First impression from a newbie. Puppy: amazing. Forum: sucks

[bark-woof-fetch]

Hi there,

I revisited your kennel this weekend while hunting for tools to remaster / debootstrap a custom iso for personal and family use. Haven't found anything (besides SLAX and porteus) better yet to compress overall iso size and keep bloat down and performance speed up.

But I have to say this forum is a mess and very very hard to get a grip on with all sorts of documentation and discussions and comments piled up togethere in (sometimes 100+ pages) long threads. Some posters are very diligent to mark updates with time stamps and so on, others go all out with various font sizes and colors and formatting. I prefer the former but remain uncertain if there's something newer posted some 10 pages further ahead. So overall very hard to filter the noise. It seems there are more active contributors than editors perhaps.

http://wikka.puppylinux.com/ is a good read but many of the pages are dated years back which makes a new user unsure what new updates may have brought along. Here's a repo list from 2013 f.ex. http://wikka.puppylinux.com/Repositories

I don't expect nor suggest you to ditch phpbb or start another discussion re. that either, just wanted to share my first impression and a slight regret that so much knowledge and experience is scattered all over the place and tough to locate for newcomers.

Newer platforms like discourse and stack exchange handle that better with tags, voting, solution marks and so on (se f.ex. https://discourse.bigdaddylinux.com or https://discuss.getsol.us/t/support).

Thanks for all the work done son Puppy through the years. I'll stick around and try to sniff the good bones out for my current project.

All the best to everyone everywhere, stay safe and healthy!
best regards from DK EU
IRC nick: ctrlshiftPrhaps

[nic007]

Believe it or not: one of the best ways to search this forum is via google, eg: puppy linux forum + what you are requiring about in short. Always works for me.

[bigpup]

It is what it is.
Maybe, if someone was payed to control this forum, it would be different.
After using it for some time. You do get to better understanding it.

One thing about old stuff still in the forum.
People are still using some of the older Puppy versions.
So, that old info is still needed.
Newer Puppy versions, do not still work, the way older ones did.

Big problem is, we the forum users, have a lot of control over how the forum reads.

[tallboy]

Hi, and welcome to the forum!

Our users have posted a total of 1046122 articles
We have 42086 registered users
There have been 53579 users online since yesterday :: 109 Registered, 11 Hidden and 53459 Guests

There is a problem with finding all info fast, some of the reason is that it - compared to many others - is an extremely active forum, but, with a lousy search function! But, the phpBB forums are easy to use, I have seen 'upgrades' that are far worse, they all lack functions, which are relatively easy to include in the phpBB forum setup. And please be aware of the fact, that John Murga is financing this forum out of his own pocket.

Ther are a couple of dedicated Puppy search possibilities:
http://wellminded.net63.net/
http://puppylinux.us/psearch.html

Yes, the wikka is not updated, only some parts contain current info. But it will nevertheless give you some general idea about how a Puppy works.

One way to stay updated on the forum posts, is to do like I do; I log in every day, and click 'View posts since last visit'.

[rockedge]

To search this Forum I've made a Google custom search that focuses searches directly throughout this database.
I've created a PET package of this little html and css package called "psearch.pet" if one wants a local copy and it's available here : https://rockedge.org/kernels

Otherwise try it out over the net here ->
https://rockedge.org/psearch

to clear the Puppy Linux Logo on the psearch page just click on the logo and it disappears

[tallboy]

Thank you, rockedge, I included it in my archive and my tahr.

[bark-woof-fetch]

SO...I must admit despite the perhaps grumpy opening post above that the forum works fine in all its glorious messy chaos Only nice greetings and quick replies so far, Fred even replied a PM within hours re. his BusterDog. Great!

Hi, and welcome to the forum!

Our users have posted a total of 1046122 articles
We have 42086 registered users
There have been 53579 users online since yesterday :: 109 Registered, 11 Hidden and 53459 Guests

There is a problem with finding all info fast, some of the reason is that it - compared to many others - is an extremely active forum, but, with a lousy search function! But, the phpBB forums are easy to use, I have seen 'upgrades' that are far worse, they all lack functions, which are relatively easy to include in the phpBB forum setup. And please be aware of the fact, that John Murga is financing this forum out of his own pocket.

I wasn't aware of that at all nor the stats, that's quite a gathering. Thanks John!

Ther are a couple of dedicated Puppy search possibilities:
http://wellminded.net63.net/
http://puppylinux.us/psearch.html

Otherwise try it out over the net here ->
https://rockedge.org/psearch

great, thanks!

If you ever need a multi-searcher for different sites, all from one input box, I've been using these javascript snippets for a movie/media searcher like this: https://8sgoe6ma4z07sponer24.fair.sandcats.io/

Let me know if something similar is needed in Puppy land and I'll be happy to hack something togethere.

