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1 • Frugalware and Bodhi back to active development : great :) (by Frederic Bezies on 2015-02-02 05:49:14 GMT from France)
It is really good to see that Frugalware Linux came back to life. I used this distribution a few years ago. A good archlinux alternative.
Bodhi creator back to its project ? Another good news. Far better than the 1168367th (or so) Ubuntu or debian based project added to waiting list :D
2 • Encrypted hard disks (by hobbitland on 2015-02-02 06:25:45 GMT from United Kingdom)
I put my important files on an encrypted partition on my hard disk. I use cryptsetup to enable 256bit AES and use LUKS key management. I sue 36 character password. My external hard disks are all fully encrypted using cryptsetup as well. Don't use hardware vendors encryption as they probably have back doors.
The encrypted partition is only mounted when needed. This should only be done in a safe environment like your home and not on the road. So if my equipment fails or is stolen I don't need to worry.
Really important files are also GPG encrypted again with 4096bit key protected by a different 36 key pass phrase.
Automatic data deletion if wrong password entered does not work and really risk the data owner being punished by friends playing a joke.
3 • Suggestion Re: Wipe Disk On Failed Auth (by Serge on 2015-02-02 06:44:38 GMT from United States)
How about this idea:
•Run a script that polls log files for failed logins, either through cron or on a loop. Google says there's a /var/log/secure for this, but my system (Debian running systemd) doesn't have that. However, the /var/log/btmp binary file, accessible through the lastb command, does the job.
•Upon having registered whatever number of bad login attempts you want to use as your wipe trigger, the script then proceeds to dd if=/dev/zero the drive. For enhanced security-conscious wiping, instead of dd, you might want to look into tools that zero a drive in a random, non-linear pattern.
4 • Statistics (by bobzr on 2015-02-02 08:18:37 GMT from France)
I don't want to argue but there's something confusing about that first place of Linux Mint, everytime we look at Distrowatch statistics (by the way I love Linux Mint). Anyway, as long as I know, Linux Mint is made of Cinnamon, KDE, MATE and Xfce. Ubuntu is also made of Unity, KDE, Gnome, MATE, Xfce.... However, Linux Mint is treated as a single distribution, while Ubuntu is 'scattered' in the statistics depending on its flavours. Is it fair? IMHO Linux Mint should be treated as Ubuntu, and in that case I'm not sure it would still be first place.
5 • @ 4 (by Gnnnnnnnu on 2015-02-02 08:42:13 GMT from United Kingdom)
The various *buntus are derivatives of Ubuntu, but are not necessarily maintained by Cannonical. Xubuntu for instance, is according to Wikipedia, "a Canonical Ltd.–recognized, community-maintained derivative of the Ubuntu operating system". In that respect, it's correct to regard it as a separate distro.
6 • @4 (by Michele on 2015-02-02 09:14:34 GMT from United States)
Kubuntu is developed and maintained from "Blue System".
The *buntu distro can use only the package (and authorized to use the name by canonical), you can see them as derivat by ubuntu as is mint
7 • Slackware off the charts (by Morten J. Zölde-Fejér on 2015-02-02 09:39:00 GMT from Denmark)
With all due respect to OSDisc, it is good news to me that Slackware is not on the list of top sellers. Sales from the main Slackware store are important for keeping the project funded, so purchases should be made there:
https://store.slackware.com/
8 • Today's DWW Leader (by Sondar on 2015-02-02 09:57:48 GMT from United Kingdom)
Interesting! At times one can become worried in case a dichotomy opens between users and developers/coders, or, indeed, hardware enthusiasts. Whilst there is little doubt about the expansion of our digital economy, individuals have their own interests and proclivities. It's good that all school children in the UK are to be exposed to coding lessons (although I seriously doubt that includes baseline assembler). What about the firmware engineering, not least, embedded coding prevalent in our mobile devices as well as desktops, and, of course, the cpu itself - still x86 for many? At the heart of it all is the hardware, the physics and chemistry of design and manufacture, rapidly incorporating essential elements of biology and biochemistry to keep us all ticking over.
