Banksy 3 - aka "The Personator"

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ally
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#91 Post by ally »

rick

search for 'remaster puppy live-cd'

:)

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greengeek
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#92 Post by greengeek »

RickGT351 wrote:Hi greengeek, I downloaded Banksy 31 but have found that my bank's website does not like the browser that is in the distro. I installed Pale Moon which I then customised, The Palemoon installer puts Pale Moon in /opt/palemoon. After this I burnt a dvd. The result was that Pale Moon was lost! How can I keep Palemoon? I installed Foxit Reader from a pet and that's fine
Hi Rick,

it may be necessary to move Palemoon into the /opt/b3user directory - during the "personator" process banksy will grab the contents of that directory. The question is whether or not Palemoon will be happy to run from it's new location.

The other option is to use the newer version of banksy called "impersonator". It grabs all of the customisations you have added (like a full remaster)

banksy impersonator is available here:
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 307#899307

(The "personator" script grabs only a small subset of customisations, but the "impersonator" script grabs all of your customisations)

EDIT : If you want to stick with the personator version that you have already downloaded there are a couple of other ways to make personator save Palemoon (or other extras) but they are more manual and longwinded so let me now if you want details.
(The "impersonator" version makes it easy and automatically burns all customisations to DVD or to personal sfs as chosen by the user).

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#93 Post by RickGT351 »

Thanks Greengeek, I figured out how to do it. Copied Palemoon and a couple of related directories from root into the B3User folder and burned a new disk. The next time just create links from the 2 other directories to /root. I have a shortcut on the desktop to open palemoon. Foxit installs off the pet and works fine.
The one thing I miss is the ability to print. Can this be done with Banksy?

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greengeek
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#94 Post by greengeek »

RickGT351 wrote:The one thing I miss is the ability to print. Can this be done with Banksy?
Yes - but depends on what printer you have and how you set it up.

On my system I use a Brother MFC7820 and I made a pet that installs the printer driver (I followed rcrsn51's instructions and sourced the deb driver package from the brother website) and also sets that printer as the default.

I made a desktop link to that pet and it takes only a couple of seconds to run. I only need to do this for the sessions where I want to print. The rest of the time of course i don't bother installing.

So the first question is - what does it take to install your printer? Do you know what files to put where? Once you have that information you can just graft those files into your personal sfs, or build an install pet as I did.

For my needs and my family's needs I tend to specialise in using a small number of Brother models (best printers ever!) and have made an install script that allows the user to choose which model they want to install.

Other brands/models can be more tricky as some depend on different ghostscript or CUPS versions etc.

If you can work out how to install your printer in Slacko 5.6 then it will work in Personator.

Again - the "easiest" way to force banksy to retain the printer config once you have added your printer is to use the "impersonator" version to grab a snapshot of your customisations, or else manually add what you need into the "personator" process. It sounds as if you have already figured out how to manipulate the Personator process as required.

EDIT : Anyone using Banksy - please remember that it discards all session data at shutdown. If you are working on documents and printing them they will be discarded at shutdown - UNLESS YOU SAVE THEM EXTERNALLY - either online, in an email, or on a storage device (HDD, usb disk etc)

ie: it is ALWAYS the user's responsibility to save what you want to save. There is no savefile.

Sylvander
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#95 Post by Sylvander »

@greengeek

My bank no longer accepts working with the included outdated web browser version. :(
Hence I can no longer use my disk.
I've had to fall back to using my "live install" of Slacko-5.7.0-pae for banking [not so secure].

Is it possible to issue an updated version of rc3impgeneric_RC5.iso burned April 2016? [I'm now 71, and not so smart these days]
Or else, instructions on how to update it myself and make a new ISO?

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#96 Post by greengeek »

Hi Sylvander, I am thrilled that you have been able to make some use of banksy. Do you have a current browser in mind that you have tested as acceptable to your bank?

I would be happy to remaster the iso you are using and to add your preferred browser.

However - there is another alternative that might work more quickly:

This would entail booting your usual banksy (complete with your normal personalised sfs), adding a new browser (and setting it's bookmarks and security defaults if required), then running a new version of the the impersonator script which will build a new personalised sfs that would be a combination of the (original personalised + new personalised) personal sfs. Hope that is not confusing.

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.

So - boot banksy as you currently do, replace the b3burnimp file, then load a pet of your preferred new browser, run the impersonator script from the desktop icon, choose your option (probably "sfs+new" or else "CD") and let it create the required file which you can add into your frugal boot directory (temporarily hide the previous personal sfs so you can retrieve it if something fails).

The disadvantage of this method is that it leaves the original browser still installed. If that is a problem let me know and I will remaster - just give me a link to a suitable browser pet that works for you (or else I can link you to some browser pets that I use for more modern needs - I just don't know what is going to work for your bank)

cheers!
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#97 Post by Sylvander »

@greengeek

1. When I run Slacko-5.7.0-pae, then within that run....
a. Firefox 60.0, it works ok at my banking website, except...
I have "NoScript" installed, so the bank website complains that I need JavaScript to be running.
I interpret this to mean that this version of Firefox is OK, but the site needs to run scripts and cannot [because of NoScript].
I don't know where to get a pet or sfs for this version of Firefox, but I'll search ASAP.
[Soon as I've recovered from my gadening efforts to plant the 1st (in Ericaceous compost in a 20 inch pot sunk into a 48 inch border) of 5 different "All Season" varieties (early to late) of Highbush Blueberry plants.]
b. My solution to the above is to use instead--->Palemoon 27.6.2.
I guess I used a pet file to update to this.
Yes, I have...
palemoon-27.6.2-p4-glibc219tweak.pet
openssl-1.0.2l-i686.pet
...Saved on a Flash Drive.
I've saved "b3burnimp.gz" in the same "Palemoon" folder.

c. Any thoughts/suggestions?

