Linux Desktops and Mint

I am not going to say anything about ARCH Linux.

The goal of ARCH except for Manjaro Linux is to make it difficult for the user from WiFi connection, to install script to configuration.

 

They do not have squarsh file as in Puppy Linux to boot it, in one go.

My advice for one who wants to experience Linux from the word go is to use Puppy Linux.

 

I use Puppy Linux, on the go when I travel abroad with a USB stick wrap round my neck.

This is what I did for over 20 years and I have not lost any interest in Linux.

Windows 95 was not in existence!

I tried to mount Endeavour Linux and Gnoppix (immutable) on Gnome Box utility and I could not.

 

These are the very guys who kill the interest in newbies.

By the way, try Putty, if you are on a Samba Network.

I get annoyed with YouTube guys, mostly the guys who had been using Microsoft Windows, all their life and has been using Linux Mint or Arch for over, less than a year, trying to teach, other gullible (new) guys.

One YouTube presentation teachers how to upgrade Linux Mint.

Another guy talks about backup and time-shift of Mint.

All these are unnecessary, if one understands Linux.

Linux does not upgrade it's base system.

Everything is built on top of this base and there is no upgrading of the base.

The base is rock solid.

One should not confuse this with kernel upgrades that are for OEM stuff and new hardware.

If you bought a new graphic card or something to that effect, one should ask the guy or girl selling the gadget, " Is there support for Linux or not".

1. When I bought the basic Intel NUC, the first question I asked  the guy was "Is this gadget supports Linux" and then I check the BIOS to see, it actually does.

2. Second I said was, I do not need Windows and I am not going to pay a grand sum for a lousy operating system.

3. Eventually I paid half the original price but spend some money on DDR4 RAM.

 

I did not want to pay a lot for DDR5.

 

I am not a gamer but play a few games on Linux.

2 years later, I bought another NUC for my son when the price had come down a lot.

4. I had enough hard disks left in my attic and I was not prepared to spent money on NVMe hard disks.

Gnome

Coming back to desktop, Gnome is mother or father of all the Desktops.

 

It is modern and feature rich.

Mint Cinnamon

Mint is built on top of Gnome base with lot of proprietary stuff on top of it. 

That is the heart of the problem.

If one changes the hardware, the Linux Mint cannot match up with the OEM stuff by default. 

That is where the problem lies whereas, Gnome without proprietary bloat tries to come up with a solution, in no time.

Actually Kernel guys do this for you.

That is why one should ask the question "Is there Linux support" before purchasing the stuff.

MATE

Mate is also built on top of Gnome.

So, if you are like me using Gnome as your base, there is no hassle.

Another guy rambles about idiosyncrasies of Linux.

Another guy trying to do some upgrade and has done several mistakes. 

This is only guy I said point blank do not blame Linux for your own mistakes.

So rambling goes on but Linux stay put!

I am doing all these to put the stuff for my upcoming book "Linux Essentials".

It is almost finished but I have to do some editing and remove duplicate entries.

YouTube is full of duplicate advice.

While doing this, I have installed 3 editions of Gnome on my NUC.

Last one is on and it has all the desktop in one place.

Even then, one can use only one desktop at a time.

I have devised my own way of adding different desktops (to see where I go wrong).

Finally decided to go with latest Gnome DVD one.

It does the job.

It is finishing now.

 

By the way, Legacy KDE and Plasma are entirely different desktops.

It marvels on neat windows and frames.

However, almost all the KDE applications can be mounted on top of the Gnome desktop without having bulky Plama desktop.

One application I like very much is Spectacle screen-shot application.

Linux Installation and the Partition Table

I can report to you now Debian can be installed from an image mounted on a SD Card.

Unlike the Version 11 days when I could not install AbiWord on Debian, I used Emmabatus since it had Abiword (dual booting with Debiane Gnome).

I just installed Abiword having installed Debian with it's first DVD1 on a USB.

Thank YOU Debian Developer guys and Girls. 

  

One should remember when installing Debian assumes that one has installed it using a DVD. It asks for the DVD. What one has to do is to find the Software Update icon and tick off the DVD option using root permission.

Otherwise one cannot install additional software.

This would have been my problem then, which I did not know then. 

It was all my fault not Debian's!

 

I have just finished installing Debian Gnome thrice, successfully in my NUC with 120GB hard disk.

I have three editions of  Gnome.

1. My working Gnome which I treasure with all my books.

I have five partitions

/root

/boot

/home

/var

/tmp

If I have to reinstall, I do not format /home partition ( must have the same name and password for access of data) so all my files are safely there.

2. My Testing Gnome with all the types of partitions.

This was used to test all partitions. In addition to above five I have

/usr

/srv 

/local share

My gut feeling is five partitions are enough with  liberal /var and /home partitions.

In a server setup with so may users above partitions may be useful for file and service sharing and home computer, with a large home partition all the family members can share the computer with each member (except the root guy) having his or her privacy intact.

So do not fiddle with what the distribution does, except perhaps adding an additional /optional partition.

I do not agree with Ubuntu style where there is only one big /root partition like with Endless OS.

It defeats the Linux Philosophy.

I have lot going against Ubuntu,lately.

Yes I just tested my latest Installation with 10GB, I have all the application I need including BOX, Kdenlive.

