Hi all,
Time to think about the next release cycle.
Firstly, antiX-13.5 will be set to Debian Testing and thus will be 'rolling'.
Since Debian Jessie/Testing is quite a bit fatter than Wheezy (with same apps), we need to slim down antiX-full so it will fit on a cd. At the moment, using the same apps as antiX-13.1 (minus a few libs not in Testing) the final iso comes out at around 750MB.
The easiest way to slim it to less than 700MB is to delete /usr/share/doc. This brings the iso size down to less than 690MB. So one option is to keep all the apps we have in 13.1 for 13.5, but remove the doc folder and make it available for download for those that want/need it.
Option 2 is to keep doc folder and slim the iso by removing apps. (Quite a few will need removing).
I think we should keep libreoffice, even though it is big, because it is really the best/most compatible office suite for those that have to work with documents and especially when dealing with windows. I found this out recently running antiX13-full live with persistence from a stick while working this summer in the UK.
A change that will be included is migration from grub-legacy to grub2. We held out longer than most, but it is time to change and grub2 isn't as bad as it was.
Obviously, we'll fix the bugs that exist in antiX-13.1 as well as including user-friendly suggestions eg to rox.
Just remind me or point me to the threads here at the forum.
Installer:
The aim is to improve it (both gui and cli) by offering more options. Suggestions include:
* encyption of root, home partitions (and therefore a separate /boot partition)
* option to have /home on a separate device to / install
* more filesystems?
* option to choose to istall grub-legacy as well as grub2?
Please add your thoughts.
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anticapitalista
Posts: 5,955
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rokytnjiPosts: 4,164
- Joined: 20 Feb 2009
#2
Just a idea. Take it or leave it. Remove all themes for different Window Managers and only go with 1 each.
As far as bugs go. No clue here. Too busy doing admin stuff lately to play much plus outside work myself.
As far as bugs go. No clue here. Too busy doing admin stuff lately to play much plus outside work myself.
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rokytnjiPosts: 4,164
- Joined: 20 Feb 2009
#3
Reistalling on my eeepc 701.
with the installer calling internal hard drve sdb instead of sda.
After install wll come a grub error which can be fixed eassier in
grub legacy than fixed in grub 2. Oh the dread I feel when 13.5
comes out with pendrive/netbook installs.
Code: Select all
$ sudo blkid
/dev/loop0: TYPE="squashfs"
/dev/sda1: UUID="CEAC-FE9E" TYPE="vfat"
/dev/sdb1: LABEL="/" UUID="24613610-d04d-4b3c-9a34-b649a9772f10" TYPE="ext2"
Disk /dev/sda: 1 GB, 1998743040 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 243 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 243 1951866 b FAT32
Disk /dev/sdb: 8 GB, 8068999680 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 981 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 * 1 981 7879851 83 Linux
Warning: Partition 1 does not end on cylinder boundary.
After install wll come a grub error which can be fixed eassier in
grub legacy than fixed in grub 2. Oh the dread I feel when 13.5
comes out with pendrive/netbook installs.
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BitJamPosts: 1,308
- Joined: 31 Aug 2009
#4
I like the idea of getting rid of /usr/share/doc. Maybe we would need to keep the"copyright" files for legal reasons. If so, they only consume 7.5 Meg.
I assume we will still use legacy grub for the LiveCD/USB.
Here is a list of some bug fixes and easy improvements. Many of these relate to my own work and are on my todo list.
I assume we will still use legacy grub for the LiveCD/USB.
Here is a list of some bug fixes and easy improvements. Many of these relate to my own work and are on my todo list.
- Fix persist-autosave in core due to changed init.d system (d.o. has the fix)
- Update bootloader help with SamK's suggestions [me?]
- The /init script now checks kernel version with the /lib/modules/* directories in the squashfs. [me]
- Set the filesystem-check-interval (tune2fs, etc) in the installers
- Use UUID to identify the persistence device [me]
- Kernel: CONFIG_USB_MON=m not"y" It could even be left out
- Add"from=usb" cheat in LiveUSB creations programs, otherwise there can be a race with the LiveCD
- Remaster-live: run"alsactl store" before remastering to save volume settings [me]
- Should do the same thing in persist-save [me]
- Are there other settings saved at shutdown that we need to include?
