Change Log

All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
The format is based on Keep a Changelog.

v4.2.1 - 2025-02-26

Fixed

  • system/networking: fix inability to use Wi-Fi network adapters

Changed

  • upgrade all packages to latest versions

v4.2.0 - 2024-12-17

Added

Removed

  • office: remove libreoffice-base from the default installation

  • audio/video: remove OBS Studio from the default installation

  • network & internet: remove Kiwix from the default installation

  • system: remove gdebi graphical package installer

Changed

  • update all packages to latest versions, rebase on Debian 12.8.0

  • system: firmware: only install firmware for network devices and CPU microcode by default

  • network: install keepassxc-browser Firefox extension from official Debian package instead of addons.mozilla.org

  • firefox: user.js: enable WebRender GPU-based rendering by default (improve performance)

  • skel: bash_aliases: gss: don’t show repositories with status ok

  • system: enable non-free-firmware repositories section during image build (but exclude large or rarely used non-free firmware from the binary image to keep the ISO image under 2GB)

v4.1.0 - 2023-12-06

Added

  • packages: system/package management: add gnome-package-updater (gpk-update-viewer)

  • system: add firmware for Realtek, Atheros, Broadcom and Intel Wi-Fi devices

Removed

  • network: remove Pidgin instant messaging client

Changed

  • update all packages to latest versions, rebase on Debian 12.2.0 [1] [2]

  • grub: enable auto-detection of other Operating Systems (dual-boot configurations)

  • firefox: update user.js to v0.9.0 (UI: replace the window title bar with the tabs bar)

  • update documentation

v4.0.0 - 2023-07-13

Upgrade procedure: Follow the official Debian upgrade procedure, or backup your data, reinstall, and restore. Note: some changes will only take effect after creating a new user account. If upgrading without reinstalling, you will need to apply some of the changes below (notably add/remove packages) manually.

Added

  • config: add the non-free-firmware component to APT sources list

  • packages: utility: add alarm-clock-applet

  • skel: bash: add an alias gss to show the status of git repositories under ~/GIT using mgitstatus

Changed

  • rebase on Debian 12 “Bookworm”

  • config: enable tap-to-click by default for all touchpads

  • config: xfce4-panel: set clock panel plugin font to Roboto 9, set clock format to HH:MM

  • config: autostart: disable alarm-clock-applet autostart

  • config: remove catfish file search from Thunar custom actions and xfce4-whiskermenu favorites (Thunar file manager now has a native file search feature)

  • config: xsettings: sync xfwm4 theme to GTK theme changes if possible

  • config: use long date format to display dates in Thunar file manager

  • config: remove pidgin from whiskermenu favorites

  • config: remove custom wallpapers/backgrounds, use the new Debian 12 “Emerald” theme everywhere

  • firefox: disable Mozilla VPN ads, re-enable WebGL full capability mode and extensions, display bookmarks toolbar by default, display separate search/location bars by default, disable Firefox studies (Shield), set the default search engine to DuckDuckGo instead of Google (update user.js to v0.8.0)

  • cleanup: packages: update package names to their Debian 12 names

  • tests: update test tooling

  • doc: update documentation

Removed

Fixed

  • fix XFCE power manager unable to suspend the system on laptop lid close/low battery

v3.1.1 - 2022-11-11

Removed

  • remove nextcloud-desktop to decrease .ISO image size

  • remove zenity to decrease .ISO image size

  • extras: remove Signal Desktop to decrease .ISO image size

  • remove unfrequently used firmware-netronome to decrease image .ISO size

Fixed

  • decrease ISO image size to <2GB to allow upload on github releases

v3.1.0 - 2022-11-08

Added

Changed

  • update all packages to latest Debian Stable versions

  • update documentation

v3.0.1 - 2022-09-01

Added

Removed

  • packages: remove gnome-clocks

  • packages: remove NVIDIA proprietary drivers from the default installation

Changed

  • update all packages to latest stable versions

  • no longer install Linux kernel/firmware and NVIDIA drivers from backports, use versions from Debian Stable

  • defaults/skel: autostart keepassxc on login

  • defaults/skel: enable KeepassXC/Firefox integration by default

  • defaults/skel: add keyboard shortcuts to tile the active window left/right/top right/bottom right (Super+Left/Right/Up/Down)

