Precise-light - 17March2019 - for older hardware

[musher0]

Hello again.

On another subject, the "Nimbus Mono L" font mentioned in .Xdefaults is not
in the fonts directory. The console is very wide without it. Plus the size is set
at "14". Again too wide.

So either we find and include the proper Nimbus font or change the urxvt
font line to DejaVuSansMono in .Xdefaults. Very probably the Inconsolata,
Monaco or LiberationMono fonts will work fine too.

IHTH. BFN.

[perdido]

Some security updates

Precise light using Bash 4.1 which is vulnerable to Bashbug
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=95819

I updated my Precise 5.7.1 to version bash-4.3.27-1 from this post.
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 162#801162
Its no longer available there, I don't know if Frisbee works with the newer bash version in that post so here is the old version bash-4.3.27-1 that
certainly works with Frisbee.
http://ibm-pc.org/puppy/precise/bash-4.3.27-1.pet

There are also a couple openssl updates that should be applied,
Will do some more checking .

.

[sheldonisaac]

.. Precise-Light seems to have no allergies to this new util-linux package. Everything continued working fine. IMO, this is much better than keeping the ex-factory busybox utilities that you don't know how
many parameters have been trimmed from them. Now I am confident that
I have the full utilities.

If there's a request, I'll make available this util-linux-2.33.1 package for
Precise-Light/min.

musher0, I don't understand some of the technical stuff in your message.
But if this new util-linux will make this Precise-Light/min work better, I'd like to have it.
Will probably need instructions.

Thank you,
Sheldon

[musher0]

Hi SheldonIsaac.

The "busybox" provides trimmed-down utilities, mostly to condense the
stuff in initrd.gz. In short, in Linux generally, you have a boot-Linux level
(initrd.gz) and a full-Linux level ("the distro proper"). The boot-Linux level
has to be as small as possible until the full-Linux level is in place. (My
understanding; maybe forum members with a degree in computer science
can explain it better.)

Once the user is in the "full-Linux" level, in other words "the distro proper",
there is no need for such trimmed-down utilities, it's even a disadvantage,
IMO.

And it's maddening, when you read the manual for utility X, and all the
Puppy provides is the trimmed-down busybox version of utility X. A
trimmed-down utility prevents the user from doing things he may need to
do with the complete utility. Advanced users like MochiMoppei can easily
(?) compensate because of their deep knowledge of bash, but not the
regular user.

It's NOT that the complete util-linux utilities will make the Puppy run better.

It's that they provide the utilities as they were intended by the original
authors. The util-linux utilities offer the user more parameters than their
anorexic busybox cousins, and thus they can respond to the needs of the
user more completely when the user needs them. It's at the level of
the user, not of the Puppy.

I hope I was not too technical.

Anyway, I have just included the URL for the util-linux-2.33.1 pet archive
and sfs in my post above.

The only thing you have to do is rename, BEFOREHAND, scripts mount and
unmount in the /bin directory to mount-BK and unmount-BK, respectively.
This gets them out of the way, but keeps them, should you ever need
them again for some reason.

Then install the util-linux-2.33.1 pet as you would any other pet archive.

IHTH.

BFN.

[jrb]

The guess_fs in Precise is from Puppy4 2008. http://distro.ibiblio.org/puppylinux/pe ... static.pet

Sorry never realised will be such a fuss for this.
guess_fstype is a couple of years now a simple script that only depends on (the busybox version of) blkid.
The Precise-light busybox blkid applet, detects ext4 and supports the woof-CE guess_fstype correctly.
So just remove the /sbin/guess_fstype binary file and add the script in its place.

While at it you might want to replace /bin/guess_fstype from the initrd.gz file to avoid potential problems with ext4 installations. The busybox blkid applet in precise-light initrd also supports ext4 fine.

I'm glad you caught it. I installed Precise-light on an ext4 usbdrive and booted it up. As you said it misidentified the drive as ext3 but the more annoying thing was that desktopdrive icons woudn't mount it and pmount woudn't either. When I went to save, usbdrive was not offered as a choice. After rebooting I used the mount command in a console and it saved OK.

