MintPup (Trusty LTS)

[fredx181]

Hi All.

Just describing my experience with installing a custum made .deb on Ubuntu 14.04 'Unity' desktop.

Tried installing new dogradio_0.0.4_i386.deb which works fine on; Debian, DebianDog and MintPup .
On a computer from a friend who likes Ubuntu 'Unity' very much because of the 'eye candy'

OUGH!!! It was the most bad experience I've ever had using Linux, after lots... and lots of trouble it installed and the program worked ok, except that no 'dogradio' tray-icon was displayed in system-tray and after reboot there was message about 'system problem'.... OK, I chose to solve it, but after that dogradio was removed!!!
I don't know why, I guess because something 'invalid' about the custom made .deb package.
Now, maybe this is about security, but when I install a package with administrator privileges it should be OK in my opinion.
Puppy-Linux is the opposite (it would never complain about anything wrong in package management, AFAIK) so my conclusion: Debian(Dog) and Mintpup are a good 'golden middle' IMHO.

Btw, also tested installing dogradio on 'Lubuntu 14.04' Trusty; No problem, all works fine.

Fred

[saintless]

Hi Fred.
Thanks for sharing your experience with Ubuntu.
I'm experimenting with Debian Live Lenny and posting from this machine makes me feel good

Toni

[fredx181]

Hi Fred.
Thanks for sharing your experience with Ubuntu.
I'm experimenting with Debian Live Lenny and posting from this machine makes me feel good

Toni

HaHa!, that's completely the opposite, no eye candy

Fred

[Ether]

.

I'm experimenting with Debian Live Lenny and posting from this machine makes me feel good :)

Wow. 167MHz CPU with 60MB RAM. Is there a browser available for that, that actually works? I'd like to try that on some of my bottom-feeder PCs.

~

[saintless]

Wow. 167MHz CPU with 60MB RAM. Is there a browser available for that, that actually works? I'd like to try that on some of my bottom-feeder PCs.

links2 and hv3 (both GUI) fly with 167 MHz CPU with 60 MB RAM browsing this forum.
Icewesel is slow but still useful with 200Mb swap file and one tab only open.
With 650 Mhz CPU and 256Mb RAM all looks much better and works fast.
Click for screenshot.
Having 23863 packages available to choose from should be suitable for most needs.
I don't know yet if this experiment will be uploaded as iso image. Probably yes but it is not ready yet. Just testing what works best on some very old machines I have.

Toni

[labbe5]

Hi,

I have passed some time using MintPup, and i have discovered a fine OS that i use as my sole OS on a desktop, in place of APLinux, to listen to music and view movies, as a fresh install at each boot up. I like the fast booting, the choice of apps.

At first i was confused, expecting something more of a puppy-like behavior, but after a while i am more and more at ease with it.

I even tried to install PPA, but i didn't succeed yet, even though i installed Mintsystem. I will try again, because there are some fine apps waiting to be used with PPA.

I also use MintPup on a USB key, a complete OS that i can update and upgrade. I feel i have a real OS in my USB key, updatable and upgradable, which makes it apart from other puppy-based OS, a new Puppy must be done to have the newest apps and all the bells and whisles. As i understand it, repositories are providing all we need in terms of security updates and newer apps.

I am a fan of Puppy, with reservations. I feel Mintpup is what i was looking for in Puppy. Thanks for it.

By the way, i also use DebianDog, but i was only able to install MintPup and have persistence at the same time on my USB key, and used Unetbootin to do that.

[saintless]

Hi.

I even tried to install PPA, but i didn't succeed yet, even though i installed Mintsystem. I will try again, because there are some fine apps waiting to be used with PPA.

Just load the DEVX as described in install variety from PPA post:
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 842#859842

4. Download 06-DEVX-Python-add-PPA-repo.squashfs:
http://kazzascorner.com.au/saintless/Mi ... o.squashfs
5. Load 06-DEVX-Python-add-PPA-repo.squashfs.
6. Add ppa repo for variety:

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sudo add-apt-repository ppa:peterlevi/ppa

7. Unload 06-DEVX-Python-add-PPA-repo.squashfs.
8. Update the repository list:

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sudo apt-get update

As i understand it, repositories are providing all we need in terms of security updates and newer apps.