  • defaults/skel: .gitconfig: remember git HTTP credentials, use rebase mode by default for git pull

  • packages: install yt-dlp from debian backports instead of third-party repository

  • firefox: always show the bookmarks toolbar (update user.js to v0.4.0)

Fixed

  • fix boot in legacy BIOS mode (Failed to load COM32 file vesamenu.c32)

  • fix unattended-upgrades configuration (automatically update packages from Debian Backports)

  • fix XFCE power manager unable to suspend the system on laptop lid close/low battery

Upgrade procedure

If you have a system installed from a previous version of debian-live-config:

  • Recommended: Backup user data, download the latest ISO image, reinstall (overwrite the existing installation), restore data from backups

  • To upgrade without reinstalling:

# remove (or comment out) APT pinning configuration
sudo rm /etc/apt/preferences.d/99backports
# force downgrade of kernel/nvidia-driver to the stable version
sudo nano /etc/apt/preferences.d/99downgrade-backports

# paste this to /etc/apt/preferences.d/99downgrade-backports, save and exit
# always use kernel, firmware and nvidia drivers from stable
Package: linux-image-*
Pin: release a=bullseye
Pin-Priority: 1000

Package: linux-headers-*
Pin: release a=bullseye
Pin-Priority: 1000

Package: firmware-*
Pin: release a=bullseye
Pin-Priority: 1000

Package: nvidia-*
Pin: release a=bullseye
Pin-Priority: 1000

  • Optionally, update your configuration according to changes since the last release. Changes to /etc/skel will only take effect after creating a new user account.

v3.0.0 - 2021-10-28

Changed

  • rebase on Debian 11.1.0 “Bullseye”

  • doc: increase RAM requirements to 2GB/recommended 4GB

  • apt: update APT sources lists/configuration

  • replace backintime backup tool with deja-dup

  • games: install lutris from official Debian repositories, remove third-party package download

  • extras: use .deb packages to manage additional/unofficial software (bleachbit-cleanerml, yt-dlp, pidgin-opensteamworks, user.js), remove custom installation logic, update all extra packages to latest releases

  • network/audio-video: replace youtube-dl/streamlink with yt-dlp (third-party package)

  • skel: update and fix conky configuration for recent versions

  • skel/session: don’t autostart blueman bluetooth manager by default

  • skel/session: don’t autostart keepassxc by default

  • skel: update default UI configuration for thunar, ristretto, xfce4-desktop, xfce4-panel

  • skel: replace xfce4-power-manager notification icon with battery panel plugin

  • skel: xfwm4: enable video compositing by default (transparency effects)

  • skel: xfwm4: disable confusing “Use mouse wheel on title bar to roll up the window” setting

  • skel: thunar: add custom right-click menu actions to restore files/directories with deja-dup, and analyze disk usage (baobab) in the selected directory

  • skel: vlc: don’t ask for network metadata access, disable it by default

  • prevent PC speaker beep when logging out of desktop sessions

  • reduce ISO image size (don’t keep APT indices on the live filesystem)

  • doc: update user/maintainer documentation/download links

  • doc: installation: rotate GPG key (old key expired)

  • doc: update alternative/suggested packages list, remove packages no longer available in Debian 11

  • skel/desktop: update backgrounds/themes for Debian 11

  • skel: update default bash aliases (alias diff to colordiff, don’t alias diff)

  • tools: update tests/build configuration and automation tools, make build completely non-interactive

  • system/config: enable UFW firewall at boot by default

  • enable plymouth boot screen by default in the installed system

Added

Removed

Fixed

  • apt: always install/upgrade Linux kernel and Nvidia drivers from backports

  • skel: fix default file associations for text and media files

  • installer: fix unbootable system when selecting “whole disk with encrypted LVM” in debian installer disk partitioning options

  • fix not working/partially working desktop session language selection

Upgrade procedure

If you have a system installed from a previous version of debian-live-config:

  • Recommended: Backup user data, download the latest ISO image, reinstall (overwrite the existing installation), restore data from backups

  • To upgrade without reinstalling:

