buster-backports repo enabled

Latest update of apt-antix includes buster-backports.list which is enabled.
By default, only apps that have already been installed from this repo will get updates, which for antiX-19 and 19.1 is none.
If users install latest libreoffice via the package installer, it will download the version from buster-backports and any future updates from buster-backports automatically when upgrading.
If users are concerned about the inclusion of buster-backports.list, just delete it from /etc/apt/sources.list.d

mps-youtube bug and fix

mps-youtube is giving errors about apt_key.

Short-term fix is to do the following.

1. delete ~/.config/mps-youtube/cache_py*
2. Open mps-youtube and type

set api_key AIzaSyApOW6Ur8oRM_1OACkkhxnNrbtv0e4qfaM

3. quit mps-youtube
4. Start mps-youtube

Package Updates notifier

By default, antiX does not automatically notify users of any available updates.
The main reason for this is because we empower the user to take control of their computer experience.
There are several existing ways to manually check and apply updates.

1. Using synaptic (full versions of antiX ship with synaptic)
2. Using the command line

sudo apt update && sudo apt dist-upgrade

3. Using apt-notifier (2 steps required)

This will place a notification icon on the toolbar/taskbar and inform users of any updates.

Step 1: Install the package

sudo apt update && sudo apt install apt-notifier

Step 2: Edit /home/username/.desktop-session/startup file by removing the # like this

# Uncomment after installing apt-notifier
apt-notifier &

Logout and login and you should see an icon in the toolbar/taskbar.

VirtualBox upgrades

VirtualBox in antiX-19 Main will be upgraded to version 6.1.2 tomorrow, 2/6/2020. There have been a number of bugfixes and improvements since the current version, and the current version will not build its modules on the new 5.4+ version kernels so this update is necessary,

VirtualBox users need to know that any Saved or Paused VMs will not open after a VirtualBox version update. Here are your options to avoid trouble:

1) Shutdown the OS in any VMs you have before you upgrade.
or
2) Lock your current VirtualBox version so it won’t upgrade.

sudo apt-mark hold virtualbox*

If you also do updates with Synaptic you will need to lock the virtualbox packages there as well since it ignores apt-mark hold and apt-get ignores Synaptic’s package locks.

If you have already upgraded you have two options to repair.

A) If the saved state of the VM is not important to you, you can use the Discard Saved State… option in the settings for that VM and it should start up.
B) If the saved state is important you can reinstall your old Virtualbox packages from /var/cache/apt/archives, then follow 1) or 2) above.

New kernels available

Latest secure kernels available in the repos for 32 (pae and non-pae) and 64 bit architecture.

5.5.0 (antiX-17, antiX-19, testing and sid)
4.19.100 (antiX-17, antiX-19, testing and sid)
4.9.212 (antiX-17, antiX-19, testing and sid)
4.4.212 (antiX-16, antiX-17, antiX-19)

Note: The 5.5.0 kernel will not build broadcom-sta wifi, nvidia drivers or virtualbox drivers (yet).

(g)ufw and default 4.9 kernel – fix

Running with default antiX-19 series, running sudo ufw enable gives an error.
Previously, we suggested upgrading to a 4.19 or later kernel.

However, it may not be necessary. Instead just switch to using legacy iptables.

# update-alternatives --set iptables /usr/sbin/iptables-legacy
# update-alternatives --set ip6tables /usr/sbin/ip6tables-legacy

Package upgrades

Lots of upgrades to packages for antiX-19 (including testing and sid repos).

Newer firmware from Debian-backports, via MX packagers.
Most antiX upgrades are minor changes.
Upgraded fluxbox to 1.3.7 version in Debian experimental – it is mostly a bugfix release from 2015!
Upgraded links(2) to latest upstream version.

NB: If you find that there are double menu entries under Desktop – Other Desktops – here’s the fix.

sudo apt update && sudo apt install --reinstall desktop-session-antix

eudev upgrade

For those using the testing or sid branches of antiX, you will notice that eudev will be upgraded and you may/should be prompted at /etc/init.d/udev to ‘accept package maintainer’s version’, answer ‘yes’/Y (default is ‘no’/N).