Correct. Running:

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apt-get update
apt-get upgrade

will install available to the moment newer versions of the packages (including security fixes) from official Ubuntu and Mint repositories and from our special MintPup repo.

Edit: If you give more information about how you try to make persistent on USB with DebianDog I will try to help fixing this problem in one of the DebianDog threads. DebDog installer is well tested and works. Porteus-boot is more Puppy like to have persistent in file or folder and it has "save on exit only" option like Puppy.

Toni

[rek769]

Any thoughts on the possibility of installing Cinnamon through a PPA available to Ubuntu or separate Deb file if one exists?

[saintless]

Hi rek769.

Installing WM as Cinnamon or Mate is easy but it will need some specific configuration settings for porteus-boot. Like redirecting the shutdown and reboot commands to wmpoweroff and wmreboot somewhere in cinnamon configuration. Other problems will appear with sure.
Cinnamon is in Mint repo. No need to add ppa.
Maybe it is best to restore the official Linux Mint apt settings as described here if you like to install Cinnamon. But I didn't do that in my test.
Cinnamon has network-manager as dependency which means installing cinnamon will give warning about removing frisbee first. Make sure to choose alternative wireless manager from the start.
This is what works for me without testing more (just working network connection and default Cinnamon settings):

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sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install cinnamon gnome-themes-standard wicd wicd-gtk resolvconf

Before confirming always check what will be removed. In this case frisbee and zenity-portable:

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sudo apt-get install cinnamon gnome-themes-standard wicd wicd-gtk resolvconf 
....................................
The following extra packages will be installed:
.....................................
Suggested packages:
...................................
Recommended packages:
...................................
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  frisbee zenity-portable
....................................

To auto start cinnamon instead jwm create new $HOME/.xsession file (/opt/bin/start-up line is to keep working $HOME/Startup folder for autostarting scripts):

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rm -f $HOME/.xsession
echo "/opt/bin/start-up &" > $HOME/.xsession
echo "exec cinnamon-session" >> $HOME/.xsession

Exit X and startx and this test for me ends here.

[saintless]

Added in fixes post:

Installing and running rythmbox (and maybe other similar packages) could fail with message like:

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GLib-GIO-ERROR : Settings schema 'org.gtk.Settings.FileChooser

The problem is in some schemas from Wheezy included in gnome-mplayer-1.0.7 package. More information read here.
To fix this download gnome-mplayer-fix.zip and extract the archive in /opt/bin (or /usr/bin).
Run in terminal "sudo gnome-mplayer-fix" and you should see the same output without other messages:

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sudo gnome-mplayer-fix
All done - gnome-mplayer schemas moved in /usr/share/glib-2.0/schemas/.

This is enough to fix the problem in your running system. Later we will update gnome-mplayer-1.0.7 deb with newer version.

[labbe5]

http://linrunner.de/en/tlp/docs/tlp-lin ... ement.html

Above, website for TLP with detailed instructions how to set it up. It should improve laptop battery life.
From website :
TLP brings you the benefits of advanced power management for Linux without the need to understand every technical detail. TLP comes with a default configuration already optimized for battery life, so you may just install and forget it.

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2253256
zram is like swap in ram, instead of on disk, so boosting performance of low-ram computers.

http://linuxpoison.blogspot.ca/2013/02/ ... o-ram.html
Profile Sync Daemon is used with browsers (a good number of browsers are compatible) to boost performance.

Those scripts are all performance-related, and best used with low-ram computers to boost performance.

Please, consider doing your own search on the Web, since the links are not provided as an How-To, but to help start researching the subjects, and help you with performance-related problems, when using low-ram computers. All scripts are available with package manager provided with DebianDog or MintPup, and should not proved too hard to have them working in those OS. Could be available and useful in Upup too, such as Tarhpup, Vividpup, etc.

[rek769]

Hi rek769.

Installing WM as Cinnamon or Mate is easy but it will need some specific configuration settings for porteus-boot. Like redirecting the shutdown and reboot commands to wmpoweroff and wmreboot somewhere in cinnamon configuration. Other problems will appear with sure.
Cinnamon is in Mint repo. No need to add ppa.
Maybe it is best to restore the official Linux Mint apt settings as described here if you like to install Cinnamon. But I didn't do that in my test.
Cinnamon has network-manager as dependency which means installing cinnamon will give warning about removing frisbee first. Make sure to choose alternative wireless manager from the start.
This is what works for me without testing more (just working network connection and default Cinnamon settings):

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install cinnamon gnome-themes-standard wicd wicd-gtk resolvconf

Before confirming always check what will be removed. In this case frisbee and zenity-portable:

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get install cinnamon gnome-themes-standard wicd wicd-gtk resolvconf 
....................................
The following extra packages will be installed:
.....................................
Suggested packages:
...................................
Recommended packages:
...................................
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  frisbee zenity-portable
....................................

