Developer Zbigniew Konojacki has announced the release of 4MLinux 50.0, a minimalist Linux distribution featuring the JWM window manager. This update, arriving nearly four months after version 49.0, introduces support for reproducible builds and enhancements for webcams. It also adds several new applications and updates core software components.
The latest stable version of 4MLinux, 50.0, emphasizes simplicity and independence, running on 64-bit systems with Joe's Window Manager (JWM) as the default graphical environment. Key innovations include the ability to reproduce the distribution from its source code, a feature that enhances transparency and verifiability for users and developers.
Support for webcam devices has been bolstered through integrations with Zbar and the V4L2 Viewer, making it easier to handle video inputs. New additions to the software lineup feature the EmelFM2 file manager and uHexen2, a port of Raven Software's classic Hexen II game. Users can now install the GPAC multimedia framework as an extension, expanding media handling capabilities.
The 4MLinux Game Pack has been enriched with BlockOut II, a 3D Tetris variant, and PySol, offering a vast array of solitaire card games. Default applications have seen updates, including LibreOffice 25.8 for productivity, GIMP 3.1.4 for image editing, Mozilla Firefox 145 and Google Chrome 142.0 for browsing, and VLC 3.0.21 for media playback. The graphics stack utilizes Mesa 25.1.7, while email and office tools like Mozilla Thunderbird 140.5 and AbiWord 3.0.6 round out the essentials.
Underpinning the release is Linux kernel 6.12 LTS. The server variant, 4MServer, supports LAMP setups and includes refreshed components such as BusyBox 1.37.0, Perl 5.42.0, Python 3.13.8, and Ruby 3.4.7.
Zbigniew Konojacki has designated 4MLinux 49.0 as 'old stable,' recommending upgrades to 50.0. Meanwhile, the 48.0 series has reached end of life and will no longer receive support. Downloads for Full and Core editions are available from the official website, with further details in the release announcement.