Education truly is at the root of future societies. We need all these, and more, experts to speak willingly and easily to each other. Expose our pupils to the widest range of endeavours -they will choose their preferences. Who rules? Hopefully none. But maybe users win out because we are all such. More market research before releasing OSes to world+dog?!
Interesting to see that the PHR rankings suggest a slide towards "..novice friendly, lightweight .. distributions.", therefore. Ah, yes, - K.I.S.S. inevitably surfaces again. One reason this correspondent won't be using ExTiX and other quirky bloatware. Quirky, itself, excepted...
9 • misc musings (by Reuben on 2015-02-02 10:57:52 GMT from United States)
In the screenshot of chrome, it looks like you're using the gtk theme, which has been broken for around a year. The alternative is the default theme which doesn't mesh with any desktop environment. I much prefer Firefox, which seems to look better in most desktop environments.
Anyways, erasing just the luks header on a encrypted disc should make the rest of the data inaccessible, right?
10 • torrent hosting (by David Wheeler on 2015-02-02 11:20:48 GMT from United States)
I think Distrowatch hosting some bit torrents for distros that do not offer that option is a great idea and a helpful way for DW to give back to the community.
11 • DWW stats (by Dave Postles on 2015-02-02 11:55:22 GMT from United Kingdom)
@4 Haven't we been here before? What has made Linux usable for many of us is the packaging of software applications, so, in a sense, the development of .deb and .rpm (as well as other package maintenance, but especially these two) are the origins of all distros.
12 • DWW stats (by jadecat09 on 2015-02-02 12:27:38 GMT from United Kingdom)
@11
No! Tarballs were the origins of all distro's.
13 • /bin, /sbin/, /usr/bin, ... (by Pearson on 2015-02-02 14:46:45 GMT from United States)
That reddit post was an very readable summary of how BSD distinguishes the differences between the directories. While it's very reasonable, I can see how a non-technical user might be confused; thankfully today the non-technical user is less likely to care.
In general, does Linux use the "statically/dynamically linked" difference as a distinguishing criteria?
14 • @4 (by Ramsey Brenner on 2015-02-02 14:56:59 GMT from United States)
Out of curiosity, I combined the *buntu projects, and the total is 20.45% (19.43% for 2013). If I separate Mint by desktop, Mint Cinnamon has 18.36%, Mint MATE 6.10%; Mint XFCE 1.4%; and Mint KDE 1.25%. So Mint Cinnamon would be #1 even if it were treated like Ubuntu.
15 • /bin vs /usr/bin (by Jesse on 2015-02-02 15:00:25 GMT from Canada)
@13 "In general, does Linux use the "statically/dynamically linked" difference as a distinguishing criteria?"
No, at least not all distributions do. On Linux /bin is typically used for programs the system might need prior to /usr being mounted. Ideally, the executable files probably _should_ be statically linked to avoid missing dependencies, but they usually are not.
If you want to check for yourself, run the command "file /bin/program" where "program" is the name of a file you want to check to find out if it is dynamicaly or statically linked. For example
file /bin/bash
or
file /bin/dd
16 • @15 /bin vs /usr/bin (by Pearson on 2015-02-02 16:26:03 GMT from United States)
Thanks, Jessie. That matches what I thought I had understood. It sounds like the Linux "rules" for the hierarchy are less strict than BSD (IMO, the BSD appear much more well defined, but I'm not a lawyer).
17 • Tarballs as the Origins of All Distros (by Bruce Fowler on 2015-02-02 16:27:04 GMT from United States)
@12 - I always thought it was stacks of floppy disks... :-)
18 • osdisc.com and SolydXK (by cykodrone on 2015-02-02 18:16:03 GMT from Canada)
I've never actually used osdisc.com, but just out of curiosity, how are the actual physical optical disk(s) labelled? For example, a DIY home burning person usually uses a marker. Anybody ever make a purchase from osdisc.com? Another question, does osdisc.com make any kind of financial contribution to the actual distros?
