We're really happy to announce that a new version of Icaros Desktop is already available for download. Version
1.2.3 is what 1.2.2 should have been, if only my hard drive didn't crash so hard a month ago. This new release adds two really interesting features: a more advanced
support for 3D and 2D graphic acceleration with
Nvidia cards, covering most GeForce GPUs from the old FX models up to the recent GTX 200 series, and the
ability to play YouTube videos combining OWB with MPlayer. But, obviously, these are not the only good news: after two "mantainance" updates, which basically updated system files only and didn't add a lot more to the user experience, three new great applications have been added to the distribution: the audio editor
BigBand, ported by
Yannick Erb from the Linuxland, the glorious vector drawing app
AmiFig and the very useful
Screencorder, which basically allows users to grab video from AROS desktop (good to record video-tutorials and so on). Older applications like Lunapaint and MuiBase have been updated to the latest versions, and developers will find - as usual - a collection of updated libraries to code with. Icaros Desktop 1.2.3 includes also the latest improvements to the AROS system, like the
Intel GMA driver (which allows to accelerate 2D functions on GMA-9x0 based systems with external SVGA monitor only, for now), or the ability to
install the whole distribution on a USB pendrive, and so on. Some little rework has been done on the interface too (Scout, a real swiss knife for monitoring and managing tasks, windows and more, is now immediately accessible from AmiStart docking bar), and Icaros boot quicker than before (YAFS ftp server has been disactivated by default, since USB support allows now easier ways to share files with other systems - but you can always activate it from Services prefs as usual). So,what are you waiting for? Just go to the
download center and grab your update of Icaros Desktop!
New from Icaros Desktop 1.2.2- upgraded AROS system files to July 4th, 2010
- added driver for
Intel GMA 9x0 graphic processors
- added
Nouveau 2D and 3D driver for most
GeForce GPUs
- updated
MESA libraries to better handle
HW 3D acceleration- updated
OpenAL libraries
- added
support for playing YouTube contents
- moved SimpleMail and WookieChat from the main taskbar to networking stuff
- added YAM 2.6 and Scout to the main taskbar
- added
BigBand audio editing application
- added
AmiFig vector drawing application
- updated
LunaPaint to latest sources (assign not needed anymore)
- updated
MuiBase to latest release
-
ProTrekker and
SMB now run correctly
- placed icons for the Icaros manual and InstallAROS on the desktop
- added
eaudio.device to AHI
- file sharing with YAFS now disabled by default
- fixed many minor, annoying bugs
- updated user manual
-
Icaros Desktop Live! can now be installed on USB drives- updated AmiStart's Games menu with latest additions
Icaros Desktop 1.2.3 is available in two formats:
the complete Live! distribution (1.7 GB, so a DVD±R/RW is required)
and the UpdateCD, which must be installed on a pre-existing Icaros Desktop 1.2.2 installation using Icaros'
LiveUpdater. The Update CD is packed in less than 80 MB.
Please follow Icaros Desktop's updated user manual to understand how to install or update your distribution. A
light CD version may follow in future, while a special, updated "Icaros Stick" download is available to donors, who already got a Icaros Pendrive in the past.
