 DistroWatch Weekly |
| Tip Jar |
If you've enjoyed this week's issue of DistroWatch Weekly, please consider sending us a tip.
(Tips this week: 1, value: US$13.06) |
|
|
|
 bc1qxes3k2wq3uqzr074tkwwjmwfe63z70gwzfu4lx  lnurl1dp68gurn8ghj7ampd3kx2ar0veekzar0wd5xjtnrdakj7tnhv4kxctttdehhwm30d3h82unvwqhhxarpw3jkc7tzw4ex6cfexyfua2nr  86fA3qPTeQtNb2k1vLwEQaAp3XxkvvvXt69gSG5LGunXXikK9koPWZaRQgfFPBPWhMgXjPjccy9LA9xRFchPWQAnPvxh5Le paypal.me/distrowatchweekly • patreon.com/distrowatch |
|
| Extended Lifecycle Support by TuxCare |
|
|
| Reader Comments • Jump to last comment |
1 • Delta package updates (by mmphosis on 2020-01-06 03:00:23 GMT from Canada)
I hadn't even heard of Delta package updates until now. apt, deb, pacman, rpm, nix, snaps, ..., there are so many package managers and different ways of installing and updating that when yet another way other installing / updating appears, I have to shrug. Thanks for mentioning Delta package updates but just like Wayland which I think is really cool, I will be sticking with X for now because AutoKey doesn't work with Wayland, and I prefer XFCE. I think it all depends on your requirements. Yesterday, I just wanted to get printing working reliably, and after removing, reinstalling, fixing, I eventually just downloaded the old crappy Linux printer driver from the printer corporation and installed it manually. Yuck. But, printing works now.
I am looking for choice, but sometimes there are too many. And, sometimes I am stuck with the one, and only one, overbearing init system or desktop environment that someone else has decided is going to be installed in the distro. When someone else is making the decisions, it is difficult to switch to another distro which may have more choices, but may have other problems like something as simple as printing not working. I would like to move away from systemd and glibc, and use Void which has runit and musl. Like hyperbola moving from Linux to BSD, this may be an excellent decision, but it is challenging to make these changes.
2 • Unsure (by Roy on 2020-01-06 05:54:56 GMT from United States)
I have not heard of Delta packages either. I was also unsure when updating my Feren Os to the 5.48 Linux kernel with the Plasma desktop after just recently getting better at understanding Cinnamon. Wow, were the letters smaller but thankfully after I added a panel it had all the same stuff on top. So I removed the panel on bottom. I was glad I was given the option to backup my configuration before make the change to to Plasma. Then going to the Synaptic package manager I was able to load the new version of Cinnamon and pin all the programs I use the most back to where I had them before. Only now I got all the cool KDE stuff with the new Linux kernel with the bigger font size. And I am given the option to login in with Plasma or Cinnamon.
3 • openSUSE supports delta package updates (by greenpossum on 2020-01-06 06:41:11 GMT from Australia)
It's transparent so doesn't affect normal update procedure. But you can see that it's downloading DRPMs where possible from the zypper CLI interface.
4 • Hyperbola (by LightBit on 2020-01-06 06:41:13 GMT from Slovenia)
Good luck to developers (or should I say politicians) of Hyperbola with maintaining their new "useless" OS.
Their reasoning is crazy.
5 • Sure using uname -r (by Roy on 2020-01-06 06:47:20 GMT from United States)
Linux 5.0.0.37 instead of 5.48
6 • Delta RPMS (by bluepossum on 2020-01-06 07:16:58 GMT from United States)
The last time I tried delta rpms it would download the delta rpm, extract it, compare it to the original then swap out the old files for the new files. By the time it did all of this processing I could have just downloaded and installed a completely updated rpm of the package. delta rpms are too slow for the bro.
7 • delta packages. (by Cliff on 2020-01-06 08:24:13 GMT from Philippines)
I have been using Intel's Clear Linux for about a month or so. Everthing is updated automatically and this is working well. The OS is still being worked on and some aspects take a bit of hunting around the sytem to find. I am mainly interested in the speed that is better than most other distros. Also looking forward to more choices in desktops.
I dual boot between Clear an Mint Cinnamon.
8 • Android-x86, Wayland and Delta packages (by Alexandru on 2020-01-06 08:24:34 GMT from Romania)
Android-x86.
I use this distribution and observed it only boots to graphical desktop when mainstream Android has the support for PC's graphics card. That is, Intel will probably work out of the box, AMD is said to also work, although I didn't test it and NVIDIA and VirtualBox almost certainly will not work. I found only one specially prepared Android-x86 version (4.4) that works with my NVIDIA graphics card with Vesa driver.
As of Android Market applications, their support for ARM and x86 native libraries is up to package developer. That is, if some application is implemented in pure Java it will run on smartphone, tablet and PC. If it uses native libraries for both ARM and x86 it will run on all platforms, if it includes only ARM libraries, it will only run on mobile platforms.
Wayland.
One more complication for adopting Wayland is each closed-source graphics card producer has to release a driver for all implementations of Wayland protocol, which is quite difficult.
Delta packages.
Each delta is created between 2 versions, usually consecutive. But there is no guarantee the user updates the packages often. And when he/she has installed the package of some earlier version, the delta package will most probably just break it. In order to properly install the delta package, the package manager needs either to download all deltas between all consecutive package versions and apply them one after another, while hoping they all are still available, downloaded correctly and the consecutive patching also succeed. Or the repository needs to offer deltas between each 2 different versions of some package. In the former case the full download size may be well greater than to just download one full package without any risk. In the later case the package repository will grow infinitely and package manager complexity will do so too.
9 • Response to LightBit (by shevy on 2020-01-06 08:27:53 GMT from Austria)
This is to LightBit:
- While Iagree partially that some of the claims are rubbish (linux kernel becoming useless), they
do have a point. Why is DRM included into the kernel? That most definitely is companies
pulling the strings here. Systemd? That is also by a company, Red Hat. So the reasoning by
hyperbola is somewhat strange, but not totally off. Linux has been massively commercialised
and we see the outfalls of that right now - the users became second class citizens to linux and
linus.