Does anybody have a link to screenshots of SolydXK 201501 default live or install desktops (X & K)? I can never seem to find any, at least not tweaked versions.
19 • Rankings. (by Ulf on 2015-02-02 18:27:37 GMT from Netherlands)
ubuntu = Debian.
mint=Debian.
So DEBIAN= No.1.
Second = Opensuse My No.1.
And thats all there is to it.
Apple is silent,
Windows makes noise,
Bsd plays music,
Linux ROCKS!
20 • origins of a distro. (by Ulf on 2015-02-02 18:37:36 GMT from Netherlands)
Combinations of 0`s &1`s,
forming bits and bytes are the origin of any piece of software.
Far before floppy`s or whatever.
21 • @18 (by Ramsey Brenner on 2015-02-02 19:55:07 GMT from United States)
There are two types of printers we use: a thermal printer (B&W on a silver disk) and a thermal retransfer printer (full CMYK w/ scratch proof top coat). The retransfer printer is a few months old, so most of the projects are still produced on the thermal printer... but eventually they'll all have artwork and will use the retransfer printer. I grabbed a few disks from the machines and snapped a pic with my phone: http://www.osdisc.com/static/tmp/IMG_0538.JPG
Most of the funding we provide to the open source community is through our affiliate program (only open source projects and websites are accepted). It pays up to 40% of the order.. we give tens of thousands back each year to the community through it.
I booted up SolydXK 201501 in virtualbox and took these shots (absolutely no tweaks):
https://www.osdisc.com/static/products/solydxk/solydk-201501.png
https://www.osdisc.com/static/products/solydxk/solydx-201501.png
22 • @3 • Suggestion Re: Wipe Disk On Failed Auth (by Ricardo on 2015-02-02 19:57:17 GMT from Argentina)
Please don't do that! The first script kiddie who tries to login to your box, bye bye your data!
I'd suggest to look for suspicious *successful* logins but that's dangerous too.
Maybe if you're really paranoid (and in these times, that's not a bad thing) set an at job to run the wipe, say, 30 seconds after someone logs in, giving *you* time to remove the at job manually.
But I serously rather use fail2ban or something like that to prevent a brute force login in the first place.
23 • @7 • Slackware off the charts (by Ricardo on 2015-02-02 20:11:00 GMT from Argentina)
While I agree with you (I have a Slackware subscription for a couple of years and I buy a t-shirt from time to time) I believe OSDisc contributes a percentage back to the projects, so it's not so bad.
But I couldn't find anything in their website, so: can anyone confirm if OSDisc does contribute back to the projects?
Thanks.
24 • Frugalware back online (by Ricardo on 2015-02-02 20:12:35 GMT from Argentina)
I'm glad to see Frugalware's website back online, eagerly waiting for the next version of their distribution.
25 • @21 Thank you ever so much... (by cykodrone on 2015-02-02 20:43:20 GMT from Canada)
...for your very thorough and honest reply, thermal or artwork, they still look 100% better than my home burns, lol, and professional looking too, great to give a customer buying a used machine from me, etc, or as an alternative install disk to that other monopoly OS.
Double thanks for the SolydXK screenshots, I was a SolydXK user and donor but went back to Debian briefly because it has 'fakeraid' support, I'll be switching back to PCLinuxOS soon because of systemd creep in Jessie, PCLinuxOS is now my #1 install, recommendation for my customers. Now that I know how nice your disks look, I will most likely be ordering a batch.
26 • great comment on PCLinuxOS (by linuxdog on 2015-02-02 22:03:23 GMT from United States)
First of all I think it is nice you posted about a very often over looked "distro" called PCLinuxOS.
I just burned the latest PClinuxOS x64 to a BD desk using image burn in wine, and I have to say the latest version is very nice. I noted that on playing a music file that my sound was fantastic to hear.
I always start newbies on PClinuxOS as it can run a long time without crashing. I have one friend ran it for 5 years with the same install and no problems.