[rockedge]

Let me know if something similar is needed in Puppy land and I'll be happy to hack something together.

Yes!! that would be really cool......I'm always looking through the forum...there is genius tucked way in the Matrix that is the Puppy Forum, and it could be from a long time ago.

And now there are several other sources as well that if could be searched as well..........

[bark-woof-fetch]

Let me know if something similar is needed in Puppy land and I'll be happy to hack something together.

Yes!! that would be really cool......I'm always looking through the forum...there is genius tucked way in the Matrix that is the Puppy Forum, and it could be from a long time ago.

And now there are several other sources as well that if could be searched as well..........

http://wellminded.net63.net/
http://puppylinux.us/psearch.html
https://rockedge.org/psearch

all provides the same psearch at first glance?

which other search forms/URLs are relevant to include?

[rockedge]

Yes I think all 3 of those custom searches do basically the same thing.

Slowly experimentation on a forum software upgrade is occurring here -> https://puppylinux.rockedge.org and an OS inspired by puppy linux is here -> https://weedoglinux.rockedge.org

Also Fred might have some input if there are any alternative Dog pounds around and also in puppylinux.rockedge.org there is a plan for a more detailed and separate threads for the Dog series of operating systems ( I like those Dogs, they work well and can be a fantastic alternative)

Any contribution you start off with is welcome....danger is once you start you'll think of the next thing and a thing after that.......that is what Puppy is all about....we can do all these things and share them.

[tallboy]

And BTW, the statistics are found at the bottom of the Forum index page.

[bark-woof-fetch]

Yes I think all 3 of those custom searches do basically the same thing.

Slowly experimentation on a forum software upgrade is occurring here -> https://puppylinux.rockedge.org and an OS inspired by puppy linux is here -> https://weedoglinux.rockedge.org

Also Fred might have some input if there are any alternative Dog pounds around and also in puppylinux.rockedge.org there is a plan for a more detailed and separate threads for the Dog series of operating systems ( I like those Dogs, they work well and can be a fantastic alternative)

Any contribution you start off with is welcome....danger is once you start you'll think of the next thing and a thing after that.......that is what Puppy is all about....we can do all these things and share them.

beta mock-up at https://i5p06unkup5dlu22npuu.fair.sandcats.io/

http://puppylinux.us/psearch.html is sort of similar but hard to filter into the outputs from my javascript

[rockedge]

Hello bark-woof-fetch !

nice! I am testing it out and I like it. Good direction and with some usage and refinement this will be a really helpful tool.

I need to get used to it a bit but it is doing a good job looking across the various sources....

Well done. I am looking forward to following it's further tweaking!

[bark-woof-fetch]

Hello bark-woof-fetch !

nice! I am testing it out and I like it. Good direction and with some usage and refinement this will be a really helpful tool.

I need to get used to it a bit but it is doing a good job looking across the various sources....

Well done. I am looking forward to following it's further tweaking!

tweak II:
* minor styling
* took weedoglinux.rockedge.org out of the multisearch (since there's only 3 active topics thus far)(patience old jedis, patience)
* the Puppy File Find from http://puppylinux.us/psearch.html seems outdated, 2016 the most recent I've noticed so far,
https://cse.google.com/cse?cx=016255875 ... 66oobflmhi
* there's quite a lot of redundancy between the rest, to be reviewed some 100 searches later on
* hopefully no ones server is taking too much of a hit!?

BETA is still at https://i5p06unkup5dlu22npuu.fair.sandcats.io/

[Mike Walsh]

I guess bigpup's probably hit the nail on the head; the forum is what it is because of the fact that we, the membership, do in large part run it.

Some members are very good at the packages they build/techniques they promote/ get enthusiastic about.....but their posting style, etc., sucks. Some are very 'flowery' in the Forums (perhaps myself included? , but don't contribute much back to the community. Some go out of their way to just pick holes in everything about the community.

There's the perennial 'security-mad' brigade; these are common to every computer forum I've ever belonged to, and I date back to the days of the old bulletin boards. The vast majority of the Forum's 'browsers' are as you might expect, the 'lurkers', some of whom may have been here for years & years, but perhaps feel they don't have anything to contribute....? (*shrug*)

Many of us, I think, probably regard this place as a 'home from home' , and still others hang out here simply because they enjoy the banter and the camaraderie. It takes all sorts to make this dirtball keep spinning in space, and the membership of most forums usually represents a microcosm of the wider whole.

I suppose, if I'm honest, my personal pet hate is where a link or important contribution often gets posted about & 'tucked-away' in the middle of a totally unrelated thread; plays havoc with the search-engines, though some seem to be better at this than others.....tuxtoo's 'wellminded' search being a case in point.

