EasyOS version 2.3.2, June 22, 2020

[rodin.s]

Barry.
Just got your messages. May be too late as you have already made a release. I guess I will look at it as soon as I get to a computer capabale of running it. I am posting this from Raspberry Pi.

[Billtoo]

.
I installed to a 32GB Sandisk Ultra usb-3.0 flash drive with easydd.
I tried to install the proprietary Nvidia driver but had no success
with that so rebooted restoring the original install.
I installed xenialpup,chromium,kodi,and firefox with sfsget.
Computer is a dual core Lenovo desktop.
Dark blue background and icons are nice.

It's working well,
Thanks.

[BarryK]

To Barry;

Repeating my previous post without success:
Default SfsGet delivers Firefox ok.
In container system, SfsGet looks as if it wants to download Firefox
while showing the orange % progress banner, but doesn't actually install.
Same thing with Chromium. Is this right or wrong?
If SfsGet is supposed to provide working s/w in this mode, then it isn't doing its job.

Your reply:
"the SFS is downloaded, then a window pops up asking how you want to install it. You choose, then it gets installed."

I obeyed your instruction to install to NEW as before above,
Orange firefox triangle appears with exclamation mark inside.

A warning notice then appears;
File doesn't exist, or I can't access it:
/usr/sbin/ec-chroot-firefox

Please investigate, thanks.

That is a bug! The "sfsget" icon should not be in the container.

"sfsget" should only be run on the main filesystem, outside of a container.

I know that you reported this before, but I didn't understand the situation. Thanks for persisting with reporting it. I need to remove "sfsget" from the Easy-in-container window, also prevent it from being run from a terminal.

[BarryK]

Barry.
Just got your messages. May be too late as you have already made a release. I guess I will look at it as soon as I get to a computer capabale of running it. I am posting this from Raspberry Pi.

No, not too late, there is going to be a 1.01 or 1.1 release soon.

Try out the 1.0 ru build, you can use that to run momanager and add more translations, and fix some old ones.

Note, the langpack must not contain any executables, no binary executables or shared libraries, and no scripts.

Some of the older langpacks have scripts that replace those in the build, but the Woof build now has later version of those scripts.

If there is a script that does not yet have translation capability in it, get the latest from Woof, add the translation capability (usually getttext) and send it to me for inclusion in Woof.

Latest Woof is here:

http://distro.ibiblio.org/easyos/project/woof/

Right now, Easy 1.0 also has the latest scripts.

L18L has just posted an updated momanager, with some fixes for Easy:

http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic. ... &id=121217

...this will replace /usr/sbin/momanager in Easy.

[BarryK]

Barry.
Just got your messages. May be too late as you have already made a release. I guess I will look at it as soon as I get to a computer capabale of running it. I am posting this from Raspberry Pi.

Thanks for responding to my pm.

There is an earlier Easy release for the Pi3. You are giving me some incentive to do a 1.0 build for the Pi!

[rodin.s]

Ok. I will test Easy may be tomorrow or on Wednesday.

[Sage]

1.0 liveCD: Not a show stopper, booted with qfix=nox, got the full D/T. Same on several machines.
Where can I find a .pet/.(w.h.y.) like Cheese or Guvcview and a webcam viewer?

[rufwoof]

qfix=nox works fine for me on a HDD frugal install

grub4dos menu.lst entry of ...

title Easy 1.0 (frugal install in sda1)
uuid 7e85c56f-88fa-4660-988e-ebccbd2f5d91
kernel /easy/1.0/vmlinuz video=640x480 qfix=nox
initrd /easy/1.0/initrd

[L18L]

[scsijon]

Barry.
Just got your messages. May be too late as you have already made a release. I guess I will look at it as soon as I get to a computer capabale of running it. I am posting this from Raspberry Pi.

Thanks for responding to my pm.

There is an earlier Easy release for the Pi3. You are giving me some incentive to do a 1.0 build for the Pi!

