Q4OS

{{Short description|Lightweight Linux distribution based on Debian}}

{{Infobox OS

| name = Q4OS

| logo = Q4OS logo.svg

| logo size = 200px

| logo_caption =

| screenshot = Q4OS 4.8 Gemini.png

| caption = Q4OS 4.8 (Gemini) running the Trinity Desktop Environment version R14.0.11

| developer = Q4OS development team

| family = Linux

| working_state = Current

| source_model = Open source

| released = 0.5.0{{Cite web |title=Q4OS Website Archived on Wayback Machine at 7th July 2013 |url=http://www.q4os.org/ |access-date=11 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130707201103/http://www.q4os.org/ |archive-date=7 July 2013 |url-status=live}} / {{Start date and age|df=yes|2013|07|04}}

| latest release version = {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|P348|P548=Q2804309}}

| latest release date = {{Start date and age|{{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|P348|P548=Q2804309|P577}}|df=yes}}

| language = Multilingual

| updatemodel = APT

| package_manager = dpkg

| supported_platforms = x86-64, i386, armhf, arm64

| kernel_type = Linux kernel

| userland = GNU

| ui = TDE, KDE Plasma

| license = Free software licenses (mainly GPL) + some proprietary

| website = {{Official URL}}

}}

Q4OS is a light-weight Linux distribution based on Debian, targeted as a replacement for operating systems that are no longer supported on outdated hardware.{{Cite web |last=Wallen |first=Jack |date=16 February 2018 |title=Q4OS Makes Linux Easy for Everyone |url=https://www.linux.com/topic/desktop/q4os-makes-linux-easy-everyone/ |access-date=30 March 2022 |website=Linux.com |language=en-US}} The distribution is known for an addon called XPQ4,{{Cite web |title=XPQ4 |url=https://xpq4.sourceforge.io |url-status=live |access-date=29 December 2024 |website=XPQ4 |language=en-US}} which adds themes intended to replicate the look and feel of Windows 2000, XP, 7, 8 and 10.{{Cite web |last=Germain |first=Jack M. |date=18 March 2015 |title=Q4OS Is a Bare-Bones Business Tool |url=https://www.linuxinsider.com/story/Q4OS-Is-a-Bare-Bones-Business-Tool-81829.html |access-date=6 May 2025|website=LinuxInsider|language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Stahie |first=Silviu |date=9 September 2014 |title=Q4OS 0.5.18 Is an Almost Exact Linux Replica of Windows XP – Gallery |url=https://news.softpedia.com/news/Q4OS-0-5-18-Is-an-Almost-Exact-Linux-Replica-of-Windows-XP-Gallery-458209.shtml |access-date=7 April 2022 |website=Softpedia |language=english}}{{Cite web |title=Q4OS - கணியம் |url=https://kaniyam.com/q4os/ |access-date=12 February 2024 |website=kaniyam.com |language=ta}}

History

Development of Q4OS began in 8 April 2014 to coincide with Windows XP's end of extended support in the same year.{{Cite web |last=Ranchal |first=Juan |title=Q4OS: nunca ha sido más fácil usar Linux junto a Windows |url=https://www.muycomputer.com/2017/11/29/q4os-linux-windows/ |access-date=27 March 2022 |website=MuyComputer |date=29 November 2017 |language=es}}

LXQt Desktop Environment was included from April 2014 to June 2015.

In 2018 TDE (Trinity Desktop Environment) was included.

In 2019, version 3.8 was released which was based on Debian Buster.{{Cite web |last=Nestor |first=Marius |title=Q4OS Operating System Brings the Trinity Desktop to Debian GNU/Linux 10 "Buster" |url=https://news.softpedia.com/news/q4os-operating-system-brings-the-trinity-desktop-to-debian-gnu-linux-10-buster-526854.shtml |access-date=6 September 2021 |website=Softpedia |date=28 July 2019 |language=english}}

The original KDE based version has been discontinued since around 2018.{{Cite web |last=Apfelböck |first=Hermann |date=2 December 2018 |title=Linux auf dem Stick: 10 Ideen für den Einsatz |url=https://www.pcwelt.de/a/linux-auf-dem-stick-10-ideen-fuer-den-einsatz,3450973 |access-date=6 September 2021 |website=PC-WELT |language=de-DE}}