Furthermore, Crossover Office (you have to pay on this one) works like a charm in PCLinuxOS.
I am running AVLinux v.6.04 as I really like How Glen included the aloop daemon which helps secondary programs. Jack capture also works like a charm and I did make GuitarX work as utilizing the computer as a customizable guitar amp. I am far, far from an expert but I is cool to accomplish tasks.
27 • @26 pclinuxos (by greg on 2015-02-03 11:27:56 GMT from Slovenia)
"I always start newbies on PClinuxOS as it can run a long time without crashing."
perhaps I should really try it out. read about it before. need to check a few more reviews.
Currently we use Kubuntu, but I can not figure out why some games work fine for a while and then crash. so far I came to the following speculation - either drivers for the GPU card are bad (I also know that sound drivers don't work as they should) or the CPU is still overheating (despite cleaning it, applying new thermal paste and adding a case fan). but the overheat doesn't seem to be a factor anymore. granted it does heat up quite a bit, but noting serious. at least it should freeze the whole system. so perhaps one of the drivers is bad. which makes me think if another OS like pclinuxOS would work better.
28 • OSDisc Stats (by Rick on 2015-02-03 18:14:07 GMT from )
It appears that Linux Mint has forged far ahead of Ubuntu in the past year. No wonder. They listen to their users and take suggestions seriously. The same thing has happened on the DW stats for the past 4 years. Mint is riding the wave crest because of its overall vision of producing the best possible distro thanks to Clem and his team!
29 • Linux Mint vs. PCLinuxOS (by ferd on 2015-02-03 18:34:04 GMT from United States)
For me Linux Mint is easier to use than PCLinuxOS. I particularly like the mint image writer and formatter and the fact that Linux Mint is based on Ubuntu/Debian. I look forward also to the latest version of Linux Mint Debian Edition, hopefully not too far away from release.
I am also enjoying the new SolydXK releases, SolydX in my case.
30 • Diagnosis, methodical (by Kragle von Schnitzelbank on 2015-02-03 19:03:30 GMT from United States)
"... why some games work fine for a while and then crash."
To better cover all cases, add:
what if the GPU card overheats?
what if the CPU insists on doing the GPU's job?
what if peak processing demands for sound confllict with peak video?
what if something else needlessly competes for CPU/GPU attention?
what if you try Xubuntu or Lubuntu (or CrunchBang or ...)?
31 • EvolveOS (by Corbin Rune on 2015-02-03 20:56:22 GMT from United States)
I've been keeping an eye on this one, myself. Budgie desktop looks pretty decent, think I'm going to fire up a vbox install later,
32 • Mint, PcLinuxOS, Debian, Ubuntu & derivatives, ... (by gregzeng on 2015-02-04 02:04:37 GMT from Australia)
Distrowatch classification seems faulty?
Comments till this one, ignore @4, @14: where "Mint" is really Cinnamon Mint, PCLOS, Debian, Ubuntu etc are legalistic classifications, which do not show real user interests nor uses.
The Distrowatch legalistic classification system ignores the real differences between the legalistic distros: Desktop Environments.
33 • Mint, PcLinuxOS, Debian, Ubuntu & derivatives, ... (2) (by gregzeng on 2015-02-04 03:55:23 GMT from Australia)
Desktop environments is not enough either. Netrunner has the same DE, but under very different & incompatible Linux bases: Kubuntu & Manjaro.
My problems of adding Nemo to Mint or Netrunner, in all its inscrutable names (Rebecca. et al.), hiding its DEs. Each inscrutable Mint has DE way of terminating the operating system. It is not just Hibernate, Restart, Shut-down, or Log-off - with just one simple click.
Apple solved the classification & evolution of its operating systems, by forcing the iSheep to throw away its "old" software, hardware & operating systems whenever Darth-Vader told them.
flexibility.