10 • Hyperbola (by Simon on 2020-01-06 09:49:48 GMT from Switzerland)
@4 - "Due to the Linux kernel rapidly proceeding down an unstable path"... - Can someone explain what Hyperbola developers mean with these statement? The Linux kernel I use are perfectly stable.
11 • Response to shevy (by LightBit on 2020-01-06 09:53:48 GMT from Slovenia)
"DRM" (HDCP support) is included into kernel because people expect "things" to work.
It is sad reality. As we are "forced" to use closed hardware.
Linux is massively commercialized for quite some time (this is also reason why it has good support).
I actually like OpenBSD, but it is not very viable option in reality.
12 • @6, @8 delta packages (by greenpossum on 2020-01-06 10:41:46 GMT from Australia)
Meh, it just works, sometimes the package manager downloads the DRPM, sometimes the RPM. Obviously it is smarter than you imagine, and requires no hands-on. Deltas also just work in CentOS 7 yum.
13 • Linux on newer laptops (by OstroL on 2020-01-06 11:00:33 GMT from Poland)
On my first shopping day in 2020, I had in my hands this lovely laptop Acer Swift 5 Touch, 15" and just 985.5 grams! I was actually expecting to see ASUS VivoBook S14 with the ScreenPad or ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo with dual screens and so on. Well, not yet available to touch in my little city, but I know it s there in the large cities.
The thing that troubles me is, whether a Linux distro get all the goodness such laptops offer. None of the Linux DEs have any touch screen abilities, except Unity.
Now that Asus had come up with such innovation, others would follow, and with more innovations.
14 • Android x86 not my cup of tea but it works with a touchscreen (by Tim Parkin on 2020-01-06 12:13:20 GMT from United Kingdom)
I've used Android x86 and it was about the same on my old windows tablet as proper Android.
Both of them work as you'd expect a tablet to work. I've tried Cloudready based on Chromiumos too and it works like a Chromebook and touchscreen is nice.
All linux distros and desktops I've tried lose all zip when you try and use a touchscreen and are not really viable.
if Chomiumos and Android x86 can be zippy on touchscreens can whatever makes them zippy be added to linux distros?
Probably not going to get an answer here but has anyone an idea where to ask?
15 • good luck to hyperbola (by ionuts on 2020-01-06 13:42:33 GMT from Moldova, Republic of)
they do have a point,
the linux world is moving away from unix do one thing and do it well,
relying on tools which are linux-only from start,
so the fact that there will be a gnu/bsd fork is a good thing.
Maybe they will succeed where debian & gentoo couldn't.
16 • Hyperbola (by Tom on 2020-01-06 13:46:57 GMT from Germany)
Oh my...I somewhat doubt they have enough people and spare time available for such an endeavour. Sadly, sounds more like work in progress forever and a project prone to fail.
17 • touch screens + linux (by xChris on 2020-01-06 14:11:32 GMT from United Kingdom)
reading the comments above , my 2p:
NOT all of the distros support the touch screen of your laptop/notebook: blame the kernel.
older kernels 4.xx you probably will be out of luck - depends the age of your device.
What bothers me more is the absence of the support for convertible laptops (like my yoga 11e)
turning the laptop to "tent" ( /\ shape) or "tablet" mode (keyboard all the way to the back) the keyboard is still working (linux does not recognise the mode sensor) , I read this gonna be supported on KDE 5.20+ IIRC
18 • @13,@14,@17 Touch screens (by John on 2020-01-06 14:40:13 GMT from United States)
Why would anyone ever want to touch a screen? :-)
19 • Touch screens and Linux (by Lin on 2020-01-06 16:32:07 GMT from United States)
It appears that most Unix desktop operating systems (BSD, Mac OS, Linux) can't make them work on touch screens. It is strange, as Android from Linux and iPadOS from BSD can do that very well.
Gnome made the shell sort of for mobile devices, but Gnome shell has only one single touch gesture. Ubuntu's former default DE, Unity is fully touch friendly. Like #13 says there are many innovative laptops coming all the time. People can draw on the screen, design on the screen with a dedicated pen or finger or with even a brush. You can take notes etc.
20 • Hyperbola (by BingoBongo on 2020-01-06 16:43:16 GMT from United Kingdom)
When Project Trident shifted from FreeBSD/TrueOS to Linux Void the respinse was "Hurrah, BSD is useless...long live the Linuxes" YET when someone goes the other way...."Their reasoning is crazy." ""useless" OS."
I think that says it all and a possible additional reason to shift.....
21 • Hyperbole (see what I did there? Get it???) (by CS on 2020-01-06 17:53:37 GMT from United States)
@20
TrueOS went from "fill a defined niche of a less user-hostile FreeBSD" to "just another Linux distro hardly anyone will use" So yeah useless.
Hyperbola -- their rationale is 1000% pure insanity. They don't like HDCP and don't like that someone is proposing allowing device drivers in Rust (it wasn't clear to me if that proposal even had any traction). It's not like they're setting out to make a less user-hostile OpenBSD, which has a sliver of value, they're saying "Linux is not pure enough for us anymore we're going to make something entirely different". This with a team of about 5 people. Lunacy. Lunacy.
22 • touch screens (by MikeOh Shark on 2020-01-06 18:11:50 GMT from United States)
@13 I use MX Linux with kernel 4.19.0-6-amd64 and touch is supported on my HP Envy x360 w/AMD Ryzen and Radeon graphics.
@17 When I turned my convertible into a tent shape, it prompted me and asked if I wanted to close all my windows. It worked in the store in Windows but I haven't used Windows on this machine. It's not even registered yet. ;)
@ 18 I don't care about touching my screen but it came with my new machine. I wouldn't pay extra for it and don't really see a good use case but to each his own.
23 • @22 (by OstroL on 2020-01-06 19:12:07 GMT from Poland)
"I use MX Linux with kernel 4.19.0-6-amd64 and touch is supported on my HP Envy x360 w/AMD Ryzen and Radeon graphics."
Touch screen gestures is not just pushing the windows around, or pulling its corner, but swiping from the edges and corners, pinching and zooming etc. You don't have it in MX Linux, or any other Linux available Distro.
Ah, by the way, you shouldn't have bought x360 if you don't need touch gestures. You've already "wasted" that money.