More about KDE, later.

3. My Debian DVD-1 Edition

Here I store all the Linux iso images after testing.

In addition, I have KDE as an option.

KDE is sleek but it takes up huge amount of space and very slow to respond.

By the way, I do not recommend Cinnamon which is build on top of Gnome and that that is why I do not use Mint.

It corrupted my Gnome when I removed a few Cinnamon utilities to save space in my root folder.

It did some irreversible damage to number one above.

I am now going to redo this edition, since yesterday I downloaded DVD-1 on a SD card mounted on USB stick.

I just want to test the image recorded on SD card would be useful in installing Debian.

Yes, I have installed Debian written on a SD card mounted on a USB.

It has Gnome, KDE,Xfce, Cinnamon and MATE desktops.

It has 2800 odd files and take little longer to install. One cannot fiddle with it's files once installed.

That is the reason I prefer Gnome and one can add KDE utilities on top of it.

KDENLive and K3B are my favorites.

It has Maria Database.

 

 

Voyager Linux

Voyager Linux is pretty good for a newbie.

It is Ubuntu on steroids.

It is Ubuntu on steroids even though the desktop looks like Gnome.

It configures the WiFi smoothly.

It has plenty of utilities

It has Private FireFox browser in addition to normal Firefox but one has to download it.

It has SNAP in addition to Synaptic Package Manager. 

The to package managers do not synchronize and install two editions of the same application.

I always install AbiWord and it had two.

Only the one installed with the Synaptic Package Manager opens and the other in the container freezes. 

This is why I always favour (not SNAP) Synaptic or Flathub.

Installer is plain and simple Ubuntu Installer.

Icons are big and good for old guy like me.

Installer detected the 20 odd partitions correctly.

It has Gparted.

Does not make me to install it on my NUC.

Puppy Linux Derivatives

 Puppy Linux Derivatives

 

1. Fossa Pup

This is posted with Fossa PUP, Ubuntu Version in Live Mode. It supports support NoteCase, AbiWord and Xournal.

Has Htop, Gparted, Transmission and more importantly FireFox

 

 2. Easy OS 902

I begin NOT to Love Easy OS, simply because it does not support AbiWord and Xournal.

On the plus side, it does extend the partition table to take full use of the USB and update to the latest version if the old one was 900. 

It supports Database Access.

It has bulky LibreOffice and let you install OpenOffice, too

Puppy  Linux was meant to be light weight.

 

3. FatPup

Then there is FatPup 902 which has LibreOffice and no AbiWord.

With FatPup Linux on Box Utility, the mouse point got stuck inside and it could not be retrieved.

 

4. Vanilla Pup.

Vanilla Pup is similar to FossaPup and has all the old utilities. 

One can get LibreOffice, if one desires.

Puppy Linux is my answer to Bulky KDE Linux derivatives.

All these images are less than 1GB and LibreOffice takes about 1GB space.

Puppy Linux went into hibernation and now all of them support 64 bits.

5. MultiSystem 64 bit version has No EFI booting facility and does not boot when written into a USB.

It has to be booted from a DVD and I wanted put all the Puppy Versions to a single USB and boot.

I do not have any DVDs and if I did I would have tried MultiSystem on our old Laptop.

Laptop has Endless OS and I upgraded it to the latest 6-version.

On a different note, I can say all Puppy Linux derivatives can be run on BOX utility and I do not need to use MultSystem boot.

With FatPup Linux on Box Utility, the mouse point got stuck inside and it could not be retrieved.

Manjaro Gnome Live is Good

 Manjaro Gnome Live

Manjaro has done a creditable job to promote Arch Linux which is a pain for a newbie to master.

I did not try installing it, since my Intel NUC is full with 3 editions of Debian Stable and they are going to stay put for at least until end of 2025.

I have hundreds and one Linux utilities already installed and my book on "Linux Essentials" is put on hold until I finish my book on "Vegetarian Paradox".

I was very much into nutrition in the past especially regarding children's nutrition and did not have time to delve into adult nutrition in depth.

Basically it boils down to my basic pathological theme, Free Radical Injury or injury by tiny electrons.

It did take a toll on me and its editing is coming to an end.

I have tried to analyze the putative benefits of food items except spices (but turmeric was included).

Ended up at 40 food items and there over 100 food items (fruits and vegetables).

I have found only one food item that nullify the effects of arsenic in rice.

Basically there is no Super-Food.

One can obtain full benefit by combining food items.

My interest was basically on copper, selenium, molybdenum and zinc, barring of course, toxic mercury (in sea food) and heavy metals.

It looks like fennel and mustard provide these items in sufficient quantities.

So spices have a place in our food not only turmeric.

Endless OS

Reproduction 

One of my Own Pieces 

Endless OS has taken a creditable Step to take place of the One Laptop for Child (O.L.P.S)

Ten  or more things I would like to see happening before the end of the World (2012)

Some saints are predicting end of the world by 2012 but I have a few predictions before that eventuality.

These predictions are made without any attachment to any Country or State or Company, at large.

The concept I would like to develop is that there should be greater good to the average person on the street or is born every 7 seconds or so  to this World / Century with the IT industry expanding and penetrating into every corner of life from Medicine to Agriculture to Information Technology.

