Suggestions for Puppy 2.18

Message

BigPilot · #1 Post by **BigPilot** » Sun 20 May 2007, 12:54

- Icons: I personally don't like the 2.16 icons. I feel like I'm colorblind looking at them. The 2.13 icons were great, splashy and playfull
- idem for the background which is bland. Sure I can change it but it will make a much better initial impression on people if there's a nice esthetically pleasing background. Note: I do like the new 'Mac' like buttons and scrollbars in 2.16.
- a 'Show Desktop' button just like 2.15CE
- TrueCrypt compiled into the kernel plus OneKript GUI
- the default application icon is an 'X' how about changing it to something more playfull?
- replace Mozilla mail with Sylpheed.
- better usabillity. Puppy does most things great but it would only take a small amount of tweaking to make it truly noob-proof. I've suggested a better HD installer in another post. Networking support could be better too by simply loading the module for a detected network card and connecting automatically via DHCP, for example.

wdef · #2 Post by **wdef** » Sun 20 May 2007, 14:11

Add the shred utility from util-linux. This must be the only distro in existence that doesn't have it.

wdef · #3 Post by **wdef** » Sun 20 May 2007, 17:23

Also: please add the 8th loop device. There's no reason it should be missing?

# mknod /dev/loop7 b: 7 7

Wolf Pup · #4 Post by **Wolf Pup** » Sun 20 May 2007, 17:34

RutilTv0.14 is released a while back
tktris only 10k compressed

willhunt · #5 Post by **willhunt** » Sun 20 May 2007, 18:12

BigPilot I hope this helps

Icons: I personally don't like the 2.16 icons. I feel like I'm colorblind looking at them. The 2.13 icons were great, splashy and playfull

really you can change this anytime by just copying the old icons over I think even the names are the same so just overwrite them

idem for the background which is bland. Sure I can change it but it will make a much better initial impression on people if there's a nice esthetically pleasing background. Note: I do like the new 'Mac' like buttons and scrollbars in 2.16.

you can dload some really Great puppy papers at puppylinux.org

- a 'Show Desktop' button just like 2.15CE

you can turn this on very easy just edit the file found at /root/.icewm/preferences
search for
# Show 'show desktop' button on taskbar
TaskBarShowShowDesktopButton=0 # 0/1
change it to a 1

TrueCrypt compiled into the kernel plus OneKript GUI

you can patch the kernel I belive the prepatched kernel source is availabe as a sfs file here

- the default application icon is an 'X' how about changing it to something more playfull?

I belive you can change this by changing these Icons /root/.icewm/icons/app_16x16 /root/.icewm/icons/app_32x32

replace Mozilla mail with Sylpheed

try the package at http://puppyfiles.org/dotpupsde/dotpups ... 5.0.10.pup

and now you don't have to wait

BigPilot · #6 Post by **BigPilot** » Mon 21 May 2007, 03:17

Thx, I know I can change this (and I have) but it would make a much better impression if it's esthetically pleasing right out of the box.

All in all, I would like the esthetics improved. I know it's a personal thing but I have to say that Microsoft got at least that right with Windows.

pupshock · #7 Post by **pupshock** » Fri 25 May 2007, 12:16

slow down the releases, the puppies are breeding too fast!
Some users cant even remember which version they're using.

joki · #8 Post by **joki** » Sun 27 May 2007, 19:20

implement the windows key and some common shortcuts to help windoze deserters and mouse haters. eg
win key on its own brings up the 'start menu', with M minimises all apps etc...

for frugal installs, allow all necessary files (vmlinuz, initrd.gz, pup_218.sfs, zdrv_218.sfs, pup_save.2fs, plus other downloaded sfss) to reside in a puppy version folder
(eg kernel parameter PHOME=/pup218 )

bugman · #9 Post by **bugman** » Sun 27 May 2007, 20:02

I'd like to see Puppy go back to smaller programs (Sylpheed instead of whatever the Mozilla/Firefox email app is called, etc.) by default, with the option to download bloatware later and separately. Internetbloat.sfs, officebloat.sfs, graphbloat.sfs, mediabloat.sfs, anon.

Oh, and less of them. I'm not sure about the version I'm using, but I remember being utterly bewildered by the profusion of calculators and vector graphics editors in my first Puppy. Pick one good one and throw the rest into an sfs.

Just because DSL is ugly as sin and has a useless spreadsheet app and non-functional setup wizard doesn't mean Puppy should give up on small and simple!

#10 Post by **BÃ©Ã¨m** » Sun 27 May 2007, 20:27

The conclusion of this thread up to now for me is:
You can't please everybody.
Some like this others that.
Some like smaller distro's others want every thing in there.

I think it's time to bring out a modular approach and have people build the functionality they want at boot time or having it prepared before a next boot. f.e. the bootmanager is already something interesting in this aspect.

John Doe · #11 Post by **John Doe** » Sun 27 May 2007, 20:49

joki wrote:implement the windows key and some common shortcuts to help windoze deserters and mouse haters. eg
win key on its own brings up the 'start menu', with M minimises all apps etc...

D actually:

D-Desktop
E-Explorer
R-Run
F-Find
L-Lock

I loooked into it with Rox Key binding, but I don't know what the key's name is or if they even implement it.

#12 Post by **Flash** » Sun 27 May 2007, 23:13

Béèm wrote:...I think it's time to bring out a modular approach and have people build the functionality they want at boot time or having it prepared before a next boot. f.e. the bootmanager is already something interesting in this aspect.

