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Custom trike project front page

December 21, 2024 — BarryK

I have created a "front page" for the custom solar-assisted full-suspension tadpole recumbent trike project:

https://bkhome.org/nomad/solar-powered-recumbent-trike.html

As noted at the bottom of that page, this is likely to be an ongoing project. Depends on my motivation of course, whether to keep working on it. Right now, as-is, it is usable, and I would like to get it outfitted for a multi-day tour. Depending on the level of satisfaction of the first tour will determine whether motivated enough to keep working on it.

It sure has been a fascinating project. I joined a "men's shed" which has been a great experience. There are over 1,200 men's sheds in Australia, see here.  

Tags: light

Survival water filter

December 19, 2024 — BarryK

Getting the gear together to pack into the panniers on the custom recumbent trike, came across a water filter kit that I had purchased early 2021, from Aliexpress:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32666647306.html

img0

Yeah, will pack that, could be a life-saver in an emergency situation. Decided to make some little improvements. The Miniwell supports reverse-flow to clean it out, so you could connect the outlet-side to a mains tap and flow clean water in reverse direction. It will give the filter a new lease on life, but not perfect, so I thought about a little pre-filter to prevent largish particles from traveling down to the filter...

Discovered that a Sharpie felt pen is a perfect friction fit into the coupling that goes through a hole in the top water bag. So, modified one, with internals removed and holes drilled in the side:

img1

Purchased some fine stainless steel mesh a couple of years ago, for another project, "50mesh", from eBay:

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/285049006213?var=586887237952

...the vendor sells "100mesh"; I don't know what that means, perhaps 100 squares per inch. Very fine, but I have used what already own. Mesh wrapped around the pen:

img2

Just happen to have a silicone end-cap that is the right size, a snug fit to seal the left-side of above photo. Here it is inserted into the Miniwell module:

img3

The whole thing can easily be pulled apart for cleaning. On the bottom-end, the filter, I screwed top of a soft-drink bottle, with holes, to tie onto a branch or something for stability:

img4

Note, the tubing is silicone, not the normal plastic tubing that you would buy in the local hardware store. using that because of the excellent UV resistance of silicone. Setup, it works great, very fast flow rate:

img5

The thread on both ends of the Miniwell are the same as used in plastic soft-drink bottles, such as Coke.

One possibility at the outlet end of the filter, is to screw on soft flexible bottles. These store flat, so pack very compact, and will expand when filled. I've got a few of these, 500ml, for example this one:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33012014287.html

...the thread is compatible with the Miniwell.

Hmmm, I notice that prices of all these items have gone up quite a bit since I purchased a few years ago. Umm, but then comparing with prices in local camping stores, still much cheaper to buy direct from China.

Dare I make a political comment: if you live in the USA, your government has found a new way to tax you, by imposing huge tariffs on goods from China. This, I understand, even if there are no alternative sources from "friendly" countries. Just my observation from the outside. Here in Australia, there is only a 10% sales tax, regardless of origin. But AU sells a huge amount of minerals, grains, etc., to China, and we don't want to rock the boat.

I've become quite cynical in my old age. The politicians are saying they are imposing tariffs to encourage local manufacture, but I see it as a cunning way of raising taxes.

Ha ha, I just typed that political comment to fill in the space alongside the photo. Don't send me an email complaining that I don't really understand why goods from China are being taxed. Probably I don't; just my cynical-old-man reaction to what I see and hear on the news media.

Regarding the trike project, here are recent posts:

Awhile back, purchased four panniers, and right now figuring out how to pack them. Going through all the camping gear; that's how came across the Miniwell filter. Maybe it will never get used, but if "broken down" in a remote rural region, middle of summer, it could be a life-saver. Well, even if just camping at a site with no potable water, with maybe a dam or pond nearby, then can stay there beyond having used all the bottled water.

EDIT:
Very interesting, Miniwell also sell a sealed filter, that has a shelf life of 25 years:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006966050143.html

I read elsewhere, once you start using it, expect a lifespan of about 3 years. That would be very variable of course, depending how murky the water is, and how successful the back-flushing is.        