Everybody enjoys music.
Similarly everybody loves reading a magazine or daily paper.                               They have become part of our lives.
Cellphone is universal now.
Information and its technology is no different.

Information should not be concentrated on few rich countries nor few rich companies nor a few rich guys/girls.

When O.L.P.C came up everything possible was done to kill its impact in its infancy by the rich and the powerful. Unfortunately credit crisis and debt crisis came in at the same time and put a powerful lid around spread of information to the poorer countries and copyright laws and similar instruments are used to keep the knowledge hub in the hand of vested interests.

This cannot go on for ever, if we have a defunct Organization called United Nations Organization.
U.N.O does not think that Linux exists but only Microsoft and Apple exist.
Unite Nations does not even have a Language Policy now.

Only English is dominating.

I cannot go there and address an audience in plain Sinhala but Linux and Debian can do that without the support of U.N.O.
Linux Community has done a lot to World Languages much more than the White Elephant U.N.O.
Vatican uses one Linux computer and U.N.O does not have even one from the statistics available currently on the Web.
This organization should be closed for good since the end of the world is already predicted by the saints and Maurians.
If not me, American politicians think so (U.N.O. should be disbanded) and USA would not like to spend money running this organization.

What I state here should come from U.N.O or W.H.O but the guys and girls there are only interested in Human Rights of some godforsaken countries deprived of every possible avenue of help, from poverty to hunger to malnutrition and exploitation of rich mineral sources by corrupt rulers and administrators who come to power or attempt to come to power by not so democratic means  or by shear deception.
It is true that a few Western countries that dominate the world  of IT Industry.
 

That domination should end, sooner than late.

1. In my list Apple Mac comes first.
Its domination with its pricing scale should come to an end sooner than late.        It should be affordable, if not it should be replaced by similar applications.

Could an alternative, fill in the VOID?

Yes Linux can do that.

2. Domination of Microsoft should end.
It is already happening thanks to its own creation of wealth around itself.
Linux has already made inroads and has enough weaponry to offset any more exploitation. But the Windows 8 has already gone paranoid.

3. Domination of IBM in high tech area should be squeezed especially its classmate kits for rich kids.
It can be done easily with tablets and anti-androids that should or would come from the Asian continent.

4. Google will kill itself by following policies similar to Microsoft in its Android (Google is Bare Bone Linux tampered with its own specifications) manifestation.

5. Intel's domination should end with alternative chip making.

It is already happening.

There are alternative chip manufacturers.

If I am attacking all the powerful companies is there anything left to fill the gap.

Yes there is enough.

6. Amazon Should Step In.

Its kindle, its publishing arm, its cloud services and powerful marketing philosophy should move forward and take the lead and should stretch its arm, all over  the world including China and India.

This should come before U.N.O declare human right violation in China.
In India Human Right Violations including rape happens everyday.
 

Nobody talks about the recent IMF Incident.

Yes Amazon is an American adventure but it does not matter, if it is doing the right thing at the right time for the Children of the World and ordinary masses.
I hope the CEOs there make the right decision for this century and be proud even after 100 years from now.

Amazon had been doing a silent service.

Its cloud service going to be the next important thing that will change how things should be shaped up right now.
We must not let Oracle with its powerful database machinery to take over the IT industry with other selfish collaborators.

7. Cloud computing is going to shape up everything from 2012 onward.

Linux has developed all the tool kits.
It looks like rich companies are going to hijack all the Linux Innovations (SuSe included) that came from Linux.

We must put an end to this.

There are over 100 very good Linux distributions out there.

Debian Linux tops the list.

If we let the current trends to dictate about 10 companies will determine the wealth of information while Mr Bunki Moon and Mrs. Pillay are dabbling with human right issues.
The 10 or so companies are gearing  readily albeit  slowly to strangle the whole world economy.

Nobody in the U.N.O speaks.
Those human rights issues are carrots to donkeys when one compares what is happening and  how things are shaping up in the West in the IT industry.

I am here with Richard Stallman.

What free software and Linux achieved over the last 20 years will be used by these few companies and so they become much richer.

There are 10 Linux distributions for each exploiting company as it is now. 

They should divert their resources to take up the challenge and cloud computing seriously.
Ubuntu One was there but is rapidly becoming commercial.

CloudUSB and JoliOS (gone defunct) are there (both Ubuntu derivatives).

Then there was Mobilin derivative MeeGo.

Why can't the other distribution take some lead?

8. What can the China do?
It can do a lot.
It can flood the market with tablets with anti-androids.
Its space industry (GIS -Global Internet Service) should take over the Internet service sector and cloud computing.

India cannot contribute anything to this scenario since they are taken for a ride by the American companies and American interests.

Mind you Chinese use graphic language unlike English which is words language.
Graphic language is far superior in the tablet and cloud industry.
Even the people without English knowledge can use the IT Technology  with Graphics and Charts included without reading a single word.

This is where Chinese innovation and invasion is good for the World Economy.

India is not ready and that is the biggest advantage for China.

9. For over 100 years what we used were Slate and Slate Pencil.
Instead of the slate and the pencil, tablet, the mini-version of the portable computer and the cellphone alternatives will be the Game Changer.

Governments providing obsolete printed books, Ceylon included will be the thing of the past.

What is preventing is the cost of the (O.L.P.C for example) O.E.M.
Tablet will change everything from communication to to way we teach and learn.

