System76’s COSMIC desktop environment is making waves in the open-source community this year, and there’s a lot of anticipation around it. And for good reason.
Unlike some other desktop environments, which are just modified versions of existing ones, COSMIC is built completely from scratch and written in the Rust programming language. And let me tell you, this is a big thing.
It’s expected to shake things up in a field dominated by KDE Plasma and GNOME, with a large share of the latter’s userbase especially expected to be bitten off.
Why? Because COSMIC actually emerged as a disagreement with the restrictions, direction, and imposed views from GNOME developers on how the desktop environment should look and function.
In light of this, things are slowly taking shape, as the desktop environment now has an official logo and slogan. The new COSMIC brand, revealed this week, comes with a striking new logo that captures the essence of System76’s commitment to open-source software and user-driven customization.
The logo features an open ‘O’ to symbolize both a computer display and COSMIC’s open-source nature. Below this, a gradient orange-red blip suggests a keyboard, highlighting the extensive customization options available to users.
“Visions enacted, users empowered,” COSMIC’s new slogan encapsulates the brand’s focus on enabling developers and users to tailor their computing experiences to their precise needs.
Additionally, System76 has announced a series of discounts and promotions under the COSMIC Freedom Sale, running from June 26th through July 9th, to mark the introduction of COSMIC.
As you can see, System76 has smartly timed the COSMIC Freedom Sale to coincide with July 4th, America’s Independence Day, leveraging this patriotic holiday as a thematic backdrop for promoting user freedom and independence through technology.
The symbolism is clear: just as Independence Day celebrates freedom and self-determination, COSMIC offers the same principles in the digital realm, allowing users to tailor their computing environments to their needs and preferences.
Customers can enjoy up to $200 off select laptops and desktops, including popular models like the Lemur Pro, Pangolin, and Oryx Pro. Additionally, there are significant savings on various keyboard models, with discounts up to $50.
Moreover, every laptop or desktop purchase during the sale period also includes a free COSMIC T-shirt and stickers, adding an extra layer of celebration for the brand’s fans.
Lastly, the most important question is when we can expect the debut of the new COSMIC desktop environment. While there’s no confirmed date for the final stable release, System76 has stated that an official Alpha version will be out by the end of July.
Yes, it’s been over two years in the making, and the excitement is building. However, when the bulk of the development is already completed and the Alpha is released for public testing, we can expect things to move along much quicker. So, we just need to be patient for a bit longer to see how it all unfolds.
For further details, check out System76’s blog post.
