If you’re stuck on Windows 10 and your computer can’t run Windows 11, it might be time to consider switching to Linux. One of my favorite lightweight Linux distributions, 4MLinux, has officially released version 49.0. It’s a great choice for anyone looking to breathe new life into older hardware (64-bit only, though).
This version includes a wide range of updated applications. You’ll get LibreOffice 25.2 for document editing, along with AbiWord 3.0.6, GIMP 3.1.2, and Gnumeric 1.12.59 as part of the GNOME Office suite. For web browsing, Firefox 140.0 and Chrome 138.0 are both ready to use. Thunderbird 140.0 handles email, while Audacious 4.4.2, VLC 3.0.21, and SMPlayer 25.6.0 cover your music and video needs.
Gaming gets a boost too. The 4MLinux GamePack now includes Stella, an Atari 2600 emulator, and Brutal Chess. Mesa 25.1.0 and Wine 10.11 power graphics and Windows software compatibility. Programming tools like Perl 5.40.2, Python 2.7.18, Python 3.13.3, and Ruby 3.4.3 are also part of the package.
There are some nice new features this time around. 4MLinux can now be installed on Bcachefs partitions, though that works only when using UEFI. Support for mobile devices is much better, thanks to improvements with Bluetooth and support for PTP and MTP protocols. That means easier file transfers and better compatibility with phones and tablets.
Several new apps are now included by default. Aqualung is a lightweight music player, Googles helps manage music collections, and QWinFF is useful for converting media files. Fastfetch gives you system stats in a terminal-friendly way. If you’re looking to expand functionality, downloadable extensions include GIMP4, gnuplot, and ReZound. For users running the LiveCD version, optional Intel VAPPI drivers are also included and ready to install.
Overall, this release makes 4MLinux more useful than ever. It’s an easy pick for anyone needing a simple, reliable Linux distro that runs well on aging machines. I’ve always liked 4MLinux for its simplicity and performance, and this update just makes it even better. If you’re still using Windows 10, you owe it to yourself to give this a try.