Singapore has taken a giant step and millions of books are on children tablets.

Is U.N.O ready?

Not at all UNICEF is dead now and only a concept.

Only hindrance is the speed of the Internet.
Moment this barrier is broken like the sound barrier of the last century, everything will change.
The game changer has come to life but U.N.O is sleeping.

It is going to be sooner than we have anticipated.

More satellites and fibro-optic connections will take IT industry forward.
We Sri-Lankan do not have a satellite of our own, even  though the country is placed in a ideal position in the GeoSpace.

India scuttled our effort to launch a satellite with the help of USA in 1988-89. 

I was protecting the satellite inside surgical theater.

I think China should help Ceylon to revive that project with a newer satellite.

10. What is necessary is training of personnel to take over the this challenge but that is where we are the slowest and the laziest.

There is lot of resistance to change.

That is the human nature but few powerful companies are pushing us towards this goal whether we like it or not.
But U.N.O is sleeping.

We must be ready with alternative strategies as well as alternative technologies.

Linux can provide it. 

Its Community Spirit is more powerful than the USA or the sleeping U.N.O.

Already 95% of the industry depends on Linux.

We must not let 10 or more companies to take the copyright ownership of the Linux achievements.

This is specially so because U.N.O is sleeping.

Linux 20 Years Young on 2011!

Reproduction

Thank YOU www.wordpress.com

Linux 20 years Young!

Posted on April 13, 2011

From http://www.linux.com

This was posted at linux.com and there is a Linux Foundation Video Contest, one can join.

Please visit http://www.linux.com

Twenty years ago this summer, Linus Torvalds made a bold decision to share his operating system with the world. 

Not long after that, he chose to license it under the General Public License. 

Nothing in computing has been the same since.

In fact, today Linux is the largest collaborative development project in the history of computing, which means that the 20th Anniversary of Linux is an opportunity for the community to come together in celebration of this great success story and in collaboration on how it will define the next 20 years of Linux.

Today Linux is literally everywhere: 

in your phone, 

at your ATM, 

in your TV, 

on your desktop, 

at the movies, 

in your car, and 

in more places than I can write in one blog. 

It is everywhere because of everyone. 

We’re announcing today our plans for celebrating the 20th Anniversary of Linux and hope we can provide a variety of forums, online and in-person, where everyone can contribute to this important milestones.

We’re kicking things off with an exclusive video produced by The Linux Foundation that is One Way to Tell the Story of Linux:

File Managers in Linux

File Managers in Linux

The first thing I learned after Word Processing (AbiWord) in Linux was how to manage the file system in the My computer. 

Coming back from Windows background with so much clutter in my files and folders in Windows XP, it was a REAL revelation.

I never lost a working file in Linux but I have lost all the Window files.

That is why I never went back to Windows.

File managing is hierarchical (father/son, relationship) in directories and there are hidden system files (I never bother about them and they are stable and they are generally accessed by using a Terminal) and the user files, one owns.

They are in folders and in categories like Music.

1. Rox Filler

Simplest of it is Rox Filler.

It has 10 folders

1. Core (I do not understand)

2. Desktop

3. Documents

4. Downloads

5. GNUstep

6. gretl (I do not understand)

7. Music

8. Pictures

9. Public

10. Templates

11. Videos

12. There there are two files

Untitled.bak~ (unsaved) and FileInLinux-01.abw an AbiWord file saved.

That is all, I need to know and nothing more, nothing less.

 

2. Thunar

If I go to Thunar in Xfce, it is the same but core is in the bottom and not first with larger Graphic boxes or Folders.

bak file is missing but saved file is there.

 

3. Gnome Files

Gnome Files almost similar to Xfce but folders are organized in the alphabetical order and no priority is given to the folders and the text file named with Fxxx letter comes fifth in the order of 12 items.

 

4. Kate

Does not look at anything since my desktop is  in Gnome and gives a Graphic file manager with either open a new file or open an already existing file.

  

5. Krusader of KDE

Krusader of KDE, (it is the Killer File Manger) on the other hand opens, all the files in graphical command line format with a dot as in .bluefish (bluefish is an excellent command line Graphic Utility which I love  with Ruby, Perl, Python (2 & 3), PHP, SQL and many more).

Bluefish is the simplest of all and when I open my AbiWord file, it is s described, as a Abiword document as  49 </abiword> and it has 50 lines and leave the last line 50 for me to interact.

I type kill.

no response

I type killall

No response and I save it as file-02 and exit like this.

 </killall>

 

KDE Plasma

KDE is huge and it consumes Lot of Memory and and a strain on your CPU.

I just tested it!

Worse combination is LibreOffice on Plasma Desktop.

I hope KDE consider a Lighter Version of KDE!

KDE Plasma

Since I have 3 Editions of Gnome installed in my NUC, I decided to have a go at KDE Plasma.

1. It takes about 600MB to 1000MB install it. That is with or without KDE applications.

2. It has many plus points.

3. It organizes all the applications on groups.

4. It software center is a packed with all one needs.

It is better than Ubuntu, Flatpak, SNAP and RPM.