Microsoft tried to keep its loyalty base (Windows RT & phone excepted). Hence its well deserved user favoritism. The true beauty of Windows, both for coders and users, is with it app use. If I repeated the Nemo exercise of Linux, with "Servant Salamander" in any version of Windows x32, no problems.
Canonical excepted, it seems that Linux & its organizations generally do not care about present & future users, only past users, and their "old equipment", as shown by Distrowatch's Search function. We users are unhelpfully faced with x32, ARM, Intel64, AMD64, etc ... incompatible, unexplained nightmares everywhere. When users try the Linux forums, etc ... "RTFM -- IDIOT!!"
In Linux, oldies like myself dominate. But Linux oldies are so NIMBY (Not In My Backyard), that they are old course conservative, foreigner-fearing, etc.
34 • Mint and Ubuntu derivatives (by cykodrone on 2015-02-04 04:08:11 GMT from Canada)
Some people took the long way around explaining this, Ubuntu is the 'flagship' Linux OS of the Canonical corporation, people are allowed to 'spin' it with alternative desktops, aka 'community' editions, which are not 'officially' supported by Canonical but may get a 'nod' from them.
Now on to Mint, which is not a 'corporate' OS, it's a team of volunteer people led by Clem Lefebvre who release various DE versions of the same base distro, actually two bases, some versions are Debian based.
When you boil it down, Canonical only *really* releases and supports Ubuntu, whereas Mint, as a single entity, releases multiple 'flavours' under one umbrella.
Wow, I wound up taking the long way around explaining this too, phht. Do ya think I used enough 'single' 'quote' 'marks', lol. *air finger quotes* :D
35 • Changing passwords (by macias on 2015-02-04 06:50:19 GMT from Poland)
"so long as your change your password on a regular basis". Do you even read what you write? Changing password means having second set of hard disks, encrypting them with new password, copying all the data. And for what purpose? Newer password is no better than the old one, unless the old one was already cracked, but then you already have a problem (like hacked keyboard or malicious USB -- and it is not task for amateur), and blindly changing password does not change a thing. Another problem is human factor -- regular change of password leads eventually to writing down password on piece of paper to memorize them.
36 • @frederic Bezies @ comment 1 . bodhi is an Ubuntu based distro (by morgan on 2015-02-04 16:40:42 GMT from Spain)
Bodhi Linux is in fact another Ubuntu based distro.
It is based on Ubuntu lts, it has an updated kernel and has the enlightenment desktop
Its a really nice distro, perfect for netbooks or vm's (I use it with KVM) its also (due to its tiny memory footprint) for remote desktoping to (I use x2go)
37 • Nemo and Mint (by frodopogo on 2015-02-04 18:52:57 GMT from United States)
@33 gregzeng
One of the Mint versions, Cinnamon I believe, comes with Nemo pre-installed.
The forums are fairly friendly. I haven't seen the behavior you describe.
(Some might not understand that a Windows refugee isn't eager to learn the Terminal, but that's another issue!) And Linux Mint works so well that I seldom have to go to the forums anyway. And if I do, a search usually turns up the answer I want- that's another benefit of using a popular distro is that problems are more likely to crop up sooner than later, and get enough attention to at least find a work around.
The names aren't really inscrutable... they are in alphabetical order.
As far as I've been concerned, the LTS releases were the only ones worth bothering with.
Rebecca (17.1) is an LTS (long term support) release.
Linux IS confusing, but Mint has made it less so for me. It's allowed me to try a few different desktops, but know that things like updating software or getting new software will be the same.
I recently tried Ubuntu MATE, and I like that too, but it's not as polished as Mint.
Manjaro shows promise, but still seems rough in spots. Installation of the distro, as well as updating and installing software really needs to be done as well as Ubuntu and Mint do it, or a distro really is not going to be able to compete with them, no matter how attractive in other respects.
38 • Mint and Ubuntu derivatives note (by linuxdog on 2015-02-04 21:36:41 GMT from United States)
There are many, many ubuntu derivatives, in fact the largest number of clones are such.