Once I installed a new guessfs_type pet it identified the drive as ext4 and the problem disappeared. I will eventually build precise-light-5.7.2 but I think I will wait a week or two to see what else comes up. For the meantime just install the newer guessfs.pet

Interestingly, the guessfs_type in the initrd is a binary dated 4jun2016 and its a different size than the one in /sbin. I haven't been able to figure out where it came from. Doesn't seem to be in WoofCE or precise-packages.

[jrb]

Some security updates

Precise light using Bash 4.1 which is vulnerable to Bashbug
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=95819

I updated my Precise 5.7.1 to version bash-4.3.27-1 from this post.
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 162#801162
Its no longer available there, I don't know if Frisbee works with the newer bash version in that post so here is the old version bash-4.3.27-1 that
certainly works with Frisbee.
http://ibm-pc.org/puppy/precise/bash-4.3.27-1.pet

There are also a couple openssl updates that should be applied,
Will do some more checking .

.

Thanks again Perdido. I will rebuild Precise in a week or two and I will definitely incorporate the newer Bash

[musher0]

And please, oh please, do not address my concerns. I actually do not exist, don't I?

[jrb]

And please, oh please, do not address my concerns. I actually do not exist, don't I?

Sorry musher0, didn't mean to ignore you. It's just I'm a slow reader and your posts are so long. I'll have a look at the font problem soon. I do have some other things happening in my life and I'm in and out all day.

Cheers. J

[musher0]

Apologies accepted.

~~~~~~~~~
Following perdido's suggestion --
bash-5.0, freshly compiled on and for Precise-Light, available here.

Compiled as per the formula on Linux-From-Scratch.

Since Precise-Light has a lower ldd version, this Bash-5.0 should work
on all modern Pups. I have installed it on Puduan-7, and all is well.

BFN.

[perdido]

A lot of people know about the little Firewallstate utility but thought it was worth a mention since Precise does not include a firewall icon in the tray.

Its a little pet file that puts an icon on the r/s bottom tray for the firewall. Right-click the icon to turn on/off the firewall & adjust other stuff like date/time

After setting up your firewall from Menu-->Network-->
just install the pet and it adds a menu entry to Menu-->Network-->Firewallstate Firewall Tray Icon
More information and pet at this forum post.The firewallstate-2.1.pet works nicely in Precise
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=57725

.

[musher0]

1.

[jrb]

Nice desktop musher, very Québécois.

Is that conky I see at the top? What version are you using? I've been using https://mirror.clarkson.edu/slitaz/pack ... 9.0.tazpkg. I've stayed with 1.9.0 on all my Pups since it allows me to use the same /root/.conkyrc.

Cheers, J

[jrb]

I have taken (most of) the suggested changes up to this point and made them into one .pet. It contains files listed in:

• /root/.packages/test_pkg-A/gtk+3-0_3.4.2_i386_precise-B.files
  /root/.packages/test_pkg-A/Xdefault-0.1.files
  /root/.packages/test_pkg-A/guess_fs-17mar19.files
  /root/.packages/test_pkg-A/bash-5.0.files
  /root/.packages/test_pkg-A/change_kernels-17mar19.files
  /root/.packages/test_pkg-A/firewallstate-2.1.files

This is rapidly becoming a community effort but I will hold off praising those who have contributed until it's a little more polished and tested (you know who you are) and then post names on page 1.

I have modified some of these. Gtk+3 is my kludged mix of two packages which will run the latest Firefox, also the latest Seamonkey. Guess_fs and change_kernels are taken from a very recent WoofCE. Bash-5.0 is the binary that musher0 compiled.

Give this a try. You may want to remove some of the previously suggested .pets.

Cheers, J

test_pkg-A-precise_light-5.7.1.pet

[musher0]

Nice desktop musher, very Québécois.

Is that conky I see at the top? What version are you using? I've been using https://mirror.clarkson.edu/slitaz/pack ... 9.0.tazpkg. I've stayed with 1.9.0 on all my Pups since it allows me to use the same /root/.conkyrc.

Cheers, J

Hi jrb

The allusion could be also to an early PuppyLinux white and blue
background with a sea gull in flight.

I used version 1.9.1 of conky. It was for pemasu's DPupWheezy. If
anybody needs one, I'm also attaching the conky configuration that
inspired the one in the screen capture above,

I also compiled an urxvt-9.22 (latest as of this writing) for your Pup,
if you want it.

TWYL

[perdido]

I have taken (most of) the suggested changes up to this point and made them into one .pet. It contains files listed in:

• /root/.packages/test_pkg-A/gtk+3-0_3.4.2_i386_precise-B.files
  /root/.packages/test_pkg-A/Xdefault-0.1.files
  /root/.packages/test_pkg-A/guess_fs-17mar19.files
  /root/.packages/test_pkg-A/bash-5.0.files
  /root/.packages/test_pkg-A/change_kernels-17mar19.files
  /root/.packages/test_pkg-A/firewallstate-2.1.files

This is rapidly becoming a community effort but I will hold off praising those who have contributed until it's a little more polished and tested (you know who you are) and then post names on page 1.

I have modified some of these. Gtk+3 is my kludged mix of two packages which will run the latest Firefox, also the latest Seamonkey. Guess_fs and change_kernels are taken from a very recent WoofCE. Bash-5.0 is the binary that musher0 compiled.

Give this a try. You may want to remove some of the previously suggested .pets.

Cheers, J

test_pkg-A-precise_light-5.7.1.pet

Hi jrb,

The pet file causes no problems.

There are a couple lingering issues that were already present before the pet install.
First the easy one

1. There are two instances of "Light" (browser) in the Menu-->Internet sub-menu

Now the not-so-easy one

2. The setup program (Menu-->Setup==>Puppy Setup) does not setup the firewall. The only way to setup the firewall is clicking on
Menu-->Network-->Linux-firewall firewall
(the program that works is what was used to setup the firewall in precise 5.7.1)

The not-working setup program (Menu-->Setup==>Puppy Setup) tries to use the same program as the not-working Menu--Network-->Firewall Setup ,
that program is broken in this precise and did not exist in precise 5.7.1
(The program that does not work is part of the new setup menu in late model puppies)

.

[musher0]

Hello perdido, jrb and all.

To have only one Light entry in the Internet section of the menu, do

Code: Select all

rm -rf /usr/local/share/applications

Light is the only entry in it, and it duplicates the one at
/ur/share/applications.

