Puppy & Gentoo

[Leachim]

Sorry, Alpha 2 of Simplux is delayed!

I decided to push the development of Simplicity - integrating a Gdk-interface for easy GUI-programming.

This will not delay overall development of Simplux - Simplicity is a core part of Simplux!

___

It seems that (bugfixed) Alpha 1 runs quite stable.

[SirDuncan]

Sorry, Alpha 2 of Simplux is delayed!

Awww . . . I was hoping to give it a good testing while I'm on break. Any idea when it will be ready?

[xant]

Sorry, Alpha 2 of Simplux is delayed!

Typical good news bad news scenario.

If it's not in the near future, may I kindly ask to create an alpha 2 simply building and publishing an iso with the recent bugfixes? I can't have fixed environment now, and it's extremely annoying for me to always repeat the update. In exchange I'll test it against at least 5 different laptop types (4 dell and 1 ibm).

Looking forward to see the final version.

Thanks for the efforts anyway:
xant

[Leachim]

I will try to supply an updated ISO this weekend that will integrate all fixes as well with the updated kernel, initrd and some additional preinstalled Gentoo packages (e.g. NTFS-support).

Ext3-support will be added but will not be the default! There seems to be some problems in combination with aufs and dying processes.

[ricstef]

Leachim wrote:

I decided to push the development of Simplicity - integrating a Gdk-interface for easy GUI-programming.

This will not delay overall development of Simplux - Simplicity is a core part of Simplux!

I am intrigued, is there a more up to date manual available for Simplicity?
Even if its in german, I would consider translating it to english if you don't have someone else lined up.

Cheers,
Richard.

[Leachim]

Writing manuals is really "annoying" for "real programmers"!

I will still change some parts of the language and add a lot of missing features. The current version is based on the Lua engine. (Lua supports a lot but not all features of Simplicity.)

I want to add some of the missing features during the next weeks and then write a Simplicity to C-Compiler (in Simplicity!) during my 9 week summer holidays.

Manuals will be written in English (my mother tongue is German, but I really prefer writing computer related stuff in English language - dispite my English being far from perfect!).

[ricstef]

Leachim wrote:

Writing manuals is really "annoying" for "real programmers"!

I think I understand the pain, which is why I offered this little gesture as a means of expressing my gratitude for your ambitious project. I don't actually like documenting either but wanted to encourage you by lifting some small task off your shoulder.

Cheers,
Richard.

[xant]

I will try to supply an updated ISO this weekend

Excellent. Thank you so much.

[Leachim]

I just wanted to add some features to Alpha 2 - but I fear this will delay its release again.

New features being added:

setup-menu on first startup that allows selecting of

* save-file filesystem

* save-file size

* keyboard layout

* timezone

* en/disable 3D-acceleration

* using vesa as X-server per default

[Leachim]

It looks like Alpha 2 will be ready for download on Monday or Tuesday.

The current internal version is nearly finished but very, very fat! I will remove lots of packages tomorrow to have it fit onto a 700MB-CD again.

My main concern: Firefox does not run stable! It simply crashes after some minutes or hours!

I will have my students test the new version on Monday.

[Leachim]

Simplux Alpha 2

is ready for download!

http://simplux.org

It took longer than expected but lots of things have been improved.

Simplux Alpha 2 contains all updates that were available for Simplux Alpha 1.

In addtion Simplux Alpha 2 now supports:

* ext2, ext3 and reiserfs-support for save-files

* a setup dialog allows for selection of keyboard layout, save-file type and size

* the improved xwizard supports hardware accelerated OpenGL-support for Intel, nVidia and ATI-graphic chips - there is also Compiz Fusion support available for these platforms

* several bugs in merge_ramdisk were fixed

* lots of other tools have been improved

* icewm is still the default window-manager, but urxvt has been replaced by the more powerfull gnome-terminal

* GNOME Commander is included for file management (ROX is still available)

* the kernel has been reconfigured and updated to 2.6.24.4 - it is now based on the Gentoo vanilla kernel sources - quilt is used for patch management

[xant]

Simplux Alpha 2

Very nice job. Boots up properly on my Dell D630. With running alsawizard even detects the soundcard. (I'm wondering why you don't use the latest version but 1.14 is working fine also.)

I'll test on other machines and share the result. Btw, what is the easiest way to test the 3d acceleration? I guess it's not working, as fusion is not active.

