Founder Preview

Mann Industries Linux

MI Linux is a polished Debian Testing / Forky-based GNOME desktop OS built for everyday users who want modern hardware support, gaming ready performance, privacy-respecting defaults, and a clear update path.

Download ISO See screenshots Release Notes Support MI Linux Custom PC Builds View All Projects

Release: MI Linux Forky Founder
Base: Debian Testing / Forky
Desktop: GNOME
Status: Founder Preview

mi-linux@founder:~$ verify-release
ISO: mi-linux-forky-founder-amd64.iso
Size: 3,178,692,608 bytes
SHA256: 9db31d5edd2f9d6...
SHA512: 6a69210507614c87...
Source: MannCloud + GitHub

What is MI Linux?

A real installable Linux desktop, not just a theme pack.

Mann Industries Linux, short name MI Linux, is a Debian Testing / Forky-based desktop operating system project from Mann Industries. The first public release is MI Linux Forky Founder — Founder Preview.

MI Linux is being created for people who want a polished, beginner-friendly Linux desktop without giving up modern hardware support, gaming-ready performance, privacy, or control over system updates. It is not just a theme pack. The goal is a real installable operating system with a live ISO, Calamares installer, MI Linux update path, documentation, checksums, signatures, and a public build recipe.

Why it was made

MI Linux was created because many Linux choices force users to pick between extremes: very stable but older packages; very current but too risky for normal users; polished desktops that hide too much control; powerful systems that expect new users to know too much up front; and app ecosystems that push users toward unwanted defaults.

MI Linux is designed to sit in the middle: more current than Debian Stable, calmer than raw Debian Testing, polished enough for beginners, and transparent enough for advanced users. The Founder Preview is the first step toward a Mann Industries desktop OS that can be downloaded, verified, booted, installed, updated, and improved in the open.

Download

Get MI Linux Founder Preview

The full ISO is hosted on MannCloud. Checksum files are published alongside it so you can verify the download before writing it to a USB drive.

Founder Preview ISO Bootable live/install image for x86_64 PCs SHA256 Verify ISO integrity SHA512 Stronger checksum verification Screenshot tour See the boot screen, desktop, wallpaper, and update tools GitHub Release Release notes and assets

Why MI Linux

More than a theme. Built like a real OS.

Curated Forky base

Designed around a delayed Debian Testing / Forky model: newer than Debian Stable, calmer than raw Testing.

Polished GNOME desktop

MI Linux will feel familiar from the start, with a bottom taskbar, its own visual identity, Firefox, ONLYOFFICE, Flatpak, Flathub, and GNOME Software included.

Gaming ready

Planned support for i386 multiarch, Vulkan, GameMode, MangoHud, controllers, and Proton tools without overloading the base install.

Privacy-respecting defaults

No telemetry, no required online account, no automatic usage reporting, and user-controlled bug reporting.

Real release artifacts

Bootable ISO, checksums, release notes, known issues, public source, and MannCloud-hosted downloads.

Mann Industries identity

Branding, wallpaper, full-screen boot/shutdown art, welcome app, update manager, and a dedicated apt repository.

Custom PC builds

Purpose-built computers for any reason, any industry, and any experience level.

Mann Industries builds custom PCs for businesses, creators, students, home users, beginners, gamers, engineers, and specialized work environments. A custom build is one of the best technology moves you can make because the computer is planned around your real workflow instead of forcing you to work around a generic store-bought machine.

Whether you need a dependable office workstation, a beginner-friendly home computer, a Linux-first desktop, a Windows production machine, a macOS-style workflow, or a dual-boot setup, the build can be matched to the operating system, budget, software, space, and upgrade path you actually need.

Email for a build consultation

Business and beginner-ready PCs

Clean, reliable systems for everyday work, point-of-sale, office apps, cloud tools, training, email, video calls, and users who want a computer that feels easy from day one.

Any OS you want

Windows, Linux, MI Linux, dual-boot, privacy-focused setups, or a familiar desktop layout tailored to how you or your team already works.

Gaming and small form factor builds

Gaming PCs are available, with a specialty in small form factor systems that deliver serious performance without taking over your desk, living room, dorm, or office.

Engineering and creator workstations

Engineering PCs need the same careful balance as high-end gaming systems: strong CPU and GPU choices, cooling, memory, fast storage, stability, and room to grow for CAD, 3D, simulation, design, and production workloads.

Other projects

Mann Industries builds more than MI Linux.

Beyond MI Linux, Mann Industries builds practical technology projects across custom PCs, AI assistants, automation, cloud tools, and open-source experiments.

Mann Industries Projects & Labs Explore Linux desktops, private AI assistants, Nextcloud tools, local memory systems, automation projects, and custom PC build work in plain English. View All Projects

Verification

Verify before you install

After downloading the ISO, compare it with the SHA256 or SHA512 file. The checksum should match exactly before you write the USB.

Size: 3,178,692,608 bytes
SHA256: 9db31d5edd2f9d6eb38e3dcc6d37d6b49032877d34372a0ddc0e144da88a1cdc
SHA512: 6a69210507614c87019aa5674f05e3231b378e0ba0113e32f1c47adc5462caaf0cf48b6cda09820860756e97394059ec94ae80f7a3c707065ac408f24217b140

sha256sum -c mi-linux-forky-founder-amd64.iso.sha256
sha512sum -c mi-linux-forky-founder-amd64.iso.sha512

Update server

Signed MI Linux apt repository

Installed systems use the MI Linux update server at apt.mannindustries.org. The Founder Preview channel is forky-founder, with a separate forky-tester channel for early testing.

Types: deb
URIs: https://apt.mannindustries.org
Suites: forky-founder
Components: main
Signed-By: /usr/share/keyrings/mi-linux-archive-keyring.gpg

Install path

Try it live, then install with Calamares

DownloadGet the ISO and checksum files from MannCloud.
VerifyCheck SHA256 or SHA512 before writing the image.
Write USBUse Rufus, balenaEtcher, GNOME Disks, Ventoy, or the repo helper script.
Boot liveStart the USB in UEFI or Legacy BIOS and try the live desktop.
InstallLaunch Install MI Linux and follow the Calamares installer.

Install guide USB guide Known issues

Support

Help keep MI Linux moving.

If MI Linux helped you, you can support development, hosting, download bandwidth, test hardware, and future builds with a coffee.

Support MI Linux development Contributions are optional and help keep the project practical, tested, and available. Buy me a coffee

Sponsor or advertise carefully MI Linux keeps downloads clean and trustworthy. Future sponsorships should be Linux, hardware, developer, privacy, or open-source related — no popups, autoplay, or ads beside the ISO button. Discuss sponsorship

Open build recipe

Review the project on GitHub

Build scripts, live-build configuration, package sources, documentation, and website files are public for review and feedback.

Open GitHub repo