Sadly, we’re kicking off the week with some not-so-good news that came before the Christmas holidays: Paul Sherman, the developer of Absolute Linux, a Slackware-based distribution, has announced the end of the project.
Age, expense, but mostly LACK OF TIME leave me no choice but to give it up. I won’t bore you with the crybaby details, but I gotta make ends meet. If someone wants to take the distro over, I would be happy to freely pass it on. I enjoyed tinkering all those years!
As can be seen, citing age, expenses, and—most notably—a lack of time, he stated that continuing the project is no longer feasible. Despite the somber nature of this announcement, Sherman expressed deep appreciation for everyone who supported the distro over the years.
And when I say years, I mean it—this is an impressive journey spanning over 17 years. The first version of Absolute Linux debuted all the way back in 2007, with the last update appearing in early June of last year. Since it’s not one of the most well-known names, let me give you a quick rundown.
It’s a lightweight, user-friendly Linux distro based on Slackware, designed to be minimal and efficient, and shipped with a preconfigured desktop environment (IceWM) and a selection of essential applications and tools to make setup and everyday use easier than Slackware itself.
Unfortunately, situations like Absolute Linux’s recent end of development are too common in the open-source world, especially when a distribution is maintained by just one person or a very small team. A similar story unfolded with the Funtoo project last summer, which shifted into “hobby mode.”
Many in the open-source community understand that finding enough hours to maintain a project can be tricky, and not everyone has the resources to keep it going. Furthermore, funding and personal responsibilities often contribute to such difficult decisions.
That said, let’s not be too pessimistic. There remains a glimmer of hope for fans of Absolute Linux. Sherman made it clear that he would be delighted to pass the project on to anyone willing to take over. As always, I’ll keep you updated as things evolve.
To see more on the subject, check the project’s website.
Image credits: Absolute Linux
