Lightweight distro 4MLinux 51.0 brings new media playing options and much more

As version 49 reaches its EOL stage, 4MLinux 50 gets the "OLD STABLE" label, and the latest release, namely 4MLinux 51.0, becomes the version labeled as "STABLE" and the only valid choice for most users. This Polish LiveCD ultralight distro has been around for over 15 years and provides a pleasant out-of-the-box Linux experience to anyone, including absolute Linux beginners.

4MLinux 51.0 moves up from the 6.12.57 kernel used by the previous version to 6.12.77. While this is not the latest stable kernel available, other packages get the latest versions, for example, xorg-server 21.1.21 and openssh 10.2p1. These are some of the other updated packages worth mentioning:

• LibreOffice 26.2.
• GNOME Office, with AbiWord 3.0.7, GIMP 3.0.8, and Gnumeric 1.12.60.
• Firefox 149.0 and Chrome 146.0.
• Audacious 4.5.1.
• VLC 3.0.23 and SMPlayer 25.6.0.
• Mesa 25.3.1.
• The latest firmware for AMD, Intel, and Nvidia GPUs.
• PHP 8.4.14, Perl 5.42.0, Python 3.13.8, and Ruby 3.4.7.

The list of downloadable extensions includes the Midori web browser and the ncurses-based music player cmus. While the AY/YM emulation library provides improved support for old-school ZX Spectrum and Atari music files, the system is also capable of intelligently identifying the hardware it runs on and tailoring the settings to provide the best experience.

The ISO file is just 2.1 GB in size and can be retrieved for free from SourceForge, where those interested will also be able to find the 52.0 beta once it becomes available.