How can we make Porteus better?

New features which should be implemented in Porteus; suggestions are welcome. All questions or problems with testing releases (alpha, beta, or rc) should go in their relevant thread here, rather than the Bug Reports section.
User avatar
brokenman
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 6105
Joined: 27 Dec 2010, 03:50
Distribution: Porteus v4 all desktops
Location: Brazil

How can we make Porteus better?

Post#1 by brokenman » 21 Feb 2016, 01:49

Reading some of the forum posts and internet reviews I realize there is room for improvement. The areas I noticed are:

Easy installer
Setting up changes file is a little complicated
We could use thorough documentation all in one place (with pictorials and video tutorials)

What else can you suggest?
How do i become super user?
Wear your underpants on the outside and put on a cape.

User avatar
Ed_P
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 8343
Joined: 06 Feb 2013, 22:12
Distribution: Cinnamon 5.01 ISO
Location: Western NY, USA

Re: How can we make Portues better?

Post#2 by Ed_P » 21 Feb 2016, 03:50

brokenman wrote:What else can you suggest?
Slaxmax's request is essential IMO. http://forum.porteus.org/viewtopic.php? ... b76#p42551
I was unable to run Porteus, any version, on a new notebook I got for Christmas.
Ed

donald
Full of knowledge
Full of knowledge
Posts: 2065
Joined: 17 Jun 2013, 13:17
Distribution: Porteus 3.2.2 XFCE 32bit
Location: Germany

Re: How can we make Portues better?

Post#3 by donald » 21 Feb 2016, 06:19

How to make Porteus better?...is that even possible?
Honestly, build it how you want it to be.
On the other hand, which target group do you have in mind?
noobs?..if so, then:
don't want me to read any documentation, hide the terminal, everything has to be
point and click aaannd make flash working, don't talk about security
People don't care about security wholes,
they just care about their favorite sites working and will mostly get mad
when you even start talking with them about these stuff.
USM..what?..give me ready to use modules..and so on.

If you ask me, I will quote -- Antoine de Saint-Exupery --
You know you have achieved perfection in design,
not when you have nothing more to add,
but when you have nothing more to take away.

tome
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 675
Joined: 26 Jun 2013, 14:03
Distribution: x64 Openbox
Location: Russia is causing the immense damage to humanity
Contact:

Re: How can we make Porteus better?

Post#4 by tome » 21 Feb 2016, 07:44

Most Linux distributions try to make life easier to the novice user, but this way they are making life much harder for the more seasoned user.
1. I think we could modify default desktop configuration files to be more user friendly, for example: word wrap - text editor, show hidden files - file manager, frequency used bookmarks - file manager, easy change of ~/Destkop directory - symlink to real directory, and so on - share it as module.

2. Add Language section in Porteus Wizard - structure of language modules on server could be:

Code: Select all

http://...porteus/.../modules-locales/
$locale-name
|-- 001-core-$locale.xzm
|-- 003-kde-$locale.xzm
|-- 003-kde-l10n-4.14.3-noarch-1alien-$locale.xzm
|-- 003-lxde-$locale.xzm
|-- 003-lxqt-$locale.xzm
|-- 003-mate-$locale.xzm
|-- 003-xfce-$locale.xzm
|-- 005-glibc-$locale.xzm
|-- 005-glibc-charmaps-uni.xzm
|-- 04-chrome-$locale.xzm
|-- 04-opera-$locale.xzm
|-- 05-devel-$locale.xzm
`-- 07-printing-$locale.xzm
or like it is for Nemesis.
You have mind and feelings. Be wise and clever.

User avatar
francois
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 6434
Joined: 28 Dec 2010, 14:25
Distribution: xfce plank porteus nemesis
Location: Le printemps, le printemps, le printemps... ... l'hiver s'essoufle.

Re: How can we make Porteus better?

Post#5 by francois » 21 Feb 2016, 14:57

I agree with donald. It's difficult to do better.

