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ETP

Joined: 19 Oct 2010 Posts: 1134 Location: UK
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Posted: Thu 13 Mar 2014, 10:43 Post subject:
Blue Pup (V2 Released 13th March 2014) Subject description: Emulates Windows 8.1 functionality - based on Quirky Tahr |
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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.
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New desktop with panel & Partview running. The RH Windows key or menu key launches the panel. |
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Pressing “enter” or clicking on the W.W.W. icon will launch the Metro interface. |
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Zoom in and out on icons by holding Ctrl down and using the mouse scroll wheel. |
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Use just the scroll wheel on the mouse to pan left and right when using even more zoom. |
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_________________ Regards ETP
Kennels
Last edited by ETP on Sun 16 Mar 2014, 03:03; edited 1 time in total
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puppyluvr

Joined: 06 Jan 2008 Posts: 3486 Location: Chickasha Oklahoma
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Posted: Thu 13 Mar 2014, 12:18 Post subject:
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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?
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ETP

Joined: 19 Oct 2010 Posts: 1134 Location: UK
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Posted: Thu 13 Mar 2014, 13:43 Post subject:
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Hi puppyluvr,
That was very nice work. We both seem to have benefited from Lobster's & kros54's earlier work.
Chromium does indeed provide the full screen Metro interface as stated in the first two posts in this thread.
The main problem which is addressed in this Pup, when running the browser full screen and in the absence of activeX, is the switching between the two interfaces.
_________________ Regards ETP
Kennels
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gcmartin
Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 6730 Location: Earth
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Posted: Sun 16 Mar 2014, 04:14 Post subject:
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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?
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ETP

Joined: 19 Oct 2010 Posts: 1134 Location: UK
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Posted: Sun 16 Mar 2014, 05:18 Post subject:
Blue Pup (V2 Released 13th March 2014) |
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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.
_________________ Regards ETP
Kennels
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bigpup

Joined: 11 Oct 2009 Posts: 11722 Location: S.C. USA
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Posted: Sun 16 Mar 2014, 09:14 Post subject:
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"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!
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_________________ The things they do not tell you, are usually the clue to solving the problem.
When I was a kid I wanted to be older.... This is not what I expected
YaPI(any iso installer) http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=107601
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gcmartin
Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 6730 Location: Earth
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Posted: Sun 16 Mar 2014, 16:30 Post subject:
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Problem needing advice
- Download Blue and copy md5 to same folder
- Run md5sum to validate download. It matches.
- Expand download onto USB using the following 2 commands:
- # xz --decompress --stdout quirky-6.1-8gb.img.xz > /dev/sdb
- # sync
Booting USB produces kernel panic after syslinux during vmlinux load. Suggest an approach to try.
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ETP

Joined: 19 Oct 2010 Posts: 1134 Location: UK
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Posted: Sun 16 Mar 2014, 16:58 Post subject:
Blue Pup (V2 Released 13th March 2014) |
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Hi gcmartin,
I am assuming you downloaded Blue Pup V2. You therefore need:
Code: | # xz --decompress --stdout blue_pup_v2_8gb.img.xz > /dev/sdb
# sync |
That assumes the stick is not mounted and is definitely seen as sdb.
_________________ Regards ETP
Kennels
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gcmartin
Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 6730 Location: Earth
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Posted: Sun 16 Mar 2014, 17:00 Post subject:
Re: Blue Pup (V2 Released 13th March 2014) |
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ETP wrote: | Hi gcmartin,
I am assuming you downloaded Blue Pup V2. You therefore need:
Code: | # xz --decompress --stdout blue_pup_v2_8gb.img.xz > /dev/sdb
# sync |
That assumes the stick is not mounted and is definitely seen as sdb. | Yes, I did. The original message is a copy-paste typo error on my part. I used the command just as you show.
I am currently redoing the USB stick by blanking it first, and rerunning the commands.
Any recommendations welcomed
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ETP