As of April 2020, the core developers of Q4OS, initially starting the project in Germany,{{Cite web |last=Germain |first=Jack |title=Fresh bit o' Linux to spruce up that ancient Windows Vista box? Why not, we say... |url=https://www.theregister.com/2017/10/30/q4os_distro_review/ |access-date=27 March 2022 |website=The Register |language=en}} are now operating in Prague, Czech Republic.{{Cite web |title=Q4OS – desktop operating system |url=https://q4os.org/business.html |access-date=9 March 2022 |website=q4os.org}}{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=3 April 2020 |title=April 2020, "Community Choice" Project of the Month – Q4OS |url=https://sourceforge.net/blog/april-2020-community-choice-project-month-q4os/ |access-date=27 March 2022 |website=SourceForge Community Blog |language=en-US}}

Features

It comes with either the Trinity Desktop Environment, which is a fork of K Desktop Environment 3.{{Cite web |last=Thommes |first=Ferdinand |title=Das Design von Windows XP lebt in Linux weiter |url=https://www.computerbase.de/2014-05/windows-xp-design-linux-q4os/ |access-date=6 September 2021 |website=ComputerBase |date=16 May 2014 |language=de}} or KDE Plasma 5

LookSwitcher, which lets the user switch visual themes

Desktop Profiler, which automatically installs some packages and programs that may be ideal for the user according to the profile that they choose

Q4OS Software Centre, which lets the user install some recommended packages and programs from a list

Q4OS Welcome Screen, which helps the user with some initial tweaks

Releases

Stable versions of Q4OS are derived from Debian's Stable release branch with long-term support that lasts five years after their initial release.{{Cite web |last=Paul |first=John |date=26 May 2019 |title=Q4OS Linux Revives Your Old Laptop with Windows' Looks – It's FOSS |url=https://itsfoss.com/q4os-linux-review/ |access-date=23 March 2022 |website=It's FOSS |language=en-US}} Developmental "testing" versions of future releases are derived from the Debian Testing branch.{{Cite web |title=Development Release: Q4OS 4.2 Testing (DistroWatch.com News) |url=https://distrowatch.com/?newsid=11094 |access-date=9 March 2022 |website=DistroWatch}}

class="wikitable"
Version{{Cite web \|title=Q4OS – desktop operating system \|url=https://q4os.org/blog.html \|access-date=21 March 2022 \|website=q4os.org}} ! Codename ! Release date ! End-of-life ! Description
{{Version\|o\|0.5.0}} \| \| 2013-07-04 \| \| Initial Release{{Cite web \|title=Q4OS Website Archived on Wayback Machine at 7th July 2013 \|url=http://www.q4os.org/ \|access-date=11 February 2024 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130707201103/http://www.q4os.org/ \|archive-date=7 July 2013 \|url-status=live}}
{{Version\|o\|1.1-RC2}} \| \| 2015-04-14 \| \| Second release candidate of Q4OS 1.1
{{Version \|o \|1.2}} \| rowspan="5" \| Orion \| 2015-04-27 \| \| Initial version to be specified under codename Orion
{{Version \|o \|1.2.3}} \| 2015-06-08 \| \| The LXQt desktop environment is now supported
{{Version \|o \|1.4}} \| 2015-09-04 \| \| Initial version to support devices running on ARM architecture{{Cite web \|title=Q4OS – desktop operating system \|url=https://q4os.org/blog.html#news160205 \|access-date=9 March 2022 \|website=q4os.org}}
{{Version \|o \|1.6.3}} \| 2016-08-05 \| \| Implemented UEFI support
{{Version \|o \|1.8.4}} \| 2017-04-26 \| \| Icedove is replaced with Mozilla Thunderbird, LXQt is unsupported{{Cite web \|last=Nestor \|first=Marius \|date=25 April 2017 \|title=Debian-Based Q4OS 1.8.4 Operating System Lets Users Select Alternative Desktops \|url=https://news.softpedia.com/news/debian-based-q4os-1-8-4-operating-system-lets-users-select-alternative-desktops-515160.shtml \|access-date=22 March 2022 \|website=Softpedia \|language=english}}
{{Version\|o\|2.0.2}} \| rowspan="4" \| Scorpion \| 2016-01-06 \| \| Initial testing version of Q4OS Scorpion
{{Version\|o\|2.3.6}} \| 2017-10-04 \| \| "Final beta" release
{{Version\|o\|2.4}} \| 2017-10-04 \| 2022-10 \| Initial stable release of Q4OS Scorpion and to provide long-term support
{{Version\|o\|2.5}} \| 2018-06-03 \| 2023-06 \| TDE is now bundled with KDE Plasma
{{Version\|o\|3.1}} \| rowspan="4" \| Centaurus \| 2018-01-29 \| \| Initial testing version of Q4OS Centaurus
{{Version \|co \|3.8}} \| 2019-07-15 \| 2024-07 \| Initial stable release of Q4OS Centaurus
{{Version \|co \|3.10}} \| 2020-01-04 \| 2025-01 \| TDE and KDE Plasma have been split into separate installation images
{{Version \|co \|3.13}} \| 2020-12-19 \| 2025-12 \| The Snap daemon has been removed from default installation
{{Version\|o\|4.0}} \| rowspan="7" \| Gemini \| 2020-02-16 \| \| Initial testing version of Q4OS Gemini
{{Version \|co \|4.6}} \| 2021-09-27 \| 2026-09 \| Initial stable release of Q4OS Gemini
{{Version \|co \|4.7}} \| 2021-11-22 \| 2026-11 \|
{{Version \|co \|4.8}} \| 2022-04-05 \| 2027-04 \|
{{Version \|co \|4.10}} \| 2022-08-01 \| 2027-08 \|
{{Version \|co \|4.11}} \| 2022-12-24 \| 2027-08 \|
{{Version \|co \|4.12}} \| 2023-05-03 \| 2027-08 \| Calamares installer has been polished
{{Version\|o\|5.0}} \| rowspan="7" \| Aquarius \| 2023-03-27 \| \| Initial testing version of Q4OS Aquarius
{{Version \|c \|5.2}} \| 2023-07-08 \| 2028-06 \| Initial stable release of Q4OS Aquarius
{{Version \|c \|5.3}} \| 2023-10-14 \| 2028-06 \|
{{Version \|c \|5.4}} \| 2023-11-28 \| 2028-06 \|
{{Version \|c \|5.5}} \| 2024-07-08 \| 2028-06 \|
{{Version \|c \|5.6}} \| 2024-09-04 \| 2028-06 \|
{{Version \|c \|5.7}} \| 2024-11-14 \| 2028-06 \|
colspan=5 \| {{Version\|l\|show=111111}}