24 • deb-deltas and touchscreens (by Jeff on 2020-01-06 19:49:55 GMT from United States)
Back in 2011-2012 I tried deb-deltas on Debian, didn't see much savings in bandwidth or time so I gave up on it. Seems to be a possibly good idea that failed in execution.
I have a strong dislike for touchscreens on a PC.
Why would I purposely put fingerprints and smudges on the monitor?
I am constantly wiping the smears off on my phone and it has glass made for ease of cleaning.
25 • @ 25 (by Ari on 2020-01-06 20:25:28 GMT from United States)
>> I have a strong dislike for touchscreens on a PC.
Does your 'strong dislike' compensate for the inability of Linux not having touch screens gestures? Or, are you searching for a way to defend that inability?
26 • Touch screens (by Jesse on 2020-01-06 20:47:58 GMT from Canada)
@25: Linux has had support for touch screens for years. I've been using it with my laptop's touch screen since 2014.
As to the more specific complaint about gestures, that is desktop specific. It's not a Linux thing, but a desktop configuration. Unity 8, for example, works beautifully out of the box with touch gestures (swipes, pinch, etc) and has for about five years.
Your specific desktop may not work well with touch gestures, but that is not an inability on the part of Linux as a whole, just that desktop.
27 • hyperbola (by daniel on 2020-01-06 21:05:43 GMT from Moldova, Republic of)
hyperbola decision is very funny, from historical point of view.
Initially GNU could choose to use BSD, but they didn't and opted to create a new kernel,
while now a FSF endorsed linux distro is ditching linux for BSD.
what's next in this decade maybe HP-UX and AIX open sourcing themself ?
28 • Non-free in Linux (by Ken on 2020-01-06 21:32:56 GMT from United States)
Doesn't linux-libre exist precisely to address the non-free problems in the generic linux kernel? Hyperbola already uses it, and it's maintained upstream from them. Why are they worried about problems that shouldn't exist in the kernel they're using?
29 • @ 27 Touch screens (by kacz on 2020-01-06 21:59:06 GMT from Netherlands)
"As to the more specific complaint about gestures, that is desktop specific. It's not a Linux thing, but a desktop configuration. Unity 8, for example, works beautifully out of the box with touch gestures (swipes, pinch, etc) and has for about five years."
Unity 8 is not available to use in desktops, so the Linux desktop had dropped touch screen gestures. With more and more innovative laptops arriving in the scene, Linux would be only good enough for older hardware, isn't it?
30 • Unity 8 (by Jesse on 2020-01-06 22:05:36 GMT from Canada)
@29:
Unity 8 is available for desktop systems. https://github.com/ubports/unity8
31 • Android-x86 (by Roger on 2020-01-06 22:24:13 GMT from Belgium)
Some years ago I bought from Via two APC 8750 with Android 2.3 or also called Android PC.
Never used them much, one is maybe used four times.
I found it not really good enough to run as a desktop OS, still have those little motherboards, but what to do with them ?
https://apc.io/products/8750a/
I tried Android-x86, but the same thing, not really anything for normal use.
Conclusion : Android as a desktop, it still needs a lot of work.
32 • @ 30 (by kacz on 2020-01-06 22:31:35 GMT from Netherlands)
Have you tried to install it and run it? It is not usable at this stage. Maybe, never will.
Samsung also had stopped promoting Linux on DeX. Even there, The distros that ran on LoD didn't have any touch gesture abilities.
Linux appears to be for older computers/laptops. Do you think Linux will be any use on ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo or on ASUS VivoBook S14 with the ScreenPad? Or even on HP Envy x360 or Lenovo Yoga?
33 • Unity 8 (by Jesse on 2020-01-06 22:33:45 GMT from Canada)
>> "Have you tried to install it and run it? "
Yes, multiple time s over the years. Worked pretty well for the most part. I wouldn't call it polished by any means, but it's functional.
34 • Touch screens (by Friar Tux on 2020-01-06 23:27:18 GMT from Canada)
Ugh!! Many years ago I bought a Blackberry Playbook (the latest and greatest at the time). It was disgusting. No matter how many times I cleaned the screen, by the time I had used it for two or three hours it looked gross. After about a month, I cleaned it, wrapped it up, and it is still sitting in my dresser drawer to this day. It has turned me off touch screens for good. Give me a laptop with a keyboard. The only time I need to clean the screen is when it gets too dusty, and I have a fine haired Wilkinson shaving brush for that. Works beautifully.
35 • @13 - touch screen (by Joey on 2020-01-07 00:57:09 GMT from New Zealand)
I have tested Mint 17, 18, 19 and several other distros on a 12" Asus that has touch screen. No problem. If I play a bit of Mahjong you can tell by the pattern formed from fingerprints on the screen :)
36 • Delta Packages (by Justin on 2020-01-07 04:31:11 GMT from United States)
How do you even know if your distribution uses delta packages? I use Linux Mint and this article was the first I've heard of them.
37 • Touch screens (by Me on 2020-01-07 09:08:02 GMT from Canada)
It is quite interesting to use your finger to do graphic work on GIMP.
If you have a newer 13", 14" or even the latest 15" laptops, the screen is near than your wrist, when you have hands on the desk. It is much easy to use both hands on the screen than use the mouse. It also helps you with the wrist pain that you've accumulated in years of mouse use. Some people have accumulated problems of the joints of fingers, especially the middle joint of the middle finger by the extensive use of the mouse (scrolling).
In some known laptops, the touchpad doesn't work with Linux distros, so, the only solution is to use the mouse. I have one like that, and it also has a touchscreen, thankfully.
38 • Android x86 (by Glenn Condrey on 2020-01-07 09:23:54 GMT from United States)
There is an option in Android x86 to make apps run as they would on an Intel processor.
Its important to turn that feature on, or apps may not work well, if at all.
I have Android x86 installed on a dual core HP 11.6" laptop with a AMD A4 processor, and all apps run just peachy.
39 • @38 Android on PC (by OstroL on 2020-01-07 12:29:21 GMT from Poland)
Would you like to try another distro on Android 10? It is still at alpha stage, but works nicely. Search for BlissOS-dev (Googe it).