5. It gave me options to Install DBS Viewer a plus point since I am currently investigation DBS capability.

6. Visual effects are pleasing with large fonts with my failing vision, I probably have to adopt it.

7. Even AbiWord looks nicer on it.

8. It does not say it has finished installing or which one is currently active.

9. I had to look at the Gnome system monitor to see what is going on.

10. I wand to go to sleep whether it is installing them or not.

MxLinux 23.3-Install

MxLinux 23.3-Install 

Since, I have given up on Ubuntu, I decided to use another Linux distribution on top of Debian, Gnome, with a Light Weight Desktop.

I am beginning to Love Light Weight Desktops where on can fiddle with icon and windows.

In Flushbox Windows can be taken out of the monitor screen but they do not disappear but come from the other end.

t reduces the clutter even on a giant monitor. 

I have also decided to Install it on a USB, instead of writing on a USB to mount.

I want it to be persistent copy and not a Live session.

It has lot of options and it is finishing install with Efi partition and a SWAP partition, in case I mount it on Windows Box.

I takes long time to install USB stick which is understandable.

It booted with a user password and root password for Synaptic Package Manager.

I am currently installing,

1. AbiWord.

2. Stacer.

3. Notepadqq

4. Ranger

There is no LibreOffice.

Efi

/root is just under 10GB.

/boot 

SWAP

I did not

Statistics in Linux

 This is cut and paste  from Redit

Deducer is designed to be a free easy to use alternative to proprietary data analysis software such as SPSS, JMP, and Minitab. It has a menu system to do common data manipulation and analysis tasks, and an excel-like spreadsheet in which to view and edit data frame

 Rattle (the R Analytic Tool To Learn Easily) provides a Gnome (RGtk2) based interface to R functionality for data mining. The aim is to provide a simple and intuitive interface that allows a user to quickly load data from a CSV file (or via ODBC), transform and explore the data, build and evaluate models, and export models as PMML (predictive modelling markup language) or as scores. All of this with knowing little about R.

 Description: KDE frontend to the R statistics language RKWard aims to become an easy to use, transparent frontend to R, a powerful system for statistical computation and graphics. Besides a convenient GUI for the most important statistical functions, future versions will also provide seamless integration with an office-suite.

Above utilities are not in Debian Package Manager .

Well I tried Debian Edu Mathematics.

It looks like Text Editors are used to develop statistics in Linux.

It looks like Linux has data reader for other statistical packages like SPSS and SAS  but there are commercial Linux packages available.

Linux Database or DBS

Linux Database or D.B.S

I wanted to make a note here that Linux has everything but no Database Utility.

This was true in the past and LibreOffice tried it and gave up I believe, since the LibreOffice that comes with Linux does not have it as default.

I tried with SNAP and it gave me a Database reader but I could not even make a table in this reader utility.

Then I made a table in LibreOffice word and tried to export it as a data base but failed.

Finally, I found DBS and it was the right application.

It already has few example of databases with fields and I used plants and mounted five fields.

Well I am going to make a database on Fish, since I have stopped caring for fish except Guppy Fish. 

I can now report that Linux has everything.

I wonder about statistic which I generally hate.

KDE Plasma and KDN Live

Since I could not Install KDE Plasma with Debian Installer, I tried to Install KDE plasma under the Gnome hood and I was successful.

It comes with 25 to 30 utilities, which I already have under Gnome Hood but, KDN Live is a cool tool. 

KDN Live can be installed without KDE Plama Desktop.

Plasma Desktop is elegant and clean much better than Windows, if one is coming from Windows background. 

KDE consumes memory and this is why I do not like

Update on Debian Install Images

Debian has vast array of Images.

1. My recommendation for newbie is to go and download  Live Image with different Desktops from Gnome to Cinnamon to Xfce to Mate and to a few more.

 

One can write this to a USB.

 

On a Linux Desktop it automatically goes to the Image Writer mode.

 

Alternatively, one can write this to a DVD. and boot it from an old PC that does not have USB booting.

2. Then there are Images for various platforms aMD and aRM, PPC and so on.

3. Then there are 20 odd DVDs.

They are source code and do not boot from USBs.

If you write the first DVD to a DVD, I think one can install. 

I have not tried DVD method but I know it cannot be booted from a USB.

Connection to the Internet is vital.

Image in my USB was 6.2.0.18 (an old image).

On installation with WiFi connected it selected current 6.7.0....

The current Testing image is 6.7.0.....

Debian has 9 sub partitions.

I use that schedule but I have never tried on a single partition.

/root

/ boot

/home

/tmp

 

The above partition schedule with SWAP partition twice as the RAM is ideal or minimum schedule.

If dual booting backing up your data is an optional consideration (not for me) but mandatory for some.

Once installed one should run it several trial runs, so that Debian will automatically update its files.

 

Be patient when updating is going on.

Then one can install one's favorite applications either with SNAP store or Synaptic Package Manager.

 

I prefer Synaptic, it is really the Debian Package Manager.

Well I have 3 images installed in my NUC.

1. one for daily use.

2. One for testing.

3. The third is for the Testing Branch 

Large DVD version has many types of desktops and one should not TRY KDE Plasma (files missing).

Installation hang up at the last moment when KDE is selected during (the Testing Branch DVD).

Go and s visit the Debian page for specific information.

KDE Plasma in Debian Failed Again

This in not the first time but for 3rd time KDE Plasma failed when installing Debian.

