Banksy 3 - aka "The Personator"

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greengeek
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#101 Post by greengeek »

Sylvander wrote:I guess I should run the new "b3burnimp" script rather than click the link on the desktop to run the "b3impersonator" old script, right?
No - just click the desktop icon as you would have done previously. The desktop icon links to the new b3burnimp script (as long as you put it where it is supposed to go - overwriting the old version)
And when I do run it, will it create a new [iso or sfs?][by using the existing state of the Banksy3 running at that time?] and and tell me what to do and when, so as to burn a new CD-RW?
The new version gives you the original choices but also a new choice of "SFS+new" - this option is intended for frugal installs and collects the contents of your original personal sfs and adds the new personalisations you have just added (eg a new browser or any other programme) and makes a new personal sfs. You can use this new sfs to add into your frugal boot directory as a replacement for the previous personal sfs. None of this impacts the main b3 puppy sfs.

At this stage the direct CD burn or DVD burn options do not include the new functionality of adding new personalisations on top of previous personalisations - i just focused on getting that functionality working in the personal sfs build portion. Hope that doesn't make this irrelevant for your needs.
c. Should I simply make all of the desired changes, and then run the new script?
Yes, but don't run the script directly - run it by clicking the desktop impersonator icon.
d. I tried to update the existing version of Firefox [ESR 17.0.8] using "check for updates", and it replied that it was already up-to-date, so no joy there. I see no sign of "NoScript", so I was mistaken about that.
This version must simply be too old for my banking website to accept.
I don't know too much about ESR but I do recall reading somewhere that as soon as it gets online it does update some of it's functionality to keep it compatible with modern browser needs. I really don't know to what extent this might be true. Certainly I have not seen massive incoming data streams updating mozilla files (as an update might be expected to do) but I do sometimes see different appearance to the startup pages that make me wonder if it has updated something and is displaying differently. Maybe that is just changes to the FF mozilla startup webpages online rather than changes within the browser.
e. I guess I could simply install the version of Palemoon for which I have pet files.
Yes I am keen to hear what browser works best for you. I tend to use a middle aged version of Google Chrome when FF has trouble - but I am happy to build a b3 that has whichever browser you feel is stable and functional.

cheers!

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#102 Post by Sylvander »

greengeek wrote:...as long as you put it where it is supposed to go...
Where is that?
I'm unable to find an existing file with the name "b3burnimp".

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#103 Post by greengeek »

Sylvander wrote:Where is that?
I'm unable to find an existing file with the name "b3burnimp".
I mentioned this in post above where the b3burnimp file is attached:
greengeek wrote:How to do this??
I have attached a new version of "b3burnimp" - if you unzip this file and use it to replace the old version in /opt/b3personator it will upgrade the "personalisation" functionality and give you more options than previous versions.
Should be at that location. If not something is wrong.

However - it may be worth waiting till later today when I will upload a newer version of that new version.

I just worked out how to make the CD creation "cumulative" too - previously the CD burn function in the "impersonator" script could only create a CD based on a single generic boot plus personalisations. It could not be run successfully a second time (ie capturing two sessions worth of personalisations). Now it can.

But I have to head off to work so will have to post that tonight..

Meantime - the first new version of b3burnimp is capable of creating the personal sfs correctly (including concatenating multiple sessions if desired) - but that is only useful if you are booting from frugal. I can't remember how you are booting.

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#104 Post by Sylvander »

greengeek wrote:I can't remember how you are booting.
I'm booting a burned CD-RW with the session closed after burning.
Hence the RW can only be wiped and re-burned; no changes can be made to it even if a session is hacked.
And if I only ever go to my banking website, or Amazon, and don't fetch emails, I don't see how it can be hacked.
Unless someone were to hack my wireless hub, and somehow crack its long complex password.

I'll wait for the "newer version of that new version".

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#105 Post by greengeek »

Sylvander wrote:I'll wait for the "newer version of that new version".
Hi Sylvander, attached is the newest b3burnimp.

Here is what is required:

- Boot your current banksy CD (I assume it is personalised not generic)
- Unzip new version of b3burnimp and place it in /opt/b3personator (overwrite original version)
- Add new browser pet (and any other personalisations or setup changes required)
- Place blank(ed) CD in optical drive ready for burning and click on b3impersonator icon on desktop.

In theory your original personalisations (from the booted CD) will be combined with the newest personalisations (palemoon etc) and burned to the fresh CD.

(Please be aware that the burn_personalised_CD function takes a lot more memory than the create_personal_SFS function so a swap partition is a good idea)

The script has no awareness of what is required to blank a CDRW so I hope it works as you want it to - the blanking etc will have to be up to the user at this stage.

