Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

[ETP]

Version 2 is now available. The install, setup and key combinations remain as detailed in this thread’s original post.

Main Changes since V1

1. In pursuit of speed, xload and the freememapplet tray have been disabled. In addition the number of desktop icons has been reduced to just two. (Rox & Partview)
Partview gives a more comprehensive view of space on all volumes as and when needed. In effect it replaces the freememapplet tray.

2. To compensate for the reduction in the number of desktop icons, a new Gtk panel has been introduced to the desktop. It is not launched at startup but is launched or raised when the RH Windows key or menu key is pressed.

The panel contains icons for Skype, VLC & Thunderbird providing a choice between using key combinations or simply clicking on the relevant icon. If desired, it can also be navigated using the four arrow keys then pressing “Enter” having chosen an icon. Additional icons are provided for Google News and Yahoo weather.

The W.W.W. icon gives access to the Metro interface and that icon is given both mouse and keyboard focus when the panel is launched or raised. What this means in practice is that you can toggle between the desktop and Metro interfaces just using one hand. A finger is used to press the “enter” key and the thumb to press the menu or RH Windows key. This is a lot easier than using both left and right Windows keys.

3. Cosmetic changes include more appropriate wallpaper together with new JWM & GTK themes.

Where to obtain the image: blue_pup_v2_8gb.img.xz (602 MB)

The USB stick image, win32diskimager-v0.7-binary and their MD5s are to be found here:

http://www.puppylinuxstuff.meownplanet.net/ETP/ (Australia)
https://archive.org/details/Puppy_Linux_blue_pup
MD5= 2fb43d3d2043645fd6976542daebd52b

Final Thoughts:

The new desktop panel in conjunction with the cosmetic changes IMHO, combine better with the Metro interface than the standard desktop interface. The whole package now seems more complete and it is certainly easier to navigate and to switch back and forth.
In addition to larger monitors this version will suit small netbooks particularly when used with a wireless mouse for scrolling left and right when zoomed in on the Metro tiles.

[puppyluvr]

Hello,
I did something similar using GTKDialog and Conky.
I called it CosmoUI. Many thought it was a joke!!
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=82287
So my correct in understanding your Metro interface is generated thru Chrome/Chromium?

[ETP]

[gcmartin]

Has anyone seen the Mozilla Beta that has the Metro interface?

As some may already have read, there is a beta...but, for Windows, development has stopped because either no one understood it or too many are hung on the old way of using the browser?

Reason for not moving to general release, is that they, Mozilla management, have NOT seen the expected number of people downloading and testing.

Is there a PET with this beta already in BLue?

[ETP]

Hi gcmartin,

This Pup does not contain that beta. It uses Chromium plus the “New metro tab Chrome extension version 1.0.1” as stated in the first two posts in this thread.

Looking at the screen shots of the abandoned Windows Mozilla project the interface looks poor in comparison. It is hard to believe that they spent 2 years developing it.

Thanks to BarryK’s excellent QT, this took 2 weeks but I suspect that a couple of pensioners would have welcomed 2 years salary!

I suppose the point about this Pup is that it offers the best or worst of both worlds depending on your point of view.

[bigpup]

"It takes strength to resist the dark side. Only the weak embrace it!"
You have moved to the dark side of the force.

Hey! If they can do it, why not Puppy!

[gcmartin]

Problem needing advice

1. Download Blue and copy md5 to same folder
   
2. Run md5sum to validate download. It matches.
   
3. Expand download onto USB using the following 2 commands:
   
   1. # xz --decompress --stdout quirky-6.1-8gb.img.xz > /dev/sdb
      
   2. # sync
   Booting USB produces kernel panic after syslinux during vmlinux load.

Suggest an approach to try.

[ETP]

Hi gcmartin,

I am assuming you downloaded Blue Pup V2. You therefore need:

[gcmartin]

[ETP]

Hi gcmartin,
I suggest that you use Gparted to wipe that stick and then create a single fat32 partition on it. Then use my recommended method from the very first post:

[ETP]

Looking back over this thread, I note that there has been one reported success in creating a stick using the Linux method and two failures.

When drafting the original post I had doubts about mentioning using Linux to decompress and place the image on a stick given that in my view 7-Zip and win32diskimager are the best tools for the job.
I included it however knowing that some people would not possess Windows and others have an aversion to using it.

To recap the commands for Blue Pup V2 are: (substitute actual target device letter for X)

[tony]

Hi ETP,

thanks for an interesting variant.

I have no windows machine and not much room left on my linux box.

I could however put it on my backup disk to try.

Do you have a grub4dos menu that would work?

Regards Tony.

[gcmartin]

Yes, I am using a 8GB USB. I used Gparted to blank the USB. Did NOT make a FAT32 partition. Instead, I tried again on a different PC running LH64.Moved the download from NAS to the local HDD.
Using the same procedure to create and I got exactly the same result. ...kernel panic

I did see your reference on use of a Windows OS to create the stick. I understand as agree that the "xz" tool may NOT be the best for this particular job.

Maybe, someone can come up with a method to create an ISO as it is more traditionally understood in practice, while the "xz to disk" is less understood and may have issues with media and other problems. I know BarryK may NOT be looking at this, but other developers may be. TaZoC uses xz in the 64bit distro's ISOs he makes. As such, decompression on boot occurs into system RAM from the ISO/DVD boot. His approach is an idea for others to review for practical use. Download either of his ISOs and review either its files contained or the initrd line(s) in the isolinux.cfg in the ISO.

Will try to download, blank, make a FAT32 partition before doing an "xz" creation, tomorrow, to repeat an attempt to boot system. I will also try the Windows procedure as recommended.

Any other ideas, please share. Thanks.

[ETP]

[tony]

Hi,

thanks for the reply.

I have a 1.0 Gb "My Passport" usb3 backup disk, it's bootable with grub4dos on the first partition so it acts like a big usb stick.

The bios on my computer lets me boot up from it by hitting ESC as it boots up.

Then I get the grub screen and access to any partition.

Regards Tony.