1. First with Debian Testing.

2. Second with Debian Gnome using Synaptic Package Manager.

3. Today with Debian 12.5.0, Starter CD1.

It seems it has nearly 1000 files and probably it uses 1200MB memory.

Last time I saw it failing with a Perl package at the end.

 

I even tried installing on only text mode to SEE on which package it get stuck.

 

KDE is the base for SuSe and Redhat and their community guys either deliberately or due to carelessness released a broken KDE system.

I just wanted to see how Plasma was getting on.

I use Gnome and did not bother testing it for over a decade.

I had a 67GB extra space in my NUC hard drive and tested KDE with MATE and Gnome. 

It failed.

I think KDE tried to emulate Windows and that is their Failure Strategy.

 

Windows actually started in 1980s and I had an article on how window frames were developed in a commuter journal of early days.

Windows was a late adoption.

What it means is Windows within Windows, In early day RAM was the limiting factor and it could not handle Windows within Windows.

Whereas, Window Maker of Linux handled this to this day marvelously.

In fact there are several light weight Window makers which I have under Gnome hood.

Blackbox

Flushbox

Pekwm

IceWarm

and may more.

Windows within Windows of KDE and Plasma are also failures of memory control.

That is why I do not use KDE.

Linux kernel has 23 million lines of code.

I bet KDE / Plama probably has 100 million or trillion of coding, I believe.

What it should do is to cut it down to 50 millilon line of code.

Even then it cannot match original Window Maker of Linux. 

 

By the way, I have three versions of Gnome in my hard disk of 320GN all are working fine.

MultiSystem USB

MultiSystem USB

One has to go to SourceForge and download this CD and boot it. It is Ubuntu based distribution which I used to install number of Linux distribution on a USB. However, some distributions do not support MutiSystem booting.

I have several MultiSystem USBs which I use to display Linux distributions to new comers. It supports most of the Ubuntu Based Distributions except Ubuntu. I have installed Gparted as a default distribution.

It is there for "on the go" partitioning of new hard disk.

Tails do not support it now but it used to support it.

I am going to install Linux Mint cinnamon desktop today.

Arched based Manjero can be booted with MultiSystem but none of the Debian Live DVDs is supported. It needs Squash file (single hierarchical file) for live booting.

Almost all Puppy Linux distributions support squash file system. Instead of having several Puppy Linux USN sticks in my pocket several can be included  in a MultiSystem USB with 32GB storage.

Interestingly, Knoppix with a persistent store is included in my MultSystem USB stick.

Its booting CD is not freely available and it comes from France with English language support. However, I downloaded it from SorceForge today.

Linus Torvalds

Linus Torvalds

Below is a phrase cut out from real life story of Linus and his erstwhile (current too)  friend.

I won't tell you where it is posted but it is an inspirational piece of writing and how a young undergraduates feels about his/her life in the campus and his/her career accomplishment thereafter and how collaboration works and isolation ruins.

Go and find it yourself.

1. It is relevant here to state how the politicians (whatever the party affiliation that would be) should not ruin the minds of young entrants by propaganda.

2. It is also relevant that a university computer student in early 1990 could not save money enough to buy a home computer.

List of Little Linux Utilities

This web site was created to promote Linux distributions when no one was interested in Linux.

There were only 32 PCs worldwide at that time and I was one of them in Ceylon, statistically insignificant number and India did not have any.

Currently only about 3% users but about 10% of the guys in YouTube talk about it, like people talking about Meiditation but never practice it.

Google uses gDeb and it about to 6% the total.

Apple is a variant of Unix from which Linux started its origin.

Linux Torvalds had a little outing with his professor ?Thanabaum and outcome was Linux.

My aim is to promote Linux so that before I kick the bucket at least 10% of the PC users use it as a "Freedom Project".

 

1. pidgin

Pidgin (formerly named Gaim) is a free and open-source multi-platform instant messaging client, based on a library named libpurple that has support for many instant messaging protocols, allowing the user to simultaneously log in to various services from a single application, with a single interface for both popular and obsolete protocols (from AIM to Discord), thus avoiding the hassle of having to deal with new software for each device and protocol.

As of 2007, the number of Pidgin users was estimated to be over three million.

Pidgin is widely used for its Off-the-Record Messaging(OTR) plugin, which offers end-to-end encryption.

For this reason it is included in the privacy and anonymity focused operating systemTails.

2. ping

Ping (blogging), used for blogs, RSS, and related web services

Ping (networking utility), a computer network monitoring tool

Ping (video games), the network latency between computers used in online gaming

Ping.fm, a defunct microblog social networ

iTunes Ping, a social network for music that was once built into Apple iTunes

Ping Identity, an American software compan

3. Bluefish

Bluefish is a powerful editor targeted towards programmers and web developers, with many options to write websites, scripts and programming code. Bluefish supports many programming and markup languages. See features for an extensive overview, take a look at the screenshots, or download it right away. Bluefish is an open source development project, released under the GNU GPL licence.

Bluefish is a multi-platform application that runs on most desktop operating systems including Linux, Mac OSX, Windows, FreeBSD and OpenBSD.

4. Thunderbird

Mozilla Thunderbird is free and open-source email client software which also functions as a full personal information manager with a calendar and contact book, as well as an RSS feed reader, chat client (IRC/XMPP/Matrix), and news client.

