Foresight Linux Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foresight_Linux
| Foresight | |
|---|---|
 | |
 The Foresight Linux 2.5.2 desktop with LXDE | |
| Developer | Foresight Community |
| OS family | Linux (Unix-like) |
| Working state | Discontinued |
| Source model | Mixed source |
| Latest release | (Rolling release) 2.5.3 / April 12, 2013 |
| Update method | PackageKit (gnome-packagekit) |
| Package manager | Conary |
| Platforms | IA-32, x86-64 |
| Kernel type | Monolithic (Linux) |
| Default user interface | GNOME, KDE, LXDE, Xfce |
| Official website | https://www.foresightlinux.org |
Foresight Linux was a Linux distribution comprising free and proprietary software with the goal of showcasing the latest in Linux desktop technologies. Foresight is developed by the Foresight community and is based on rPath, it also follows a rolling release cycle, instead of a time-based release schedule.
The project announced it was shutting down at the end of May 2015.[1][2]
History
[edit]Foresight was created by Ken VanDine as a Linux distribution to showcase the most current releases of GNOME while working on the GNOME Marketing team.[3]
Since then it has undergone change through generally minor revisions (via rolling release). This is in contrast to the system of major changes with each version number employed by many other distributions. However, there have been occasional major changes, most notably the transition from Foresight 1.x to Foresight 2. Along the way several original deficiencies have been cured as well, among them the lack of 64 bit support, which was introduced in Foresight 2, and the lack of a graphical package manager, which was filled by PackageKit.
After the release of Foresight 2, the developers held a packaging contest within the community in order to boost the number of applications available for the new release, either by porting them from Foresight 1, or packaging them afresh. The contest was sponsored by Shuttle Inc., Foresight's OEM partner, in the form of computers (Shuttle's KPC) and peripherals for the winners.[4] Though originally planned to last one month, the contest was extended to two near the end of the first so that a greater number of packages could be completed. The process of testing all of the completed packages is currently underway[update], and no official announcements have been made as to the winner.
While originally a GNOME-based distribution, from version 2.5.0 Xfce and KDE desktops have been introduced.
Foresight was the recipient of the Ovatio Award for 2008 Distro of the Year by Ars Technica.[5]
Features
[edit]Foresight focuses on delivering the latest in desktop technologies. It usually provides up-to-date packages for the GNOME desktop environment, sometimes even within a day of their official release.[6] Projects such as GNOME Do, Banshee and PackageKit are included in the default Foresight installation. In addition to the GNOME Edition, Xfce and KDE Editions are available, both aiming to provide the latest versions of their respective desktop environments.[7]
Foresight uses the Conary package management system. Conary updates only specific files in packages that have changed, in contrast to other package managers such as RPM and dpkg, which reinstall the entire package.[8] It also supports granular dependency resolution and offers an easier packaging process. Repositories are provided free of charge to the community by rPath, Inc.[9]
All packages are maintained in a rolling release model: as updates are released upstream or picked up by maintainers, they transition through three branches of the Foresight repositories—Development, Quality Assurance (QA), and Stable—before reaching end users.[8] Snapshots are taken every few months and new ISO images are published.[7]
Vendor support
[edit]Foresight used to be available pre-installed on the Shuttle's light-weight KPC system.[10]
References
[edit]- ^ "Gmane - Foresight Linux Project announces its retirement". Archived from the original on 2016-01-24. Retrieved 2015-05-12.
- ^ Nestor, Marius (2015-05-12). "Goodbye Foresight Linux". softpedia. Retrieved 2021-08-01.
- ^ "Creating the GNOME 2.18 Live Media: An interview with Ken VanDine". Archived from the original on 2009-01-22. Retrieved 2008-06-13.
- ^ "Foresight Contest Announcement". Archived from the original on May 16, 2008.
- ^ "The 2008 Ovatio Awards, by Ars Technica". 4 December 2008.
- ^ Cutler, Paul (March 2007). "Foresight Linux and GNOME". paulcutler.org (archived). Retrieved 24 June 2025.
- ^ a b "Foresight Linux". ArchiveOS. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
- ^ a b "A possible change of direction for Foresight Linux". LWN.net. 7 October 2008. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
- ^ "Foresight Linux Review". DVD-Guides.com (archived). Retrieved 24 June 2025.
- ^ "KPC Specifications". Shuttle Inc. Archived from the original on 2008-05-18. Retrieved 2008-05-26.