Tags: light

Chromium 131.0.6778.85 compiled in OE

December 16, 2024 — BarryK

We had a problem with compiling Chromium 131.x, as reported earlier:

Max figured out a patch so that 131.0.6778.85 will compile with rust 1.75. This is only a temporary fix, as future versions of Chromium may require more rust 1.78-specific features.  

Tags: easy

EasyOS Daedalus-series version 6.5.1

December 14, 2024 — BarryK

Forum member TerryH reported that the feature of moving the flip-out-of-container button into the tray, does not work for Daedalus-in-container, but does for Scarthgap-in-container:

https://forum.puppylinux.com/viewtopic.php?p=137817#p137817

Yes, Daedalus 6.5.1 is required to be run in a container. Which motivated me to release it pronto.

Highlights since version 6.5:

Daedalus 6.5.1 does not have the "orange ball" AnyDesk, for that, you need to run Scarthgap 6.5.1:

Download Daedalus 6.5.1:

EDIT: 6.5.1 has a bug, see here. Withdrawn and 6.5.1.1 uploaded:

http://distro.ibiblio.org/easyos/amd64/releases/daedalus/2024/6.5.1.1/

Feedback welcome at the forum:

https://forum.puppylinux.com/viewtopic.php?p=137856#p137856

Have fun!     

Tags: easy

EasyOS Scarthgap-series version 6.5.1 released

December 13, 2024 — BarryK

Version 6.5 was released on December 3. Newcomers are recommended to read that announcement as it has more details:

Here are the highlights of version 6.5.1:

Download:

EDIT: 6.5.1 has a bug, see here. Withdrawn and 6.5.1.1 uploaded:

https://distro.ibiblio.org/easyos/amd64/releases/scarthgap/2024/6.5.1.1/

if you already have version 6.5, or earlier, running, just click on the "update" icon on the desktop; updating from 6.5 is just a 2.6MB download.

Feedback welcome at the forum, in this thread:

https://forum.puppylinux.com/viewtopic.php?p=137740#p137740

Have fun!    

Tags: easy

Allow run app non-root in container

December 12, 2024 — BarryK

Applications in containers run as "crippled root". However, would like to have the extra security of running some of them as their own user. Well, crippled-root is already pretty secure, but running an app non-root aps the ante a bit more.

I posted yesterday about a new menu entry to install Opera web browser:

On the main desktop, Opera will run as user "opera".

In the "scarthgap" or "daedalus" containers, there is also the menu entry "Download latest Opera"; however, opera will be run as crippled-root. I have now allowed it to run as user "opera" in the container, see github commit:

https://github.com/bkauler/woofq/commit/dfd89765822d6af3e2a08219bdefe64413eae892

It does require the "--no-sandbox" commandline option, as opera cannot create a sandbox. Ditto for other chrome-based apps. This is because inside a secure environment, the container, which is itself a sandbox. There is no need to have a sandbox inside a sandbox.

Running apps as their own user is still useful in a container, as it isolates the apps from each other. For example, opera has a private folder, /files/apps/opera, that other apps running non-root cannot even see into.   

Tags: easy

AnyDesk orange-ball menu entry

December 12, 2024 — BarryK

Alfons suggested the AnyDesk appimage for inclusion in EasyOS. Here is the AnyDesk homepage:

https://anydesk.com/

I have made AnyDesk into a PET package, installable via PKGget. It will only run non-root, so PKGget is forced to install it as user "anydesk".

As it is a PET package, users might not discover its existence, so an "orange-ball" entry has been created in the Network menu category. Orange-ball menu entries are introduced here:

I have only tested that it starts, gone no further, so that will be a project for anyone interested. AnyDesk will be in the next release of Easy Scarthgap, version 6.5.1, coming very soon.      

Tags: easy

Download latest Opera browser

December 11, 2024 — BarryK

Forum member Chiaseed requested this:

https://forum.puppylinux.com/viewtopic.php?p=137430#p137430

Opera is now in the menu:

img1

Select from the menu, get this:

img2

Continue with the download and install:

img3

Works great.

The menu entry "Download latest Opera" can be selected anytime in the future to update to the latest version.

Opera homepage:

https://www.opera.com/

This will be in the next release of Easy Scarthgap and Easy Daedalus.    

Tags: easy