~~~~~~~~~

As to the firewall setup, I personally have no problem with accessing it
from two places. I tried them both and they both work.

Also, isn't the firewall activated automatically at startup by file
/root/Startup/firewallstaterun?

~~~~~~~~~

Speaking of firewalls and such, it would be nice to offer users the same
Pup-Ad-Blocker as the newer Pups have.

~~~~~~~~~
(Edit a couple of hours later: )
Sorry, it is there, last entry in Internet sub-menu...

~~~~~~~~~

Please find attached the classic Vera Mono fonts for the console. Upon
testing, it turns out it is not a true Mono font. But it still is nice in console
with line space and letter space kerning. Plus it is part of Linux history, as
being the first font "donated" to open source, if my memory serves me
well. If you decide to use them, the font lines in /root/.Xdefaults should
read, as you probably know already:

Code: Select all

urxvt.font: xft:VeraMono:pixelsize=13:antialias=true:autohint=true
urxvt.boldFont: xft:VeraMono:pixelsize=13:bold:hinting=true:antialias=true
urxvt.italicFont: xft:VeraMono:pixelsize=13:italic:hinting=true:antialias=true
urxvt.lineSpace: 2
urxvt.letterSpace: -4

(Illustration attached.) I'm including a true Mono font as well, Monaco,
for the sake of completeness.

~~~~~~~~~

To avoid confusion, perhaps reduce the Categories line in file
rtfed.desktop to

Categories=TextEditor

Having a good RTF word processor such as this appear in the Utility sub-
menu and in the Documents sub-menu is confusing, to me anyway. It is
an utility of course, but maybe the term is too broad in this case.

BFN.

[perdido]

Hello perdido, jrb and all.

To have only one Light entry in the Internet section of the menu, do

Code: Select all

rm -rf /usr/local/share/applications

Light is the only entry in it, and it duplicates the one at /ur/share/applications.

~~~~~~~~~

As to the firewall setup, I personally have no problem with accessing it
from two places. I tried them both and they both work.

~~~~~~~~~

Speaking of firewalls and such, it would be nice to offer users the same
Pup-Ad-Blocker as the newer Pups have.

BFN.

