Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

[Iguleder]

Introduction

Shahor is a GNU/Linux-libre distro similar to Puppy, built using the roar-ng II framework. It targets the x86_64 architecture, so it should work on pretty much any computer manufactured after 2004.

Shahor is very similar to Puppy: it uses JWM and ROX-Filer and tries to be as lightweight as possible, but it's an original creation: it's Puppy, re-imagined. It focuses on efficiency, high quality of code, portability and simplicity. Therefore, consumes less RAM than Precise Puppy 5.5 on the same hardware and feels fast.

Features

- 64-bit, built using Debian Wheezy packages and up-to-date applications.
- Uses the long-term supported Linux-libre 3.2.44 kernel.
- Shahor's graphical environment is familiar (similar to Puppy's), multi-language, easy on the eyes, does not require 3D acceleration and features fast generation of the root menu.
- Shahor has two interfaces: every graphical application has a text-based alternative, which can be used over SSH or just because it's lighter.
- Shahor's infrastructure is small, efficient, properly documented and implemented in clean way.
- Shahor is very easy to build and customize.
- Shahor does not have any redundant processes running, to reduce load, while Puppy has annoying, heavy scripts like pup_event_frontend_d running all the time.
- Shahor is easy to manage and secure, since it ships with a pre-configured, hardended SSH server and an unobtrusive firewall. It includes a wide variety of command-line tools that make administration easier.
- Shahor ships with a full develoment environment. The devx concept makes Puppy much bigger and makes it harder to develop for it.
- Shahor is multi-user. Puppy is a single-user operating system, which makes it less secure and suitable for computers user by more than one person.
- The development process of Shahor is fully automated and architecture-independent, so Shahor can be used to build itself out-of-the-box. Puppy is built manually and has some semi-automated tools, so it's hard to port and customize.
- Shahor's package manager is fast, since it uses AWK scripts for heavy text processing. Puppy's package manager is incredibly slow, due to heavy use of processes (e.g grep and cut) for parsing.
- Shahor's package manage is able to download and install packages from pretty much all major distros and has a plug-in interface which makes it easy to add support for additional ones, while Puppy's package manager supports multiple distributions using monolithic design.

Current Status

Currently, Shahor is in pre-beta quality. It does not have any graphical wizards or an installer, but it runs well: its package manager and all graphical applications work great. I run it from a slow USB flash drive persistently with Seamonkey and it performs very well.

However, since it's incomplete, it ships without any kind of warranty: use at your own risk.

Let me repeat myself: use at your OWN risk!

Include Applications

Graphical:
- Desktop: JWM, ROX-Filer, rxvt-unicode, slock, Parcellite, Obmixer, gsimplecal, gtk-theme-switch, gtkdialog, Yad
- Network: Firefox, Sylpheed, XChat
- Multimedia: DeadBeeF, xine-ui
- Graphics: Viewnior, rgbPaint, XSane
- Documents: Geany, Ted, Dia, ePDFView, Leafpad
- Utilities: gRun, LXTask, Galculator, Xarchiver

Textual:
- Network: aria2, Dropbear, BitlBee, ELinks, fetchmail, Irssi, LFTP, rTorrent, maildrop, msmtp, Mutt, Snownews, Surfraw
- Multimedia: cmus, FFmpeg, id3v2, normalize
- Graphics: fbv, fbshot, OptiPNG
- Documents: Vim, Aspell, shed
- Utilities: Ytree, Calcurse, htop, ncdu, Abook, TuDu, GNU Screen, dvtm, dtach, FIGlet, frost, AdvanceCOMP, fbset, bwm-mg
- Games: UnNetHack

How do I install it?
At the moment, Shahor does not have an installer, so you have several options:
- Install Puppy with Syslinux, then replace the files with those in the Shahor ISO (syslinux.cfg and the "boot" directory)
- Burn it to a CD (not tested, since I don't have an optical drive myself)
- Dangerous: install it manually
- Dangerous: instant "live" USB

How do I connect to the internet?
You'll have to do this manually, through command-line tools.

How do I install a package?
First, update the list of available packages (takes about 2-3 minutes on my old netbook):

[simargl]

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[Iguleder]

No, I'd like to focus on one architecture until I have a release-quality product in my hands.

And yes, they do. All these distros are supported.

[jamesbond]

I'm surprised that I don't see many more comments or interest here. roar-ng-ii is the equivalent of woof; shahor is like wary or racy. It is a fresh original re-implementation of puppy's ideas. That in itself is worth a look.

Iguleder, I seem to recall that roar-ng (the original) has a build system for source packages; but the readme for roar-ng-ii has no mention about it. Does roar-ng-ii still support building from source packages (in addition to other distro's packages)?

cheers!

[Iguleder]

Yes, of course! All of Shahor's own packages (applications and the kernel) are built automatically, using roar-ng II.

[Iguleder]

Bump! Uploaded a new version.

[Ted Dog]

[Iguleder]

Everything is in the first post.

[scsijon]

greetings, does this mean that your roar-ng ii framework is now ready/nearly ready to build with?

and, your "roar-ng" starter file, can be downloaded from?

[Iguleder]

Yes, everything works great. This image was built with a vanilla checkout.

[scsijon]

Where do you want problems Iguleder? Do you have a problems setup on your git?

REMOVED them from here, now on git.

On the other hand, all the 64bit Intel video boxes are ok to start it.

And all the boxes I'm testing on can run fatdog64 ok so it shouldn't be a 32bit vs 64bit problem.

regards
scsijon

[Iguleder]

Thanks, I'll address these issues on Saturday probably.

[greengeek]

[vovchik]

Dear Iguleder,

The project certainly sounds interesting. I will download and test ... and am looking forward to it Thanks.

With kind regards,
vovchik

[Iguleder]

It won't work on 32-bit machines. Only x86_64.