It's a simple but effective desktop.
AI is being promoted everywhere. Many Linux distributions have already proclaimed they will never add it to the desktop (as Apple and Microsoft have for MacOS and Windows). With the latest release, Linux Lite decided to buck that trend… sort of.
I'll explain that bit in a moment.
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The new release of Linux Lite (version 7.2) is as good as it's always been. It's lean, sleek, easy to use, and includes everything you need to be social, productive, and/or entertained. I've covered Linux Lite before, proclaiming it as the best way to revive your old computer. I still stand by that claim because Linux Lite really is a great option for those aging machines.
That said, Linux Lite will also serve you well on modern hardware. Plus, like nearly every Linux distribution on the market, Linux Lite is free to download and install on as many computers as needed.
What's in this new release?
Let's start with the obvious freshness that's been added to the desktop.
First and foremost, Linux Lite ships with version 4.18 of the Xfce desktop, which includes plenty of improvements to the Thunar file manager (such as an editable toolbar, split view, file highlighting, recursive search, on-screen notifications for undo/redo, and more), a new Lite Theme Manager, new preferences in the Panel, new font options for the clock applet, the ability to disable header bars in dialogs, pick a default monitor before you add a secondary monitor, and more.
Okay, I know what you're thinking… that's not much. The thing to keep in mind is that the developers of the Xfce desktop take a more conservative approach to new releases. This desktop has evolved at a snail's pace because what they have works, and the Xfce community knows this. It's one of the few desktop environments where you don't find a lot of users clamoring for game-changing new features.
"It just works… and always will" should be Xfce's mantra.
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Version 7.2 also ships with Linux kernel 6.8.0-49. That might sound like an older kernel (given the latest is 6.11.6), but it was only released on March 10, 2024. According to endoflife.date, version 6.8 of the Linux kernel stopped receiving security support on May 30, 2024. Version 6.8 is not an LTS (Long Term Support), so this is no surprise. It also doesn't mean you should avoid Linux Lite 7.2. This release is based on Ubuntu 24.04, which is a Long Term Support release, and if you need to upgrade to the 6.11 kernel, you can install it with this command:
sudo apt-get install linux-headers-linuxlite-6.11.0 linux-image-linuxlite-6.11.0 -y
After installation, reboot, so the changes will take effect. Support for the 6.11 kernel ends on January 15, 2025.
Sometimes, support seems to be like an always-spinning rotating door.
You'll also find LibreOffice 24.2.6, GIMP 2.10.36, and VLC 3.0.20 (among other apps) installed and ready to go.
What about this AI thing?
As I mentioned earlier, AI has been added to the mix, but it's not quite what you're probably thinking. There's no AI app to open or integration to be found. The Linux Lite team went far more subtle than that. The AI is really just a website that serves as a direct support option: "Linux Lite AI Chat." It's there to "help you with all of your Linux Lite-related questions and issues." You can type a query, such as How do I install a theme in Linux Lite?, click Send, and you'll get your answer.
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Just for fun, I decided to open the default Chrome browser, point it to the AI Chat, save it as an app, and voilà… an AI web app that is accessible as a launcher on the desktop. I tested the AI chat for accuracy and found it pretty spot on. Although the instructions for upgrading the kernel differ from mine, they still work.
Personally, I believe this is the way to go for introducing AI to the Linux desktop, and I don't believe it needs to go any further than that. Integrating AI into the Linux operating system would be incredibly difficult, given how disparate the development teams are that create the various desktop apps. The Linux Lite developers would have to coordinate with teams from Xfce, Linux Kernel developers, LibreOffice, and countless others. I cannot imagine that happening on a level that would be necessary to get AI integrated throughout the desktop.
Save the Linux Lite chatbot site as a web app and it's accessible from your desktop.
All told, Linux Lite 7.2 is a small step forward for the distribution, but a slightly larger step forward for users. If you're worried you won't be able to figure out how to use Linux, you would do well with this distribution because you have a dedicated AI chatbot to answer Linux Lite-specific questions specific.
If you want to give this distribution a try, download the version 7.2 ISO and have at it.