Personally, I would like that we target the wanting to learn Linux clientele, but not the experts like arch. The speed and small environmental footprint of porteus, will still draw persons with not so old computers to provide them a second life.

Thus, xfce desktop or lxde or openbox desktop of some window manager only desktop are good being interesting assets. Interchangeable, desktop is still a unique feature.

However, still the package manager drawback being fundamentally problematic. So, why not slapt-get and gslapt gui like salix if USM could not be maintained. Or simply having both. Or having a team of maintainer on USM.

On documentation, I would go minimalist or inexistent until we get the sufficient membership. Forum users do not read FAQ and do not even search ducktogo.
Prendre son temps, profiter de celui qui passe.

Bogomips
Full of knowledge
Full of knowledge
Posts: 2564
Joined: 25 Jun 2014, 15:21
Distribution: 3.2.2 Cinnamon & KDE5
Location: London

Re: How can we make Porteus better?

Post#6 by Bogomips » 21 Feb 2016, 15:38

Multi User

If rewriting the scripts to make Porteus multi-user would give rise to too many complications, then, if feasible, the option of having subusers of guest, so that each family member can have their own little section. This would then be an addition rather than an alteration.
Linux porteus 4.4.0-porteus #3 SMP PREEMPT Sat Jan 23 07:01:55 UTC 2016 i686 AMD Sempron(tm) 140 Processor AuthenticAMD GNU/Linux
NVIDIA Corporation C61 [GeForce 6150SE nForce 430] (rev a2) MemTotal: 901760 kB MemFree: 66752 kB

User avatar
brokenman
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 6105
Joined: 27 Dec 2010, 03:50
Distribution: Porteus v4 all desktops
Location: Brazil

Re: How can we make Porteus better?

Post#7 by brokenman » 21 Feb 2016, 16:06

I was unable to run Porteus, any version, on a new notebook I got for Christmas.
The next version will have an updated xorg. On the other side of the equation are the people with newer graphics cards (like my AMD) which oddly enough only support older xorg versions.
1. I think we could modify default desktop configuration files to be more user friendly, for example: word wrap - text editor, show hidden files - file manager, frequency used bookmarks - file manager, easy change of ~/Destkop directory - symlink to real directory, and so on - share it as module
I can see the point of word wrap, but how is making hidden files visible more user friendly? Noobs may delete them. A beginner probably wouldn't want to move there desktop directory and an experienced user probably already knows how to do it. I think the most 'user friendly' place for the desktop directory is right where developers have put it.
Add Language section in Porteus Wizard - structure of language modules on server could be:
What are the benefits of such a layout?
However, still the package manager drawback being fundamentally problematic.
What are the fundamental problems? I can add slapt-get but USM already pulls from the same repositories.
How do i become super user?
Wear your underpants on the outside and put on a cape.

User avatar
Ed_P
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 8343
Joined: 06 Feb 2013, 22:12
Distribution: Cinnamon 5.01 ISO
Location: Western NY, USA

Re: How can we make Porteus better?

Post#8 by Ed_P » 21 Feb 2016, 16:10

I could be wrong but I look at the title as meaning:

Porteus, not Nemesis or Arch or something else.

Porteus 3.1 tweaks/enhancements, not redesigns or rewrites.

Porteus 3.1 improvements a single admin can accomplish in a reasonable amount of time. Remembering that admin time is not 24/7 but rather 24 - work - family - spouse helping - sleep/7 - yard work - home repairs - sporting events. :)
Ed

fullmoonremix

Re: How can we make Porteus better?

Post#9 by fullmoonremix » 21 Feb 2016, 18:29

Salutations... :good:

IMHO... :oops:

Use... xfe (a "foxtoolkit" based file manager... image viewer... text editor...). Also... PuppyLinux and TinyCore use... a "xlib/xcb" or FLTK based environment.
So add EDE (FLTK) w/PekWM (xcb) for an ultra lightweight xlib/xcb "non" Gtk/Qt alternative to the current Porteus pantheon of larger desktop environments.

