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Changelog

All notable changes to the GoldenDog Linux project will be documented in this file.

[2.0.8a] "Golden Retriever" - 2026-01-12​

Added​

  • Security: Now GoldenDog can run in SecureBoot mode.
  • Packages: nano 8.7 is now available in the GoldenDog repository. It can be upgraded from the Debian version by running sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade.

Changed​

  • GoldenDog Builder: Reworked the builder to build ISOs with security flags similar to the way Debian builds its ISOs.

Fixed​

  • Permissions: Fixed permissions on home directory after changes in the builder.

[2.0.8] "Golden Retriever" - 2026-01-11​

Changed​

  • Repository: Restructured the repository to match the codename (goldenretriever) to facilitate future system upgrades to GoldenDog 3.
  • Packages: Re-added all packages to the new repository structure.
  • System: Fixed goldendog.sources in /etc/apt/apt.sources.d/ to point to the current version.

Added​

  • Packages: Created the goldendoglinux metapackage (v2.0.0), enabling seamless system migration to GoldenDog 3 without reinstallation.
  • Installation: Preinstalled the goldendoglinux metapackage in the current build (2.0.8).

Note​

The goldendoglinux metapackage enables live delivery of security updates, bugfixes, and simplified system-wide upgrades.

This is the last update of the pre-alpha phase—we're one step closer to the public release!

-- Alexia

[2.0.7] "Golden Retriever" - 2026-01-11​

Added​

  • Installer: Added dark mode to the text installer for all UEFI, BIOS, and XEN initrds.
  • Packages: Base packages updated to Debian Trixie 13.3.
  • Packages: Added nano 8.7 (latest version) to the official GoldenDog repository.
  • Plasma: Added dark-plasma theme for Plasma 6 (fixing start menu icon scaling).
  • Software: Added Flatpak support, Flathub repository, and Flatpak plugin for Discover.

Removed​

  • Installer: Removed tzsetup.udeb as it has been patched upstream in Debian.
  • Plasma: Removed obsolete dark-plasma theme (Plasma 5).

[2.0.6] "Golden Retriever" - 2026-01-10​

Added​

  • Installer: Now shows the GoldenDog version at the bottom right corner to aid testers in confirming they are installing the right version (preventing virtual machine cached ISO issues).
  • Fonts: Added fontconfig/fonts.conf to allow for a much cleaner way to configure system fonts.
  • Taskbar: Added Firefox icon to the Plasma status bar, replacing Konqueror.

Changed​

  • Fonts: Plasma now defaults to the Ubuntu font set (Canonical licensed).
  • Branding: Replaced GoldenDog logo in GDM login screen with the traditional logo matching the installer style.
  • Start Menu: Plasma start menu now shows applications while hovering the category to the left by default.
  • Browser: Removed Konqueror browser; replaced the default browser with Firefox ESR.

Removed​

  • Wallpaper: Removed GoldenDog splash from the wallpaper section as it is now obsolete, reducing disk space.

Note​

Most of these changes are not bugfixes but improvements to the interface. Many were part of the alpha roadmap, meaning we are getting very close to the public release. Yay!

-- Alexia

[2.0.5] "Golden Retriever" - 2026-01-08​

Added​

  • Repository: Added the official goldendoglinux repository (deb.goldendoglinux.org) along with its signed key.
  • Tools: Added neofetch-c .deb package to the new repository (a modern version of neofetch written in C by Alexia - GitHub).

Removed​

  • Tools: Removed the old neofetch bash script as it is now obsolete. The 'neofetch' command is now replaced by the modern neofetch tool. To use neofetch it must be installed with sudo apt update && sudo apt install neofetch-c and then run with neofetch

Note​

We are very close to entering alpha status!!! Core system is almost fully functional.

In alpha state the roadmap will be about selecting packages to be preinstalled, beautiying the plasma interface further and enhancing user experience related features.

