisquel 5.5 and 5.5 Mini for their design, ease of use, and hardware support. However, they identified the Linux-libre kernel as a point of friction, noting that it could hinder the functionality of proprietary wireless devices. They suggested that Trisquel might be better suited for power users rather than newcomers.

Jack M. Germain, in Tech News World, praised the 9.0 release, Etiona, calling Trisquel Linux a “computing staple you wished you knew about much sooner” and noting its polished nature. He highlighted Trisquel’s suitability for home users, small businesses, and educational institutions, suggesting it could also serve as an excellent platform for multimedia workstations.

Conversely, Jack Wallen, reviewing Aramo for ZDNet , reported glitches during installation and criticized the user interface as “boring” and the kernel as dated. Nevertheless, he concluded that Trisquel offers “rock-solid desktop distribution” and that “Triskel” (likely referring to the KDE variant) provides a more flexible, though still dated, desktop. He also noted the Debian-like stability of both.

Richard Stallman , a prominent figure in the free software movement, has publicly stated his use of Trisquel on a Thinkpad X200 running Libreboot , as of 2022. He had previously used the Lemote Yeeloong .

Hardware Support

Trisquel has progressively expanded its hardware compatibility. Initially, support for IA-32 and x86-64 CPU architectures was included from Trisquel 5.5 onwards, featuring free software-compatible chipsets . However, support for the 32-bit IA-32 architecture was discontinued with the release of Trisquel 10. In the same release (Trisquel 10), support for 32-bit ARM processors with a floating-point unit (armhf ) was introduced. Trisquel 11.0 further broadened its reach by adding support for 64-bit ARM and POWER processors.

See Also

• Free and open-source software portal
• Comparison of Linux distributions
• List of Linux distributions based on Ubuntu