Yes, the Forum's chaotic, but you DO get used to it.....and there are several member-contributed 'custom' search-engines that work a million times better than the forum's own. To my way of thinking, it's very representative of the nature of Puppy itself; full of beans, tearing around at top speed, bouncing around from one place to another, and always straining at the leash to get on and DO something..!

Just my two-penn-orth, FWIW.


Mike.

[bark-woof-fetch]

I guess bigpup's probably hit the nail on the head; the forum is what it is because of the fact that we, the membership, do in large part run it.....

Very nicely phrased Mike, thanks, enjoyed it a lot.

I've only been around here for a week but coming from some of the other Linux waterholes (reddit, Solus discourse forum, linuxmusicians (same phpbb btw), stack exchange, ask ubuntu etc.) it's remarkable how active and messy this puppy place is

And there's no Dolphin Oracle-ish youtube presenter and frequent podcast show guest to be found either so it really strikes me how much of all this great work is under the radar.

Re. helping new users to Linux and avoiding dual boot drama it's also strange how few (it seems) that choose live loaders and frugal installs like Puppy, antiX/MX, SLAX, tinycore, Porteus etc.

There are loads of refurbs and net- and Chromebooks out there that fits perfectly, even high end hardware users who are iffy about performance I'd expect to be eager to shave some 5-6-7+GB of their / install and 1+GB of their RAM usage.

Oh well - thanks again for the words, made me smile

[bigpup]

One thing about using Puppy Linux.

It is not hard to do and it sure makes Puppy Linux better.

As a user of Puppy Linux. You can also be part of the development, bug fixing, software offered, and general operation of Puppy.

So, do not just use Puppy Linux, but help with Puppy Linux.
Test new Puppy versions.
Help find bugs.
test new programs being developed.
Offer suggestions to improve.
If you find or know of a fix for something. Tell us about it.
If someone has a problem and you think you can help them. Please do!
Do not just use Puppy Linux, but get involved!
Anything, you feel you can do, will help!!

[bark-woof-fetch]

One thing about using Puppy Linux.

It is not hard to do and it sure makes Puppy Linux better.
....
Do not just use Puppy Linux, but get involved!
Anything, you feel you can do, will help!!

I hear you! And feel the spirit already and it's quite a motivation to stick around and join in.

Thanks everyone for the nice welcome. May Puppy roam and rise.

[Mike Walsh]

@ bark-woof-fetch:-

Re. helping new users to Linux and avoiding dual boot drama it's also strange how few (it seems) that choose live loaders and frugal installs like Puppy, antiX/MX, SLAX, tinycore, Porteus etc.

There are loads of refurbs and net- and Chromebooks out there that fits perfectly, even high end hardware users who are iffy about performance I'd expect to be eager to shave some 5-6-7+GB of their / install and 1+GB of their RAM usage.

Uh-huh. For years I chugged along with an elderly Compaq tower, dating back to the time of the HP 'takeover' in 2005, and which was in fact built with the very last of the genuine Compaq-manufactured hardware before HP took over manufacture themselves. It was upgraded so much its own mother wouldn't have recognised it any more.

Since January, I've been using an all-but brand new HP Pavilion tower, with much newer and far more capable hardware, along with buckets more RAM and storage. I could run any OS I wanted to now, yet the very first thing I did was to boot into a Live Puppy CD and remove the Win 10 infestation with extreme prejudice, before it had the slightest chance of getting its smelly hooks into my nice new hardware. This machine is a 'Windoze virgin', and I have every intention of making sure it stays that way...!!

I'm sticking with Puppy, 'cos her lightweight, care-free nature gels perfectly with my own outlook on computing; I want my 'resources' for my use, not for some bloated, over-blown dinosaur of an OS to claim as its own and bugger-up whenever it feels the urge.....


Mike.

[bigpup]

I have one computer, with the latest hardware, so I can do really intense VR gaming.
Have to have Windows 10 to run the games and VR hardware.
About every time I boot Windows 10.
It needs to do some kind of update download and install.
Last one took 45 minutes.
The computer was built from a pile of parts and I had to install Windows 10 from scratch.
First boot of Windows 10 and 4 hours latter.
(All that time updating, getting needed firmware, drivers, support files, and what ever, to support the hardware).
Windows 10 finally had all the hardware supported and running OK.
Do not even ask about, the constant updating, Steam wants to do, every time you start Steam.
Well, at least their updates, make stuff run better.

Anything else, is Puppy Linux only, booting and running programs.

First Puppy Linux version (Bionicpup64 8.0), I tried to boot on this computer.
Took about 15 seconds to boot to the desktop.
(it is only this slow, because Bionicpup64 is on an external USB hard drive)
All hardware supported and running OK.
Had to setup network connection, time, date, and country.
Install a update, to the browser, I was using.
Puppy, fully operational, in about 2 minutes, after booting to desktop.