Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

[nubc]

It would be a welcome great service to anyone with more than a passing interest in Puppy Linux if one of our members with graphics skills would compose a "mind map" of the Puppy Linux Project. More than a mere indexing of the various elements in the project, I suggest a map so that lines can be drawn between elements to make associations. So then, as a starting point, the map maker would make an index to the Puppy versions, derivatives, puplets, woof branches, quirky independents, get all the Puppies under a proper heading, and after all possible variations are included, draw a topological map and connect the dots. Color-coded lines could be used to establish relationships, such as source, derivative, lines of ancestry. This map could be prominently available here in the Forum, and I would also like to see it transferred to a webpage, where each element can be represented as a hyperlink for easy navigation, convenient access.

ASIDE: A mind map typically has a unifying central principle with radial branching from the center. Due to the decentralized nature of the Puppy Linux Project, perhaps organization should preserve the linearity of a timeline for best clarity. (Just a suggestion.)

[RetroTechGuy]

[nubc]

Yes, like that, but covering the entire PL project including unofficial branches and old versions, with more emphasis on the map, little or no B&W print, and elements as hyperlinks. The map should stand alone. In the link above, the map is almost an aid to the discussion. But to commend the above effort, the map is about equal in importance to the accompanying text, even when it could be bigger. The map I have in mind would be a showcase of the Puppy Linux Project to help those who are overwhelmed by its complexity. No reading of accompanying text, just admire a map, with minimal explanatory text and clickable links.

[Lobster]

[nubc]

Aside from being a graphical Table of Contents for the whole Puppy Linux Project, one important distinction to be graphically clarified is which projects fit under categories of Derivative, Puplet, Fork, Netbook, Independent, Unofficial, Community, Experimental, x-Abandoned-x, and so on. (Have I left out a category?) A noobie may have picked the Puppy he wants, but until he knows what kind of Puppy that is, he may have trouble finding it in the forums.

[nubc]

I need a little assist in the above. Definition of Derivative, Fork, and Puplet. Assigning of pups to these categories. What was the code name for 3.0.1? What was the code name for 4.1.2? Is 1.0.9 the only 1.x series version still in use and available for download? Code name for 1.0.9? Is Specialty a subset of Puplet? I think it's important for all the official versions listed to be available for download and still in use.

According to the following wikipedia article, a puplet is a derivative using a window manager other than JWM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puppy_Linux

Tree diagram for series 1.x and 2.x
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?mode=attach&id=5115

[drongo]

nubc,

I don't want to dissuade you from doing this but Puppy probably isn't organised well enough to be able to do this without a lot of input from the developers themselves. Pizzasgood has explained elsewhere on the Forum that his Pizzapups included elements from more than one branch of the Puppy tree.

I think you'll end up with more of a web-like structure than a neat tree.

[nubc]

A web structure is fine, I expect it to be complex, that's why I called it a mind map and not a timeline (tree). "Mind map" is a nice trendy term to capture attention, even if this is not strictly a mind map. Right now, I just wanna get my facts reasonably straight, even if boundaries are blurred. Principles, rather than exceptions, are important at this point, like definitions for Derivative, Fork, and Puplet.

[RetroTechGuy]

[nubc]

I haven't asked for developers to spend time on this. Naturally, they would want to make corrections to the final outcome. Someone made this forum and designated where the various projects go, like "Puppy Derivatives" section. So someone must know a definition for 'derivative' that is distinct from 'fork' and 'puplet.'

[RetroTechGuy]

[abushcrafter]

The specs of mind mister don't look very good http://www.mindmeister.com/home/editions. It's also bit of/is a propriety lock-in. Yuck!

What about using Freeplane with some sort of version management system? Me thinks we need a version management system anyway.

[nubc]

Still collecting info. Apparently, a mind-mapping app is built into KDE.
http://www.linuxinsider.com/story/71399.html

I'll probably wind up free-handing the map.

[RetroTechGuy]

[RetroTechGuy]