40 • Android x86 and Virtualbox (by Artemis3 on 2020-01-07 17:34:53 GMT from Venezuela)
Strange, i haven't tried with v9, but various versions, including 4, 5, 7 and 8 i have ONLY used them in VIrtualbox. And yes they work fine. I wonder what you were doing wrong? Perhaps the virtual machine configuration? Are you allocating enough video ram, 3d, multiple cpu cores?
I'm on Artix Linux btw. Nothing special, just another Arch with a different init...
41 • Android-x86 (by Tourniquette on 2020-01-07 18:09:56 GMT from United States)
Porting Android to x86 architectures is pretty neat. However, whenever I need/want to run Android apps on a large screen, like say a monitor or TV, I've been using Samsung DeX. Runs pretty flawlessly, especially if you enable DeX Labs to be able to resize opened windows.
42 • to touch or not to touch (by Jumper on 2020-01-07 19:19:12 GMT from New Zealand)
Reading through the comments so far there is some confusion of expectations. Many laptops that have touch screens can run Linux, but you cannot expect smartphone gestures to work. I don't run Windows at all, but I guess Win10 might "support" touch via a proprietary driver for a given specific laptop. That is another discussion altogether. In the same vein, I read here of people running Android on their TV ... assuming today's huge 55" and up screen TVs. i) why? ii) does the TV has touchscreen and gestures?
We must not confuse using hammers for nails with using screwdrivers for screws.
43 • @42 (by OstroL on 2020-01-07 19:41:54 GMT from Poland)
Have you seen 55" laptops?
The matter is about touchscreen laptops, not TVs or desktops.
You don't use Windows, so you don't know about it. Windows 10 works on any touchscreen laptop, and yet can run in two modes, desktop and tablet mode. One can open time line by swiping from the left in both modes. You can open virtual desktops by swiping. You can zoom and pinch. The thing is, one Linux DE could do lot of touchscreen gestures, other than the touchpad gestures, and that was Unity. And, it was taken out.
One that could was taken out!
And, one that cannot do anything was made default. Are we going forward or backward?
44 • parted magic (by dmacleo on 2020-01-07 21:35:41 GMT from United States)
I remember when this was free. then price was very high but seems to have dropped now so maybe I'll buy it
45 • HyperBSD (by koolaid guzzler on 2020-01-07 21:46:49 GMT from United States)
Forking OpenBSD could turn out to be an exciting plan if the man power and direction is there. Time to start using Hyperbola? This is like the opposite of Trident switching to a sinking ship like GahnooLinux.
It's funny how systemDRM opponents are repeatedly prodded to develop alternatives if they don't like the way GahnooLinux is going, but every time they try, the systemDRM proponents characterize it as a bad idea. Classic "My Way Or The Highway" aggressive marketing tactics.
These are people who spend their time scrubbing kernels of proprietary junk. They know better than you do when that particular work has become untenable. I checked out their site and it turns out they don't like PolypAudio either; extra points for them on my score sheet!
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Sony use OpenBSD (FreeBSD? NetBSD?) for one of the Playstation operating systems? I just don't get where this criticism of OpenBSD is coming from. It's viable & mature; over 20 years old. Sure it's not Linux-- that's the allure!
Good luck to the Hyperbola folks!!
46 • Touch Screens (by Newby on 2020-01-08 06:05:19 GMT from Canada)
There have been a number of comments about using touchscreens.
I am adding my vote to those who can't stand them. Aside from mucking up and adding bacteria to your screen, they don't work well for everyone. I have to use one of those touch stylus things to get reliable response. Using my fingers seems to be a no-go. Don't know why. Thought the capacitive sensing technology was supposed to be superior to the older resistive sensing. Think there were also opto-position sensing screens on the market for a short period.
A possible help for anyone suffering carpel tunnel:
Use a large screen display and a wireless keyboard with built-in touchpad (such as from Logitech). Then you can sit a reasonable distance back from the screen with the keyboard in your lap. Much easier on the eyes, AND the wrists!
On a related note, wonder if there is a Linux equivalent to Dragon Naturally Speaking? Then one could sit back and dictate your text to something like LibreOffice. No hands or eyeballs needed.....
Have to go back and read Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy again. Trying to remember just how "smart" that tablet thing the hero carried around actually would be in practice.
For anyone having trouble getting touchpads working on laptops:
Was helping friend setting up Linux on an Asus Vivo laptop purchased over the holidays. Everything worked except the touchpad and wireless. External mouse did work ok. Found a number of online tips that worked, but in the end, turned out to be an issue of kernel support (specifically the ELAN touchpads). Rather than confusing my friend with a kernel upgrade, switched to a more current distro recent kernel and problem solved (in this case, MX Linux).
Anyway, if you have any problems, the answer is 42, and remember to treat your pet mice well....
47 • @ 46 (by Akoy on 2020-01-08 08:34:44 GMT from Canada)
"I am adding my vote to those who can't stand them. Aside from mucking up and adding bacteria to your screen,"
Oh, boy!
Never seen a sick touchscreen at the doctors, or any medicine for such a sickness in the pharmacy.
On the other hand, your dislike doesn't mean that Linux shouldn't work towards new technology. How are you going to use the "old" Lenovo Yoga Book, or new Thinkbook Plus or still to come Carbon X1 Fold with Linux?
48 • Touchscreens (by Newby on 2020-01-08 12:58:52 GMT from Canada)
re 47 Akoy
Assume you were trying to be "funny"? It's not the touch screen's health you should worry about; it's yours! Studies have shown touch screens on cell phones are filthier than toilets! Do you really want to be holding that thing up next to your face?!!? Uck!
Anyway, I have absolutely no problem with you enjoying the new technology you refer to. Was just saying touchscreens don't work for me without using a stylus. Where this DOES become a concern to me is, if one day the ONLY choice is to use a touch screen. Am I going to have to replace some of my "digits" (fingers) with stylus to cope with the modern world? Just because a technology is "new", or glitzy, or has more "bells and whistles" does NOT make it better.
Since you seem enamoured with new technology, you might be interested in the "foldable" touch screen devices they have been displaying this past week at the CES show in Las Vegas. I have a great deal for you. You can get your PRESENT touch screen bent for free without having to go out and buy one of the fancy new ones! No joke. You may have heard of this fella Uri Geller who bends spoons with his mind? Well just stare at that obsolete screen you presently own and CONCENTRATE really hard. There you go, Bent for free.
