Linux distribution Sparky launches v2024.01 with Linux Kernel 6.6 and PipeWire by default

Sparky, the Debian-based Linux distribution known for its speed and lightweight characteristics, has released its first update for the year 2024 — version 2024.01. The new update introduces Linux Kernel 6.6, while also offering Linux Kernel 6.7.0, 6.1.73-LTS, and 5.15.147-LTS in the Sparky repositories.

In terms of packages, all have been updated from both the Debian and Sparky testing repositories. A significant change in this update is the replacement of PulseAudio with the PipeWire audio server, which is at version 1.0.1 in this release.

The 2024.01 update also introduces a variety of other software updates. These include Calamares 3.3.1, LXQt 1.4.0, KDE Plasma 5.27.10, MATE 26.0, Xfce 4.18, Openbox 3.6.1, and Firefox 115.6.0esr, with version 121.0.1 available in the Sparky repos. Other notable updates include Thunderbird 115.6, LibreOffice 7.6.4, and VLC 3.0.20.