I plan to release a new b3imp generic iso soon, containing the new b3burnimp script as well as updated grub4dos (better frugal detection) and a couple of other refinements grafted into the main b3imp sfs.

cheers!
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#106 Post by Sylvander »

OK...
Easy-Peasy...JOB DONE. :D
As per your instructions.
Typing this from my new Banksy3 CD-RW ---> Firefox ESR 17.0.8.
i.e.
1. Additional "Palemoon 27.6.2 (32 bit)" installed. [no problems]

2. Replaced old "/opt/b3personator/b3burnimp" with latest copy downloaded today and unpacked. [no problems]

3. Placed blanked CD-RW in optical drive ready for burning and clicked on b3impersonator icon on desktop. [new CD-RW burned with no problems]
Does the program automatically finalise the burn, so no more can be burned unless first blanked?

It's amazing how easy the doing of this is, provided you know how.

The newly installed [additional] Palemoon appears to work just fine [at banking website for example], and so does the existing Firefox, so I now have a choice of two functioning Browsers.

I'm beginning to think it might be a good idea to use this as my number-1 Puppy.
I normally don't save any session changes to Slacko anyway.
Although if I did make any changes in Banksy3, it would involve a simple re-master which is more time-consuming I guess, than simply/quickly saving changes, but then it IS more secure.
Banksy3 provides extra choice I suppose.
Any thoughts?

It's a FABULOUS thing? :D
GOOD WORK.

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#107 Post by greengeek »

Sylvander wrote:OK...
Easy-Peasy...JOB DONE. :D
As I have said before - many thanks Sylvander for giving it a try and persisting with this. You are the best tester anyone could ask for :!:
3. Placed blanked CD-RW in optical drive ready for burning and clicked on b3impersonator icon on desktop. [new CD-RW burned with no problems]
Does the program automatically finalise the burn, so no more can be burned unless first blanked?
As far as i can recall I have only ever used CDR's for the burn - and the programme does finalise (and fixate) those. I simply don't know how it handles CDRW. (However if you feel like more testing..... :twisted: )
It's amazing how easy the doing of this is, provided you know how.
Thanks, thats nice to hear. My aim was to make it easy for newbies to get a puppy running with consistent personalised behaviour - without having a savefile that is corruptible.
Although if I did make any changes in Banksy3, it would involve a simple re-master which is more time-consuming I guess, than simply/quickly saving changes, but then it IS more secure.
Banksy3 provides extra choice I suppose.
Any thoughts?
Yes i find the "impersonator" stuff quicker and easier than remastering - although it needs to be said that this method is not the equal of remastering. This method makes it simple to ADD personalisations quickly, but remastering is a better option if you need to REMOVE stuff. For example if you wanted FF17 completely deleted from the main sfs to make things smaller, then remaster is the way to achieve that.

As always - many thanks for testing!

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#108 Post by Sylvander »

greengeek wrote:However if you feel like more testing.....
OK, so what would I need to do?

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#109 Post by greengeek »

I think a useful CDRW test would be like this:

- Boot a personalised banksy from CDRW
- Add the new b3burnimp into /opt/b3personator
- Add some personalisations that identify this as a second attempt at personalisation eg: maybe a document placed in /root and called "personal2" would be sufficient to indicate whether or not the original CDRW succeeds in being overwritten.
- Click the impersonator icon on the desktop and see what happens.

I can imagine some possible outcomes:

1) The impersonator script (displayed in terminal) throws up some error saying the CDRW cannot be updated (most likely situation)

2) The script burns to CDRW successfully, including the "personal2" file - which would become visible after the next boot.

3) The script tries to burn to CDRW but this fails for some reason and the CDRW becomes unbootable.

Hopefully you have more than one CDRW and don't risk losing your original personalisations...

I need to get my skates on and release an updated b3imp_generic iso.
There are a couple I did not release yet so the newest will probably be RC8 or thereabouts.

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#110 Post by Sylvander »

Completed latest test.
RESULT:
No changes were recorded to the CD-RW.

METHOD:
1. Booted my latest Banksy3.

2. Removed the Banks3 CD-RW, placed a blank CD-RW in the drive, and clicked "b3impersonator" link on desktop to burn the session to make a 2nd copy of my latest Banksy3 CD-RW.
That completed OK.

3. Rebooted, and tested this 2nd latest Banksy3 CD-RW.
It booted fine, and functioned well.
e.g. Palemoon worked at my banking website.

4. Made new "/root/Personal2" file with some text content.

5. Tried to burn a 3rd copy of this latest Banksy3 session, but it failed to burn anything to the 2nd/filled/not-blanked/booted CD-RW.
i.e. The CD-RW that was used to load the session.

6. How do I know this?
a. The burning program tried to find a blank CD-RW by opening and closing the drawer.
b. The session terminated too early to have burned much of anything.
c. When I rebooted the CD-RW, There was no "/root/Personal2" file existing.

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#111 Post by greengeek »

Sylvander wrote:4. Made new "/root/Personal2" file with some text content.

5. Tried to burn a 3rd copy of this latest Banksy3 session, but it failed to burn anything to the 2nd/filled/not-blanked/booted CD-RW.
i.e. The CD-RW that was used to load the session.

