Switch from Windows 11 to Linux this Memorial Day with Ultramarine 40

As Memorial Day weekend approaches, many people might be considering a fresh start with their tech. For those looking to switch to Linux, Ultramarine 40 (available here) offers a compelling option. With its new features and improvements, this release could be the perfect way to dive into the world of Linux during the long weekend.

Ultramarine 40 introduces a new codename scheme, aiming to bring a fresh and engaging approach to its releases. The core team will rotate the responsibility of choosing codenames. This release, named after "Lost Umbrella" by inabakumori, marks the first under this new system.

The release of Ultramarine 40 was delayed due to installer and build issues. To avoid further inconvenience, the development team allowed existing users to upgrade early. If you haven't upgraded yet, you can now install Ultramarine 40.

Ultramarine's new Xfce Edition offers a near-stock Xfce experience with slight modifications. It features a traditional dock and panel setup and a modern menu with search functionality, enhanced by the Materia theme. This edition is optimized for lower-powered devices and users looking to maximize performance. It's also ideal for older machines and Raspberry Pi devices.

The Ultramarine Anywhere initiative, announced earlier this year, aims to make Ultramarine accessible on a wide range of hardware. This effort includes Ultramarine Chromebook Edition, designed to install on any x86 Chromebook without hardware modifications. Although still in the final stages, the Chromebook Edition will be available in a few weeks.

Ultramarine 40 fixes previous issues with Raspberry Pi images, now offering desktop environments. KDE Plasma Edition is available for Raspberry Pi 400, with support for Raspberry Pi 5 and Zero 2 in development. Users can download Ultramarine 40 for Raspberry Pi from the official website or soon from Raspberry Pi Imager.

Ultramarine 40 introduces mirrors for UM Repos and Terra, currently available in Central Europe. The team seeks additional mirrors in Southeast Asia and Oceania to enhance download speeds. Hosting a mirror is straightforward, and interested parties can join Ultramarine chats for more information.

Ultramarine 40 marks the end of the Pantheon Edition due to increased maintenance demands and declining user numbers. The team is developing a transition plan for Pantheon users to switch to other Ultramarine editions within five months.

GNOME 46 brings several quality-of-life improvements to Ultramarine's GNOME Edition, including a cleaner layout in Nautilus (Files), OneDrive support, and UI updates for GNOME Online Accounts. New features like remote login from the login screen are also included.

Ultramarine continues to move away from Red Hat's release engineering toolchain, introducing the Readymade installer. Readymade aims to simplify the installation process and improve out-of-box experiences, providing better support for various hardware and disk configurations. While not yet the default, preview images with Readymade will be available shortly after Ultramarine 40, with full integration expected in Ultramarine 41.

Switching from Windows 11 to Ultramarine 40 could be the perfect move for those seeking a more customizable and open-source operating system. With its user-friendly editions and enhanced support for various devices, Ultramarine 40 offers a smooth transition and a refreshing change from the Windows ecosystem. This Memorial Day weekend, take the plunge and explore the possibilities that Ultramarine 40 has to offer.