- edit: Add usb-2 fix in /init to boot on some older computers [me]
- edit-2: Add an entry in the F5"Video mode" boot loader menu that forces use of the Vesa driver. Perhaps this could replace the current"very safe" option. [me]
Last edited by BitJam on 01 Oct 2013, 05:00, edited 1 time in total.
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rokytnjiPosts: 4,164
- Joined: 20 Feb 2009
#5
I knew Bitjam and Dave and others would know what to say about bugs.
Using antixcc>Disks>Mount Connected Devices
Mountbox
Device: /dev/sdb1
Mount Point: /media/cdrom >>>>>>there is no cdrom drive in a eeepc 701 is why I used it.
/boot/grub/menu.lst
Everywhere you see /dev/sda1 used to say /dev/sdb1 after installer was done. I knew this
was going to happen from past experience.
Editing needed being done with /media/cdrom staying mounted and opening root terminal and opening/typing in rox as root and then manuever over to
/media/cdrom
then
/boot/grub/menu.lst
right click open as text. Edit. Save file. Close everything. Then reboot after install without a grub error.
Now you know why a dread grub2. There are enough hoops t jump through as it is.
Using antixcc>Disks>Mount Connected Devices
Mountbox
Device: /dev/sdb1
Mount Point: /media/cdrom >>>>>>there is no cdrom drive in a eeepc 701 is why I used it.
/boot/grub/menu.lst
Code: Select all
timeout 5
color cyan/blue white/blue
foreground ffffff
background 0639a1
gfxmenu /boot/grub/message
title antiX at sda1, kernel 3.7.10-antix.3-486-smp
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-3.7.10-antix.3-486-smp root=/dev/sda1 quiet
initrd /boot/initrd.img-3.7.10-antix.3-486-smp
boot
Everywhere you see /dev/sda1 used to say /dev/sdb1 after installer was done. I knew this
was going to happen from past experience.
Editing needed being done with /media/cdrom staying mounted and opening root terminal and opening/typing in rox as root and then manuever over to
/media/cdrom
then
/boot/grub/menu.lst
right click open as text. Edit. Save file. Close everything. Then reboot after install without a grub error.
Now you know why a dread grub2. There are enough hoops t jump through as it is.
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dolphin_oraclePosts: 2,238
- Joined: 16 Dec 2007
#6
The fix BitJam refers to is in this thread : viewtopic.php?f=16&t=4489
I would also suggest tweaks to rox and spacefm: rox: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=4590 spacefm: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=4517 are threads where this has been discussed.
if the installer is a focus, I would say the most important change would be to add the option for /home on a second device. I would also say that the current installer is just about the simplest installer around. I think its much easier than the ubuntu-ish installers.
Connectshares should be moved to a different menu item. How difficult is it to have both a network and an internet menu entry? Internet is currently used interchangeably with network, except that connectshares isn't there, so its not quite consistent.
I would also suggest tweaks to rox and spacefm: rox: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=4590 spacefm: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=4517 are threads where this has been discussed.
if the installer is a focus, I would say the most important change would be to add the option for /home on a second device. I would also say that the current installer is just about the simplest installer around. I think its much easier than the ubuntu-ish installers.
Connectshares should be moved to a different menu item. How difficult is it to have both a network and an internet menu entry? Internet is currently used interchangeably with network, except that connectshares isn't there, so its not quite consistent.
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malePosts: 325
- Joined: 04 Nov 2011
#7
__{{emoticon}}__ __{{emoticon}}__
To the installer:
Other distro's have also mentioned by roky confusion sda > sdb during installation from usb stick.
The user must have the possibility of manual configuration.
If GRUB 2, then only Grub2!
Not Grub Legacy AND / OR Grub2 (Mageia makes this crap).
Separate /boot partition is perfect!
To the installer:
Other distro's have also mentioned by roky confusion sda > sdb during installation from usb stick.
The user must have the possibility of manual configuration.
If GRUB 2, then only Grub2!
Not Grub Legacy AND / OR Grub2 (Mageia makes this crap).
Separate /boot partition is perfect!
