My report on Quirky 6.0

[slick-puppy]

I also have an issue with my sound volumes not getting saved after setting them in the setup mixer. After a re-boot I have to go back into settings and re-adjust the levels.

"alsactl store" does not seem to store anything either.

After 20 years of fire truck sirens ringing in my ears I have to have the volume up a little more.

Edit:

I finally put a script in my startup folder to get around my issue that works for me. In the process of trying to chase down things I was looking in the /etc/init.d/10alsa script where the mixer controls were being set and was trying to use it as a basis for my script in my startup folder. I kept getting errors when I ran it ; invalid command. Got to looking at the "amixer --help" commands and saw "sset" but not "set". So I change the commands in my script to "sset" and it finally loads up on reboot.

Examples like used in /etc/init.d/10alsa:

amixer -s -q <<EOF
set Master 100% unmute
set Master 0.00dB
EOF

My script in Startup folder:

#!/bin/sh
amixer -s -q <<EOF
sset Master 100% unmute
sset Master 0dB
sset Front,0 100% unmute
sset Front,0 0dB
sset PCM 100% unmute
sset PCM 0dB
sset Headphone 75% unmute
sset Headphone -12dB
EOF

alsactl -f /etc/asound.state store

[chapchap70]

I thought it would be simple to suspend when closing my netbook lid like other puppies. I did not find an /etc/acpi directory in Quirky 6.21. Pfind did not find any suspend scripts; just the /etc/apm/suspend.d directory which was empty.

When I click on the suspend.sh file while navigating in my Precisesave folder from within Quirky, my netbook suspends as it would when I close the lid. When I open the lid, it resumes like it usually would.

I tried copying the /etc/acpi directory from precise but that didn't work. I also tried putting the script in the /etc/apm/suspend.d directory but that didn't work either.

Does anyone know how to get this working?

[BarryK]

3. Something that gives me cause for concern:
a. I always thought it good that when booting Puppy from an optical disk...
It could be finalized so it couldn't be written to, hence practically incorruptible.
And a pupsave file, if infected/corrupted...
A 2nd Puppy could be used to delete the pupsave and replace it with a good backup copy.
Hence a "live" install was pretty safe.

b. With the new arrangement used in Quirky Unicorn, a snapshot would be saved within the Puppy filesystem.
Hence Quirky would need to be functional to be able to restore a snapshot.
Yet it's not guaranteed incorruptible.
I saw BK say somewhere that he intends to do something about this.
I wonder what?

4. I normally set up my Puppies so I have the choice "to save or not to save" session changes.
Both during the session, and at shutdown/reboot.
Is there a way to do this in Quirky Unicorn?

3.
A snapshot can be restored at bootup. Quirky creates a ramdisk, with a small Linux environment, and runs from there. As long as Quirky can get the files needed to create the ramdisk, even a broken system can be rolled back.
The files needed to create the ramdisk are mostly static, that I created especially for the purpose, though in theory if any of those have been damaged or deleted then the ramdisk won't work.

Yes, the extra step that I was considering, to ensure rollback of a totally messed up installation, is to have a ramdisk image file. As long as that file still exists, the ramdisk can be created.

Oh yes, busybox will have to still be there, and working, but it is also a static executable.

4.
You are thinking in Puppy terms, but as for number 3 above, you have to know that Quirky is a conventional full installation of Linux.

There is no "pupsave" file. You are running a full install of Linux, so no option to shutdown without saving session.

[BarryK]

1. Regarding 2 in the post above:
Tried uninstalling the "update from 6.1 to 6.1.4", but it made no difference to the problem.

Quirky Unicorn is version 6.2. We have an update Service Pack 6.2.1.

[BarryK]

I also have an issue with my sound volumes not getting saved after setting them in the setup mixer. After a re-boot I have to go back into settings and re-adjust the levels.

"alsactl store" does not seem to store anything either.

After 20 years of fire truck sirens ringing in my ears I have to have the volume up a little more.

Edit:

I finally put a script in my startup folder to get around my issue that works for me. In the process of trying to chase down things I was looking in the /etc/init.d/10alsa script where the mixer controls were being set and was trying to use it as a basis for my script in my startup folder. I kept getting errors when I ran it ; invalid command. Got to looking at the "amixer --help" commands and saw "sset" but not "set". So I change the commands in my script to "sset" and it finally loads up on reboot.

