HPCwire: Fixstars Releases Yellow Dog Linux 6.2

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June 29, 2009

Fixstars Releases Yellow Dog Linux 6.2

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LOVELAND, Colo., June 29 -- Fixstars today announced the immediate availability of Yellow Dog Linux version 6.2, delivering several updates and improvements making it simpler to install, faster, and easier to use.

This release offers an updated kernel v2.6.29 for 64-bit systems, OpenOffice 3.0, Firefox 3.0.6 and IBM Cell SDK v3.1.0.1, as well as the next generation of ps3vram for fast, temporary file storage or swap using PS3 video RAM. With this release, ps3vram is up to 50 percent faster than in YDL 6.1 and is automatically enabled as swap.

YDL 6.2 now offers libfreevec, a (LGPL) library with replacement routines for GLIBC, such as memcpy(), strlen(), etc. These routines, which have been rewritten and optimized to use the AltiVec vector engine found in the G4/G4+ PowerPC CPUs, can provide for up to 25 percent increase in application performance.

With YDL v6.2, Fixstars has added a fourth alternative for the desktop environment: Xfce 4. A fast and lightweight desktop environment, Xfce runs applications quickly while reserving system resources, making it ideal for memory limited systems such as the PS3. Although E17 still runs as the default, users can select to install and enable Xfce at any time.

For wireless users, the graphical interface Wicd for PowerBooks and PS3s, now offers more reliable WEP and WPA security protocols.

"In Yellow Dog Linux v6.2, we focused on refining the existing features from previous releases," states Owen Stampflee, Fixstars Linux product manager. "We have fine tuned everything from Shockwave Flash support to wireless operation. This release is another example of how Fixstars continues to produce the sashimi of the Linux world; anything else is just a fried fish sandwich."

YDL v6.2 supports:

Apple PowerPC G4/G5 products
Sony PLAYSTATION3
YDL PowerStation

YDL v6.2 offers the following updates and improvements over v6.1:

Ability to install and boot using USB thumb drive
Kernel v2.6.29 for ppc64, v2.6.27 for ppc32
IBM Cell SDK v3.1.0.1
Xfce 4 Desktop Environment
OpenOffice 3.0
Mozilla Firefox v3.0.6
Improved Wicd
Improved PS3VRAM support
Libfreevec
Gnash v0.8.4
Over 600 updated packages in all!
Over 2500 new packages in EPEL (Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux), available via yum.

YDL v6.2 is available today via YDL.net Enhanced accounts which may be purchased at the Fixstars Store.

The physical DVD sets and bootable USB drives will ship from Fixstars in two weeks. The public mirrors will offer v6.2 downloads in one month. For a calendar of release dates, visit us.fixstars.com/products/ydl/delivery.shtml.

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