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anticapitalista
Posts: 5,955
- Site Admin
- Joined: 11 Sep 2007
#8
I'm having second thoughts about grub2. I use grub-legacy on my boxes and I really see no advantage in using grub2. If users dual-boot with other linux using grub2 already installed in the MBR, use that and install antiX grub-legacy to root or nowhere. Of course user would need to boot into other linux, run update-grub to pick up antiX.
Thoughts?
Thoughts?
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rust collectorPosts: 765
- Joined: 27 Dec 2011
#9
That sounds like a good idea to me, if no one has a good reason to use grub2...
Imo, just get rid of the docs, and fix the little issues.
Imo, just get rid of the docs, and fix the little issues.
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dolphin_oraclePosts: 2,238
- Joined: 16 Dec 2007
#10
how does grub-legacy play with a uefi setup? I thought that was one of the advantages of grub2.
Not that I mind personally, as none of my machines use uefi. but a newer computer will. I mean, win8 has been out for over a year now, and most new machines that come with win8 I would think use a uefi to boot.
Not that I mind personally, as none of my machines use uefi. but a newer computer will. I mean, win8 has been out for over a year now, and most new machines that come with win8 I would think use a uefi to boot.
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rust collectorPosts: 765
- Joined: 27 Dec 2011
#11
Don't they have a"non uefi mode" too? I know my eeepc has uefi, and"regular", and so does the hp desktop... I don't know if you can use uefi in winders, AND non-uefi in linux, in a dual boot setup?
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anticapitalista
Posts: 5,955
- Site Admin
- Joined: 11 Sep 2007
#12
Good point d.o. My motherboard also has uefi, but it is easily by-passed, but I don't use wondows.
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rokytnjiPosts: 4,164
- Joined: 20 Feb 2009
#13
I have a recent Samsung RV510 Laptop that is capable of telling the bios to use Legacy boot option to install Linux next to Windows 7. I have Mint 14 dual boot Windows 7 on it presently and use it mostly as a dvd player for the big screen TV.
Hopefully the guy that called on my eeepc 900 (I installed LXLE) comes by and buys that sucker. I even threw in a Windows XP SP3 CD if LXLE is too tough for him.
That eeepc 701 install I did last night broke to shit (my mistake).
Remember when I mounted in my previous post the internal ssd drive to edit grub. Well. Somehow I had a folder named sda1 in /media after I rebooted. So without looking inside and not thinking. I opened roxfm as root and told it to delete
folder sda1 since I figured it should not be needed or there. Guess what. It was like doing a rm -f to / and killed the install.
I don't know how / ended up in /media/sda1 but it did and I deleted it. Biff,Bam,Boom. Install all gone.
Said screw it and installed MacPup 550 in it instead as a full install. I got too much frigging gear I guess.
Need to sell some netbooks.
Hopefully the guy that called on my eeepc 900 (I installed LXLE) comes by and buys that sucker. I even threw in a Windows XP SP3 CD if LXLE is too tough for him.
That eeepc 701 install I did last night broke to shit (my mistake).
Remember when I mounted in my previous post the internal ssd drive to edit grub. Well. Somehow I had a folder named sda1 in /media after I rebooted. So without looking inside and not thinking. I opened roxfm as root and told it to delete
folder sda1 since I figured it should not be needed or there. Guess what. It was like doing a rm -f to / and killed the install.
I don't know how / ended up in /media/sda1 but it did and I deleted it. Biff,Bam,Boom. Install all gone.
Said screw it and installed MacPup 550 in it instead as a full install. I got too much frigging gear I guess.
Need to sell some netbooks.
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DavePosts: 1,062
- Joined: 20 Jan 2010
#14
Is grub 2 allot bigger / resource hungry than grub legacy?
Does it seem alot more difficult and why?
Are the features in the current grub setup (with the menus and such) lost?
Does grub 2 have problems on older pcs' like legacy with uefi ?
For a newcomer is it worth the time to learn grub-legacy vs the now commonly used grub2?
Personally I am not one that will make a big fuss about it either way.
I would think this is because I am not sure about all the downfalls of both sides. For me, both will make the computer boot and both are fairly easy to manipulate and set it to the way I require of it. Maybe we could start a table of good vs bad items of the two versions?
Does it seem alot more difficult and why?
Are the features in the current grub setup (with the menus and such) lost?
Does grub 2 have problems on older pcs' like legacy with uefi ?
For a newcomer is it worth the time to learn grub-legacy vs the now commonly used grub2?