class="wikitable"

Version{{Cite web |title=Q4OS – desktop operating system |url=https://q4os.org/blog.html |access-date=21 March 2022 |website=q4os.org}}

! Codename

! Release date

! End-of-life

! Description

| 2013-07-04

| Initial Release{{Cite web |title=Q4OS Website Archived on Wayback Machine at 7th July 2013 |url=http://www.q4os.org/ |access-date=11 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130707201103/http://www.q4os.org/ |archive-date=7 July 2013 |url-status=live}}

| 2015-04-14

| Second release candidate of Q4OS 1.1

| rowspan="5" | Orion

| 2015-04-27

| Initial version to be specified under codename Orion

| 2015-06-08

| The LXQt desktop environment is now supported

| 2015-09-04

| Initial version to support devices running on ARM architecture{{Cite web |title=Q4OS – desktop operating system |url=https://q4os.org/blog.html#news160205 |access-date=9 March 2022 |website=q4os.org}}

| 2016-08-05

| Implemented UEFI support

| 2017-04-26

| Icedove is replaced with Mozilla Thunderbird, LXQt is unsupported{{Cite web |last=Nestor |first=Marius |date=25 April 2017 |title=Debian-Based Q4OS 1.8.4 Operating System Lets Users Select Alternative Desktops |url=https://news.softpedia.com/news/debian-based-q4os-1-8-4-operating-system-lets-users-select-alternative-desktops-515160.shtml |access-date=22 March 2022 |website=Softpedia |language=english}}

| rowspan="4" | Scorpion

| 2016-01-06

| Initial testing version of Q4OS Scorpion

| 2017-10-04

| "Final beta" release

| 2017-10-04

| 2022-10

| Initial stable release of Q4OS Scorpion and to provide long-term support

| 2018-06-03

| 2023-06

| TDE is now bundled with KDE Plasma

| rowspan="4" | Centaurus

| 2018-01-29

| Initial testing version of Q4OS Centaurus

| 2019-07-15

| 2024-07

| Initial stable release of Q4OS Centaurus

| 2020-01-04

| 2025-01

| TDE and KDE Plasma have been split into separate installation images

| 2020-12-19

| 2025-12

| The Snap daemon has been removed from default installation

| rowspan="7" | Gemini

| 2020-02-16

| Initial testing version of Q4OS Gemini

| 2021-09-27

| 2026-09

| Initial stable release of Q4OS Gemini

| 2021-11-22

| 2026-11

| 2022-04-05

| 2027-04

| 2022-08-01

| 2027-08

| 2022-12-24

| 2027-08

| 2023-05-03

| 2027-08

| Calamares installer has been polished

| rowspan="7" | Aquarius

| 2023-03-27

| Initial testing version of Q4OS Aquarius

| 2023-07-08

| 2028-06

| Initial stable release of Q4OS Aquarius

| 2023-10-14

| 2028-06

| 2023-11-28

| 2028-06

| 2024-07-08

| 2028-06

| 2024-09-04

| 2028-06

| 2024-11-14

| 2028-06

colspan=5 | {{Version|l|show=111111}}

Reception

SourceForge featured Q4OS as "Community Choice" Project of the Month in April 2020.

