Puppy 4.4 CE - Phase 1: pet tests

This is where threads concerning the development of the next version of Puppy live.
Message
Author
raffy
Posts: 4798
Joined: Wed 25 May 2005, 12:20
Location: Manila

howto manual

#151 Post by raffy »

I guess whatever URL is given for the user at first boot should contain complete and helpful information for beginners. (Ideally, it will be online and then downloaded to the ISO) before the final ISO is built.

The "manual" template am using for now is at http://puppylinux.org/main/index.php?file=Manual-English.htm
It is based on the draft manuals at the puppylinux.org/wiki site.

I can place parts of this manual in the wiki so that it can be updated for 4.4.

As to SFSDIRECTORY: Am in favor of the ability to define Puppy's default file location, as in having an ext2 partition that would be used by Puppy as /mnt/home. What we now have in /root should be there.

Saying "go to /home" and then the user actually sees "/root" does not really help the user. Why don't we try to hide /root and make it visible as "/home"? If that is difficult, at least use /root until that time when /mnt/home has been created (ie, Puppy has been installed to an ext2 partition). The least that we can have in /home in addition to the sfs files are /MyFiles and /Programs. Perhaps all the Puppy sfs files shall go inside /Programs?

Using /mnt/home in Windows partition may still help, but there should be a lot of warnings about doing it. Anyway, it should be a simple affair to install all of Puppy in a USB flash drive. We can use an installer script that assumes Puppy can do anything on the flash drive - a 1 GB flash drive is inexpensive anyway. Umm, perhaps include a small VFAT there that has a Linux file reader for Windows (plus some free VFAT space), so that the user can still read his files from the drive and put some Windows files there, temporarily at least.
Puppy user since Oct 2004. Want FreeOffice? [url=http://puppylinux.info/topic/freeoffice-2012-sfs]Get the sfs (English only)[/url].

User avatar
technosaurus
Posts: 4853
Joined: Mon 19 May 2008, 01:24
Location: Blue Springs, MO
Contact:

#152 Post by technosaurus »

Honestly I would prefer to eliminate the X11 directories entirely and have them in /usr (with symlinks back to /usr for backward compatibility) I am still debating on whether or not to try xorg 7.5.

Raffy- can you clarify that a bit?
Check out my [url=https://github.com/technosaurus]github repositories[/url]. I may eventually get around to updating my [url=http://bashismal.blogspot.com]blogspot[/url].

raffy
Posts: 4798
Joined: Wed 25 May 2005, 12:20
Location: Manila

Programs

#153 Post by raffy »

Yes, it's a bit difficult to discuss "nix file system, as it is not too flexible. So when we talk about /Programs, we may actually be looking at just symlinks.

But let me describe my experience with Opera and Skype. I know firsthand that all it takes to install these programs is decompress the files to a folder and run the executable. Using the appdir approach in Rox, the whole directory can actually be made to look like one executable file.

So with the (small) core Puppy filesystem in RAM, the user just goes looking for large applications (programs) in /mnt/home/Programs, sees Opera[appdir] and Skype[appdir] and clicks on one of them. But we can also have there OpenOffice[appdir], VLC[appdir] etc. All it takes is for the user to download the application package and click, and (with the package installer script) it is placed in /mnt/home/Programs. :)

Now, I don't know if appdir will work in VFAT, so I recommend that ext2 filesystem be used. But even if appdir is not used, I guess we should now get the habit of using *nix filesystem in every opportunity. Let us start always with the flash drive and do what we want with it - we may assume a 1 GB drive.

Some files may fall out of the limited RAM, so the user may still see program files being saved in /mnt/home, which we may try to store in /Libs (symlinked to the appropriate *nix folder in RAM).

The package download/install script should be able to do this, copy the executables to /Programs and other shared files to /Libs. Use of symlinks will handle the rest.

If the user wants to use the Flash drive in Windows, then we will be obliged to provide a GPL Linux reader in the flash drive (for reading files previously stored in /mnt/home/MyFiles), as well as a small VFAT work space, say 25% of the drive space. The (small) puppy-440.sfs can still be placed in the VFAT drive - anyway, this is being copied to RAM at boot time.
Puppy user since Oct 2004. Want FreeOffice? [url=http://puppylinux.info/topic/freeoffice-2012-sfs]Get the sfs (English only)[/url].

panzerpuppy
Posts: 632
Joined: Tue 02 Oct 2007, 07:39

#154 Post by panzerpuppy »

+1 for trying / upgrading to Xorg 7.5 and Xserver 1.7.1

panzerpuppy
Posts: 632
Joined: Tue 02 Oct 2007, 07:39

#155 Post by panzerpuppy »

