Distributions

Puppy Linux 4.3 and Woof

Puppy Linux 4.3.0 was released several weeks ago and with it came several interesting developments. First, this release saw the return of Barry Kauler, founder and project lead of Puppy Linux. Second, 4.3.0 includes some great new tools that have the potential to increase Puppy's usability by empowering developers and users with thousands of extra packages.

Puppy has received lots of updates this release. Besides a slight facelift, it features Linux kernel 2.6.30.5 with support for Ext4 and Aufs2, a new graphical CPU Scaling configuration, new Xdelta and Bcrypt GUIs, and several new light-weight apps. These include Aqualung for playing music, Pstreamvid for streaming video, Pcur cursor selector, and BootFlash USB flashdrive install wizard. But probably the most exciting update is the new Woof system builder.

Woof - New System Builder

Kauler introduced a new build system to replace Puppy Unleashed. Woof, the new Puppy builder has the ability to include packages released for other distributions. This currently includes support for Ubuntu, Debian, Slackware, and Arch with others possibly in the works. Woof allows you to create your own customized Puppy or 'puplet' using both native Puppy PET packages and binary packages from the distribution of choice. Once an external distribution is specified, Woof retains binary compatibility with that distribution, so any PET packages will be built with the same toolchain.

The process isn't difficult, although it may require a bit more manual work than some other distributions' remaster tool. Remastering Puppy to personal preferences would probably be the average user's goal in using Woof, its real purpose is to streamline the build process for Puppy developers. An added advantage expressed by Kauler is to eliminate the need to host all the source packages used in Puppy construction, since Woof only deals with binary packages.

These are the basic steps I used to construct my own Puppy derivative:

1. extract: ftp://ibiblio.org/pub/linux/distributions/puppylinux/puppy-4.3/woof-20090917.tar.gz

2. edit file DISTRO_SPECS and at least change the DISTRO_BINARY_COMPAT to Ubuntu, Debian, or whichever is your preference. You can also edit the ISO title and version number as well as several other options.

3. execute 0setup, which downloads the package database files from Puppy and your distro choice, Ubuntu in this case.

4. execute 1download, which downloads lots of packages from Puppy and Ubuntu.

5. One can edit the corresponding DISTRO_PKGS_SPECS file to add some of the featured packages by changing no to yes. Kauler stated that a package chooser script may be added in later incarnations for a bit more convenience. These spec files are a bit limited and adding other desired packages to the list doesn't seem to work.

6. execute 2createpackages

7. execute 3builddistro, which will build the files and iso. You will be asked several configuration questions, many for the kernel, some for the desktop appearance. Then it offers to burn the ISO to CD.

All in all, Woof works really well for what it's designed to do right now. Some more advanced options like the ability to choose any package available in repositories would be nice in future releases. Barry is currently working on a GUI frontend for Woof.

One advantage of this process is if your desired packages are listed in the PKGS_SPECS you can construct an installable portable system to your preferences. But probably the greatest advantage is that the distribution used in constructing the new Puppy system is also added to the package manager of your new system. At that point you can add any software available from the repositories.

The Puppy Package Manager (PPM) has had some updates this release as well. Besides a bit of a facelift, the backend was updated to accommodate the new package repositories and their various formats.

Packages are categorized into subheadings, if desired, with headings such as Desktop, Utility, and Multimedia. The search is fast and accurate. 'Configure package manager' allows one to update repository databases and add or remove repositories to the package management system. However, one can only add other distribution repositories if it was used to build the underlying operating system. When that is done, you will see the extra repositories listed at the top of the package management window. They can be disabled or reenabled from there as well as using the Configure package manager setting.

Security updates

Security is a touchy subject surrounding the Puppy distribution. Puppy is run from within a single-user (root) mode and many question the security of that. Security updates has been a major point of contention between Puppy and some members of the community for some time. Puppy and the package manager don't address security updates specifically. One reviewer stated that the lack of security updates is the main reason she doesn't recommend Puppy to users. This lack of security updates is the reason Puppy Linux was classified as a hobbyist distribution at Distrowatch.com as well.

Puppy releases come regularly and updated packages are a key reason, but in-between releases, security updates just seem to be ignored. Even the security pages at the Puppy Wiki have disappeared.

Conclusion

Puppy continues to be a handy and fun little distro for all sorts of purposes. Its small original tools work well, in particular for lower-resource machines and it includes an adequate collection of useful applications. Some of the applications found are mtPaint image manipulation application, Gxine media player, Abiword word processor, Homebank accounting software, Gnumeric spreadsheet application, Ayttm instant messenger, and the SeaMonkey suite.

Flash is included and works on YouTube.com and such, but my internet connection wasn't available automagically at boot like previous releases. This release functioned well in recent whitebox machines and my HP Pavilion laptop, but my antique Dell was out of luck. My hopes of bringing a more up-to-date system to the old Dell were dashed by issues with both Xorg and Xvesa. Neither would display properly on the old NeoMagic video chip.

With Kauler back at the helm, Puppy Linux 5.0 is under heavy development. Rumors have it that the next release will either be based on Ubuntu or have an Ubuntu version available called Upuptu. All in all, it still impresses by offering all it does at only 115 MB.

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Gentoo Ten LiveDVD Testing

In honor of Gentoo's 10th birthday the project has announced a new live DVD. "We need YOU to test it on as many x86 and x86_64 machines as you can and post bugs."