Disclaimer: It is up to you to figure out how to "unbend" the thing when you want to take it out of your pocket and use it......
While we're kidding around about technology, Samsung announced at that same CES show, a monster 292 inch flat panel TV. Anyone around here have enough money, and a big enough room to install that thing? You probably need a forklift just to get it into your place (ever see how they move pianos?). Yup; gotta love that "new technology".
We now return you to your normal sane comments.......
49 • HyperBSD (by LightBit on 2020-01-08 13:30:12 GMT from Slovenia)
@45: PlayStation is based on FreeBSD, but it only has single hardware to support.
Did you use OpenBSD? OpenBSD might be great for firewalls, but it is not viable as typical desktop as it often won't even boot on laptops. FreeBSD is much more viable.
I don't think they have manpower for this.
50 • @ 48 (by Akoy on 2020-01-08 13:36:37 GMT from United States)
"It's not the touch screen's health you should worry about; it's yours! Studies have shown touch screens on cell phones are filthier than toilets! Do you really want to be holding that thing up next to your face?!!? Uck!"
Never seen anyone holding laptops to their faces! :)
51 • Touch screens are not new. PartedMagic (by Garon on 2020-01-08 14:04:34 GMT from United States)
@48, "Studies have shown touch screens on cell phones are filthier than toilets! Do you really want to be holding that thing up next to your face?!!? Uck!"
Come on now. Who did the studies, who's phone did they use, who's toilet did they use. I've seen some pretty bad ones in my trime. Just saying...
Unity was great for touch screens. I always thought it was a great UI also. Alas it is no more. We'll have no progressive movements around here young man.
I have no problem with paying for PartedMagic. If someone takes the time to put it all together in a very useable package then it is well worth the 11.00 asking price. There should be no reason for anyone to have a problem with paying.
Delta packages are something we don't need at this time. The cost far out weighes the benifits.
Good day all.
52 • Delta and Touch (by Angel on 2020-01-09 02:26:54 GMT from Philippines)
Delta: Just upgraded a laptop I hadn't used in a while. Runs KDE neon. 515MB over a 30Mbps connection. Began at 9:33, Downloaded and installed by 9:43. Don't know what difference delta would make, but it can't be much.
Touch: Bought a tablet with Windows 8 some years ago. Even though the OS was designed with touch in mind, it was a pain most of the time. Too many small targets to hit, fingers too clumsy. Later, still years ago, bought a nice Asus laptop TP300 Flip 13.3" with Windows 8.1, later upgraded to Windows 10. Enjoyed the novelty for a while, but soon got tired of flipping. Easier than the old tablet, but still not ideal for my use and clumsy fingers. Haven't used the touchscreen in years. With a pretty good touchpad and keyboard, it just never seemed necessary or useful.to flip. The laptop is still around, running like new and being used by a young relative who doesn't know it's a touchscreen. Didn't tell him, because I didn't want him installing all kinds of games and such.
An Aussie friend bought a (very expensive) Lenovo Yoga 720 in Oz. The touchscreen failed after a year or so. Hasn't fixed it. Doesn't miss it.
As always, you mileage may vary.
53 • LinuxCnsole 2019 (by Emeka Obasi on 2020-01-09 06:59:18 GMT from Nigeria)
Linux is traditionally used by computer geeks and experienced gamers but Linuxconsole 2019 is without a doubt the most user friendly linux console yet and has been getting rave reviews both from experienced gamers and beginners like myself
54 • @46 (by Emeka Obasi on 2020-01-09 07:14:44 GMT from Nigeria)
you can also add the following to your list of complaints about touchscreens: terrible battery life, heavier weight, poor viewing angles, not to mention that they are way more pricey. I am not a fan of touchscreens computers myself but unfortunately that's where we're headed.
55 • @24 (by Emeka Obasi on 2020-01-09 07:22:12 GMT from Nigeria)
I hate touch screens as much as you do but i also realized that i had better get used it since more and more computers are using touchscreens. i've come to realize that the more i use it the more comfortable i am with it.
56 • Wayland (by Joe on 2020-01-09 07:25:49 GMT from United States)
Wayland is important cuz, X has so many insecurity by design problems its a reputational issue. Sure user noticeable incentive isnt there, until it is. I think that day of major embarassments for X straggler distros is coming.
57 • Wayland (@56) and Touchscreen delusions (@57) (by curious on 2020-01-09 10:45:49 GMT from Germany)
Wayland will be important when - and ONLY when - it works perfectly for everyone without requiring that the desktop environment is GNOME and/or the video card not Nvidia.
Currently, besides GNOME, only KDE (Plasma) has a chance of working effectively with Wayland, and I remember that they had very significant problems if the video card was Nvidia.
All other window managers or desktop environments are not functional with Wayland unless each of them develops their own Wayland compositor - which the majority does not have the manpower or resources for. In effect, anyone who does not like GNOME will probably be best off avoiding Wayland for now.
Concerning touchscreens, I would like to know what exactly makes a laptop with a touchscreen "innovative". Is it the inflated price that can be demanded from gullible customers? Is it the greater complexity (greater chance of breakdown)? Is it the lovely fingerprint smears everywhere?
So far, the only use case for a touchscreen on a decently sized laptop is to make using badly designed user interfaces (often websites) slightly less terrible. The far better solution would be better UI design - which is not brain surgery or "rocket science".
58 • @ 57 (by Whyhnds on 2020-01-09 11:52:31 GMT from Canada)
>> Concerning touchscreens, I would like to know what exactly makes a laptop with a touchscreen "innovative".
But one and see.
>> Is it the lovely fingerprint smears everywhere?
Didn't mother taught to you to wash your hands?
59 • @58: (by dragonmouth on 2020-01-09 13:43:39 GMT from United States)
Touchscreens are not an innovation. Compaq Concerto, a 2 in 1 laptop, hit the market in 1993. Its touchscreen feature did not set the world on fire, so it was discontinued. Since then, many manufacturers introduced their own touchscreen laptops/tablets with various success.
