The Emmabuntüs collective has released Emmabuntüs DE 6, a Debian-based Linux distribution designed to aid newcomers, reduce electronic waste, and support humanitarian charities. This latest version emphasizes improved accessibility features for users with disabilities while providing extensive tools for beginners. Built on Debian 13 Trixie, it aims to repurpose old computers through ethical open-source practices.
The Emmabuntüs project, maintained by a group of primarily French Linux enthusiasts for about 15 years, released Emmabuntüs DE 6 roughly a month ago. Originating from early versions based on Ubuntu between 2012 and 2015, the distribution shifted to Debian as its foundation starting with Emmabuntüs DE in 2016. The collective's mission centers on assisting non-profits like Emmaus International, a France-headquartered humanitarian organization that supports global aid efforts. By promoting the reuse of outdated hardware, Emmabuntüs seeks to minimize e-waste and introduce Linux to beginners without requiring advanced technical knowledge.
A key highlight of this release is its enhanced accessibility. From the initial boot, users benefit from integrated screen readers for both graphical desktops and text consoles, compatibility with Braille displays and embossers, additional audio cues for events like USB insertions, and simplified screen options for the visually impaired. These tools make the system more inclusive right out of the box.
Technically, Emmabuntüs DE 6 runs on Debian 13 "Trixie" and offers a live environment that can directly launch the Debian installer. It defaults to the Xfce 4.20 desktop environment, featuring a single top panel and a Cairo dock at the bottom, though users can switch to the lighter LXQt 2.1 post-installation. Storage uses a standard ext4 partition with a separate swap area, and Flatpak support is included by default without any preloaded Flatpaks.
For newcomers, the distro stands out with its comprehensive pre-installed software suite. This includes updated Extended Support Release versions of Firefox and Thunderbird, with Firefox configured for ad-blocking via UBlock Origin. Additional applications cover browsing (Falkon as a fallback), communication (Pidgin, Jitsi for video calls), and utilities for file management, sharing, and maintenance. The dock organizes apps into categories such as Communications, Office, Audio, Video, Education, and Accessibility. Local documentation ensures setup without internet access, complemented by tools like BleachBit for file cleaning, DWService for remote control, and Ventoy for boot media creation.
Post-installation, a series of welcome screens guides customization, including desktop environment selection, language adjustments, layout preferences, and wallpaper choices. Users can opt out of these prompts for future boots. Web browsers default to the Lilo search engine, which directs proceeds to environmental and humanitarian initiatives. While the interface may appear somewhat cluttered and less polished than distributions like Ubuntu or Linux Mint—with occasional French text—the system installs to about 11 GB of disk space and idles at roughly ¾ GB of RAM. It provides a solid entry point for Windows migrants, prioritizing functionality and support over aesthetic uniformity.