To auto start cinnamon instead jwm create new $HOME/.xsession file (/opt/bin/start-up line is to keep working $HOME/Startup folder for autostarting scripts):

Code: Select all

rm -f $HOME/.xsession
echo "/opt/bin/start-up &" > $HOME/.xsession
echo "exec cinnamon-session" >> $HOME/.xsession

Exit X and startx and this test for me ends here..

Saintless,
Well, it installed but WICD has some sort of DNS problem (even tried static DNS) and there is no Cinnamon Control Panel (blank icon in menu and nothing happens when selected)...It would be great to have a puppy-fied Mint with Cinnamon desktop as I support several Cinnamon users and could simply restart X with Cinnamon when needed. However, without more expertise on my part it doesn't seem usable.

If you care to investigate more it would be appreciated but I understand this may not be priority for you.

Thanks either way!

[saintless]

Well, it installed but WICD has some sort of DNS problem (even tried static DNS)...

Wicd works fine for me with wired network but I don't have wireless to test so I can't reproduce the problem. Searching in google shows some "waiting up to 60 more seconds for network configuration" messages (if this is the same problem you have).
The dns servers are managed by resolvconf package if I do not mistake. Maybe reinstalling and reboot will solve the issue:

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sudo apt-get install --reinstall resolvconf

Or try to remove wicd (but I don't know if network-manager works for wireless):

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sudo apt-get purge wicd wicd-gtk

And install dhcpcd5 (you can download the package and install with "dpkg -i path-to-package"):
http://mirrors.kernel.org/ubuntu/pool/u ... 1_i386.deb
And type dhcpcd in terminal. Works for wired network and auto dhcp.

If the problem is caused by network-manager package you can't remove it without removing cinnamon. I can't help you much here.

...and there is no Cinnamon Control Panel (blank icon in menu and nothing happens when selected)...

I still keep the testing install. I didn't find Cinnamon Control Panel entry but the applications from Prefernces menu didn't work for me too. Searching for answer I found this (and I get the same error messages running cinnamon-settings command in terminal):
https://github.com/linuxmint/Cinnamon/issues/4355
http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.p ... &p=1015552
The advice to upgrade cinnamon worked for me.

Open with geany /etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list and change all rebecca to rafaela, save and run in terminal:

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sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install cinnamon

Check the upgraded version number;

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cinnamon --version
Cinnamon 2.6.13

Use this fix for gnome-mplayer-1.0.7 schemas issue now (upgraded cinnamon will complain about old schemas otherwise):
http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic. ... 101#864101
After using the schemas fix run the programs from Preferences menu. All tested works for me with upgraded Cinnamon.
Upgraded-Cinnamon-Screenshot.

Toni

[Ether]

.

1a) How to see how much space is left in savefile?

1b) Is there a clean way to recover if changes exceed free space in savefile?

2) I installed Firefox, but I have to go to terminal and type "firefox" to run it. How to add Firefox item to menu?

Thank you

.

[saintless]

1a) How to see how much space is left in savefile?

Utility --> Freememapplet ON
Message on mouseover the taskbar icon appears.
There is also active free space check script in ~/Startup/freechk set to appear on 30Mb. You can change the warning to 100Mb or more from MBLEFT=30.

1b) Is there a clean way to recover if changes exceed free space in savefile?

You can try fresh boot with no persistent to increase the size of the safe file with Utility --> Resize Save File
Then run in terminal (few times if you see error messages):

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sudo fsck /path-to-save-file

Try to boot with this save file and run in terminal:

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sudo apt-get -f install
sudo dpkg --configure -a

If you see any error messages run again the same commands few more times.

2) I installed Firefox, but I have to go to terminal and type "firefox" to run it. How to add Firefox item to menu?