And did I see a notice on one of the american pi sites around christmas about a pi notebook planned to come out this year. Don't know which pi chip or if crowd funded as I don't pi at present.

On the other hand there are some refurbished m7's out there if you look, with ssd's and simslots for mobile computing, and they don't go too slow with easy..

[rufwoof]

seamonkey (and/or firefox) menu appearance too small?

about:config ... and adjust

layout.css.devPixelsPerPx

I changed mine from the default -1.0 to 1.2

For firefox quantum portable, copying in the seamonkey userChrome.css from somewhere like /root/.mozilla/seamonkey/3o1ptd5r.default/chrome/userChrome.css
to /root/Downloads/firefox64/profile/chrome/userChrome.css
i.e. wherever you've extracted portable firefox (you need to create the chrome folder) caters for adjusting both the menu font size and appearance

[Sage]

Confirming earlier qfix=nox from liveCD gives D/T on wider range of machines including an 8yr old laptop, single and multi-core desktops. Only commonality is that all run from BIOS; uefi switched off where appropriate/available.
Font sizes in all apps are entirely acceptable with or without spectacles, latter with reading or distances lenses!
Oh yes, an RPi version would be highly acceptable.

[Rodney Byne]

To Barry,
just to let you know, in usb v1.0 standard desktop,
I am experiencing erratic launching of containerized Firefox
browser when clicked.
This is most noticeable after using any ordinary program,
say audacious to listen to some music.
Close that down then try to launch Firefox and nothing happens.
I have to re-boot the pc and try again - it then works but still frustrating.
Something needs tweaking, could you have a look please, thanks.
Regards.

[rufwoof]

I've installed Freds Firefox Quantum portable http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=112376 (that auto updates) inside the Easy container - and that seems to work well for me with no apparent ill effects.

Easy container is a lot more secure than running seamonkey/firefox in their own containers, as the Easy container uses Xephyr that better isolates it from the main X server/client.

I've also installed tmux, installed from http://murga-linux.com/puppy//viewtopic ... 38#1002738

with a configuration of

/root/.tmux.conf ...

Code: Select all

# set control key to backtick but also send it i.e. if hit twice then prints the backtick
unbind C-b
set-option -g prefix `
bind ` send-prefix

bind -T copy-mode-vi PageDown          send-keys -X page-down
bind -T copy-mode-vi PageUp            send-keys -X page-up

# mc uses F1 to F10, so moved up to F11 and F12
bind-key -n F12 next-window
bind-key -n F11 new-window
#bind-key -n F3 kill-window

# Console tmux and this has - and | instead of ? for borders
# UTF-8 must be off
set-option -g terminal-overrides ',*vt*:enacs@:smacs@:rmacs@:acsc@'

# split panes using | and -
bind | split-window -h
bind - split-window -v
unbind '"'
unbind %

## switch panes using Alt-arrow without prefix
#bind -n M-Left select-pane -L
#bind -n M-Right select-pane -R
#bind -n M-Up select-pane -U
#bind -n M-Down select-pane -D

######################
### DESIGN CHANGES ###
######################

## loud or quiet?
#set-option -g visual-activity off
#set-option -g visual-bell off
#set-option -g visual-silence off
#set-window-option -g monitor-activity off
#set-option -g bell-action none

#  modes
#setw -g clock-mode-colour colour2
setw -g clock-mode-colour yellow
setw -g mode-attr bold
setw -g mode-fg colour1
setw -g mode-bg colour18

# panes
set -g pane-border-bg colour0
set -g pane-border-fg colour19
set -g pane-active-border-bg colour0
set -g pane-active-border-fg colour9