Available cross-platform, it is operated by the Mozilla Foundation's subsidiary MZLA Technologies Corporation. Thunderbird is an independent, community-driven project that is managed and overseen by the Thunderbird Council, which is elected by the Thunderbird Community. The project strategy was originally modelled after that of Mozilla's Firefox Web browser and is an interface built on top of that Web browser.

5. Stacer

Stacer is an all-in-one solution for optimizing Linux.

It monitors system resources, cleans up disk space, and manages startup applications. Whether you're a seasoned Linux user or new to the platform, learn how Stacer can enhance your system's performance and usability.

6. notepadqq

Notepadqq is text editor and is versatile enough to use on daily basis.

Notepad++ is a free and open-source text and source code editor for use with Microsoft Windows. It supports tabbed editing, which allows working with multiple open files in a single window. The product's name comes from the C postfix increment operator.

It is sometimes referred to as npp or NPP.

Notepad++ is distributed as free software.

At first, the project was hosted on SourceForge, from where it was downloaded over 28 million times and twice won the SourceForge Community Choice Award for Best Developer Tool.

The project was hosted on TuxFamily from 2010 to 2015.

Since 2015, Notepad++ has been hosted on GitHub.

Notepad++ uses the Scintilla editor component.

7. jitsi

Jitsi  is a collection of free and open-source multi-platform voice (VoIP), video conferencing and instant messaging applications for the Web platform, Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS and Android.

The Jitsi project began with the Jitsi Desktop (previously known as SIP Communicator).

With the growth of WebRTC, the project team focus shifted to the Jitsi Videobridge for allowing web-based multi-party video calling. Later the team added Jitsi Meet, a full video conferencing application that includes web, Android, and iOS clients. Jitsi also operates meet.jit.si, a version of Jitsi Meet hosted by Jitsi for free community use. Other projects include: Jigasi, lib-jitsi-meet, Jidesha, and Jitsi.

Jitsi has received support from various institutions such as the NLnet Foundation, the University of Strasbourg and the Region of Alsace, the European Commission and it has also had multiple participations in the Google Summer of Code program.

8.Text Editors

There is a lot of them and I have highlighted a few of them above.

9.Ranger

Is a very good terminal with simple graphic features

Ranger is a free and open-source file manager with text-based user interface for Unix-like systems. It is developed by Roman Zimbelmann and licensed under the terms of the GNU General Public License. The program can accomplish file management tasks with a few keystrokes and mouse input is optional.

In conjunction with extensions including the rifle file opener and scope.sh, ranger can be scripted to open files with pre-defined programs and to display a preview of the selected file by calling external programs.

10. Neofetch

Neofetch is a system information tool written in the Bash shell scripting language. By default, on the left side is a logo of the distribution, rendered in ASCII art. Unlike a system monitor, the tool only features a static display of the computer's basic hardware and software configurations and their versions, typically operating system, the host (namely the technical name of the machine), uptime, package managers, the shell, display resolution, desktop environment, window manager, themes and icons, the computer terminal, CPU, GPU, and RAM. Neofetch can also display images on the terminal with w3m-img in place of the ASCII logo art.

Neofetch development has been discontinued as of April 26, 2024.

Ranger Linux Utility

Ranger is a free and open-source file manager with text-based user interface for Unix-like systems. It is developed by Roman Zimbelmann and licensed under the terms of the GNU General Public License. The program can accomplish file management tasks with a few keystrokes, and mouse input is optional. In conjunction with extensions including the rifle file opener and scope.sh, ranger can be scripted to open files with pre-defined programs, and to display a preview of the selected file by calling external programs.

Linux Ping

Ping

Ping (blogging), used for blogs, RSS, and related web services

Ping (networking utility), a computer network monitoring tool

Ping (video games), the network latency between computers used in online gaming

Ping.fm, a defunct microblog social network

iTunes Ping, a social network for music that was once built into Apple iTunes

Ping Identity, an American software company

Linux Pidgin

 Pidgin (formerly named Gaim) is a free and open-source multi-platform instant messaging client, based on a library named libpurple that has support for many instant messaging protocols, allowing the user to simultaneously log in to various services from a single application, with a single interface for both popular and obsolete protocols (from AIM to Discord), thus avoiding the hassle of having to deal with new software for each device and protocol.

As of 2007, the number of Pidgin users was estimated to be over three million.

Pidgin is widely used for its Off-the-Record Messaging(OTR) plugin, which offers end-to-end encryption.

For this reason it is included in the privacy and anonymity focused operating systemTails.

Box Utility of Gnome

I am testing Parrot OS and Endless on Box Utility.

Parrot OS has done a clever thing.

It has a Home edition and a Security edition.

Home edition has almost everything one needs to work.

Security edition is for penetration testing.

Endless OS has nothing (in a way it is good for a guy like me who wants nothing and would build up on the base) in its base iso.

It directs straight to SNAP application store which I do not like for many reasons.

I decided to download Debian testing image.

It is taking time.

Mind this all done not on root level but on a user level permission.

I have given root permission to download Debian Testing.

Box Utility wanted Express Install on my NUC Box  which I declined and decided to write on a USB.

Be aware of what one is doing.

Box would have destroyed my two Editions of Debian in my NUC!

