openSUSE Leap 16.1 gives Linux users the right to remain immutable

openSUSE Leap 16.1 lets users choose between a conventional Linux installation and an immutable system from the same installer, bringing the previously separate Leap Micro into the fold.

It's the first point release after Leap 16.0, which we looked at last year when it reached the release candidate stage.

Leap 16.1 has arrived ahead of its paid enterprise sibling, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 16.1, which is expected later this month. Its release notes are already available, and IBM discussed the release in September.

The big change in the 16.1 release cycle of both the free and commercial products is that SUSE is merging its conventional Linux with its immutable version, a change the company announced back in February.

SUSE previously offered a commercial stripped-down immutable OS, aimed mainly at hosting containers, called SLE Micro. To correspond with that, there was a free community OS called Leap Micro – the final release was Leap Micro 6.2.

Leap Micro is being discontinued …