This release also includes a review of the package set used by the four Semi-rolling editions. The goal was to reduce historical differences between the different images and establish a more consistent common base, while keeping in each edition only the components required by its desktop environment.
The new images are available in KDE Plasma, GNOME, XFCE and COSMIC editions.
Synex Connections: SSH connection management from the desktop
This release introduces Synex Connections 0.2.0, a new application developed to manage SSH connections through a graphical interface integrated into the desktop.
Synex Connections allows users to save and organize servers, open multiple sessions in tabs and work directly from an integrated VTE-based terminal. The application does not implement its own SSH protocol: connections are handled by OpenSSH, preserving its usual behavior and security mechanisms, including host key verification.
Profiles can use the automatic OpenSSH configuration, password authentication or a specific identity key.
When a password is stored, Synex Connections does not maintain its own credentials file. The application uses Secret Service, integrating with the secrets manager available in each environment. On KDE Plasma, credentials are stored through KWallet, while the other editions use GNOME Keyring.
In this way, Synex Connections aims to solve an everyday need without replacing the tools Linux already provides for the task: the interface manages profiles and sessions, while OpenSSH remains responsible for the connection and the desktop environment handles credential protection.
A more consistent base across the four editions
During the preparation of these images, we carried out a complete review of the composition of KDE Plasma, GNOME, XFCE and COSMIC.
Over time, each edition had accumulated small differences in system packages, hardware support and common components. Some of them were the result of actual requirements of the desktop environment being used, while others were simply a consequence of the independent evolution of each image.
This review now establishes a more homogeneous shared base across the four editions, with a clearer separation between general system components and those that specifically belong to each desktop.
The work covers areas such as graphics and multimedia support, storage, printing and scanning, system services, hardware integration and input methods, while also reviewing dependencies that previously entered the images indirectly.
The change is not intended to turn the four images into identical systems. KDE Plasma, GNOME, XFCE and COSMIC continue to retain their own tools and integrations; what is being unified is what forms part of the general Synex base.
In addition to simplifying image maintenance, this organization makes it easier to detect future differences caused by the constant changes in Debian Testing.
COSMIC 1.8.0
The COSMIC edition moves from version 1.5.0 included in the previous release to COSMIC Epoch 1.8.0.
The update covers the environment as a whole, including the compositor, session, panel, settings application, COSMIC Files and the applications that form part of the desktop.
This version also introduces a new package, synex-cosmic-wallpapers, specifically intended to integrate Synex wallpapers with COSMIC. Wallpapers are now installed in the location naturally used by this environment, avoiding dependence on paths belonging to other desktops.
As in previous versions, Synex retains its visual identity, initial configuration and the adaptations required to integrate COSMIC with the rest of the system.
Synex Package Manager 1.3.0: new Maintenance section
Synex Package Manager 1.3.0 introduces a new Maintenance section, focused on installation restoration and migration tasks.
The software list import and export functions, which were previously located under Settings, have been moved to this new section and expanded to also cover the repositories used by the system.
SPM can now export known repositories together with the software selection and later reconstruct them using recipes maintained by Synex. Instead of copying APT files or keyrings from one installation to another, the import process recognizes the repository and configures it again using its current definition.
This approach allows a restoration performed at a later date to use the current repository configuration instead of reproducing files that may have become obsolete.
Repositories added manually or not included in the catalog are reported during export, but they are not restored automatically.
The restoration order has also been reviewed. SPM first prepares the required support, refreshes APT metadata and recalculates package availability before beginning installation. When the list contains Flatpak applications, Flatpak support and its remotes are prepared or repaired before processing the requested software set.
The release also includes improvements to the detection and configuration of known repositories, including recent changes affecting Microsoft Edge, Spotify and Devolutions RDM, together with more detailed logging throughout the import process.
The purpose of this new section is to begin bringing together in one place the tools intended to reconstruct an installation and recover its software selection, without attempting to blindly restore configurations that belong to a previous installation.
GNOME and X11 sessions
GNOME continues to use Wayland as its primary session.
Due to changes in Debian Testing and GNOME, the former GNOME Shell on X11 session is no longer included in these images. As an alternative for users who still require an X11-based session, the edition now includes GNOME Flashback.
This allows GDM to offer either the regular GNOME session on Wayland or GNOME Flashback for scenarios where X11 is still required.
Main components
The Synex Semi-rolling 26.09.16 images were built on Debian Testing and include Linux 7.1.13, systemd 261.2, OpenSSL 3.6.4, Mesa 26.1.6, PipeWire 1.6.8, WirePlumber 0.5.17 and Firefox ESR 140.15.0.
The editions that include Flatpak use Flatpak 1.18.2.
Installation is handled by Calamares 3.4.2 and calamares-settings-synex 1.0.31. All four images include Synex Package Manager 1.3.0, Synex Connections 0.2.0 and grub-btrfs.
By edition:
- KDE Plasma 6.7.4, with KWin 6.7.4 and Dolphin 26.08.0.
- GNOME Shell 50.4, with GDM3 50.2 and Nautilus 50.2.2.
- XFCE 4.20, with xfce4-panel 4.20.8, xfce4-session 4.20.4, xfwm4 4.20.0 and Thunar 4.20.9.
- COSMIC Epoch 1.8.0.
Availability
Synex Semi-rolling 26.09.16 is available for download in KDE Plasma, GNOME, XFCE and COSMIC editions.
As always, we recommend verifying the checksums of downloaded images before creating the installation media.
Download Synex Semi-rolling here.