Joined: 19 Oct 2010 Posts: 1134 Location: UK
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Posted: Sun 16 Mar 2014, 17:12 Post subject:
Re: Blue Pup (V2 Released 13th March 2014) |
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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:
Quote: | 7-Zip should be used to decompress the 8GB image. (The PortableApps.com version is recommended)
A well illustrated guide to using win32diskimager can be found here:
https://meego.com/devices/netbook/installing-meego-netbook/windows-instructions |
The stick should be at least 8gb.
_________________ Regards ETP
Kennels
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ETP

Joined: 19 Oct 2010 Posts: 1134 Location: UK
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Posted: Mon 17 Mar 2014, 07:06 Post subject:
Blue Pup (V2 Released 13th March 2014) |
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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)
Code: | # xz --decompress --stdout blue_pup_v2_8gb.img.xz > /dev/sdX
# sync |
Why I do not favour the Linux method.
1. There is no feedback and the time taken to execute the first command can be up to 30 minutes. (You can monitor it using HTOP)
2. It is slow because it makes very poor use of memory and CPU cycles.
3. It does everything in one hit which gives more margins for failure.
4. A user may prematurely abort a command before it has finished resulting in a non-bootable build.
Why my weapons of choice are 7-Zip and win32diskimager.
1. They both provide visual feedback and make better use of memory and the CPU.
2. The complete job (decompress/write image) takes less than half the time.
3. Less likely to accidentally wipe hard drive as only removable devices are listed by Win32 Disk Imager.
4. If the target is of insufficient capacity to receive the complete image
Win32diskimager will warn to that effect and will not proceed.
It is also worth mentioning that win32diskimager has a couple of other killer features.
A. Its ability to read i.e. clone a stick or card to an image.
B. If when browsing for an image you change *.img to *.* you can write a hybrid ISO to a card or stick.
This is very handy for booting a netbook that lacks an optical drive but can boot from USB as the BIOS will treat the stick as though it were a CD.
Notes on use of Win32 Disk Imager.
Writing an image using any version of Windows if available.
1. Download the .img file and confirm the MD5.
2. If it is a compressed image e.g. some-name.img.xz decompress it using 7-Zip.
3. Win32diskimager-v0.7 is to be found here:
https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B_iVVJCd9q09VGZsZE5keU1vR0E&usp=sharing
4. Win32diskimager is in ZIP form & just needs extracting. It does not require installation. To launch it click on Win32DiskImager.exe in the extracted directory.
5. Insert the USB stick or SD Card which should contain a single empty fat32 partition & check the drive letter allocated by Windows.
6. Write Image
- Run "Win32DiskImager.exe"
- Click the "Browse" icon (blue folder) and select an image file (.img)
- Select the correct device drive letter using the drop down box v
- Double check that you have the right drive letter as the device will be wiped!!!!!
- Click "Write"
Now you just have to wait for the image to be written to the card or stick. (In the case of a 16 Meg image approx 5 seconds.)
_________________ Regards ETP
Kennels
Last edited by ETP on Tue 12 May 2015, 03:47; edited 7 times in total
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tony
Joined: 14 Jan 2006 Posts: 328 Location: Montreal.ca
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Posted: Mon 17 Mar 2014, 07:38 Post subject:
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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.
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gcmartin
Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 6730 Location: Earth
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Posted: Mon 17 Mar 2014, 10:35 Post subject:
Failure of the xz to USB to boot, again on 2nd CPU |
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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.
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Here's the USB created by the "xz" terminal command |
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ETP

Joined: 19 Oct 2010 Posts: 1134 Location: UK
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Posted: Mon 17 Mar 2014, 11:38 Post subject:
Blue Pup (V2 Released 13th March 2014) |
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tony wrote: | 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. |
Hi Tony & welcome to the “dark side.”
Can you confirm that you have created a working USB stick and describe your backup disc? (Is it external or internal & how is it connected)
_________________ Regards ETP
Kennels
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tony
Joined: 14 Jan 2006 Posts: 328 Location: Montreal.ca
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Posted: Mon 17 Mar 2014, 17:04 Post subject:
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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.
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