In January 2022, TechRadar considered Q4OS as one of the best light-weight Linux distributions of the year for its Windows installer and support for older hardware, notably systems running on 32-bit processors.{{Cite web |last1=Sharma |first1=Shashank |last2=Peers |first2=Nick |last3=Cox |first3=Alex |last4=Drake |first4=Nate |last5=Sharma |first5=Mayank |date=17 January 2022 |title=Best lightweight Linux distros of 2022 |url=https://www.techradar.com/news/best-lightweight-linux-distro |access-date=27 March 2022 |website=TechRadar |language=en}}

Forks

= Quarkos =

Quarkos (formerly known as Quark) is an official fork of Q4OS that uses an Ubuntu base instead of Debian.{{Cite web |last=February 2021 |first=Mayank Sharma 26 |date=26 February 2021 |title=Quark 20.04 review |url=https://www.techradar.com/reviews/quark |access-date=6 September 2021 |website=TechRadar |language=en}} It describes itself as a 'user-friendly, desktop oriented operating system based on Ubuntu Linux'.{{Cite web |title=Quarkos / Blog: Stable release Quark 20.04 |url=https://sourceforge.net/p/quark-os/blog/2020/09/stable-release-quark-2004/ |access-date=7 October 2023 |website=sourceforge.net}} It comes in two variants, one of which uses the same desktop theme as Q4OS, while the other uses a visual theme similar to Windows 10.{{Cite web |title=Official Website of Quarkos |url=https://quark-os.sourceforge.io/ |access-date=11 February 2024 |website=quark-os.sourceforge.io}}

== Quark 20.04 ==

Quark 20.04 'Focal' was the first release, coming with the same base as Ubuntu 20.04. It was released on 25 September 2020, featuring only the KDE Plasma 5 desktop. On 3 November 2020, the development team announced that Microsoft Edge was now available for Linux, and users of Quark would be able to install it by downloading a .esh file from the Q4OS GitHub repository.{{Cite web |title=Quarkos / Blog: Microsoft Edge for Quark |url=https://sourceforge.net/p/quark-os/blog/2020/11/microsoft-edge-for-quark/ |access-date=7 October 2023 |website=sourceforge.net}}

Quark 20.04.4, released 24 September 2021 added bugfixes from upstream Kubuntu.{{Cite web |title=Quarkos / Blog: Quark 20.04.4 |url=https://sourceforge.net/p/quark-os/blog/2021/09/quark-20044/ |access-date=7 October 2023 |website=sourceforge.net}} On 9 October 2021, the development team announced the general availability of the Windows installer for Quark 20.04 Focal.{{Cite web |title=Quarkos / Blog: Installer for Windows 10 update |url=https://sourceforge.net/p/quark-os/blog/2021/10/installer-for-windows-10-update/ |access-date=7 October 2023 |website=sourceforge.net}}

Quark 20.04.5 was made available on 28 November 2021, bringing bugfixes from Kubuntu and Trinity desktop environment R14.0.11.{{Cite web |title=Quarkos / Blog: Quark 20.04.5 Focal |url=https://sourceforge.net/p/quark-os/blog/2021/11/quark-20045/ |access-date=7 October 2023 |website=sourceforge.net}} An updated version of the Quark installer for windows was released on 2 February 2022.{{Cite web |title=Quarkos / Blog: Update to installer for Windows |url=https://sourceforge.net/p/quark-os/blog/2022/02/installer-for-windows---update/ |access-date=7 October 2023 |website=sourceforge.net}}

Quark 20.04.6 brought security bugfixes from upstream Kubuntu.