Personally, I prefer computers with a keyboard and a mouse since the control is more precise than a touchscreen or a touch pad.
60 • Touchscreen laptops (by Moraw on 2020-01-09 13:53:30 GMT from Greece)
What the use of touchscreen laptops, some people ask.
You can take notes.
You can draw on the screen.
You can design on the screen. GIMP, Sketchup etc.
You can use both hands, all 10 fingers on the screen.
And, many more.
61 • @ 59 (by Youm on 2020-01-09 14:17:14 GMT from United States)
"Touchscreens are not an innovation. Compaq Concerto, a 2 in 1 laptop, hit the market in 1993."
Sure. Linux ran on it!?
Carbon X1 Fold is still to come in 2020!
Would Linux run on it?
62 • Carbon X1 Fold support (by curious on 2020-01-09 15:30:47 GMT from Germany)
You want Linux to run on it? Then why don't you convince the relevant hardware manufacturers to provide the necessary Linux drivers - or develop them yourself - or PAY for somebody to develop them for you?
Just demanding that Linux must support "innovative" technology is not sufficient, especially when there are plenty of existing bugs to fix and plenty of other things to develop - such as Wayland compositors for every window manager that is not GNOME.
63 • Linux and innovative technology (by OstroL on 2020-01-09 17:30:27 GMT from Poland)
Well, everyday, every week or every month something innovative happens. Every new day is innovative. For projects to go forward, money is needed, lots of money. If business puts money in, it has to see the profit coming in, in a year or few years. Even for open-source software to happen, money is needed. Bread has to bought, electricity has to be paid, children fed, etc, etc.
Its quite unbelievable to fathom, how much money had gone to build the first PC and the software for it. Open source is good, but it happened as result to create software for an existing computer. Hardware won't be produced, if the shareholders won't earn money. Software also won't be produced, if the shareholders won't earn money. We have one example, where a DE was discontinued in the open-source world for exactly that reason.
One might say, "why don't you convince the relevant hardware manufacturers to provide the necessary Linux drivers?" These drivers can't be made without money. The developers' time has to be paid. While they create those drivers, and maintain them, the company and their shareholders have to pay for that time. In a way, we are demanding that the business company pay to create drivers for us to use freely. Can we do that? Is it moral? Asking someone else to pay for us?
We can't ask the baker to give us bread free, can we?
64 • @61 Youm: (by dragonmouth on 2020-01-10 00:08:32 GMT from United States)
"Sure. Linux ran on it!?"
Hardly anything ran on it. Even Windows ran sketchily on it. That's why it didn't last too long. The point I was trying to make is that today's touchscreens are not innovative. It's been dome before and found wanting. As far as Linux running everything that Windows does is nothing more than me-too-ism. Linux is not and should not be a free version of Windows.
65 • Touch screens (by Jim on 2020-01-10 11:01:31 GMT from United States)
i understand there are people that actually need touchscreens, but I have spent the past 20 years trying to keep others from touching my screen, not about to change that now!
66 • @65 (by Youm on 2020-01-10 15:14:17 GMT from United States)
"I have spent the past 20 years trying to keep others from touching my screen"
Who would want to touch your screen? They are quite busy touching their screens. Have a look around.
Number of Comments: 66
Display mode: DWW Only • Comments Only • Both DWW and Comments
| | |
| TUXEDO |
TUXEDO Computers - Linux Hardware in a tailor made suite
Choose from a wide range of laptops and PCs in various sizes and shapes at TUXEDOComputers.com. Every machine comes pre-installed and ready-to-run with Linux. Full 24 months of warranty and lifetime support included!
Learn more about our full service package and all benefits from buying at TUXEDO.
|
| Archives |
| • Issue 1159 (2026-02-09): Sharing files on a network, isolating processes on Linux, LFS to focus on systemd, openSUSE polishes atomic updates, NetBSD not likely to adopt Rust code, COSMIC roadmap |
| • Issue 1158 (2026-02-02): Manjaro 26.0, fastest filesystem, postmarketOS progress report, Xfce begins developing its own Wayland window manager, Bazzite founder interviewed |
| • Issue 1157 (2026-01-26): Setting up a home server, what happened to convergence, malicious software entering the Snap store, postmarketOS automates hardware tests, KDE's login manager works with systemd only |
| • Issue 1156 (2026-01-19): Chimera Linux's new installer, using the DistroWatch Torrent Corner, new package tools for Arch, Haiku improves EFI support, Redcore streamlines branches, Synex introduces install-time ZFS options |
| • Issue 1155 (2026-01-12): MenuetOS, CDE on Sparky, iDeal OS 2025.12.07, recommended flavour of BSD, Debian seeks new Data Protection Team, Ubuntu 25.04 nears its end of life, Google limits Android source code releases, Fedora plans to replace SDDM, Budgie migrates to Wayland |
| • Issue 1154 (2026-01-05): postmarketOS 25.06/25.12, switching to Linux and educational resources, FreeBSD improving laptop support, Unix v4 available for download, new X11 server in development, CachyOS team plans server edtion |
| • Issue 1153 (2025-12-22): Best projects of 2025, is software ever truly finished?, Firefox to adopt AI components, Asahi works on improving the install experience, Mageia presents plans for version 10 |
| • Issue 1152 (2025-12-15): OpenBSD 7.8, filtering websites, Jolla working on a Linux phone, Germany saves money with Linux, Ubuntu to package AMD tools, Fedora demonstrates AI troubleshooting, Haiku packages Go language |
| • Issue 1151 (2025-12-08): FreeBSD 15.0, fun command line tricks, Canonical presents plans for Ubutnu 26.04, SparkyLinux updates CDE packages, Redox OS gets modesetting driver |