.
Installing with apt-get I see firefox has very strange desktop file in /usr/share/applications
It has 3 different entries (each for different command) and in the menu appears only the last one:
Utility --> Open a New Private Window
Create new desktop file (/usr/share/applications/firefox-new.desktop for example) using Utility --> Menumaker or just paste this inside:

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[Desktop Entry]
Version=1.0
Name=Firefox
Exec=firefox
Terminal=false
Type=Application
Icon=firefox
Categories=Network;

Then System --> Menu Puppy (or type update-menus in terminal) and you will see Network --> Firefox entry.

Toni

[Ether]

.

active free space check script in ~/Startup/freechk set to appear on 30Mb. You can change the warning to 100Mb or more from MBLEFT=30

This doesn't seem to work for Porteus savefile. I have 1000MB Porteus savefile and I set MBLEFT=950, and got no warning. I'm pretty sure I installed more apps than 50MB.

Freememapplet works but it displays free RAM, not free space in savefile.

Is there a way to query the system to find out how much space is left in a Porteus savefile?

Create new desktop file (/usr/share/applications/firefox-new.desktop for example) using Utility --> Menumaker or just paste this inside:

Code: Select all

[Desktop Entry]
Version=1.0
Name=Firefox
Exec=firefox
Terminal=false
Type=Application
Icon=firefox
Categories=Network;

Then System --> Menu Puppy (or type update-menus in terminal) and you will see Network --> Firefox entry.

That worked. Thank you.

.

[Ether]

.

This doesn't seem to work for Porteus savefile.

I did some more testing:

- It works with changes=/casper/changes.dat

- It doesn't work with changes=EXIT:/casper/changes.dat
.

[saintless]

.Freememapplet works but it displays free RAM, not free space in savefile.

It displays free RAM if you boot without persistent or with changes=EXIT:
It displays free space using save file, folder or partition (encrypted or not). The screenshot attached in my previous post is from 256Mb RAM machine and it shows 1,5Gb free memory.

.I did some more testing:

- It works with changes=/casper/changes.dat

- It doesn't work with changes=EXIT:/casper/changes.dat

Because with changes=EXIT:/casper/changes.dat your save file free space is not in use. The size of your save file with changes=EXIT:/ is the size of your RAM. When you choose to save the changes on Exit (or typing save2flash) the system will copy the session data (which is only in RAM at the moment) inside your save file.
Installing packages with changes=EXIT:/ is limited to the RAM size (not to the save file size).

Edit: I'm not sure if safe checking the free space is possible with changes=EXIT:/ boot code. Unmounted save file can be mounted and selecting all data Properties will show the size inside and the difference compared to the save file size will show the free space.
But with changes=EXIT:/ the system reads (overlays) the existing data on boot without using the free space from the save file but only RAM free space. Mounting the same save file manually could not be safe for the filesystem structure inside.
I don't know porteus-boot process enough to suggest free space checking with changes=EXIT:/ boot code.
Maybe booting with changes=/casper/changes.dat just to check the free space inside changes.dat and then reboot with changes=EXIT:/ is the only safe way.

Edit2: OK, solved. There is easy and safe way to do it with changes=EXIT:/
Tested only with save folder but should be the same for save file.
Right click -> Properties on /mnt/live/memory/images/changes-exit
Screenshot attached.

Toni

[Ether]

.

There is easy and safe way to do it with changes=EXIT:/
Tested only with save folder but should be the same for save file.
Right click -> Properties on /mnt/live/memory/images/changes-exit

Thank you. It works with MintPup save file too! (MintPup changes=EXIT:/casper/changes.dat)

The 550MB free looks correct, because I tested with
changes=/casper/changes.dat
and got warning with MBLEFT=600 but no warning with MBLEFT=500

Also, looking at Properties of /mnt/live/memory/changes shows how many MB of changes are in RAM that will be written to the save file on exit? So you can check to make sure the changes in RAM don't exceed the free space in the changes.dat file?

[saintless]

.Also, looking at Properties of /mnt/live/memory/changes shows how many MB of changes are in RAM that will be written to the save file on exit? So you can check to make sure the changes in RAM don't exceed the free space in the changes.dat file?

Yes, good idea. Attached small script to make the check easy when using changes=EXIT:/ code.
Extract the archive in /opt/bin (or /usr/bin) and type in terminal check-on-exit:

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mint ~ # check-on-exit
Not saved yet session data:
Used
131 Mb
Your save file has free space:
Available
853 Mb

Toni