Beem, I think you can already do what you describe. I think Barry addressed this same subject recently in another thread. If I remember what he said correctly, you can basically assemble your own custom Puppy from Puppy Unleashed. The disadvantage of doing it that way is that Puppy Unleashed is a much larger download than the standard Puppy ISO. Only a fraction of the total available software in Unleashed will be used to make up a custom Puppy. Someone has to pay for all that wasted bandwidth. Of course, you can order an Unleashed CD from Barry.

It would be cool if you could choose the applications you want from a menu, and the server would put together a custom Puppy ISO for you to download.

GuestToo · #13 Post by **GuestToo** » Sun 27 May 2007, 23:37

well, it might be better if you picked the packages in a program running locally on your own machine, and the program downloaded the necessary packages and assembled them on your own machine ... that is, it might be better if your own machine does the work, rather than the server

#14 Post by **BÃ©Ã¨m** » Mon 28 May 2007, 00:19

I think my idea is misunderstood.
I don't need a large download like unleashed, on the contrary.
I am thinking of a basic distribution to which by prepared sfs files and the boot manager (very nice idea) you prepare to load the next boot.

f.e. right now I have prepared to load at boot office-2.2.0.sfs and a wine-0.9.28 ready. (hope a wine-0.9.35.sfs will be made later)

So I don't need the puppy-seamonkey.iso, but a puppy.iso and a seamonkey-1.1.1.sfs (f.e.) and for those wanting other ones a opera-x.x.sfs, a firefox/thunderbird.x.x.sfs etc....

Another benefit is, that newer releases of a product could come quicker to the users. f.e. right now SeaMonkey is still at 1.08, while the 1.1.1 (with spell checking) is out a certain time already.

A devx.sfs for compiling.

And in case more then 3 sfs files are needed that utility to combine sfs files (sorry can't remember for the moment who developed it).

So just a couple of sfs files are needed to cover quite some fields and everybody picks his poison to download. Not a big unleashed one thus.

I hope I made myself more clear now, or else shoot me.

d4p · #15 Post by **d4p** » Mon 28 May 2007, 02:36

Puppy 2.xx look very good.
I guess we need a solid working Puppy: more support for scanner, cam, tv card, network, printer etc.
I've tried so many linux distros, but non can completely replace xp system. Sorry to say that, but I like Puppy the most.

wdef · #16 Post by **wdef** » Mon 28 May 2007, 22:01

win key on its own brings up the 'start menu'

On my laptop, it already does this (puppy-216 + icewm).

win key + M does nothing however.

I agree that sort of thing helps win refugees, even though I personally don't have a clue what the win key is for.

Scoticus · #17 Post by **Scoticus** » Tue 29 May 2007, 08:57

There is a lot of merit in what Béèm says when he suggests that we start with a base OS and add to it to create a finished article of our own choosing. Flash and G2 agree on the desirability of being able to assemble packages and I similarly agree. G2s remark about this being done within our own system rather than from a server is very valid as far too often bandwidth is exceeded and we wait and wait for it to become available.

How we achieve this is the main stumbling block. So far sfs are being offered up as a solution but when they do not work within 2.16 for multi session nor with a HD install it is counter productive. Would it be possible to establish some means of having specific sfs files available for use and some means of co-joining sfs files into a complete package that each individual could then use to meet their specific needs?

Pupshock wrote “slow down the releases, the puppies are breeding too fast!

#18 Post by **Flash** » Tue 29 May 2007, 09:54

GuestToo wrote:well, it might be better if you picked the packages in a program running locally on your own machine, and the program downloaded the necessary packages and assembled them on your own machine ... that is, it might be better if your own machine does the work, rather than the server

Yes, obviously you'd want to download only the drivers for your hardware, and I suppose a hardware probe can only be done by a program (like a minimal Puppy) running on your machine. Would you also need a minimal browser like dillo, to connect to the download repository, or is wget all you'd need? I suppose you'd need at least Xvesa in order to run a GUI? Certainly you'd need the drivers required to get online.

Edit: also you'd want the installation program to configure the menus and such to reflect the programs that were installed.

ohyes · #19 Post by **ohyes** » Tue 29 May 2007, 11:11

My Humble

Should be a basic PUP with network connectivity the smallest 'one' of every application..then you can build + add whatever you want.

So 2 versions basic and the usual...perhaps this basic version would be maintained/released at same time, to keep in sync.

However I realise 2 versions 2x the work maintaining etc

The fact though that you can build your own version one could argue thats enough choice, but not sure all have the nouse/time or motivation to do this.

Thanks to all the devs/maintainers and all the volunteers related to Puppy

sunburnt · #20 Post by **sunburnt** » Tue 29 May 2007, 19:23

All very good suggestions...

MU's Samba server package is very small... So Puppy can share like Win.

Fix Puppy being booted with all it's files in a sub dir. (like /puppy218).
This allows booting of many Puppy versions that're on a single partition or CD.
Extra addon SFS files should be in a common dir. (like /sfs) for any Puppy to use.
This would also make it easy for the BootManager to find the extra SFS files.
Puppy should stop relying on anything being in the root of a partition.

Barry has already taken a first step to modularity, the zdrv SFS file.
This was a good idea, but I think it's mounted & the modules are used from it.
It should be mounted, the needed modules copied to the Save file & unmounted.
This reduces the number of union mounts by 1 (if it's not done this way already).

Have Puppy network boot with the normal SFS instead of a huge initrd.gz.
With a Samba share this could allow low ram PCs to network boot also.
A Samba share would also give any network boot setup a SAVE space.
And an option to load the boot & extra SFS files to ram for PCs with lots of it.

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