MX Linux: Debian stable, already equipped
MX Linux is a Debian stable desktop, in Xfce, Plasma or Fluxbox, with a live USB and a choice between SysVinit and systemd. It is not a rolling release.
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What to expect
MX Linux fits if you want Debian stable already furnished, a live session you can keep, and a choice of init. The ahs edition targets very new hardware. The website says it collects nothing. Firefox is installed by default.
Who it is for
MX Linux fits if you want a computer you can use at once, on Debian stable, without assembling the system piece by piece. It fits poorly if you want Arch’s pace, or a desktop nobody has already chosen for you.
What you gain
The current release, MX-25.3, rests on Debian stable 13.7, with backports. Three desktops: Xfce, Plasma and Fluxbox. One image offers both SysVinit and systemd. The Advanced Hardware Support edition targets very recent hardware, with a Liquorix kernel.
You can encrypt the root, the home folder and swap. The live USB, inherited from antiX, keeps persistence, a snapshot and a remaster. Firefox, LibreOffice, VLC and Thunderbird are there. Releases that use the Debian kernel advertise Secure Boot.
What you take on
This is not a rolling release. When the Debian stable base changes, a reinstall is required to stay reliable. Between bases, point releases spare you from starting over.
The edition for recent hardware does not use the Debian kernel. Do not give it the Secure Boot support stated for the others. Support is the forum, not a paid desk. The package installer can also fetch software from outside Debian stable: that choice is yours, not the base.
Privacy
The project’s policy covers the website. It says the site does not collect or store personal information, and does not set cookies. It does not describe the installed system.
The current-release page does not document telemetry of MX’s own. Firefox is still the default browser. What it sends is set in Firefox. A package you add later can call home on its own.
The decision
Choose MX Linux for Debian stable already equipped, with the live session and the dual init. Take the recent-hardware edition only if the machine is new. Take Debian if you want fewer tools decided in advance, antiX if you want to stay without systemd.
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MX Linux
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Sources for this article
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- MX-25.3 features ↗mxlinux.org ·
This article draws on the sources above. The exercises are for you to try on your devices; SecuFocus does not present them as tests carried out by its editorial team. Interfaces and features can change. Method and corrections.
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