BlankOn is an Indonesian distribution, targetting for desktop users with limited Internet access. BlankOn is not merely to create yet another Linux distribution, but more to encourage Indonesian people to involve with Free/Open Source Software development.Indonesians are known to have spirit to share, and eager to help each other. Hence, BlankOn Developers believe, that it is their part of identity, to be more active and involved in Free/Open Source Software activities.
BlankOn is developed by Indonesian Linux Activator Foundation (YPLI, Yayasan Penggerak Linux Indonesia) and BlankOn Developers.
BlankOn was first released in 2005 and latest release (the sixth release) was made in July 2010. In first release BlankOn was a Fedora derivative, then switched to Ubuntu until it's fifth release. The sixth release onwards start to use as many as upstream components as possible and starting to leave the shadow of Ubuntu.
YPLI is a non-profit foundation which runs many activities related to Free/Open Source Software and human resource development.
The name BlankOn originally came from blangkon an ethnic Indonesian headdress, especially common among the Javanese (Central Java, Yogyakarta, and East Java), Sundanese (West Java and Banten), Maduranese, and Balinese.
BlankOn means also blank (binary number 0) and on (binary number 1) or digital hat (modern) with ancient (classic) appearance.
Another meaning of the name could be said to be the transformation from "blank" to "on".
Philosophy.
The BlankOn developers hope that every BlankOn user can be transformed from "blank" to "filled", to have knowledge that Linux can be used to increase the skills, dignity, and autonomy of the Indonesian people.
BlankOn is intended to be a motivator for the Indonesian people to use and develop Linux and other FLOSS. BlankOn also means a crash helmet to software proprietary dependency.
Update (via Distrowatch):Ainul Hakim has announced the release of BlankOn 6.0, an Indonesian desktop Linux distribution based on Ubuntu with support for Indonesian languages and scripts, as well as English: "BlankOn 6.0 'Ombilin' is the newest version of the BlankOn distribution. It was developed by the Indonesian Linux Mover Foundation and BlankOn developer team. BlankOn is an Indonesian distribution that includes a variety of software that is widely used by consumers in general, such as office programs, financial applications, Internet applications, drawing (both vector and bitmap) and support for various multimedia file formats.
Features: four types of scripts, namely Bugis, Toba Batak, Balinese and Sundanese; Stardict fast dictionary; Chromium web browser; Exaile music player; USB modem switch, Shotwell photo manager; support for the AMD64 architecture...."
Read the release announcement and release notes (both links in Bahasa Indonesia) for further details. An English translation of the release notes is available here.
Download: blankon-6.0-cdlive-i386.iso (698MB, MD5, torrent), blankon-6.0-cdlive-amd64.iso (698MB, MD5).
• 2010-07-05: Distribution Release: BlankOn 6.0
• 2009-06-16: Distribution Release: BlankOn 5.0
• 2008-11-16: Distribution Release: BlankOn Linux 4.0
Screenshots.
Desktop
Evolution
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