Download speed of box utility is slow, it often breaks down if one is downloading torrent file simultaneously.

I prefer torrent downloads.

It is far better download the image separately to your download folder,

Each member of the Linux box has his or her own /home and a download folder.

That is the beauty of Linux.

I decided to download Debian Testing and I will Install it.

I have never done this before, since I use only the stable edition.

Installation failed.

I think it did not have the KDE multi-language package to install, so it stalled.

Without KDE, my installation went on smoothly.

MATE desktop booted up.

It had everything but Synaptic Package Manager wanted CD/DVD to install AbiWord.

More importantly GRUB file missed my Regular Gnome Edition.

The Testing Gnome was OK.

Well I have to Instal Debian Regular again.

In summary,

1. WiFi configuration was OK.

2. Clock configuration was OK.

3. It has introduced few more desktop types including Gnome X11.

4. My current Debian image is 6.1.-.....and the new image is 6.7......

5. It had nearly 3000 files at least 300 more than the stable versions.

6. I realize if I use Gnome, Gnome Flashback and MATE it saves me 1500 files (nearly half of the total installation).

7. KDE takes the most that is why I do not use KDE or Plasma.

Besides it takes shorter time to install.

8. I always make a point to be connected to home site and they have free permission to scan we hat I do and no virus attacks at all.

9. LibreOffice takes to the bulk due to its multi-lamguage support.

10. Testing guys should test one desktop at a time.

Then report to the Debian base instead of bashing in the YouTube for Patreon contributions.

11. Reporting on individual file may nelong to a specific group of people.

12. Please note Linux supports (voiced installation) visually handicapped and they do not need a Glossy Desktop.

MATE is a light weight desktop which Parrot Linux prefers.

By the way, I tried sddm (do not know what it is) instead of light gdm.

These new 300 odd packages have to be text edited line by line.

Kernel itself has of million lines.

This the answer to the Young Guys who wanted the latest but untested software.

Even for an Old Linux guy there is something to do for the first time.

That is the way, life is all about strange associations with reality.

I am going to Install it again but my gut feeling is it will fail again.

I have the two working Debian images not harmed.

Debian Linux Update-Live DVD Version

I have been Using Debian from Version 8 on a regular basis, even though I have tested it from version 6 in the 32 bit time.

Version 12 is fantastic and there is no other distribution to rival it.

It comes in two year cycles and stable.

One need not update it daily like Mint or Manjaro (sleek but finicky).

One need not save a copy or a Time-shift, fearing fragmentation.

Corporate guys like Redhat and Suse fear fragmentation and that is their nature and they are worried about their commercial outcome.

I say, use the useless Microsoft Windows or very expensive Apple.

Linux fragments only one fiddles with its original intentions.

That intention is FREE SOFTWARE for the WORLD and the human consumption from East to West and North to South.

Coming to Debian, I finally got two version of Debian in my NUC computer of 320GB.

It consumes little over 100GB with a handsomely large /home folder (with 10 partitions including Efi partition).

Of course it can reside on a single partition like Endless OS. and a boot partition, that is OK for a an old laptop, which I have. It is working fine.

I use two version for two reasons.

1. One is my workhorse which I do not fiddle with after getting my applications installed. I come to applications in a little while.

2. The other version is for fiddling round. Currently I am fiddling round with various Desktops, especially the light weight ones, including SUGAR for old computers which can be used productively.

I of course had a network of 14 to 16 IBM computers discarded from America in our home network and quickly disbanded them when our electricity bill went up. I was nearing retirement and and it came down to 3 one for the family and other two exclusively for me.

Currently two basic NUCs but only one is connected to the Internet.

Other is for my son who is not interested in computers now.

In the good old days, I had two versions of Debian, one running the older version and the other the latest version. I cannot remember whether Debian had a two year cycle, then.

3. I use only Gnome and said good bye to KDE and Plasma (consume lot of memory in the boot up itself, even before doing some work).

I tried PCLinux and erased it after 24 hours.

It is clunky.

Same thing with Devuan (probably an European version of Debian derivative), not worth trying.

4. Now to the applications

1. I do not use bulky LibreOffice.

Of course, LibreOffice has a database management system for storing films, videos, etc.

I have not tested this fully.

Instead, I download AbiWord my favorite Word Processor.

It used to be 28MB when mounted but has expanded to 250MB to accommodate various worldly formats.

2. Stacer

3. notepadqq a new conversion

4. VLC as old as my Linux conversion

5. GIMP

6. Htop a terminal

7. Audacity as old as my Linux conversion.

8. Box Virtual Box (not proprietary Oracle Virtual Box) 

New adventure to test new Linux distributions on a virtual machine

9. Xournal (not Vim or Emac ), my old favorite but haven't used for a long time!

Xouranl has both text editor and hand writing tool which are amazing

10.  Firefox and several other web browsers (Falkon, Opera, Dillo)

Firefox is my fovourite browser with Thunderbird as the Linux Email client.

11. Of course, Bluefish, just in case I need to do few lines of Code.

It has python, PHP and Perl and lot of Code Breakers.

12. Gnumeric is for money matters

Joplin I believe is proprietary and Rednote is a worthy note taker.

Excuse my Typos and I am back to my writing mode and occasional testing of a new Linux Distribution,

Four books on various topics.