Debian Linux releases version 4.0 'Etch'

Debian, a longstanding and steadfastly noncommercial Linux project, released version 4.0, called Etch, on Sunday.

The new version, under development for 21 months, includes a graphical installation process, an encrypted file system and authentication to verify integrity of downloaded updates, the project said in a Sunday announcement. And it includes the Iceweasel browser and Icedove e-mail software--versions of Firefox and Thunderbird that have been renamed because of a branding issue involving the Mozilla project.

Debian serves as a base for the Ubuntu version of Linux. Debian project leaders also released an update to version 3.1, called Sarge. (Debian releases are named after Toy Story characters; the unstable version under development is called Sid.