Manjaro 0.8.5 introduces a graphical installer

Manjaro boots as a live CD and lets users browse the manual, browse the web and then run the installer. The latest version of the Manjaro Linux distribution, version 0.8.5, introduces a graphical installer in the form of a fork of the Linux Mint installer. Other features of the recently announced Linux include the newly introduced "Manjaro Settings", which makes the installation of language packs, system-wide language settings, managing user accounts, and the configuration of keyboard layouts more accessible. The update brings the developers one step closer to their goal of creating an Arch-Linux-based distribution that is usable by beginners. Those beginners will find a 61-page Beginner User Guide to the desktop to help them.

Manjaro is compatible with Arch Linux but uses its own repositories to allow the developers to test new packages. Software management is carried out with pacman, but Manjaro has its own Pamac graphical package manager, which has a number of enhancements in 0.8.5, such as resizable panels and package lists with icons. Manjaro's pacmac already integrates the Arch AUR Repositories and, like its Arch Linux counterpart, Manjaro is a rolling release which attempts to be as up to date as possible with the package manager.

Manjaro 0.8.5 has a 3.8.5 Linux kernel and Xorg 1.14.0, with XFCE and OpenBox desktops available. LXDM/Slim is now used as the display and log-on credentials manager. The choice of software is well-rounded and comprehensive: in addition to many small tools it has, for example, version 2.8.4 of the GIMP image editor, Firefox, Thunderbird 17 and LibreOffice 4.0.2. VLC serves as a versatile media player, though Xnoise 0.2.17 is also available to play audio files, and other multimedia formats. Even the Steam installer is available and prominently installed in the lower panel of the desktop.

Manjaro 0.8.5 is available to download from SourceForge, where users will find 32- and 64-bit ISO images with XFCE 4.10, OpenBox 3.5.0, or a "Net" edition (with no desktop environment) available for download. The "Net" edition is designed for more advanced users who are prepared to install multimedia codecs, PulseAudio and printer support separately.

(djwm)