# read Debian 11 release notes: https://www.debian.org/News/2021/20210814
# replace buster with bullseye in your APT sources
sudo sed -i 's/buster/bullseye/g' /etc/apt/sources.list /etc/apt/sources.list.d/*
# install the updated APT configuration
sudo rm -v /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian-buster-updates-security-backports.list
wget https://gitlab.com/nodiscc/debian-live-config/-/blob/bullseye/config/archives/debian-updates-security-backports.list.chroot
sudo mv -v debian-updates-security-backports.list.chroot /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian-updates-security-backports.list
# run the upgrade
sudo apt update && sudo apt dist-upgrade
# optionally, update your configuration according to changes since the last release:
# https://gitlab.com/nodiscc/debian-live-config/-/compare/2.2.5...3.0.0
# /etc/skel modifications will only take effect after creating a new user account

v2.2.5 - 2020-12-16

Removed

  • remove Liferea feed reader from default install

  • remove gnome-maps from default install

Fixed

  • nano: fix loading of syntax highlighting configuratio from ~/.nano/*.nanorc

Changed

  • update third-party Lutris package to 0.5.8.1

  • update documentation/.gitconfig examples

  • tools: improve build/cleanup mechanisms

v2.2.4 - 2020-10-22

Added

  • add Lutris gaming platform

  • add sensible defaults for mousepad text editor

Fixed

  • fix display of virt-manager console (add missing gir1.2-spiceclientgtk-3.0 package)

Changed

  • update all packages to latest version (Debian 10.6)

  • replace ntp time synchronization service with chrony

  • keyboard shortcuts: add ctrl+alt+shift+left/down/right/up to move current windows to the left/down/right/up workspace

  • libvirt: set the default URI to qemu:///system (virsh now works without sudo or –connect)

  • dotfiles/conky: don’t draw shades by default

  • update documentation

  • tools: various Makefile improvements

v2.2.3 - 2020-05-10

Bugfix release.

Fixed

  • packages: add non-free nvidia-driver (fix no display at X startup on nvidia cards)

  • packages: fix inability to mount luks encrypted disks (missing libblockdev-crypto2 package)

  • packages: fix lightdm not showing the user list (missing accountsservice package)

  • doc: fix readthedocs TOC/typos/syntax, reorder graphics package list, update auto-generated documentation (make doc), add links to source mirrors

Changed

  • dotfiles: .bash_aliases: add example of return code indication in bash prompt

  • tools: remove unused build dependencies (xmlstarlet, shellcheck), add gnupg to build dependencies (checksums signing), add python3-venv to build dependencies (doc generation)

v2.2.2 - 2020-04-11

Changed

  • Disable window manager compositor by default (improve video performance/prevent tearing)

  • Update user.js to 0.1

  • Remove unused locales from live system (only keep en/fr), decrease iso image size

Added

  • Documentation at https://debian-live-config.readthedocs.io/ (auto-generated with Sphinx/python script)

Fixed

  • Fix APT sources lists not present in the final image

  • Improve/cleanup makefile and package lists

  • Fix error during installation in EFI boot mode

v2.2.1 - 2020-03-14

Changed

  • remove all plymouth/wallpaper customizations, use Debian defaults

  • display plymouth boot loading screen

  • Makefile: move 3rd party downloads to separate file, improve ‘clean’ target, improve idempotence/separation of concerns

  • skel: quodlibet: set default rating to 0

  • skel: xfwm: decrease default number of workspaces to 2

  • skel: xfwm4: disable window shadows

  • update README

Added

  • add third party package for https://github.com/EionRobb/pidgin-opensteamworks/

  • add third party download for https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/keepassxc-browser/

  • add third party download for https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/cookie-autodelete/

  • add third party download for https://gitlab.com/nodiscc/user.js

  • add third-party download for https://github.com/az0/cleanerml

  • add (disabled) third party download for https://www.sublimetext.com/

  • Makefile: add a target to generate a TODO.md from a list of gitea issues, add TODO.md

Removed

  • remove Samba server

Fixed

  • fix broken installation of graphics/image packages list

  • associate SVG files with ristretto

v2.2 - 2020-03-08

Initial release, git repository reset and rebuilt from scratch. See commit messages and documentation.