Cuba's Ubuntu Linux-Based Open Source Linux OS to Get Facelift

The Cuban government—which, as readers may or may not know, is involved in open source operating system development—plans to roll out a new OS based on Canonical‘s Ubuntu Linux. Named Nova Lightweight 2015, the offering is an adaption for lower-end computers of Cuba’s Nova operating system.

Nova has been developed since 2009 at Cuba’s University of Information Science, with sponsorship by the Cuban government. Microsoft Windows remains the most popular OS in Cuba, but the goal of the Nova project aims to change that by making free and open source software the basis for personal and institutional computing in the island nation.

Nova initially was based on Gentoo, a choose-your-own-adventure distribution of Linux. Current versions, however, are derivatives of Ubuntu, a major distribution with commercial backing from Canonical.

Nova Lightweight 2015, which Softpedia announced this week, will use the Guano desktop environment. (Apparently “guano” in this context refers to 19th century construction material, not bird excrement.) Guano is based on LXDE, a popular open source interface for Linux-based operating systems.

The Nova developers say the new system will make it easier to run Nova on older computers, but will also enhance the user experience with an updated design and unique icon theme. The developers hope these features will help speed the adoption of Nova among ordinary computer users as a replacement for Windows.

“As usual this distribution by its design is intended to provide a migration process as smooth as possible, especially for users who are accustomed to using Windows-like other operating systems,” said Alex Sanchez, a Nova developer.

Softpedia reports that the official release of Nova Lightweight 2015 will occur “in the coming days.”