EDE ... PekWM ... Xfe ...

XFE is in the repo... :wink:
http://webwarper.net/ww/~av/slakfinder. ... e=#results
Reading some of the forum posts and internet reviews I realize there is room for improvement.
@brokenman... I'm curious about this feedback could you post the links.

Best Regards... :beer:
Last edited by fullmoonremix on 28 Feb 2016, 19:44, edited 2 times in total.

User avatar
brokenman
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 6105
Joined: 27 Dec 2010, 03:50
Distribution: Porteus v4 all desktops
Location: Brazil

Re: How can we make Porteus better?

Post#10 by brokenman » 21 Feb 2016, 19:07

I'm curious about this feedback could you post the links.
I don't have links. I regularly use search engines to look for porteus reviews. Helps get some perspective.

Using xfe and jwm appeals to a subset of linux users. Those that want feather weight. Porteus sits a little above this. Lightweight with a lot of functionality. I compiled foxtoolkit just now and will check out xfe to see hot it would go with openbox.

Yes Ed_P i was talking about Porteus in it's current state.
How do i become super user?
Wear your underpants on the outside and put on a cape.

fullmoonremix

Re: How can we make Porteus better?

Post#11 by fullmoonremix » 21 Feb 2016, 19:39

Salutations... :good:

IMHO... :oops: perhaps consider this... it is actually possible to include all of the current binaries only the GUI (JWM?) would change (althought admittedly... the USM/PSC gui could be problematic... :wall: ).

Best Regards... :beer:
Last edited by fullmoonremix on 22 Feb 2016, 00:05, edited 2 times in total.

User avatar
francois
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 6434
Joined: 28 Dec 2010, 14:25
Distribution: xfce plank porteus nemesis
Location: Le printemps, le printemps, le printemps... ... l'hiver s'essoufle.

Re: How can we make Porteus better?

Post#12 by francois » 21 Feb 2016, 20:32

What are the fundamental problems? I can add slapt-get but USM already pulls from the same repositories.

I thought that you did not want to put too much efforts or even none in the maintenance of usm.
Prendre son temps, profiter de celui qui passe.

Bogomips
Full of knowledge
Full of knowledge
Posts: 2564
Joined: 25 Jun 2014, 15:21
Distribution: 3.2.2 Cinnamon & KDE5
Location: London

Re: How can we make Porteus better?

Post#13 by Bogomips » 21 Feb 2016, 21:22

^ Kiosk people seem to also be using USM, even though Gentoo based, which I don't fully get. :unknown:
Linux porteus 4.4.0-porteus #3 SMP PREEMPT Sat Jan 23 07:01:55 UTC 2016 i686 AMD Sempron(tm) 140 Processor AuthenticAMD GNU/Linux
NVIDIA Corporation C61 [GeForce 6150SE nForce 430] (rev a2) MemTotal: 901760 kB MemFree: 66752 kB

tome
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 675
Joined: 26 Jun 2013, 14:03
Distribution: x64 Openbox
Location: Russia is causing the immense damage to humanity
Contact:

Re: How can we make Porteus better?

Post#14 by tome » 21 Feb 2016, 22:38

hidden files visible more user friendly
Noobs may learn Linux, they can even delete hidden files in fresh boot mode.
A beginner probably wouldn't want to move there desktop directory
but they probably want have files from another location in current one, quick access.
benefits of such a layout?
It would be easier to add locale to Wizard without lost of space, but could be another easy to import layout.
You have mind and feelings. Be wise and clever.

User avatar
Ed_P
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 8343
Joined: 06 Feb 2013, 22:12
Distribution: Cinnamon 5.01 ISO
Location: Western NY, USA

Re: How can we make Porteus better?

Post#15 by Ed_P » 22 Feb 2016, 00:08

brokenman wrote:Yes Ed_P i was talking about Porteus in it's current state.
And hopefully still are. :) I just wanted to be sure all understood where you are coming from in this thread.
Ed

Post Reply