2. I could give your update method a try, as soon as I'm fit enough.

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#98 Post by greengeek »

Sylvander wrote:1. When I run Slacko-5.7.0-pae, then within that run....
a. Firefox 60.0, it works ok at my banking website, ....I interpret this to mean that this version of Firefox is OK,....
I don't know where to get a pet or sfs for this version of Firefox,
I also do not know where a pet of that version is available but will look for it if you feel that is a necessity. So far I have avoided the efforts to keep up with the latest and greatest browsers as I believe that the end game is for the corporates to steer users towards yielding control to to the bigsters like google etc. In other words if we stay on the treadmill to update browsers we will eventually be banned from major sites unless we use whatever software or devices the site owner wants. This is sometimes justified but more often completely unjustified as it makes us pawns rather than controllers of our own assets.

Example: soon it may be impossible to visit a trading site (eg Ebay) or banking site without javascript enabled (as in your banks case) or maybe without webRTC enabled - eg yielding control for the bank to activate your webcam or fingerprint scanner so that they can use feature recognition to confirm that you are allowed inside their "premises" to access your assets or rightful opportunities to trade.

I prefer the user having the right to select such things as two factor identification. Why should I not use dillo to access my funds if I want?

I want no part of this trend towards supercontrolling browsers. It is like my bank telling me I cant enter their building unless I allow myself to be put into handcuffs and stripped naked. It is my assets held within that building therefore I should be the one determining what form of security is in play.
<end of soapbox>
<end of paranoia> :-)
Soon as I've recovered from my gardening efforts to plant the 1st (in Ericaceous compost in a 20 inch pot sunk into a 48 inch border) of 5 different "All Season" varieties (early to late) of Highbush Blueberry plants.
Aren't blueberries fantastic! We have only one shrub but it has been a prolific producer. A true delight on a late summers evening to grab a handful of sweet blueberries and throw them into a cup of greek yoghurt. Yum!
b. My solution to the above is to use instead--->Palemoon 27.6.2.
I guess I used a pet file to update to this.
Yes, I have...
palemoon-27.6.2-p4-glibc219tweak.pet
openssl-1.0.2l-i686.pet
I have recently been using watchdogs 27.3.0 version of that pet (might be darry's version?) and liking palemoon quite a bit. If you are confident that the newer version does the business for you I can certainly try grafting it into an iso.
2. I could give your update method a try, as soon as I'm fit enough.
That would be appreciated - firstly it would confirm that my method works (if not I need to do more testing of the new personalisation script) and secondly it would give you a method by which you could make any future similar mods quite quickly for testing purposes. (also - any testing I can do of your banking site will be irrelevant)

In the past I have made several b3 variants using browsers other than the old Firefox, but have always come back to 17esr as being useful for most sites and for specific functionality (for example if viewing a youtube video in Firefox 17esr you can "double right click" a video and it will allow you to download it as webm format - so i keep 17esr on hand as tried and true)

If you are able to test my method above for building a new "cumulative" personal sfs ("orig pers sfs + new additions") then let me know your preferred browser I can build you a new iso and remove FF17 if you like.

cheers!

EDIT - i am assuming that a new personal sfs woud be suitable for your application (ie installed pup) but maybe you prefer to run from CD only? Let me know and I will do CD if needed)

Clarification: I am talking about you adding the updated browser inside the personal sfs (via my b3burnimp script). If it proves the value of the browser I will make a new version of the main puppy b3imp sfs as a generic base. I have been planning to do this for some time anyway so let me know which browser does the business.

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#99 Post by Sylvander »

@greengeek

1. OK, I'm right now working within my Banksy3.

2. I previously extracted the "b3burnimp" script that I'd saved to a folder on a Flash Drive.
How should I run this script?

3.
a. I clicked the "b3i_HowTo" on the desktop, and the file "HowToCustomiseimp.txt" opened, and I read it.
I guess I should run the new "b3burnimp" script rather than click the link on the desktop to run the "b3impersonator" old script, right?
But how to run the new script?
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?
I guess the RW optical disk must be blanked prior to this.

b. Mounted a non-blank CD-RW and could see the content.
Tried to mount another [blank?] CD-RW, but nothing showed on the screen/display relating to optical media [because it's blank?]
Hence, I now know which CD-RW to attempt to burn to.

c. Should I simply make all of the desired changes, and then run the new script?

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.

e. I guess I could simply install the version of Palemoon for which I have pet files.

Sylvander
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#100 Post by Sylvander »

YIKES!
1. Tried going to my banking website using Banksy3 [to check it out], and discovered that the included "Firefox ESR 17.0.8" works just fine!

2. I guess I could proceed regardless to make changes [new web-browser], to create a new updated CD-RW of Banksy3 using the new script.
It would be an interesting exercise.

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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!

Sylvander
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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.

Sylvander
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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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