AnyDesk orange-ball menu entry

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:

• Orange-ball menu entries restructured — September 04, 2024
• Menu entries for not-yet-installed apps — July 09, 2023

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

Forum member Chiaseed requested this:

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

Opera is now in the menu:

Select from the menu, get this:

Continue with the download and install:

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

Fix for Kodi flatpak

I posted about the failure of Kodi:

• Kodi flatpak does not work — December 01, 2024

We can blame flatpak; however, EasyOS has an unusual arrangement of symlinks. Both /run and /var/run are symlinks to /tmp/run, which was done as it was originally planned to have /tmp folder as a tmpfs, and /run and /var/run symlinked into that will mean they will just disappear at shutdown.

However, as Easy defaults to running sessions in RAM, /tmp, /run and /var/run will disappear anyway, no need for a tmpfs.

Most distributions have /run as an actual folder, maybe with a tmpfs on it, with /var/run symlinked to it. So I have changed Easy to the same. Github commit:

https://github.com/bkauler/woofq/commit/2cba81a5e1dd2edeaefb2d7be2a1f275f0c0dea3

This should fix Kodi flatpak.   

Tags: easy

Flip-out button move from screen to tray

For those who have tried EasyOS 6.5 with Easy Daedalus running in a container, or Easy Scarthgap in a container, you will have seen the button in the middle of the screen, to flip-out back to the main desktop. I have modified it:

...see that little button with the arrow; click on that and the flip-out button is removed from centre of desktop and is now in the tray, on the right-side. Snapshot:

The is a mouse-over popup text "Flip out of container", to let you know what this does. Click on it and a fraction of a second later back on the main desktop. Github commit:

https://github.com/bkauler/woofq/commit/af7fac0e26f9f96664c1347ec85ce8157e630c47  

Tags: easy

EasyOS Français translations updated

JJM (esmourguit in the forum) has contributed French translations right from the early days of EasyOS, and before that, Puppy Linux. Today he has sent me updates for EasyOS 6.5. Github commits:

https://github.com/bkauler/woofq/commits/887188ae104fef4f844f5ce347ca8d0ae1e155a2/

French is the best translated, followed by Russian (forum members bulatsib and Maybe), Turkish (forum member madanandam) and German (L18L).

If anyone is interested in contributing, either update one of the above, or any other language, there is a tutorial here:

https://easyos.org/dev/translate-easyos-to-your-language.html 

...that tutorial lists supported languages, but needs to be updated. Here is the latest list:

ar:Arabic bg:български cs:čeština da:dansk de:Deutsch el:Ελληνικά en:English es:Español et:eesti-keel fi:Suomalainen fr:Français hr:Hrvatski hu:mađarski is:íslenskur it:Italiano ja:Japanese lt:lietuvių lv:latviski mk:македонски nl:Nederlands no:norsk pl:Polski pt:Português ro:Română ru:Русский sk:slovenský sl:slovenska sq:shqiptare sr:Српски sv:svenska tr:Türkçe uk:українська uz:Ózbekça zh:Chinese     

Tags: easy

EasyOS Scarthgap-series version 6.5 released

EasyOS Scarthgap is the current flagship; however, the Daedalus-series is introduced as a companion, also announce today:

"EasyOS Daedalus-series version 6.5 released"
https://bkhome.org/news/202412/easyos-daedalus-series-version-65-released.html

They are both version 6.5, reflecting the same underlying infrastructure; however, built with different binary packages, and in that latter respect the Daedalus-series may have more issues. If you are new to EasyOS, it is recommended to choose Easy Scarthgap.

As it is intended that Easy Scarthgap will be announced on Distrowatch, here is a brief announcement blurb:

EasyOS Scarthgap-series is an experimental Linux distribution. Heritage includes concepts from Puppy Linux, unique features include a custom container technology, and lockdown techniques. Version 6.0 was announced on Distrowatch in June 2024 and there has been a lot of "water under the bridge" since then. Easy Scarthgap is built with binary packages compiled in a fork of OpenEmbedded, and there have been many package version bumps. The infrastructure has continued to improve, especially support for containers; a lot of attention has been given to running Easy Daedalus distribution in a container. More details are in the release notes, here, and highlights showing how EasyOS differs from other Linux distributions here.

Read on about Easy Scarthgap, a snapshot...

...the wallpaper is a snapshot of a tiny train station in rural Western Australia. It was chosen as symbolic of EasyOS; a wild rural landscape, a tiny train station rarely frequented. This has a charm of its own, in contrast to a huge busy city train station and cultivated gardens -- the latter representing the mainstream Linux distributions.

The Scarthgap-series is built with packages compiled in a fork of OpenEmbedded, and optimised for EasyOS, but a small package repository; only about 1800 packages. However, more packages can be installed via Appi, the appimage manager, and Flapi, the flatpak manager. There is yet another avenue for adding packages to Scarthgap; another Linux distribution can be run in a container and within that container there is access to the entire package repository of that distribution.