| • Issue 1150 (2025-12-01): Gnoppix 25_10, exploring if distributions matter, openSUSE updates tumbleweed's boot loader, Fedora plans better handling of broken packages, Plasma to become Wayland-only, FreeBSD publishes status report |
| • Issue 1149 (2025-11-24): MX Linux 25, why are video drivers special, systemd experiments with musl, Debian Libre Live publishes new media, Xubuntu reviews website hack |
| • Issue 1148 (2025-11-17): Zorin OS 18, deleting a file with an unusual name, NetBSD experiments with sandboxing, postmarketOS unifies its documentation, OpenBSD refines upgrades, Canonical offers 15 years of support for Ubuntu |
| • Issue 1147 (2025-11-10): Fedora 43, the size and stability of the Linux kernel, Debian introducing Rust to APT, Redox ports web engine, Kubuntu website off-line, Mint creates new troubleshooting tools, FreeBSD improves reproducible builds, Flatpak development resumes |
| • Issue 1146 (2025-11-03): StartOS 0.4.0, testing piped commands, Ubuntu Unity seeks help, Canonical offers Ubuntu credentials, Red Hat partners with NVIDIA, SUSE to bundle AI agent with SLE 16 |
| • Issue 1145 (2025-10-27): Linux Mint 7 "LMDE", advice for new Linux users, AlmaLinux to offer Btrfs, KDE launches Plasma 6.5, Fedora accepts contributions written by AI, Ubuntu 25.10 fails to install automatic updates |
| • Issue 1144 (2025-10-20): Kubuntu 25.10, creating and restoring encrypted backups, Fedora team debates AI, FSF plans free software for phones, ReactOS addresses newer drivers, Xubuntu reacts to website attack |
| • Issue 1143 (2025-10-13): openSUSE 16.0 Leap, safest source for new applications, Redox introduces performance improvements, TrueNAS Connect available for testing, Flatpaks do not work on Ubuntu 25.10, Kamarada plans to switch its base, Solus enters new epoch, Frugalware discontinued |
| • Issue 1142 (2025-10-06): Linux Kamarada 15.6, managing ZIP files with SQLite, F-Droid warns of impact of Android lockdown, Alpine moves ahead with merged /usr, Cinnamon gets a redesigned application menu |
| • Issue 1141 (2025-09-29): KDE Linux and GNOME OS, finding mobile flavours of Linux, Murena to offer phones with kill switches, Redox OS running on a smartphone, Artix drops GNOME |
| • Issue 1140 (2025-09-22): NetBSD 10.1, avoiding AI services, AlmaLinux enables CRB repository, Haiku improves disk access performance, Mageia addresses service outage, GNOME 49 released, Linux introduces multikernel support |
| • Issue 1139 (2025-09-15): EasyOS 7.0, Linux and central authority, FreeBSD running Plasma 6 on Wayland, GNOME restores X11 support temporarily, openSUSE dropping BCacheFS in new kernels |
| • Issue 1138 (2025-09-08): Shebang 25.8, LibreELEC 12.2.0, Debian GNU/Hurd 2025, the importance of software updates, AerynOS introduces package sets, postmarketOS encourages patching upstream, openSUSE extends Leap support, Debian refreshes Trixie media |
| • Issue 1137 (2025-09-01): Tribblix 0m37, malware scanners flagging Linux ISO files, KDE introduces first-run setup wizard, CalyxOS plans update prior to infrastructure overhaul, FreeBSD publishes status report |
| • Issue 1136 (2025-08-25): CalyxOS 6.8.20, distros for running containers, Arch Linux website under attack,illumos Cafe launched, CachyOS creates web dashboard for repositories |
| • Issue 1135 (2025-08-18): Debian 13, Proton, WINE, Wayland, and Wayback, Debian GNU/Hurd 2025, KDE gets advanced Liquid Glass, Haiku improves authentication tools |
| • Issue 1134 (2025-08-11): Rhino Linux 2025.3, thoughts on malware in the AUR, Fedora brings hammered websites back on-line, NetBSD reveals features for version 11, Ubuntu swaps some command line tools for 25.10, AlmaLinux improves NVIDIA support |
| • Issue 1133 (2025-08-04): Expirion Linux 6.0, running Plasma on Linux Mint, finding distros which support X11, Debian addresses 22 year old bug, FreeBSD discusses potential issues with pkgbase, CDE ported to OpenBSD, Btrfs corruption bug hitting Fedora users, more malware found in Arch User Repository |
| • Issue 1132 (2025-07-28): deepin 25, wars in the open source community, proposal to have Fedora enable Flathub repository, FreeBSD plans desktop install option, Wayback gets its first release |
| • Issue 1131 (2025-07-21): HeliumOS 10.0, settling on one distro, Mint plans new releases, Arch discovers malware in AUR, Plasma Bigscreen returns, Clear Linux discontinued |
| • Issue 1130 (2025-07-14): openSUSE MicroOS and RefreshOS, sharing aliases between computers, Bazzite makes Bazaar its default Flatpak store, Alpine plans Wayback release, Wayland and X11 benchmarked, Red Hat offers additional developer licenses, openSUSE seeks feedback from ARM users, Ubuntu 24.10 reaches the end of its life |
| • Issue 1129 (2025-07-07): GLF OS Omnislash, the worst Linux distro, Alpine introduces Wayback, Fedora drops plans to stop i686 support, AlmaLinux builds EPEL repository for older CPUs, Ubuntu dropping existing RISC-V device support, Rhino partners with UBports, PCLinuxOS recovering from website outage |
| • Issue 1128 (2025-06-30): AxOS 25.06, AlmaLinux OS 10.0, transferring Flaptak bundles to off-line computers, Ubuntu to boost Intel graphics performance, Fedora considers dropping i686 packages, SDesk switches from SELinux to AppArmor |
| • Issue 1127 (2025-06-23): LastOSLinux 2025-05-25, most unique Linux distro, Haiku stabilises, KDE publishes Plasma 6.4, Arch splits Plasma packages, Slackware infrastructure migrating |
| • Issue 1126 (2025-06-16): SDesk 2025.05.06, renewed interest in Ubuntu Touch, a BASIC device running NetBSD, Ubuntu dropping X11 GNOME session, GNOME increases dependency on systemd, Google holding back Pixel source code, Nitrux changing its desktop, EFF turns 35 |
| • Issue 1125 (2025-06-09): RHEL 10, distributions likely to survive a decade, Murena partners with more hardware makers, GNOME tests its own distro on real hardware, Redox ports GTK and X11, Mint provides fingerprint authentication |
| • Issue 1124 (2025-06-02): Picking up a Pico, tips for protecting privacy, Rhino tests Plasma desktop, Arch installer supports snapshots, new features from UBports, Ubuntu tests monthly snapshots |
