Vanilla Immutable NoteBook 17.3" HD Tiger

Vanilla Notebook 17.3 inch Full-HD (1920x1080)

With latest powerfull 13° generation CPU Intel® Core™ i7-1360P (4 P-Cores / 8 E-Cores / 16 Threads) – 2.10 GHz (Turbo E-cores 3.40 GHz / P-cores 4.70 GHz) – 18 MB Intel® Smart Cache

GIGABIT LAN & WIRELESS INTEL® Wi-Fi 6 AX200 (2.4 Gbps) + BT 5.0

No DvdRw station

16GB DDR4

1TB , PCIe SSD,

Integrated Intel Iris Xe
60Hz FHD Panel (1920 x 1080), 72% NTSC
Huge 73Wh Battery
Thunderbolt™ 4

Vanilla , a fixed-release distribution based on Ubuntu/Debian with the GNOME desktop, is an immutable operating system. The core parts of the system are locked down to prevent unwanted changes and corruption from third-party applications or a faulty update.

 Specifications

Vanilla OS is built on top of Debian, using a modules oriented approach to build the system. While a common Linux distribution is built using packages, Vanilla OS is built using modules, which are a set of different instructions, such as a package, a build script, a configuration file, etc. This approach allows us to build a system that is more flexible and easier to maintain, while keeping a Debian compatible system. In Vanilla OS we don't care about dependencies like other distributions do, since the system is immutable and updates are served as a whole.

Vanilla OS is an immutable operating system, which means the main system components are read-only and cannot be modified. This allows us to keep the system reliable and always in a consistent state.

Vanilla OS handles updates in a different way than other Linux distributions. While common distributions use a package manager to handle updates, Vanilla OS uses a OCI-image based approach, which means that the system is updated by downloading a new image, using deduplication, and then applying it to the system, ensuring the user always has the latest version of the system as a whole, and in the exact same state as we tested it.

Vanilla OS performs background smart updates, which means that the system is updated only when it is not under heavy load. This allows us to keep the system always updated, without affecting the user experience. To achieve so, we check for multiple conditions, such as the system load, the battery level, the network connection, etc.
storage Different File System Hierarchy

Vanilla OS features a particular File System Hierarchy, even remaining compatible with the FHS standard. The main difference is that Vanilla OS stores the system files in a different directory, which is /.system, this due to how ABRoot, the technology we use to provide immutability and atomic updates, works.
layers Container-Based Architecture

Containers play a big role in Vanilla OS. We developed many tools and technologies to make the system container-based, such as ABRoot, which uses OCI images to provide updates, VSO, which is the user conainer-based default shell, or Apx, a power utility for developers (and not only) to create system-integrated containers based on any Linux distribution, and many more. We use containers to provide a more secure and reliable system, and to make the system more flexible and customizable for every need.
memory LVN Thin Provisioning

Vanilla OS uses a slightly different approach to manage the system storage, by leveraging LVM (Logical Volume Manager) thin provisioning. This technique allows for dynamic allocation of storage space, ensuring optimal resource utilization and flexibility in allocating disk space between the two root partitions, preserving essential disk space.

Vanilla OS is compatible with Android applications, thanks to VSO, Waydroid and F-Droid. VSO is the Vanilla System Operator, the point of contact between the system and the user, it allows the user to manage the system in many ways, as well as installing Android applications through our container-based Waydroid integration, and F-Droid, a free and open-source Android application store.

Vanilla OS diverges from the conventional use of sudo and, instead, employs Polkit for enhanced security and flexibility in permission management. Polkit enables a more granular approach to permissions, ensuring a secure system environment. The decision to move away from sudo is rooted in preventing users from executing arbitrary commands as root, a practice that poses potential security risks. Although users retain some level of control through Polkit, the immutability of the system acts as a safeguard, limiting potential damage by preserving the integrity of core components.

Vanilla OS, together with the Lit (Linux Immutability Tools) project, has developed a tool called FsGuard, which verifies system integrity at boot, checking that the hashes of crucial system files are those provided with the update image. If one of these is missing, FsNotice will come into play, showing a warning on the screen advising against proceeding, inviting the user to select the previous state.

Everything we do is distro-agnostic first, which means that we always try to make our technologies and tools compatible with any Linux distribution to bring our paradigms to everyone, they are not Vanilla OS exclusive.