Thanks:
xant

[Leachim]

(I'm wondering why you don't use the latest version but 1.14 is working fine also.)

Gentoo is a quite conservative distribution. 1.0.14 is the most current version marked as stable.

Btw, what is the easiest way to test the 3d acceleration?

Emerge any 3D-application (game) you like or just start fgl_glxgears.

I had to remove Extreme Tux Racer to fit Simplux Alpha 2 onto a single CD (without dropping the kernel sources).

I guess it's not working, as fusion is not active.

It is just not the default! Just log out (Menu/Logout/Logout) and start

/cmd/start-compiz

You then have to open two windows (don't ask me why!) until compiz really works.

Compiz support is yet very experimental! You can emerge avant-window-navigator or the gnome-panel to add a menu-bar to the compiz-desktop.

[xant]

Leachim, thanks for the knowledge.

start fgl_glxgears

root@puppypc:/mnt>fgl_glxgears
Using GLX_SGIX_pbuffer
libGL warning: 3D driver claims to not support visual 0x65
X Error of failed request: GLXUnsupportedPrivateRequest
Major opcode of failed request: 142 (GLX)
Minor opcode of failed request: 16 (X_GLXVendorPrivate)
Serial number of failed request: 32
Current serial number in output stream: 33

Actually I have a fear that this crappy card has not even proper 3d support...

Just one more thing: is there any chance to convince you to use XFCE?

Thanks:
xant

[Leachim]

Just one more thing: is there any chance to convince you to use XFCE?

To be honest: no! ^^

But you should be able to emerge xfce yourself. If you do so, please share your experiences with us!

Remark: If emerging a lot of packets, keep two things on mind:

* Use merge_ramdisk between packet installations to "clean up" your ramdisk.

* Backup your save-file regularly! There is a script called save_all that does this for you.

save_all is invoked with the basename of the backup-device - e.g:

Code: Select all

save_all sda1

You will have to create a "/backups"-folder on the backup-device before. Also the device must be mounted. (/dev/sda1 is expected to be mounted on /mnt/sda.) Backups are stored by date and number. The script autodetects the save-file location and type

[Sage]

Ah yes, I'm a Gnome-hater, too! Xfce with Slack has become my preferred option recently, but I'd be willing to try this one if Xfce became default. Having said that, Joe's best windows with an Xfce option would also be acceptable, but I'm not going anywhere near Gnome!

[xant]

Leachim, finally I got my spare pen drive and tried to install simplux.
The result is something I'm not happy with:
root@puppypc:/root>install_siblo /dev/sdc1
Bootloader successfully installed onto "/dev/sdc1"!
root@puppypc:/root>install_simplux --verbose /dev/sdc1
install_siblo /dev/sdc1
attach --force /dev/sdc1 /mnt/sdc1
/sbin/simple:
file "/lib/simple/misc/standard", line 88:
extern command attach failed with error code 1
detailed error information:


root@puppypc:/root>update_simplux
/sbin/simple:
file "/lib/simple/misc/standard", line 88:
extern command hg failed with error code 255
detailed error information:
abort: There is no Mercurial repository here (.hg not found)!

I'm wondering if it's related to the fact, that I've hacked the boot loader to put it on flash drive not CD without installing...
I can't imagine if it's a real issue as no one reported for quite long time.

[Leachim]

@xant:

The mount (attach) command failed - without any helpful error message.

You can install Simplux directly on a pen-drive:

* copy all files from the iso-image to the pen-drive

* move all files from /isolinux to the main directory of the pen-drive

* rename simplux.cd to simplux-flash. (Note there is a hyphen instead of a dot!)

You should install SIBLO or syslinux as a boot-loader on the pen-drive. Rename isolinux.cfg to siblo.cfg or syslinux.cfg respectively.

This should do it!

[Leachim]

Simplux Alpha 2 has no builtin update-system! Do not use the update_simplux-command - it would partially downgrade your system to Alpha 1, which could be desastrous!

In another 15-hour-session we moved all Simplux-specific code in ebuild-packages which allows for extremely easy updating as for undoing such updates if they make things worse.

I will either write an initial-update-script for installation of the new update-system or create an Alpha 3. But first of all I want to fix some minor annoyances (e.g. better ROX integration). So do not expect an update before next weekend.

Please report all kinds of bugs and problems you encounter with Alpha 2!

[Amit]

You didn't post the scripts..