== Quark 21.10 ==

Quark 21.10 'Impish' testing was announced on 9 October 2021, based on Kubuntu 21.10 and tools backported from Q4OS 4 'Gemini'.{{Cite web |title=Quarkos / Blog: Quark 21.10 Impish testing release |url=https://sourceforge.net/p/quark-os/blog/2021/10/quark-2110-impish-testing-release/ |access-date=7 October 2023 |website=sourceforge.net}} It was released with a stable version on 18 October 2021, with KDE Plasma 5.22 by default and the Windows and Q4OS themed variants. It also came with another edition with the Trinity 14.0.11 desktop backported from Q4OS.{{Cite web |title=Quarkos / Blog: Quark 21.10 Impish stable |url=https://sourceforge.net/p/quark-os/blog/2021/10/quark-2110-impish-stable/ |access-date=7 October 2023 |website=sourceforge.net}} Quark 21.10 was supported until 2 August 2022, following the end of support for Ubuntu 21.10.

== Quarkos 22.04 ==

Quarkos 22.04 'Jammy' was released on 24 August 2022, based on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and Plasma 5.24. It will be supported until at least April 2027.{{Cite web |title=Quarkos / Blog: Quarkos 22.04 Jammy LTS, brand new stable release |url=https://sourceforge.net/p/quark-os/blog/2022/08/quarkos-2204-jammy-lts-brand-new-stable-release/ |access-date=7 October 2023 |website=sourceforge.net}}

Quarkos 22.04 changes the branding from simply Quark to Quarkos, bringing separate installation media for the Trinity desktop, which has been updated to R14.0.12, but with the KDE Plasma edition as the default.

Quarkos 22.04.5 and 22.04.6 were released on 29 December 2022{{Cite web |title=Quarkos / Blog: Quarkos 22.04.5 Jammy |url=https://sourceforge.net/p/quark-os/blog/2022/12/quarkos-22045-jammy/ |access-date=7 October 2023 |website=sourceforge.net}} and 27 February 2023{{Cite web |title=Quarkos / Blog: Quarkos 22.04.6 Jammy |url=https://sourceforge.net/p/quark-os/blog/2023/02/quarkos-22046-jammy/ |access-date=7 October 2023 |website=sourceforge.net}} respectively, each bringing security updates and bugfixes from upstream Ubuntu.

Quarkos 22.04.7 was released on 19 March 2023, and brought updates from the latest release of Ubuntu 22.04. It also replaced much of the Q4OS branding with its own, including artwork, logos and branding integrated into the system.{{Cite web |title=Quarkos / Blog: Quarkos 22.04.7 Jammy |url=https://sourceforge.net/p/quark-os/blog/2023/03/quarkos-22047-jammy/ |access-date=7 October 2023 |website=sourceforge.net}} The source code was made available on the Q4OS project GitHub.{{Citation |title=Q4OS branding |date=17 March 2023 |url=https://github.com/q4os/q4os-branding |access-date=7 October 2023 |publisher=Q4OS operating system}}

Quarkos 22.04-r8, released on 23 June 2023, brought the newest patches from Ubuntu 22.04 and Q4OS. It improves the Debonaire Plasma theme, updates the Trinity Desktop Environment to version 14.1.1 and includes fixes for the Trinity audio system.{{Cite web |title=Quarkos / Blog: Quarkos 22.04.8 Jammy |url=https://sourceforge.net/p/quark-os/blog/2023/06/quarkos-22048-jammy/ |access-date=7 October 2023 |website=sourceforge.net}}

= FreeXP =

FreeXP is a system based Q4OS which included XPQ4. Users can set up the system using a .esh file to install the full set of features, or a live installer with the changes already made.{{Cite web |title=XPQ4 – Windows look'n feel for your Q4OS desktop |url=https://xpq4.sourceforge.io/ |access-date=7 October 2023 |website=xpq4.sourceforge.io}} The purpose of the project is to provide an 'XP Simulation', similar to how FreeDOS emulates MS-DOS, making it easy to run legacy Windows XP applications and executables.{{Cite web |date=18 November 2018 |title=FreeXP – XP like operating system |url=https://freexp.sourceforge.io/ |access-date=7 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181118135217/https://freexp.sourceforge.io/ |archive-date=18 November 2018}} The standalone project has merged with the XPQ4 project, where users can download FreeXP, XPQ4 installer for the Plasma or Trinity desktop, and 'Free10', a project similar to FreeXP but emulating Windows 10.

References

External links

{{Official website}}
{{DistroWatch|q4os|NAME=Q4OS}}
[https://linuxinsider.com/story/q4os-and-tde-a-juicy-little-linux-secret-85951.html Q4OS and TDE: A Juicy Little Linux Secret]

Category:Debian-based distributions

Category:IA-32 Linux distributions

Category:Linux distributions

Category:X86-64 Linux distributions