6. How do I know this?
a. The burning program tried to find a blank CD-RW by opening and closing the drawer.
b. The session terminated too early to have burned much of anything.
c. When I rebooted the CD-RW, There was no "/root/Personal2" file existing.
Hi Sylvander - if I interpret your results correctlly then that indicates that this is working as you would like - is that correct?

in other words - you were able to create the personalisations to CDRW and use them successfully, but there was no way to accidentally overwrite those changes using impersonator. (same behaviour as a CDR that has been burnt, finalised and fixated)

However - perhaps I am misunderstanding? Did you WANT impersonator to overwrite (and modify) the CDRW without you manually blanking it?

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#112 Post by Sylvander »

1.
greengeek wrote:...this is working as you would like - is that correct?

in other words - you were able to create the personalisations to CDRW and use them successfully, but there was no way to accidentally overwrite those changes using impersonator. (same behaviour as a CDR that has been burnt, finalised and fixated)
Correct.
Plus there's no way for someone to hack into a running session, and save malicious changes by burning them to disk, correct?

2.
greengeek wrote:However - perhaps I am misunderstanding? Did you WANT impersonator to overwrite (and modify) the CDRW without you manually blanking it?
NO!

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#113 Post by greengeek »

Sylvander wrote:Plus there's no way for someone to hack into a running session, and save malicious changes by burning them to disk, correct?
True. Having an unwritable disk is a good security feature. (especially if you eject it during online activities)

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#114 Post by Sylvander »

greengeek wrote:...especially if you eject it during online activities.
It would be good if the OS reminded the user to do that right after booting to the desktop.
I keep forgetting to do it.

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#115 Post by greengeek »

Sylvander wrote:It would be good if the OS reminded the user to do that right after booting to the desktop.
I keep forgetting to do it.
Unzip the attached script and chuck it into the /root/Startup directory.

(You can test it first by just unzipping it anywhere and clicking it. Doesn't do anything except pop up a reminder that the user must click to dismiss. No harm done)
:)
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#116 Post by Sylvander »

Job DONE. :D

1. Booted into my latest Banksy3, downloaded your file to my Banksy folder on my Flash drive, extracted it using Xfe, copied it into /root/Startup.

2. Tried to run it using ROX, but it complained that no program was set to open a file of this type.
I think I fixed that by setting the EXE attributes to the file.
Then it ran OK.

3. Remastered, rebooted, and the reminder was displayed once at the desktop. :D

Thank you. :D

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#117 Post by greengeek »

Sylvander wrote:2. Tried to run it using ROX, but it complained that no program was set to open a file of this type.
I think I fixed that by setting the EXE attributes to the file.
Then it ran OK.
My apologies, I thought I had made the script executable before gzipping it but it appears not.
3. Remastered, rebooted, and the reminder was displayed once at the desktop. :D
Excellent - glad it worked.

Just one question: "remastered" or "impersonated" ??
:D

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#118 Post by Sylvander »

greengeek wrote:Just one question: "remastered" or "impersonated" ??
:D
"impersonated".
Which in my mind means "Remastered".
Else, what's the meaning of "impersonated"?

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#119 Post by greengeek »

Just a minor difference in semantics - although it is significant to my mind because the layering of banksy is different to normal pups:

"Remastering" means to expand, modify, then repackage the main puppy sfs (eg puppy_b3imp_banksy3.sfs)

"Impersonating" means letting the impersonator script capture your modifications and repackaging them into the personal sfs which sits on top of and is separate to the main puppy sfs. (ie the personal sfs is the "top layer" which overrides the main sfs like a cloak)

This is more obvious when working with an HDD frugal installation - where the separate puppy sfs and personal sfs can be seen. When working with CDs the separate sfs files are not so visible unless you are mounting the iso for the purposes of looking what's in there.

Other pups do not have the "personal" sfs layer - therefore they force you to use one of the following options:

1) Create a writable save file or folder. (insecure)

2) Remaster the main puppy sfs that was released by the dev. (tricky to understand and achieve)
I don't generally like that method as it means you end up with main sfs files that are named the same as the sfs originally released by the dev, but having different contents.

The way banksy is set up is to allow the user to avoid remastering (because that is too hard), avoid having writable save files (because that is too insecure and unstable) yet still be able to create a "locked in" personalised puppy easily. The personalisations are "read only" and easy to achieve - leaving the main banksy sfs untouched.

Clear as mud.

In other words - you did not "remaster" - because you did not need to go through all that unnecessary drama. You simply used the desktop icon to "impersonate" your running system and copy it direct to CD. So much easier!!

The main banksy sfs is unchanged, but your personal sfs now contains the new personalisations concatenated with the previous ones.

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#120 Post by Sylvander »

greengeek wrote:Clear as mud..
No, you explain it well, and I believe I understand.
And "Impersonating" rather than "Remastering" seems to me to be a very good way of achieving the goal.

Mind you, if you were to test my understanding by asking me questions, would I pass the test?

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