PClinuxOS did come from the older Mandrivia which Mandrivia derived from Red Hat.
Eventually PClinuxOS retained itself and did not evolve as much as other and it should be noted that PClinuxOS did a fairly thorough job of matching software and their libraries to run as well as possible.
Too many updates to fast can actually adversely affect a well meaning linux, so it appears over the years PClinuxOS earned its "fork" due to their own constant maintenance.
Sure, mainboards, onboard add-ins, gpu's and cpu's constantly update but I, for one always figured that the power of the "home" computer outpaces any software which may take a long time to develop after hardware introduction. It has been my opinion that the "bar to check your usage standards" is (in the home view) just how much of a gamer you consider yourself as the newest games can "up the anty" for required resources.
I tried Kbuntu and found it not too bad, however I still keep assisting new people to linux to start with PClinuxOS. I have been through the "arch" distro's & "slackware distros" which have their value. The very core of any linux distro to me is what do you want to do and can it do those tasks without crashing.
For myself, I have been running AVlinux for quite some time starting with the first issue. This is a "locked down" linux devoted to audio and video fun/tasks.
I kind of figured out that if you just change the wallpaper and call it a new name it really is what I have seen other commenters call "a knock off" and I agree which is my own view. I do enjoy distrowatch's comment section and reading other peoples tips and comments.
39 • @34 (by Milo on 2015-02-05 06:46:56 GMT from Poland)
Canonical only supports the software of the Main and Restricted Ubuntu repositories. The Universe and Multiverse Ubuntu repositories are not supported by Canonical.
40 • Pulse and VOIP (by imnotrich on 2015-02-05 21:25:46 GMT from Mexico)
Crazy stuff, it's 2015 and the only VOIP client that is fully compatible with Pulse/Linux?
Skype.
Forget Ekiga, twinkle, SFL, Linphone and lesser known open source software. None of them will run properly on my Ubuntu Studio 14.10 64 bit install. Nearly all of the issues related to audio quality, or lack thereof. Basically, Pulse is still beta but if Microsoft can make a version of Skype that works with Pulse...why can't Linux developers do the same!? I am using Diamondcard us as my VOIP provider.
Can ANYBODY recommend a VOIP client that actually works with Ubuntu? I want to be able to have a two way conversation with no echo, no jitter, no garbled audio, where both parties can hear each other that is not subject to random disconnections at inopportune moments. Shouldn't be any more complicated than installing, plug in your headset, and enter you VOIP provider info & password. I don't have time to write code and revise half baked software.
41 • VOIP (by Somewhat Reticent on 2015-02-05 22:43:41 GMT from United States)
Why would you be using your computer for this?
42 • Re 41 (by imnotrich on 2015-02-05 23:03:12 GMT from Mexico)
Why do I use a computer for VOIP? Not sure that is relevant to the issue of why VOIP developers have forsaken Linux users but...I live a stone's throw from an international border which I cross multiple times per day for work. My profession requires that I have phone numbers in each country and I choose not to pay exorbitant rates for Vonage or some other phone provider.
43 • @41 VOIP (by Rev_Don on 2015-02-06 03:03:27 GMT from United States)
You said "Why would you be using your computer for this?" concerning VOIP.
Simple answer, my daughter and grandchildren live over a thousand miles away so it isn't possible to see them nearly as much as I want. Using VOIP and a vid cam we can Video Chat regularly. Not as nice as being there in person, but a LOT better than just a voice only phone call. And that's only ONE reason.
44 • let's give them something to talk about... (by Joe on 2015-02-06 03:57:55 GMT from Germany)
@1:
"Bodhi creator back to its project ? Another good news. Far better than the 1168367th (or so) Ubuntu or debian based project added to waiting list :D"
You do realise that Bodhi is "Based on: Debian, Ubuntu" according to their page on DW?
I'm more excited by the discovery of new distros.
Drama? Not so much.