# statusbar
set -g status-position top
set -g status-justify left
set -g status-bg colour4
#set -g status-fg colour137
set -g status-fg colour255
#set -g status-attr dim
set -g status-right ' #[bg=colour0] `#[bg=colour4,bold]Prefix    #[bg=colour0] 11#[bg=colour4,bold]New    #[bg=colour0] 12#[bg=colour4,bold]Next   '
set -g status-left '#[fg=colour255,bg=colour4,bold] %H:%M#[fg=colour255,bg=colour4,bold] %a %d %b '
set -g status-left-length 50
set -g status-right-length 30

setw -g window-status-current-fg colour1
setw -g window-status-current-bg colour19
setw -g window-status-current-attr bold
setw -g window-status-current-format ' #I#[fg=colour249]:#[fg=colour255]#W#[fg=colour249]#F '

setw -g window-status-fg colour9
setw -g window-status-bg colour18
setw -g window-status-attr none
setw -g window-status-format ' #I#[fg=colour237]:#[fg=colour250]#W#[fg=colour244]#F '

setw -g window-status-bell-attr bold
setw -g window-status-bell-fg colour255
setw -g window-status-bell-bg colour1

# messages
set -g message-attr bold
set -g message-fg colour232
set -g message-bg colour16

#hilite current window
set-window-option -g window-status-current-bg red
set-window-option -g window-status-current-fg yellow

mc, also installed using petget

So multiple terminal windows when I ctrl-alt-F3 and login as root (and run tmux) with a reasonable file manager (mc) and its text editor (mc -e). Not running any real root X windows whilst a container is running is good security practice (as is regularly clearing out your browsers cache/history). Running real root from cli whilst a easy container is running is fine (better isolation). If you run real root X programs/windows, then do so only when the Easy container isn't loaded/running. I only use the main X real root desktop for admin things that require X, and never have any windows open when the Easy container is running (security).

I have a tput based menu script (currently the same as copied across from my OpenBSD install), that is helpful for running common commands quickly (I've yet to edit it to be EasyOS specific).

I set the cli resolution to be 640x480 as I prefer the larger font/look i.e. in grub4dos menu.lst ...

Code: Select all

title Easy 1.0 (frugal install in sda1)
 uuid 7e85c56f-88fa-4660-988e-ebccbd2f5d91
 kernel /easy/1.0/vmlinuz video=640x480
 initrd /easy/1.0/initrd

Mostly I just flip between ctrl-alt-F3 (cli/tmux/mc) and ctrl-alt-F4 (into X running the Easy container, within which I run firefox, libreoffice ....etc.).

Typically in X (easy container) I'll have audacious running in one X desktop, firefox in another, libre in the third and just flip between those desktops as desired.

First couple of attached screenshots were taken using my phone (actual console), so somewhat blurred. First is the console tmux window that shows my tput based menu, the next is another tmux window running the mc file manager

The other screenshots are (respectively) the main (real root) desktop, and a couple of the Easy container desktop shots (one with audacious running, the other with firefox portable running and showing the puppy forum web site).

[BarryK]

@rufwoof,
The tmux thing inside container is interesting.

Regarding the standalone apps in containers, using xorg, that is an awkward one to make more secure. Probably could run xephyr, but window sizing is an issue.

@everyone,
Have built Easy 1.0.1 for the Pi3, running on my Model B (2015).

Libreoffice crashed at startup, reports "missing vcl resource." Something to do with localization. That is version 5.0.x compiled in OE.

I decided to compile Libreoffice 6.0.x, on my Rock64 board, which is running Quirky Pyro64 0.9.8. It has been compiling for several hours...

Anyway, expect a Pi3 release, 1.0.x, very soon.

I am not up with the latest Pi3 boards, there is a B+ I think? Don't know if my build has the right firmware for that.

[rufwoof]

@rufwoof,
The tmux thing inside container is interesting.

Didn't make it very clear Barry. I install tmux (and mc) outside of a container, in the main system (real/full root). Then use that for admin type activities, so no X (that otherwise a restricted userid X window could stuff commands/actions into). In effect I'm considering X and browser to be insecure, so running Xephyr (Easy container) and everything in that is in effect isolated. I only use the main/real root X session to do the admin tasks that cannot be run from cli (tmux), only doing so when the Easy container isn't running. cli versions of those admin tasks could be relatively easily added to the tput based cli menu that I create/maintain (such as container version controls etc.), but I haven't got around to doing that yet (current tput menu is more or less a duplicate of my OpenBSD tput menu as-is, but with reboot, shutdown ...etc. adjusted for EasyOS).