Examples like used in /etc/init.d/10alsa:

amixer -s -q <<EOF
set Master 100% unmute
set Master 0.00dB
EOF

My script in Startup folder:

#!/bin/sh
amixer -s -q <<EOF
sset Master 100% unmute
sset Master 0dB
sset Front,0 100% unmute
sset Front,0 0dB
sset PCM 100% unmute
sset PCM 0dB
sset Headphone 75% unmute
sset Headphone -12dB
EOF

alsactl -f /etc/asound.state store

Strange, maybe 'set' support got dropped in an earlier version of amixer?

Anyway, I have replaced all of "set" in 10alsa script with "sset".

Dunno what that "cset" is for.

[BarryK]

The command interpreter for this script is bourne shell #!/bin/sh. Ubuntu links /bin/sh to dash. Echo is used in this script and since there is no exectuable set for echo the builtin is used.

The echo built-in command for the dash interpreter does not have provision for the -e flag. Thus - e gets piped to fdisk during for drive partitioning statements and drive fails to be partitioned correctly.

Statements such as the bellow fail because "-" and "e" get piped to fdisk instead of just o w and n. Also the carriage returns are not sent either since the -e flag is not valid for the dash built-in echo.

echo -e 'o\nw\n' | fdisk /dev/${TARGETDRIVE} > /tmp/installquirkyfdisk.log 2>&1

two simple fixes are to use /bin/echo or just change the command interpreter to bash which seems to be the easiest fix for this problem. Script runs successfully in Ubuntu 14.04 LTS xterm using #!/bin/bash for command interpreter.

-Linuxbass

Above post moved here.

Ok, I have put this into the script:

ECHOEXE="$(which echo)" #141103 use external echo.

And used:
${ECHOEXE} -e ....

Rather than using bash.

Note, cannot assume path is /bin/echo anymore.
[/quote]

[Sylvander]

Quirky Unicorn is version 6.2. We have an update Service Pack 6.2.1.

Aha...
Looks like I installed using the wrong files [install-quirky-to-drive.sh & quirky-6.1.usfs.xz].
The "Version Upgrade Manager" shows:
Current Version = 6.1
Highest available upgrade version = 6.1.4

Where should I get the correct files to use the script to install version 6.2 to a 4GB Flash Drive?

[James C]

http://distro.ibiblio.org/quirky/quirky ... icorn-6.2/
or
http://ftp.nluug.nl/os/Linux/distr/quir ... icorn-6.2/

[Sylvander]

OK...
1.
a. Found the correct file [unicorn-6.2.usfs.xz] and used the [install-quirky-to-drive.sh] script to write it to my [partitions newly deleted] Flash Drive.

b. Booted it just fine.
Typing this from it now.

2. Noticed something whilst working within the Unicorn-6.2 version on the 8GB Flash Drive, as follows:
a. Because I am accustomed to working in Puppies that "don't ever save" [i.e. never copy back to their storage = pupsave file]...
I never worry about pulling a Flash Drive [that holds a pupsave] causing corruption.
So...
b. I pulled out the 8GB Flash Drive whilst working, and only then thought "uh-oh" "shouldn't aughta done that", and plugged it back in.
Too late...
The partition icons on the desktop began turning to triangles!
c. Tried to reboot without success, so I powered-off, pulled the 8GB, left the 4GB connected, powered back on, and it booted into the QU on that 4GB Flash Drive.
d. Need to now check if there's any irreversible damage to the QU on the 8GB.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
e. OK, rebooted into QU on 8GB Flash Drive....
QU noticed that there had been an unclean shutdown, ran in a ramdisk, did various tests and listed them with their results [all were OK], and told me to hit <Enter> to reboot, which I did.
The following boot took me to the desktop, and here I am.
All's looking good.

3. The performance and appearance/layout of this QU-6.2 makes me VERY inclined to want to make it my number-1 Puppy, but...
I don't think I'm prepared to give up using my other top Puppies [Slacko & Precise] that make possible:
The ability to CHOOSE "to save or not to save".
Having the [practical] incorruptibility of "live" optical disk, coupled with...
The ability to easily delete [and replace with a backup copy] those files [in the pupsave] that ARE corruptible.

[James C]

The green is starting to grow on me......

[BarryK]

The green is starting to grow on me......

You are not Irish are you?

Interesting info on the colour green and Ireland:

http://askville.amazon.com/color-green- ... d=10065789

I will stay with the green theme for the Unicorn series, except maybe there is a better choice for the desktop icons -- there was a post earlier about a couple of other green icon-sets.

Actually, at first I wasn't sure, but I am getting to like it.

[BarryK]

A quick note about Gnumeric.

There have been some posts in favour of Gnumeric, rather than the PlanMaker in FreeOffice (SoftMaker Office).

I don't know whether you guys have really given PlanMaker a "fair go", but anyway, yes guneric is good, so I am bringing it back.