Personally I am not one that will make a big fuss about it either way.
I would think this is because I am not sure about all the downfalls of both sides. For me, both will make the computer boot and both are fairly easy to manipulate and set it to the way I require of it. Maybe we could start a table of good vs bad items of the two versions?
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BitJamPosts: 1,308
- Joined: 31 Aug 2009
#15
I don't know if we want to open the whole UEFI can-o-worms or not. For example, I've seen instructions for making a LiveCD that will boot under UEFI or BIOS. Unfortunately, AFAIK, this does not transfer over to LiveUSBs.
There is a good discussion of booting a GPT disk in BIOS-mode here:
========= SCRAPER REMOVED AN EMBEDDED LINK HERE ===========
url was:"https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/GUID_Partition_Table#Bootloader_Support"
linktext was:"https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/GU ... er_Support"
====================================
@Dave, Grub2 won't work with our existing menus but we don't really need the menus on an installed system. I don't believe we will be using Grub2 for our Live media. A while ago one person mentioned porting gfxboot (which our menu system is built on) to Grub2 but AFAIK, nothing has come of it.
IMO Grub2 is a huge (but inevitable) pain. The fundamental problem is they moved away from the simple flat file format of Grub-Legacy (and SysLinux) FOR NO GOOD REASON. For a while the Grub-2 config was controlled by a bunch of XML files under / etc/some-dir. I don't know if it still is or not. When I encounter something like this I immediately lose all interest and my mind fills with a bunch of ad hominems directed at the developers. If I wanted to work with nonsense like this I would have become a Windows developer.
The"easy" way to customize the Grub2 config is with a
========= SCRAPER REMOVED AN EMBEDDED LINK HERE ===========
url was:"http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/43471/how-to-configure-the-linux-grub2-boot-menu-the-easy-way/"
linktext was:"a complicated GUI program"
====================================
. AFAICT, the purpose of this program is to make editing the Grub2 config as editing the original legacy menu.lst file with a text editor.
I think anti's plan was to stay out of the front lines as this madness collided with reality and hope that some of the madness would subside.
On UEFI computers, even if the user chooses legacy-boot mode, legacy-grub will not work if the user wants to dual-boot with Windows 8. The problem is that Windows 8 uses GUID Partition Tables (GPT) instead of MBR. For this case you need to use either Grub2 or syslinux. I've been planning to install syslinux on a USB stick partitioned with GPT instead of MBR to test this but have not gotten around to it.anticapitalista wrote:I'm having second thoughts about grub2
I don't know if we want to open the whole UEFI can-o-worms or not. For example, I've seen instructions for making a LiveCD that will boot under UEFI or BIOS. Unfortunately, AFAIK, this does not transfer over to LiveUSBs.
There is a good discussion of booting a GPT disk in BIOS-mode here:
========= SCRAPER REMOVED AN EMBEDDED LINK HERE ===========
url was:"https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/GUID_Partition_Table#Bootloader_Support"
linktext was:"https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/GU ... er_Support"
====================================
@Dave, Grub2 won't work with our existing menus but we don't really need the menus on an installed system. I don't believe we will be using Grub2 for our Live media. A while ago one person mentioned porting gfxboot (which our menu system is built on) to Grub2 but AFAIK, nothing has come of it.
IMO Grub2 is a huge (but inevitable) pain. The fundamental problem is they moved away from the simple flat file format of Grub-Legacy (and SysLinux) FOR NO GOOD REASON. For a while the Grub-2 config was controlled by a bunch of XML files under / etc/some-dir. I don't know if it still is or not. When I encounter something like this I immediately lose all interest and my mind fills with a bunch of ad hominems directed at the developers. If I wanted to work with nonsense like this I would have become a Windows developer.
The"easy" way to customize the Grub2 config is with a
========= SCRAPER REMOVED AN EMBEDDED LINK HERE ===========
url was:"http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/43471/how-to-configure-the-linux-grub2-boot-menu-the-easy-way/"
linktext was:"a complicated GUI program"
====================================
. AFAICT, the purpose of this program is to make editing the Grub2 config as editing the original legacy menu.lst file with a text editor.
I think anti's plan was to stay out of the front lines as this madness collided with reality and hope that some of the madness would subside.