rPath Linux 0.99.5 (Beta) is available now

Hard on the heels of rPath Linux 0.99.4 comes an update that includes primarily security updates; new Firefox, Mozilla, and Poppler have several security vulnerabilities addressed. Ongoing information: Conary 0.96; conary-policy 0.90.2; Firefox 1.5.0.1, latest upstream version for security enhancements; Mozilla updated with patches for vulnerabilities; Poppler updated to 0.4.4, latest upstream version, to fix JPEG decoding vulnerabilities; system-tools-backends now has support for rPath Linux and derived distros; the kernel has been rebuilt...

rPath provides rBuilder and rPath Linux, the first platform for creating and maintaining software appliances. Software appliances bring the simplicity and value of Software as a Service (SaaS) to on-premise application deployments.

The Problem
The proliferation of software packages (both infrastructure and applications), hardware components, and unique customer requirements has created an impossibly complex integration problem for application providers. Conflicting maintenance streams, release schedules, licensing terms, and service conditions create customer service headaches and unacceptable engineering expenses. We call this problem the “Matrix of Pain."

The Solution
The license freedom provided by open source infrastructure offers application providers the historic opportunity to deliver a complete solution to their customers – freeing their application from the “Matrix of Pain”. Using the rBuilder platform, developers can wrap their application with rPath Linux and related open source components in a tightly integrated, high performing manner. The resulting software appliance includes an installer and a maintenance mechanism that simplifies deployment and management to literally a few clicks of a mouse. Customers get application benefit without software hassles, the hallmark of Software as a Service (SaaS).

Hard on the heels of rPath Linux 0.99.4 comes an update that includes primarily security updates; new firefox, mozilla, and poppler have several security vulnerabilities addressed.

As we approach the end of our Beta testing, we would like to encourage the most extensive testing you are willing to do. Please report bugs that you find at http://bugs.rpath.com/ or on irc.freenode.net #conary.

Ongoing information on our release shows up on our wiki in real time: http://wiki.conary.com/rPathLinux
Note in particular that we are planning another update for next week, in order to incorporate and better test the updates we do in response to your bug reports.

* Conary 0.96

* conary-policy 0.90.2

* firefox 1.5.0.1, latest upstream version for security enhancements

* mozilla updated with patches for vulnerabilities: CVE-2005-4134 - long history DoS; CVE-2006-0292 - Javascript unrooted; CVE-2006-0296 - XULDocument.persist

* poppler updated to 0.4.4, latest upstream version, to fix JPEG decoding vulnerabilities described in CVE-2005-3624, CVE-2005-3625, and CVE-2005-3627.

* system-tools-backends now has support for rPath Linux and derived distros.

* MAKEDEV has more group dependencies added bz#670

* The kernel has been rebuilt with no changes to the binaries that are produced, but using a recipe that is much easier to shadow and modify, especially meant for rBuilder Online users who need to provide a patched or otherwise custom kernel image.

Download this release from ftp://download.rpath.com/linux/beta/0.99.5/ or from mirrors as they update; see http://wiki.conary.com/MirrorSites