Proudog wrote: RoxFiler is to old the actual version is 2.10, i think that is need upgrade.
I'd love to see a .PET package of the latest version :)

User avatar
ttuuxxx
Posts: 11171
Joined: Sat 05 May 2007, 10:00
Location: Ontario Canada,Sydney Australia
Contact:

#156 Post by ttuuxxx »

panzerpuppy wrote:
Proudog wrote: RoxFiler is to old the actual version is 2.10, i think that is need upgrade.
I'd love to see a .PET package of the latest version :)
I made one up but forget where the links are in this forum. I know I made one for 4 series and upup/dpup. hmmm
it takes a bit of work to get rox working on puppy.
ttuuxxx
http://audio.online-convert.com/ <-- excellent site
http://samples.mplayerhq.hu/A-codecs/ <-- Codec Test Files
http://html5games.com/ <-- excellent HTML5 games :)

User avatar
Lobster
Official Crustacean
Posts: 15522
Joined: Wed 04 May 2005, 06:06
Location: Paradox Realm
Contact:

#157 Post by Lobster »

This simple script idea from MU could be the default for our browser
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 238#353238

Those who have offered to help on the non programming side
Please join and update the wiki page
Detailed Objectives need updating - eh - what are they? :)
http://puppylinux.org/wikka/Puppy44
Puppy Raspup 8.2Final 8)
Puppy Links Page http://www.smokey01.com/bruceb/puppy.html :D

panzerpuppy
Posts: 632
Joined: Tue 02 Oct 2007, 07:39

#158 Post by panzerpuppy »

SeaMonkey 2.0 RC2 is out.

The FINAL version of SeaMonkey 2.0 will be released in a few days (launch date: 27 Oct 2009)
That means no more support for SeaMonkey 1.1.x on Linux.
Extension makers are forcing Linux users to stop using the 1.1.x series and upgrade to 2.0.

What browser is Puppy 4.4 CE going to use? SeaMonkey 2.0 or Opera 10.10?

Opera 10.10 is a much better browser than Opera 10.00.
10.00 was very good, but 10.10 is what 10.00 should have been when it was released : Tons of bugfixes, Opera Unite, much better compatibility with websites, further improvements to the default UI, better skin, improved performance and much more.

User avatar
clarf
Posts: 613
Joined: Wed 13 Jun 2007, 19:22
Location: The old Lone Wolf

#159 Post by clarf »

Hi Lobster,

The script idea for secure navigation is a good one, but it should be an option and not the default navigation.

If you run mozilla with a X user, then you could only download information to that users directory. You couldn´t use any other partition disk without assigning the right permissions first, because root user in Puppy mount those partitions, a standard user must know how to do those tasks.

I think a shortcut desktop or link should be added for secure browse, when users click this link a informational page should be loaded first inside the browser, indicating the limitations and download restrictions in this mode.

It´s a great idea but in my opinion we should polish it a little :)

Greetings,

clarf

panzerpuppy
Posts: 632
Joined: Tue 02 Oct 2007, 07:39

#160 Post by panzerpuppy »

technosaurus wrote:xpad-4.0-i486|xpad|4.0-i486||Desktop|100K|pet_packages-4|xpad-4.0-i486.pet||Jot down notes for later|puppy|4|official|
The .PET works great on Puppy 4.3.1 , but it doesn't work on the older puppies.

Could you make another .PET package for the older Puppies (4.1.x / 4.2.x) that doesn't require libgio / libselinux ?
Last edited by panzerpuppy on Thu 22 Oct 2009, 05:09, edited 2 times in total.

User avatar
Max Headroom
Posts: 421
Joined: Wed 28 Jun 2006, 07:17
Location: GodZone Kiwi
Contact:

re All the Recent Discussion 'bout where's Home...

#161 Post by Max Headroom »

re All the Recent Discussion 'bout where's Home...
Can We Please incorporate Pizzasgood MultiUser Functionality!
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 9&start=30
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=47410
This is the ideal Opportunity to introduce this into the MainStream Dingo,
+1 for trying / upgrading to Xorg 7.5 and Xserver 1.7.1 & Opera
Cheers!
:)

caleb72
Posts: 57
Joined: Fri 15 May 2009, 12:44

#162 Post by caleb72 »

I sometimes get a little confused about where I should post certain types of questions so I apologise in advance if this isn't the greatest thread to post in. However, I was looking around for how Puppy organises itself into getting contributions for future releases.

I was reading previously that there was some mention and agreement with the notion of One Task = One Application/Utility. I'm not sure if I fully understand the extent of that philosophy as it applies to distribution development. Ie - is the idea not to have multiple applications in order to perform one application or is the idea to have applications (where possible) to only perform one task - and how broad is the notion of task?