| • Issue 1123 (2025-05-26): CRUX 3.8, preventing a laptop from sleeping, FreeBSD improves laptop support, Fedora confirms GNOME X11 session being dropped, HardenedBSD introduces Rust in userland build, KDE developing a virtual machine manager |
| • Issue 1122 (2025-05-19): GoboLinux 017.01, RHEL 10.0 and Debian 12 updates, openSUSE retires YaST, running X11 apps on Wayland |
| • Issue 1121 (2025-05-12): Bluefin 41, custom file manager actions, openSUSE joins End of 10 while dropping Deepin desktop, Fedora offers tips for building atomic distros, Ubuntu considers replacing sudo with sudo-rs |
| • Issue 1120 (2025-05-05): CachyOS 250330, what it means when a distro breaks, Kali updates repository key, Trinity receives an update, UBports tests directory encryption, Gentoo faces losing key infrastructure |
| • Issue 1119 (2025-04-28): Ubuntu MATE 25.04, what is missing from Linux, CachyOS ships OCCT, Debian enters soft freeze, Fedora discusses removing X11 session from GNOME, Murena plans business services, NetBSD on a Wii |
| • Issue 1118 (2025-04-21): Fedora 42, strange characters in Vim, Nitrux introduces new package tools, Fedora extends reproducibility efforts, PINE64 updates multiple devices running Debian |
| • Issue 1117 (2025-04-14): Shebang 25.0, EndeavourOS 2025.03.19, running applications from other distros on the desktop, Debian gets APT upgrade, Mint introduces OEM options for LMDE, postmarketOS packages GNOME 48 and COSMIC, Redox testing USB support |
| • Issue 1116 (2025-04-07): The Sense HAT, Android and mobile operating systems, FreeBSD improves on laptops, openSUSE publishes many new updates, Fedora appoints new Project Leader, UBports testing VoLTE |
| • Issue 1115 (2025-03-31): GrapheneOS 2025, the rise of portable package formats, MidnightBSD and openSUSE experiment with new package management features, Plank dock reborn, key infrastructure projects lose funding, postmarketOS to focus on reliability |
| • Issue 1114 (2025-03-24): Bazzite 41, checking which processes are writing to disk, Rocky unveils new Hardened branch, GNOME 48 released, generating images for the Raspberry Pi |
| • Issue 1113 (2025-03-17): MocaccinoOS 1.8.1, how to contribute to open source, Murena extends on-line installer, Garuda tests COSMIC edition, Ubuntu to replace coreutils with Rust alternatives, Chimera Linux drops RISC-V builds |
| • Issue 1112 (2025-03-10): Solus 4.7, distros which work with Secure Boot, UBports publishes bug fix, postmarketOS considers a new name, Debian running on Android |
| • Issue 1111 (2025-03-03): Orbitiny 0.01, the effect of Ubuntu Core Desktop, Gentoo offers disk images, elementary OS invites feature ideas, FreeBSD starts PinePhone Pro port, Mint warns of upcoming Firefox issue |
| • Issue 1110 (2025-02-24): iodeOS 6.0, learning to program, Arch retiring old repositories, openSUSE makes progress on reproducible builds, Fedora is getting more serious about open hardware, Tails changes its install instructions to offer better privacy, Murena's de-Googled tablet goes on sale |
| • Issue 1109 (2025-02-17): Rhino Linux 2025.1, MX Linux 23.5 with Xfce 4.20, replacing X.Org tools with Wayland tools, GhostBSD moving its base to FreeBSD -RELEASE, Redox stabilizes its ABI, UBports testing 24.04, Asahi changing its leadership, OBS in dispute with Fedora |
| • Issue 1108 (2025-02-10): Serpent OS 0.24.6, Aurora, sharing swap between distros, Peppermint tries Void base, GTK removinglegacy technologies, Red Hat plans more AI tools for Fedora, TrueNAS merges its editions |
| • Full list of all issues |
| Star Labs |
Star Labs - Laptops built for Linux.
View our range including the highly anticipated StarFighter. Available with coreboot open-source firmware and a choice of Ubuntu, elementary, Manjaro and more. Visit Star Labs for information, to buy and get support.
|
| Random Distribution | 
FreePBX
FreePBX (formerly AsteriskNOW) was a Linux distribution with an open-source, web-based graphical user interface that controls and manages Asterisk (PBX), an open source communication server. FreePBX was licensed under the GNU General Public License (GPL). FreePBX can be installed manually or as part of the pre-configured FreePBX distribution that includes the operating system, Asterisk, FreePBX GUI and assorted dependencies. FreePBX was based on the CentOS distribution while maintaining its own software repositories. The distribution was free to download and install with support offered through a paid subscription.
Status: Discontinued
|
| Tips, Tricks, Q&As | | Myths and misunderstandings: Wayland, Xorg and Mir |
| Tips and tricks: Find common words in text, find high memory processes, cd short-cuts, pushd & popd, record desktop |
| Tips and tricks: Extracting package lists from various distributions |
| Tips and tricks: Command line weather, ionice, rename files, video preview snapshot, calendar, ls colour settings |
| Tips and tricks: Improved package stability coming to FreeBSD/PC-BSD |
| Tips and tricks: Creating bootable USB drives with UNetbootin |
| Tips and tricks: Working with images from the command line |
| Questions and answers: Recovering deleted files |
| Questions and answers: On PC-BSD's licence, development team and hardware support |
| Questions and answers: Benefits and drawbacks of using completely free operating systems |
| More Tips & Tricks and Questions & Answers |
| TUXEDO |
TUXEDO Computers - Linux Hardware in a tailor made suite
Choose from a wide range of laptops and PCs in various sizes and shapes at TUXEDOComputers.com. Every machine comes pre-installed and ready-to-run with Linux. Full 24 months of warranty and lifetime support included!
Learn more about our full service package and all benefits from buying at TUXEDO.
|
| Star Labs |
Star Labs - Laptops built for Linux.
View our range including the highly anticipated StarFighter. Available with coreboot open-source firmware and a choice of Ubuntu, elementary, Manjaro and more. Visit Star Labs for information, to buy and get support.
|
|
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