I do the same in OpenBSD. X (xenodm, that runs under a restricted userid), used to run a browser (and other X programs). Admin all done from/using cli/tmux/mc. I also turn off all setuid scripts (unavailable to 'others') which also helps close down potential security risks.

Xephyr seems quite good at isolating a user X window from a root X window. Standard (non Xephyr) containers much less so. I've provided simple xdotool based examples in the past of how a user X window can stuff commands into a root X window i.e. its relatively trivial. Such that a simple browser flaw that opened up a command level access, even though that might be running as a restricted userid (such as spot), can access other windows (such as a xterm window that's running as root, or a root owned rox filer window ...etc.).

Such browser flaws (that enable command actions as the userid running the browser) are quite common (and often openly published). And more often browser updates open up new choices/flaws.

tmux can even be used to open windows. For example at cli

Code: Select all

su spot
DISPLAY=:0 galculator

will launch a galculator window in X that's running as userid spot.

Another benefit of tmux is the ability to use ssh into other boxes and have multiple cli windows for that (and other activities). With tmux you can detatch and reattach, and even have multiple attaches i.e. two or more of you can log into the same box using the same userid and attach to the same tmux session, so whatever either does is seen by the other (collaboration). Or you can login/attach, start a activity such as a long compile, detatch, and then later log in again from another box/device and reattach again to see how far things had got.

I like to set F11 to add a new tmux window, F12 to step between windows ... as that sits well with mc using F1 to F10. For the command action that usually is ctrl-b such as ctrl-b c to create a new tmux window, I set that to be backtick as that's quicker/easier (for example backtick c to add a new tmux window). I also set it so if you press backtick twice it actually prints/shows a backtick ... such as if entering a execute command in a script (encased in backticks).

Generally I tend to maximise all windows and alt-tab between them in X, or F12 between them in tmux. Others like to use panes and have multiple panes in a single window and zoom/unzoom those. As in X, I tend to only have multiple windows on the same desktop (or multiple panes in the same tmux window) if I'm visually comparing things side by side.

tmux is a good tool, relatively small and worthy of being a default program in t2/EasyOS IMO.

[rufwoof]

Just changed my kernel boot parameter video=640x480 setting to 800x600 ... as that looks nicer on my 1440x900 monitor (cli). More visible in cli, without the font being too small.

[rodin.s]

I have managed to boot Russian version from USB flash drive. Translation of console boot part is pretty good even if it is done by the machine. It needs some fixes though.
I needed special script to control laptop backlight brightness. I don't know if Easy has something build in for that. It is too bright for me by default. It also took me some time to figure out how to setup sound. Needed to select correct sound card.
I wanted to make fugal install to hard drive. Copied three files: sfs, vmlinuz, initrd to 'easy' directory on a partition and configured Grub2 to boot it. Then it asked me if I want partition to be encrypted and I accidentally said yes and then it said that sfs file was not found. Now that partition is encrypted and not bootable at all. I can open it from Ubuntu and see files. I wonder if it is possible to decrypt it somehow?

[rodin.s]

Ok. I have translated easyinitrd.po. Fake gz.

[BarryK]

@rufwoof, @rodin.s,
Thanks for the responses. I am running on a different machine right now (Windows 10!). My main work-PC is busy doing a backup.

So, will re-read these posts when back on that PC. Also have to re-read the pm's as esmourguit has posted updates for fr translation, plus some fixes for scripts.

The news for now is there is a release for the Raspberry Pi:

http://bkhome.org/news/201901/easyos-10 ... ry-pi.html

I might divert awhile longer, build Easy 1.0.2 for the Rock64 board. After that will get back to catching up with updates and fixes that you guys have posted.