I have created a cut-down FreeOffice PET, with just TextMaker and Presentations, and reinstated the gnumeric PET (and goffice).

This combo will result in the final compressed .xz build being about 1.3MB smaller.

I also created a separate PlanMaker PET, that users can install if they want to use PlanMaker rather than gnumeric.

Note, I have been testing TextMaker against Abiword, and TextMaker consistently rendered .doc and .docx documents better, much better.

[Volhout]

The green glow icon set is from dejan555.
To be found under eye candy-> icon themes exchange -> page 7

[BarryK]

Raffy,
Would you mind testing Pmusic in Quirky Unicorn 6.2?

I remembered why I had Aqualung in Quirky Tahr instead of Pmusic:
http://distro.ibiblio.org/quirky/quirky ... -6.0.5.htm

Quoting:

Tahr 6.0.3 has dropped Pmusic (audio file player) in favour of Aqualung. Pmusic does not work properly in Quirky Tahr, probably the ffmpeg-libav problem again.

Quirky Unicorn has Pmusic 3.3.0, as only have gtkdialog 0.8.3

[Sylvander]

Actually, at first I wasn't sure, but I am getting to like it.

1. Oh NO, Barry, NO!
Always trust your 1st impressions by default.
They are usually correct.
You don't need to "get to like" something that is intrinsically right.
Look at clothing fashions through the ages.
Some have intrinsic merit, and stand the test of time.
Others look just plain STOOPID.

When I saw the QU green desktop for the 1st time...
I thought "that has to go straight away".

2. As is normal with a BK production:
It is technically superior [I'm a "know little", but that's how it seems to me].
But looks pretty basic.
I'm trained in Engineering...your a man after my own heart.
1st I deleted ALL of the desktop wallpapers and replaced them with a set I keep.
Then I changed the desktop icon set to Quirky60 [the few there are, are all very basic].
Then I changed the JWM Theme to Gradient-blue [a "competent" range of choices here].
The finished result is nowhere near as good as the old "BoxPup-4.3.1", but it'll do.

3. I'm pleasantly surprised how well I'm getting along with Seamonkey.
I usually end up using Firefox, but so far I feel no need to dump Seamonkey.
It seems very fast, and easy to use, and doean't look too bad.
A bit basic, but hey-ho, I'll go with it.
Once in a while I boot into XP, and I'm immediately struck how slick/glossy/professional it looks; makes even the best looking Puppies I'm using seem rather basic, but there's no way I'm using XP rather than Puppy.

[raffy]

Raffy,
Would you mind testing Pmusic in Quirky Unicorn 6.2?

It works OK only after the pet upgrade to 6.2.1.

[Billtoo]

There's no shortage of audio/video players available in PPM, latest
versions in most cases too.
I use xbmc most often.

[BarryK]

There is now an experimental live-CD:

http://bkhome.org/news/?viewDetailed=00102

[slavvo67]

Hi Barry,

I booted the Live CD and it's working well on a "newer" Dell Desktop (Newer = Less than 5 years old). Thank you for taking the time to support other formats. This was a class move and while others would have suggested the user find a different iso that would suit them, you took extra time to accommodate others. Applause!

I have been using the USB version without issue and the Live CD works quite well.

Not sure if it's worth noting but I think the latest heartbleed and bash issues are not patched in Unicorn.

There is only one other item that you could hopefully shed some light on. My personal storage is partially used up without adding any packages to the system. This is both on the USB and the Live CD. For example, on this current box, it states I have 1.3G personal storage but only 544M free space. My USB auto-saves without pop-ups, etc. Very nice touch.

(Specs below)

-Computer-
Processor : 2x Pentium(R) Dual-Core CPU E5800 @ 3.20GHz
Memory : 3078MB (663MB used)
Machine Type : Physical machine
Operating System : Quirky Unicorn
User Name : root (root)
Date/Time : Mon 03 Nov 2014 05:57:02 PM GMT-8
-Display-
Resolution : 1024x768 pixels
OpenGL Renderer : Mesa DRI Intel(R) G45/G43 x86/MMX/SSE2
X11 Vendor : The X.Org Foundation
-Audio Devices-
Audio Adapter : HDA-Intel - HDA Intel
-Memory-
Total Memory : 3078300 kB
Free Memory : 1542768 kB
MemAvailable : 2409684 kB

[don570]

A new version of Right click menu utility will convert ogg and wma files
to wav

http://www.datafilehost.com/d/3441d3a0
(untick download manager box to avoid installing the instaler)
___________________________________________________

Fast download of ISO
http://ftp.nluug.nl/os/Linux/distr/quir ... erimental/

________________________________________