Have a happy summer! (or winter if you are in the northern hemisphere) -- Alexia

[2.0.4] "Golden Retriever" - 2026-01-04​

Added​

  • Welcome Screen: New Goldendog welcome screen integrating EULA, Debian Popularity Contest, and Plasma Telemetry in a single control dialog. goldendog-welcome is an independent, open-sourced package.
  • Localization: Added support for 8 languages in the Goldendog welcome screen.
  • Policy: New policy rule allowing active users to enable/disable Debian telemetry without elevating permissions.
  • Fonts: Added licensed Ubuntu fonts package.
  • Installer: Added the non-free repository to the installer.

Removed​

  • Plasma Welcome: Disabled and removed the default Plasma welcome screen from all runlevels.
  • EULA: Removed the old standalone EULA dialog.

Fixed​

  • Installer: Fixed the GRUB menu for UEFI installations.

[2.0.3] "Golden Retriever" - 2026-01-02​

Added​

  • GRUB: 15 second timeout with a visible countdown.
  • Desktop: Trash icon with automatic localization based on the installed language.
  • Icons: Experimental GoldenDog icon pack (available in Plasma Settings > Icons > Goldendog2).
  • ISO Build: Optimized performance during build using hardlinks to reduce duplicates, significantly reducing the ISO size to approximately 820MB.

Fixed​

  • Installer: Removed double logo in UEFI boot menu.
  • Installer: Perfectly centered the GoldenDog logo during initialization.
  • Localization: System directories and Plasma folders now correctly use local names for non-English languages.
  • System: Complete sanitization and cleaning of SDDM across all runlevels.

Note​

  • Website: Fixed mobile menu visibility in dark mode.
  • Documentation: Added documentation for installing GoldenDog in a system with a LUKS encrypted disk in the Tweaking GoldenDog section.

Happy New Year! — Alexia

[2.0.2] "Golden Retriever" - 2025-12-31​

Added​

  • Desktop: Added a trash link to the desktop.
  • Branding: Added /etc/issue and /etc/issue.net files to reflect GoldenDog Linux branding.

Changed​

  • Installation: Sanitized directory creation process after installation.
  • System: Cleaned up old references to Calamares from the terminal icon.

Fixed​

  • Localization: Fixed localization issues in KDE Plasma.

[2.0.1] "Golden Retriever" - 2025-12-27​

Added​

  • Cockpit: Included the Cockpit web-based administration tool. To access it, open Firefox and go to localhost:9090, then login with your machine's user account and password.
  • Fastfetch Support: The developers of fastfetch have added official support for GoldenDog Linux! Installing fastfetch will now correctly display the GoldenDog logo.
  • Logo Rebranding: Refreshed logos for pixmaps, default, and security variants.

Changed​

  • GRUB UEFI Menu: Corrected the UEFI GRUB menu options to match the BIOS installation menu style, showing "Install GoldenDog (Graphical)" and "Install GoldenDog (Text)".

Note​

[2.0.0] "Golden Retriever" - 2025-12-26​

Added​

  • Debian Trixie Base: Complete refactoring of the project, now based on a minimal Debian Trixie foundation.
  • Plasma 6: Latest KDE Plasma desktop environment for a modern experience.
  • Wayland by Default: Wayland is now the default session, with X11 still available as an optional session.
  • Enhanced Installer: New support for Proxy configuration and automatic WiFi card detection during installation.
  • Full UEFI Support: Comprehensive compatibility for modern UEFI machines.
  • Modern Repositories: Follows the new DEB822 repository format in /etc/apt/apt.sources.d/debian.sources.
  • Backports: Enabled by default for access to newer packages.

Changed​

  • ISO Optimization: Drastic reduction in image size from 7GB to less than 1GB.
  • Installation Engine: Replaced Calamares with the robust Debian Installer.
  • Core Toolset: Refined preinstalled software list:
    • System: gdm3, sudo, rsync, locales, whiptail.
    • Dev Tools: gcc, make, build-essential, bison, flex, python3-venv.
    • Network: ssh, wget, curl, git.
    • UI/Base: firefox, python3-pyqt6, qt6-wayland, libxcb-cursor0.

Note​

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! — Alexia

  • Initial release of the new site based on Docusaurus.
  • Complete refactor from Jekyll.