Debian-based Netrunner 21.01 'XOXO' is the perfect Linux alternative to Windows 10

Here at BetaNews, we report on many Linux distribution releases, because, well, there are a lot of them. Not all of these operating systems are great, and only a handful are legitimate replacements for Windows 10. With that said, Microsoft's operating system is very good, so if you are happy with Windows, you should probably just stick with it. Don't switch for the sake of change, folks.

Unfortunately, some people strongly dislike Windows 10, and they are eager to move onto a Linux-based alternative. If that is you, I have some great news. One of the best Windows alternatives, Netrunner, has a new version. The Debian-based operating system, which uses the excellent KDE Plasma desktop environment, now sits at version 21.01 and carries the moniker "XOXO."

What makes Netrunner 21.01 "XOXO" such a great Linux-based alternative to Windows 10? Firstly, the familiarity. You see the beautiful implementation of KDE Plasma will make Windows converts feel "at home." Secondly, it comes with excellent software like LibreOffice, Firefox, GIMP, Kdenlive, Inkscape, Krita, and Skype. Gamers will appreciate the inclusion of Steam, and yes, gaming on Linux is very possible these days.

"Netrunner 21.01 ships with all the latest security updates provided by Debian and a new beautiful wallpaper showing of the new Codename of this release. With the activated Debian Buster Backports repository we provide updated firmware for wifi and ethernet chips aswell as improved printer drivers to allow more modern hardware support. Netrunner maintains its georgous look and feel from the previous version based upon Breeze Window decoration and the red colors cursor," explains The Netrunner Team.

The team further says, "Existing users of Netrunner 20.01 can just update their system normally to get the same application versions provided in 21.01. To update the linux kernel and firmware you need to activate the Debian Buster Backports sources in the Synaptic package manager and install the linux-image-amd64 & firmware-linux packages from that source. As 20.01 and 21.01 are both based upon Debian stable updating them regulary does not require to reinstall Netrunner even if new release mediums appear."

Netrunner is a personal favorite of mine, thanks to its focus on the user experience and overall polish. While it may not get the attention or fanfare that some other Linux-based operating systems do, I still highly recommend it to both Linux newcomers and experts alike. The distro can be downloaded here now.