I love Puppy, but one of the things I recently noticed was how desktop configuration elements like JWM aren't really all in one place - and are not necessarily there at all - eg configuring multiple trays without having to do it from scratch with a text file.

I was thinking it would be nice to have a JWM configuration utility that covers all of this config in one application. I see bits and pieces of this idea, but not the idea in full.

For myself I was contemplating developing a tool for my own benefit to try to cover as many aspects of JWM configuration as I can in one central utility which I could then use instead of either multiple tools or direct text configuration. I'm not sure how feasible it is (with my skillset and amount of free time) to do this, but this is what I was thinking about.

Would such an exercise fit or not fit with the notion of one task = one application? And would such an excerise actually align with the goals of putting out a Puppy - whether that's a community edition or a core edition?

Regards
Caleb

User avatar
Lobster
Official Crustacean
Posts: 15522
Joined: Wed 04 May 2005, 06:06
Location: Paradox Realm
Contact:

#163 Post by Lobster »

@caleb72
this code might be of interest - used in dpup
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 418#293418
Puppy Raspup 8.2Final 8)
Puppy Links Page http://www.smokey01.com/bruceb/puppy.html :D

caleb72
Posts: 57
Joined: Fri 15 May 2009, 12:44

#164 Post by caleb72 »

Thanks for that. Looks like the kind of thing that would call my uber-special jwm configuration utility. I can already see a button for it on the panel. :D

Regards
Caleb

dio444
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu 20 Nov 2008, 11:57

gnumeric

#165 Post by dio444 »

OK! I'm on it! I actually already messed with updating gnumeric once, and found that it's dependencies were complex enough that I dropped it. But, I think I can have a new static pet within a few days. It may take me a few more to get it stripped down to puppy standards. ;)

Tom

User avatar
sinc
Posts: 545
Joined: Wed 22 Jul 2009, 20:35
Location: Tampa, FL USA

#166 Post by sinc »

I apologize if this is the wrong 4.4 thread to put this in.

I was just closing some partitions on my hard drive from the pinboard and wanted to keep some mounted and others not, and thought "Man, it would be nice if there were buttons to minimize, maximize, close, AND close-&-unmount, instead of just the first three."

I have NO IDEA (not a computer guy :D ) how doable the idea is but is it possible to have close-and-unmount button along with the other three regulars instead of having to right click to unmount a partition?

thanks for your thoughts.

panzerpuppy
Posts: 632
Joined: Tue 02 Oct 2007, 07:39

#167 Post by panzerpuppy »

More woof-woof (good) news :

- XServer 1.7.1 was released today :D X.Org 7.5 will see a release later today (or tomorrow).

- Barry has compiled the latest*** version of ROX-Filer (2.9) for Puppy 4.3 (includes ttuuxxx's fixes).

*** @Barry: There's a newer build (2.10) released on 18 Jul 2009 ;)

User avatar
technosaurus
Posts: 4853
Joined: Mon 19 May 2008, 01:24
Location: Blue Springs, MO
Contact:

#168 Post by technosaurus »

Rox 2.10 is considered an unstable release, but I don't have a problem testing unstable releases - how else will they ever get stable? Hopefully I can access the 2.9 sources somewhere so that I can do a diff against the original sources and apply them to 2.10 (and send them upstream in case ttuuxxx didn't) Has anyone tracked down the patched sources?

Xorg could take a while to fully compile. By popular request need to remember to include Xinput.... Anything else that is currently missing that people would like to see added? DRI, GLU by default maybe?
Check out my [url=https://github.com/technosaurus]github repositories[/url]. I may eventually get around to updating my [url=http://bashismal.blogspot.com]blogspot[/url].

User avatar
clarf
Posts: 613
Joined: Wed 13 Jun 2007, 19:22
Location: The old Lone Wolf

#169 Post by clarf »

technosaurus wrote: Xorg could take a while to fully compile. By popular request need to remember to include Xinput.... Anything else that is currently missing that people would like to see added? DRI, GLU by default maybe?
Please, don´t forget to add: Latest TightVNC 1.3.10 and Filezilla.

A new request: latest hiawatha version 6.17.1.

P.S: I don´t know about rxvt state, but a multitab rxvt will be good.

Thank you,
clarf

User avatar
clarf
Posts: 613
Joined: Wed 13 Jun 2007, 19:22
Location: The old Lone Wolf

#170 Post by clarf »

I don´t want to bother you. But I think it´s a small request.

I´ll like to see the Psearch Right click feature in Rox.

http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=47990

Thank you again,
clarf

Post Reply