Hi musher0,

Try running each firewall setup utility from a fresh install.
The only one that sets up a firewall from a fresh install is Menu-->Network-->Linux-firewall firewall
------
Menu-->Setup-->Puppy Setup does not setup the firewall from a fresh install (after you connect to internet)

Menu--Network-->Firewall Setup does not setup the firewall from a fresh install

Both of the instances mentioned above appear to setup the firewall but in reality they don't do a darned thing in a fresh install

Now after you run Menu-->Network-->Linux-firewall firewall and then run either of the non-working setup utilities, they appear to run
and setup the firewall but they are only reporting on what the Menu-->Network-->Linux-firewall firewall has already setup.

There is one file causing the firewall setup problem, /usr/sbin/firewall_ng
That file is from the later-model Menu-->SETUP-->Puppy Setup program.
----------
Another way you can see if the firewall gets setup is to run
Menu--->Setup---QuickSetup first-run settings after each try
of the 3 methods of setting up the firewall from a fresh install. There
will be a check mark in the "Firewall enabled" box if the firewall is running.
The only program that puts that checkmark is Menu-->Network--Linux-firewall firewall

---------------------------------------

Also, isn't the firewall activated automatically at startup by file
/root/Startup/firewallstaterun?

That is put in /root/Startup/ by the Firewallstate program (pet) that installs an icon on the r/s lower task bar. The firewall will automatically start up
each boot without /root/Startup/firewallstaterun if you have run Menu-->Network--Linux-firewall firewall

.

[jrb]

There are a couple lingering issues that were already present before the pet install.
First the easy one

1. There are two instances of "Light" (browser) in the Menu-->Internet sub-menu

Now the not-so-easy one

2. The setup program (Menu-->Setup==>Puppy Setup) does not setup the firewall. The only way to setup the firewall is clicking on
Menu-->Network-->Linux-firewall firewall
(the program that works is what was used to setup the firewall in precise 5.7.1)

The not-working setup program (Menu-->Setup==>Puppy Setup) tries to use the same program as the not-working Menu--Network-->Firewall Setup ,
that program is broken in this precise and did not exist in precise 5.7.1
(The program that does not work is part of the new setup menu in late model puppies).

To have only one Light entry in the Internet section of the menu, do

Code: Select all

rm -rf /usr/local/share/applications

Light is the only entry in it, and it duplicates the one at
/ur/share/applications.

Thanks guys, I have dealt with the two problems:
1: Rebuilt adrv_precise_light-5.7.1.sfs with only one "Light" .desktop file. I kept the one in /usr/share/applications because I like to have all .desktop files in one place. Saves searching when something doesn't show up in the right place on the menus.

2. Removing the extra, non-working, version of firewall setup was as easy as unchecking the "firewall_ng" box in the WoofCE process.

To avoid confusion, perhaps reduce the Categories line in file rtfed.desktop to

Categories=TextEditor

Having a good RTF word processor such as this appear in the Utility sub-
menu and in the Documents sub-menu is confusing, to me anyway. It is
an utility of course, but maybe the term is too broad in this case.

Done.

Thanks again

[perdido]

Hi jrb,

Refinement stuff.
Easy one
-----------
1.I had to use Barry's simple network setup to make a wifi connection.
After saving and rebooting a few times peasywifi_tray remains in the tray but it isn't doing anything as far as I can tell.
It still launches peasywifi when clicked. (/root/Startup/peasywifi_tray)

Just testing some more with the test pet installed.

EDIT - Removed 2nd item, it was a non issue

.

[musher0]

Hello jrb, perdido and all.

I think this is a nice find: https://ethercalc.net, for our potential users.

Precise-light | min users who need to use a spreadsheet utility may wish
to head for the URL above. It is as simple as pie: click on the "Create
spreadsheet" button, and type away your calculations, inventory, items
of collection or whatever.

I did not need to install the node.js code they mention to start using a
new spreadsheet.

I'll spare you the history of this project but it is very interesting. If you
have the time, it's worth the read, of how these developers managed to
code a spreadsheet utility into a wiki framework. (My understanding.)

The interface is quite pleasant to work in, as you can see from the screen
cap. You can save locally in various formats. It allows collaboration, if you
need it. AFAICT, the interface offers all the usual buttons and sub-menus
of a spreadsheet.

IHTH.

TWYL.