45 • let's give them something to talk about... (by Joe on 2015-02-06 04:00:27 GMT from Netherlands)
@1:
"Bodhi creator back to its project ? Another good news. Far better than the 1168367th (or so) Ubuntu or debian based project added to waiting list :D"
You do realise that Bodhi is "Based on: Debian, Ubuntu" according to their page on DW?
I'm more excited by the discovery of new distros.
Drama? Not so much.
46 • That's a neat trick... (by cykodrone on 2015-02-06 06:08:27 GMT from Canada)
...Joe(s), my gworldclock says you're both in the same timezone (unless you have a molecular recombination transporter), *cough* copy *cough* paste. *eyeroll*
47 • chaging passwords (by hsw on 2015-02-06 06:40:55 GMT from Taiwan)
@35 the password only protects the key file.
The HD contents are not encrypted by the password but by something like an AES 256 bit binary key; so changing the password only reencrypts the key file.
So you could potentially not have the key file on the system at all but on a separate removable drive, only to be used at boot (better have good backups) that way if the HD is removed from the machine it would be necessary to brute force AES256 which is a lot more difficult than cracking the password to the key file.
48 • Ubuntu 14.04.2 LTS Release Date has been changed (by Peter on 2015-02-06 13:55:12 GMT from Germany)
Some minutes ago, i noticed at
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/TrustyTahr/ReleaseSchedule
that the new release date changed from February 5th to
February 19th! Thats a little bit corios, because some
hours ago, the ReleaseSchedule-Website was still equiped
with the February 5th.
Does anybody know what's the reason / what happend ?
Ok, the 14.04.1 with the latest updates is also very
great ;)
49 • Fare Thee Well, CrunchBang (by Milo on 2015-02-06 18:54:51 GMT from Poland)
Just as Bodhi Linux is reinvigorated, CrunchBang is retired. While I'm sure there are some community contributions, projects like SolusOS demonstrate the hurdles to maintaining a distribution when the bulk of the burden rests on the shoulders of one person, particularly when several hundred alternatives exist. I'm glad Ikey Doherty (this time with Evolve OS) and Jeff Hoogland are back at it, and I do not fault them for stepping away, but I appreciate the constancy of some projects more and more as time goes on.
50 • VOIP .. Linphone Would be Good if .. (by Graham on 2015-02-07 08:08:33 GMT from Australia)
.. the Ubuntu 14.04 version was fixed so that it would handle the sort of DTMF tones used outside the US.
51 • Distribution world is an hard world. (by Frederic Bezies on 2015-02-07 09:55:22 GMT from France)
@45 : I know that Bodhi is debian and ubuntu based, but it is providing enlightenment instead of one of the big three environment (KDE, Gnome, Xfce). It is good to get some changes sometimes. Nearly all debian and ubuntu derivative are bundled with one of the big three.
@46 : Oh, you're back :)
@49 : besides Slackware, there is not a lot of long living distribution based on one developper.
EvolveOS ? I will remain cautious about it until the first stable version will be released.
52 • RE: Ubuntu 14.04.2 LTS Release Date has been changed (by Marco on 2015-02-07 13:00:41 GMT from United States)
https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-release/2015-February/003208.html
Sounds as if there were a couple of last-minute fixes.
53 • Adios Crunchbang (by Bonky Ozmond on 2015-02-07 15:20:39 GMT from Nicaragua)
Really sad to hear about the discontinuing of Crunchbang....
It was one of the Distros that helped me keep my faith in Linux many years ago and has been very influetial in getting people using linux I always prefered Openbox type Desktops, and many distros were only interested in Gnome / KDE and myself never having time to go through the process of editing files etc.. found that Crunchbang was doing exactly what i wanted
and still we see people dropping support for Openbox,,,, Antix still does an excellent Fluxbox, ..and Manjaro did an outstanding Openbox once it got rid of its dumb idea just to be another Archbang.. but then they since have changed it from being a Supported Main Edition to a Community Edition which no one is maintaining.. that has gone as an Openbox edition....
I would have thought it much easier for people to keep a trouble free Distro using Openbox than having all the issues that arise with other DEs...
