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Legacy OS Changelog

What's new in Legacy OS 2.1 LTS

Mar 26, 2014
  • Today sees the release of Legacy OS 2.1 LTS (Long Term Release) the final Series 2 release ever! While there won't be any new releases for the 2 Series you can still expect new applications will be added to the repository over time. In this release you'll find some new applications and a few that have been update like the Opera Web Browser. Those who are currently using Legacy OS 2 will notice an improvement in Usability / Look and Feel. A number of configuring applications that once looked more like scripts now look like normal applications. With over 200 menu choices for users to choose from Legacy OS 2.1 LTS brings together a collection of extremely useful applications that could make a Pentium III PC far more useful then a user could imagine. Install once and use for years to come.

New in Legacy OS 2 (Jun 2, 2011)

  • After 9 months of development, today sees the release of Legacy OS 2.
  • With this release comes a host of improvements over Legacy OS. Many questions were asked about what makes a good Operating System. Users who have installed and used the previous release of Legacy OS regularly for a period of time will notice the improvements. I recommend everyone using Legacy OS to upgrade to Legacy OS 2. (Requires Re-install)
  • Where to start? The focus was to look at all expects of Legacy OS and make improvements.
  • We started by looking at the default Desktop and the gtk and kde themes it used.
  • It was decided to create a pleasant neutral look to tie all the include applications together. A desktop environment that was easy on the eye and usable every day. The look had to be usable for those who want or need to use Legacy OS 2 as their main Operating System.
  • While the gtk and kde themes share common elements, there are differences by design.
  • You'll only find one Window Manager (ICEWM). One icewm, gtk and kde theme. The goal was to keep it as simple as possible. We didn't want to confuse new users with multiple options.
  • Next was the look and feel of the applications. How does each application look to the user.
  • Does it look dated, what can we do to make it more visually appealing so users will want to use it. Can it be updated to a later version?
  • A large number of icons were replaced and for the first time new icons were created or modified especially for Legacy OS 2. Unique start up "Splash" imagines were created for a number of Applications.
  • We looked at ways of making it easier and faster to access applications through the sidebar, task bar and menu.
  • Where needed pop up messages provide unique information about an application to a user.
  • Applications like the ROX File Manager allow easy access to tasks by just right mouse clicking on a file.
  • Now it was time to turn our attention to the Applications included in Legacy OS.
  • Any application for one reason or another not up to standard was removed. Unused system files were deleted.
  • Archived repositories of many Distro's were searched for suitable applications. Forum's were searched back a number of years for lost and forgotten applications. These all had to be tested.
  • All the applications included in Legacy OS 2 were chosen for one reason or another. Yes we know there are newer versions available. What we looked for wasn't the age of the application but its usability, reliability and suitability on the Legacy Hardware this Operating System is designed for.
  • Applications New in Legacy OS 2:
  • asunder 1.6.2 (Music CD Ripper)
  • gwenview 1.1.8 (Image Manager)
  • k9copy 1.0.4 (DVD9 to DVD5 converter)
  • kadu 0.6.0 (Internet Chat Client for Linux)
  • kalcul 0.1 (Allows children to test their Maths skills)
  • kamix 0.6.6 (Sound Mixer will lots of options)
  • kdocker 1.3 (Docks open Applications in to the system tray)
  • kid3 0.5 (Edit/Rename MP3 song files)
  • koverartist 0.3.2 (Create CD/DVD cover art)
  • ksquirrel 0.8.0 (Image / document viewer)
  • kuake 0.3 (Pop down Terminal)
  • mandvd v2.2 (Video DVD Creator)
  • mrxvt 0.5.1 (Terminal)
  • multimedia converter 1.5 (Convert many Video/Sound formats easily)
  • oregano 0.40.4 (Schematic capture and circuit simulation)
  • pconvert v2.15-1 (Units Converter cms to inches, kmh to mph etc)
  • qalculate v0.7.2 (Units Converter cms to inches, kmh to mph etc and more)
  • quacc v3.5 (Home accounting software)
  • rekordmydesktop 0.3 (Record your desktop in to OGG format)
  • screensaver mu-v0.2 (MU's experimental basic Screensaver improved)
  • tuxpaint 0.9.14 (Small children's paint Application)
  • xvidcap 1.1.5 (Record parts of your desktop in to Mpeg format)
  • you2pup 2.1.4 (Download and convert videos from Youtube)
  • Applications Removed for the following reasons:
  • fluxbox 0.9.3 (To focus on one window manager only)
  • frostwire 4.13.3 (No longer connected to Host/Legal problems with files)
  • kooldock 0.3 (Again to focus on one window manager)
  • kover 2.9.6 (Replaced KoverArtist)
  • kuickshow 0.8.12 (Replaced by better Applications)
  • numerical chameleon 1.6.0 (Replaced by Qalculate)
  • showimg 0.9.4.1 (Replaced by better Applications)
  • grip 3.0.0 (Replaced by Asunder)
  • A number of files applications rely on have also been updating.
  • For Example: ffmpeg updated to 0.6.1 (A number of newer multimedia formats now supported)
  • The Hard Drive Installer has been improved within the original framework. Message boxes to guide a user through the install and rewording of the Installer should allow more users to successfully install Legacy OS 2 on their Hard Drives. While it's no up to Ubuntu standards, it's still an improvement over the Installer in Legacy OS.
  • The above processors were performed many times over and are what makes Legacy OS 2 our best release ever!
  • I hope you enjoy using Legacy OS 2 as much as we enjoyed creating it for you!

