System76 Announces Pop!_OS Linux Distribution, To Be Shipped On Their Future PCs

Longtime Linux laptop/desktop vendor System76 known for their Ubuntu-loaded systems has gone public today with their new operating system called "Pop!_OS", which in just a matter of months will begin appearing on their new products.

Pop!_OS is a Linux distribution derived from Ubuntu that they say is "focused on creators." In an announcement to be posted now that their embargo has expired, they say, "Pop!_OS is designed for people who use their computer to create; whether it’s artificial intelligence, sophisticated 3D models, computer science in academia, or makers working on their latest invention. The Pop user interface stays out of the way while offering extensive customization to perfect your work flow. Built on Ubuntu, you have access to vast repositories of open source software and development tools."

Pop!_OS in turn is derived from the GNOME Shell. They are aiming for their desktop to be inviting, modern, and a minimalist look.

Available today is an alpha release of Pop!_OS while their first stable release is scheduled for 19 October.

When inquiring whether their plans are limited to just the desktop/UI or improvements further down the stack, they say it will go beyond just the interface. They plan to work on unified notifications with mobile devices on the desktop, core experience issues, and other details they will reveal when publishing their own road-map.

In terms of whether they will be following each Ubuntu release or sticking to LTS stacks, they say they will be re-basing to each release but they plan to iterate quickly -- it sounds like it will be more rolling as users "our users likely won't need to wait six months to get the latest and greatest on Pop!_OS."

Following their stable release in October derived from Ubuntu 17.10 is when they say users will be able to get Pop!_OS preloaded on System76 systems.

More details at system76.com/pop. It could be an interesting year ahead for System76, especially if they remain on track for designing and manufacturing their own systems.