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MOBLIN V2.0, THE MOBLIN GARAGE, AND MOBLIN V2.1

The Moblin steering committee has announced three new developments within the Moblin project. The official project release of Moblin v2.0 for Intel Atom* Processor based netbooks, a preview of the Moblin Garage and Moblin Application Installer, and a community preview release of Moblin v2.1 for Intel Atom* Processor based netbooks and nettops for early development.

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Linux-RT for Debian

Pengutronix has started providing the Realtime Preemption Linux kernel packages for the Debian distribution. "The Debian packets provided now consist of the kernels in exactly the state as they have been released by the maintainers. This makes it possible that users can direct their bug reports directly into the upstream Realtime Preemption project, in order to improve the common code base."

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(Overdue) bits from keyring-maint

Jonathan McDowell has an update on Debian's keyring maintainers. "I mentioned back in May that I'd started chasing DDs with both v3 and v4 keys in our keyrings about removing the v3 keys. Many people responded and confirmed it was ok to remove the v3 key immediately. A few stragglers wanted to hold off and check things out. And unfortunately a few failed to reply to repeated mails and I submitted them to the MIA team for investigation."

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MirrorManager automatic local mirror selection

Matt Domsch takes a look at MirrorManager in Fedora. "As you know, Internet routing uses BGP (Border Gateway Protocol), and Autonomous System Numbers (ASNs) to exchange IP prefixes (aa.bb.cc.dd/nn) and routing tables. By grabbing a copy of the global BGP table a few times a day, MM can know the ASN of an incoming client request, and Hosts in the MM database have grown two new fields: ASN and "ASN Clients?". MM then looks to see if there is a mirror with the same ASN as each client, and offers it up earlier in the list."

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Chakra

Chakra aims to be a fast, user-friendly and powerful Live CD and/or small distribution based on the K Desktop Environment (KDE) and on Arch Linux. Chakra features rolling releases, freshly cooked packages, unique GUI tools and a small, diverse community. The third alpha release of the Chakra LiveCD is available for testing.

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DistroWatch Weekly, Issue 322

The DistroWatch Weekly for September 28, 2009 is out. "This week's issue is almost entirely dedicated to netbooks. First, we'll take a look at a Linux-based HP Mini 110 and its customised user interface called HP Mi. As part of the review we'll also investigate possible Linux alternatives to install on the netbook, including the latest alpha release of Ubuntu Netbook Remix 9.10. The news section then provides further netbook-related news as both Canonical and Mandriva announce products built around the new Moblin 2.0 user interface, while the Fedora community launches Fedora Mini, a custom distribution specifically built with netbooks in mind. But if netbooks are not your cup of tea, the news section also has some other distro news: Slackware releases official KDE 3.5 packages for its latest version 13.0, Debian developers launch two new alternative package management systems, and Ubuntu publishes a full development schedule for its first release of 2010 - version 10.04 "Lucid Lynx". All this and more in this week's issue of DistroWatch Weekly - happy reading!"

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Fedora Weekly News 195

The Fedora Weekly News for September 27, 2009 is out. "Kicking off this week's issue in announcements, a new IRC channel for Fedora Activity Days, launched in time for the next upcoming FAD in Germany, and updates on feature freeze for Fedora 12 beta this week, along with other related updates. From the Fedora Planet, postings and views from Fedora contributors worldwide, and a collection of FAD EMEA related links. In marketing news, Fedora 12 talking points, Fedora Insight status and other current activities. In ambassadors, details of the upcoming Utah Open Source Conference, and activities Ambassadors can do for Fedora 12. The Quality Assurance beat this week brings up up-to-date on weekly meeting and Test Day activities, as well as Fedora 12 beta related work. This issue rounds out with news from the Art/Design team, providing detail on the mosaic polish for the Fedora 12 theme. That rounds out this week's issue of Fedora Weekly News, which we hope you enjoy!"

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The Mint Newsletter - issue 94

This issue of the Mint Newsletter covers Preparations for the next version of Mint, Helena, a new mintInstall, a new Mint KDE logo, and more.

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Ubuntu Weekly Newsletter #161

The Ubuntu Weekly Newsletter for September 26, 2009 is out. "In this issue we cover: Ubuntu 9.10 beta approaching, Ubuntu 9.10 beta freeze in effect, Sponsorship deadline for UDS-Lucid approaching, Ubuntu Community Council Elections 2009, New LoCo Council member sought, New Ubuntu members, Ubuntu California is approved LoCo, Mark Shuttleworth: Don't give up the Linux Desktop, New Ubuntu Developers, LoCo News: New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Israel, and Florida, Launchpad 3.0, The Planet: Kenneth Wimer, Collin Pruitt, and Neil Jagdish Patel, Full Circle Magazine, Atlanta LinuxFest: Top 9 Ubuntu Highlights, Ubuntu User Magazine, and much, much more!"

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Intel Ports Linux Netbook OS to Desktops (PCWorld)

PCWorld covers Intel's porting of Moblin to the desktop space. "Intel has expanded the scope of Linux-based Moblin by porting the OS from netbooks to mobile devices and desktops, where it could compete with Microsoft's Windows OS. The company introduced a beta version of Moblin 2.1 at the Intel Developer Forum being held in San Francisco. The new version of the OS now builds in capabilities like native touchscreen input and gesture support, new user interface features, and support for more hardware drivers. It also includes incremental upgrades that expand the usability of the OS."

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