Easy Scarthgap can run Easy Daedalus in a container, which means that you don't really need to run Easy Daedalus as a separate distribution. There is a downside to that though; running in a container has security restrictions, and some applications will not work; most will though. Some points:

• Read more about how to run Easy Daedalus in a container within Easy Scarthgap here
  
• Read how to quickly flip in and flip out of the container here
  
• Read about /files shared folder between containers here
  
• Sharing is also via the clipboard, copied in and out when flip
• Introduction to Easy Containers here
  

EasyOS is created with "woofQ", the build system. In fact, "Woof" is a build system also for Puppy Linux, currently "Woof-CE" being the official build system for the mainstream Puppy Linux. WoofQ forked off Woof2 about 2013. That's a bit of history, but the point is, Woof* can build a Puppy or Puppy-derivative or similar distribution, and does so by using binary packages from some other Linux distribition. Or, packages that have been compiled somehow -- in the case of Scarthgap, compiled in OpenEmbedded.

The big advantage of building from packages of another mainstream distribution is binary compatibility and access to the entire package repository of that distribution. This is what Easy Daedalus brings to the table. However, the Scarthgap packages are smaller and optimised to work in EasyOS.

Here are the release notes for Easy Scarthgap 6.5:

https://distro.ibiblio.org/easyos/amd64/releases/scarthgap/2024/6.5/release-notes.htm

Download and install

Easy is shipped as a drive-image file, there is no ISO. Download from here:

https://distro.ibiblio.org/easyos/amd64/releases/scarthgap/2024/6.5/

There is also a mirror in Europe, courtesy of the Netherlands Linux/Unix User Group (NLUUG):

https://ftp.nluug.nl/os/Linux/distr/easyos/amd64/releases/scarthgap/2024/6.5/

Also a mirror in Australia, courtesy of AARNET:

https://mirror.aarnet.edu.au/pub/easyos/amd64/releases/scarthgap/2024/6.5/

If all that you know about are ISOs, and unfamiliar with how to install a drive-image file, it is pretty simple. You can write it to a USB-stick and boot that, or open up the img-file and install direct to internal drive. The easyos.org site has tutorials, including these:

"How to write EasyOS to a flash drive"
https://easyos.org/install/how-to-write-easyos-to-a-flash-drive.html

"How to install EasyOS on your hard drive"
https://easyos.org/install/how-to-install-easyos-on-your-hard-drive.html

There is an important conceptual difference between a drive-image and an ISO; when the drive-image file is written to a drive, for example a USB-stick, it is already installed. It is fully installed to the USB-stick, nothing more to do. You don't have to think about persistence; sessions are saved to the USB-stick.

Information and feedback

If you are new to EasyOS and wondering what it is all about, first up, it has to be clarified that Easy is not a mainsteam distribution; it is unique and experimental. Very different from any other Linux distribution. This page highlights the differences:

"How and why EasyOS is different"
https://easyos.org/about/how-and-why-easyos-is-different.html

Many ideas implemented in Easy are still a work-in-progress, so do bare that in mind; you might not get the maturity that you would expect in a mainstream distro.

We welcome feedback. Success stories, problems, let us know in this thread in the Puppy Forum:

https://forum.puppylinux.com/viewtopic.php?p=137024#p137024

Technical

If you are interested in how Easy works, read this:

"How Easy works"
https://easyos.org/tech/how-easy-works.html

The github projects:

https://github.com/bkauler/oe-qky-scarthgap

https://github.com/bkauler/woofq

Have fun!

EDIT 2024-12-13:
Easy Scarthgap version 6.5.1 has been released, see blog announcement:

https://bkhome.org/news/202412/easyos-scarthgap-series-version-651-released.html

Notice about future releases will not be appended here; monitor Barry's Blog for announcements.       

Tags: easy

EasyOS Daedalus-series version 6.5 released

The EasyOS Scarthgap-series is the current flagship; however, the Daedalus-series is introduced as a companion. They are essentially the same, or to put it another way have the same underlying infrastructure; however, built with different packages.

The Scarthgap-series is built with packages compiled in a fork of OpenEmbedded, and optimised for EasyOS, but a much smaller package repository; only about 1800 packages. However, more packages can be installed via Appi, the appimage manager, and Flapi, the flatpak manager. There is yet another avenue for adding packages to Scarthgap; another Linux distribution can be run in a container and within that container there is access to the entire package repository of that distribution.