New in Legacy OS - (Sep 2, 2010)

  • What is Legacy OS Linux and why would I want to use it? Legacy OS is all about reviving an old Windows 98 / Me PC that would otherwise sit in a cupboard, attic or end up as Landfill. To do this it has to be usable in a real world environment and provide compliance with current online standards. A user wants to be able to connect online and have an acceptable Internet experience. Legacy OS comes with Opera 10.10 Web Browser as default which is also the default Email Client. Some System Files have been updated to allow the current version of Adobe Flash Player 10.1, Java 1.6 and other required Plugins / Codecs to operate in what in reality is a Legacy Operating System. By building on a system base that is now 4 to 7 years old, gives a User access to a base of System Drivers that are no longer supported by the majority of Linux Distro's available today.
  • Because of the Legacy nature of the Operating System, a very large selection of
  • useful Applications come standard with the Distro and most users won't feel the need to install any extra software. In this release you'll find no Open Office? Why? It was felt that Abiword and Gnumeric would allow a user to still write the odd
  • letter and may be do a spreadsheet. Open Office takes up a large amount of B's on the CD that could be put to better use. This has allowed the inclusion of a large number of extra Applications that would otherwise not find themselves included.
  • Legacy OS comes with a new "Dark Look Theme" as default. Both KDE and GTK2 based Applications and some Java Based Applications use this theme. Some will love it and some will hate it. So why the Dark Look? It was felt that a "Dark Theme" would appear more modern than the Light Themes that have been used in the past and to move Legacy OS away from the "Windows Vista" Look TEENpup 2009 Legacy had. A lot of testing was done during the development of this "Dark Look Theme" to make sure all Applications still displayed their font colors correctly and fonts simply didn't just disappear into the background. This is a "Long Term Release" and with this in mind has been developed for a user to install and use for 2 to 3 years before updating.

New in Legacy OS 2009 Legacy (Jun 9, 2009)

  • This time TEENpup has grown to just under 700MB so that it will fit on a CD. As the focus for TEENpup has shifted to a Modern Operating System for older PCs which most likely only came with a CD Drive, it was felt that a 700MB size limit should be adhere to.
  • Also to attract users from Windows TEENpup default color scheme has been modeled on some of Vista's coloring. Also the way the menu Applications are worded might seem too simplistic for the average Linux User. It was felt that to win over new users; TEENpup's Applications had to be as easy to access as was possible. To someone new to Linux and coming across for example Applications called GIMP, ROX , GAMBAS, KAFFEINE to name a few, might be put off even opening them and it was felt that what an Application did was more important than its name.
  • So this now leads me to some of the Applications included in this release. It was felt that Open Office should be included with its Help Manual as well as being the latest version at time of release ( 3.1 ) as a large number of users, use a PC for Writing, Spreadsheets and Presentations and anything less wouldn't do. KDE's similar Office Applications have been removed. A number of new KDE Applications have been added. Also Pdrive's USB auto mount daemon has been turned on by default, detecting most USB devices that are plugged in. A lot of time has been spent fine tuning little details that make it easier for the average user to use TEENpup.
  • Example: Seamonkey will recognize most common attachments in emails and open them when you click on them. No more searching through "bin" folders for the executables, which wouldn't be a hard thing to do for a seasoned Linux user where as a Linux Newbie would fine it almost impossible.
  • Those familiar with some of the Applications included in this release will find them to be an older version than is currently available, why? Well the main reasons are because their smaller, have less dependency and due to these reasons run faster on old Hardware and finally I can fit more of them in the iso. Some users will feel I left out an Application which they felt should have been in TEENpup, well a lot of testing of different Applications was done over the last 15 months and for one reason or another it was decided to leave that Application out.
  • To those trying this release of TEENpup, I hope you find it modern, useful, reliable and most of all user friendly. Enjoy!