It would be nice if somone too over the Reins of Crunchbang though I believe it's Originator and Lead developer Corenominal wishes any not to continue with the Name ....very sad to lose it
54 • Page Hit Rankings (by Jordan on 2015-02-07 15:33:28 GMT from United States)
A curiosity crossed my mind about the page hits for the distros on the list, especially for Mint (and maybe Ubuntu.. perhaps the top 3). I have been running Mint for quite a while now. I'm sure there are an awful lot of Mint users out there, goes without saying.
But why would they keep clicking the Mint link in that list? I don't unless I see some update or dev release posted.
Is the ranking supposed to be a reflection of new(er) users? Is it more a reflection of people coming to Distrowatch for the first time and clicking the one at the top of the list to the tune of thousands of times more then the ones at and near the bottom? Is it bots?
55 • @54 rankings and GUI art (by cykodrone on 2015-02-07 18:15:39 GMT from Canada)
@54 You're about the millionth person to ask that question, lol, it's in not intended to be an official, accurate or scientific poll regarding distro popularity or use. I once suggested they track clicks to the distros' home pages, download links or forums (from DW), it's just an internal site thing for basically fun, nothing more. If some zealot 12 year olds feel the need to bolster a particular distro's rankings (I've been guilty of the same 'crime', lol), that's their thing and they soon get bored of it, boiled down, they really don't mean much, just a click count on DW.
GUI art trend (icons, etc)
I've noticed every time that other monopoly OS changes their look, distros soon follow suit, from glossy, shiny, pretty transparency to flat Sesame Street colours. Who decided flat, ugly 'tile' style icons look *good*, they don't, it looks stupid retro, and some of the colours look like the result of vomit in a blender. Linux and its identity crisis, GAH!
56 • About icon "fashion" and trends. (by Frederic Bezies on 2015-02-07 20:14:51 GMT from France)
@54 "I've noticed every time that other monopoly OS changes their look, distros soon follow suit, from glossy, shiny, pretty transparency to flat Sesame Street colours. Who decided flat, ugly 'tile' style icons look *good*, they don't, it looks stupid retro, and some of the colours look like the result of vomit in a blender. Linux and its identity crisis, GAH!"
For once, I agree with you. This flat icon fashion is boring, such as was the faenza icon fashion last year.
Korora 21 follows this fashion, as does Manjaro Linux, Antergos, and how many others distributions ? Not the big ones, like Fedora or Debian.
At least, we can choose any icon set you want to use. In a year, numix and look alike theme will be replaced by something else. Like faenza before it.
57 • Icon/fashion etc (by Bonky Ozmond on 2015-02-08 02:13:30 GMT from Nicaragua)
@ 54 Yep you are right...i have often wondered who decides what is the "in " trend at the moment....not so long back everyone wanted to post a green plan wallpaper....then a 3D type thing...
Icons I generally found seemed to be dictated a little by what would work OK with What ever DE...then the next version they changed because they broke something in KDE or wernt Gnome 3 compatible......
I must admit I have been put off trying a distro at times just because of its Ugly Flat coloured design....i guess first impressions count.....
I generally only use Openbox with a Picture of my Dog as wallpaper...
58 • VOIP (by Somewhat Reticent on 2015-02-09 01:06:56 GMT from North America)
"if Microsoft can make a version of Skype that works with Pulse...why can't Linux developers do the same!?"
Good thing that question started with "if" - Microsoft didn't invent Skype, they bought it; be assured, MS has Linux developers.
"VOIP developers have forsaken Linux users"
Don't tell the Alpine, AsteriskNOW/CentOS, Bicom/Gentoo and Elastix/CentOS teams, or all the teams supporting all the other alternatives, which include Jitsi, Ekiga, Tox and Vox.
Of course, MS is certain you won't mind letting any "Law Enforcement" agency in the world record and listen ... and who can blame the developers of PulseAudio for distributing buggy software?
Number of Comments: 58
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