Easy Scarthgap can run Easy Daedalus in a container, which means that you don't really need to run Easy Daedalus as a separate distribution. There is a downside to that though; running in a container has security restrictions, and some applications will not work; most will though. Some points:

• Read more about how to run Easy Daedalus in a container within Easy Scarthgap here
  
• Read how to quickly flip in and flip out of the container here
  
• Read about /files shared folder between containers here
  
• Sharing is also via the clipboard, copied in and out when flip
• Introduction to Easy Containers here
  

Easy Scarthgap 6.5 release is pending, will be announced on this blog very soon. But, for those who want the actual, standalone, EasyOS Daedalus, read on...

Devuan Daedalus is the equivalent of Debian Bookworm, except without systemd. Most of the Devuan packages are in fact the Debian packages, except for those that need modification to work without systemd.

EasyOS is created with "woofQ", the build system. In fact, "Woof" is a build system also for Puppy Linux, currently "Woof-CE" being the official build system for the mainstream Puppy Linux. WoofQ forked off Woof2 about 2013. That's a bit of history, but the point is, Woof* can build a Puppy or Puppy-derivative or similar distribution, and does so by using binary packages from some other Linux distribition. Or, packages that have been compiled somehow -- in the case of Scarthgap, compiled in OpenEmbedded.

The big advantage of building from packages of another mainstream distribution is binary compatibility and access to the entire package repository of that distribution. This is what Easy Daedalus brings to the table.

Here are the release notes for Easy Daedalus 6.5:

https://distro.ibiblio.org/easyos/amd64/releases/daedalus/2024/6.5/release-notes.htm

A short history; Easy Daedalus started life in October 2024. However, as built from woofQ, it has all the infrastructure of Scarthgap, so is already very mature. The main details to be sorted were issues raised by using the Devuan DEB packages. Yes, lots of issues, as Debian/Devuan packages are bloated, configured in sometimes strange ways and with dependencies that may be difficult to accommodate. So the process since October has been to resolve these issues.

One thing; due to the proliferation of dependencies, there are less packages "built in" compared with Scarthgap. For example, Scarthgap has Flowblade video editor built-in, whereas Daedalus has no video editor. Of course, Flowblade and other video editors are there in the repository.

Download and install

Easy is shipped as a drive-image file, there is no ISO. Download from here:

https://distro.ibiblio.org/easyos/amd64/releases/daedalus/2024/6.5/

There is also a mirror in Europe, courtesy of the Netherlands Linux/Unix User Group (NLUUG):

https://ftp.nluug.nl/os/Linux/distr/easyos/amd64/releases/daedalus/2024/6.5/

Also a mirror in Australia, courtesy of AARNET:

https://mirror.aarnet.edu.au/pub/easyos/amd64/releases/daedalus/2024/6.5/

If all that you know about are ISOs, and unfamiliar with how to install a drive-image file, it is pretty simple. You can write it to a USB-stick and boot that, or open up the img-file and install direct to internal drive. The easyos.org site has tutorials, including these:

"How to write EasyOS to a flash drive"
https://easyos.org/install/how-to-write-easyos-to-a-flash-drive.html

"How to install EasyOS on your hard drive"
https://easyos.org/install/how-to-install-easyos-on-your-hard-drive.html

There is an important conceptual difference between a drive-image and an ISO; when the drive-image file is written to a drive, for example a USB-stick, it is already installed. It is fully installed to the USB-stick, nothing more to do. You don't have to think about persistence; sessions are saved to the USB-stick.

Information and feedback

If you are new to EasyOS and wondering what it is all about, first up, it has to be clarified that Easy is not a mainsteam distribution; it is unique and experimental. Very different from any other Linux distribution. This page highlights the differences:

"How and why EasyOS is different"
https://easyos.org/about/how-and-why-easyos-is-different.html

Many ideas implemented in Easy are still a work-in-progress, so do bare that in mind; you might not get the maturity that you would expect in a mainstream distro.

We welcome feedback. Success stories, problems, let us know in this thread in the Puppy Forum:

https://forum.puppylinux.com/viewtopic.php?p=137023#p137023

Have fun!   

Tags: easy

Kodi flatpak does not work

Balasubramaniam sent me an email, reporting that the Kodi flatpak will not start. Yes, I have confirmed:

# kodi
bwrap: Can't make symlink at /run: File exists

There has been online discussion about this for years, for example:

https://github.com/flatpak/flatpak/issues/5255

I don't know if updating EasyOS to a later version of flatpak will help; however, there is a quick hack that fixes Kodi:

# mkdir -p /media
# mv -f /tmp/run /runNEW
# rm -f /run
# mv -f /runNEW /run
# kodi

Folder /run is a symlink to /tmp/run, which confuses flatpak, so the above changes /run to an actual folder. That could be made into a script.

However, I'm not sure what will happen after a reboot; perhaps it would be best to shutdown without saving the session.

This needs to be fixed properly, but will have to be postponed for awhile.   

Tags: easy