Objective of Porteus?

[82issa]

Re: Build an OFFICIAL installer
by fanthom » 21 Apr 2011, 00:52

@agreimann
"Is the objective of Porteus to run as root? This is dangerous!"
Porteus 1.0 has guest account enabled by default.

waiting on first version of the installer

Yesterday when I started writing I wanted to be very negative about. This topic as Quoted above far as it's direction towards windows. As I started writing I realized it was a lack of direction. I don't understand why we need so much windows support. Is attracting people who are tired of windows what this distro needs? Or are we trying to attract people who might be interested in another OS? Or is it appealing to a small linux nich/group? I think our efforts would be very successful if it was a little better outlined as to where the focus should probably be. All I hear from most people that I bump into that are linux enthusiast. Why you using that distro. Fubar-untu is so much better/easier/slower/heavily supported. Either way Ubuntu has appealed to most people just switching over to linux cause of Supported devices and user support. I don't think so much effort should be pumped into windows development until we feel the os is structured and strong enough. To throw off the Na-sayers.

Example outline:

Boot:--------------------------Features, Beauty, Ease of installation, Size?
kernel:------------------------Features, size, compatability, ect....?
Package manager:----------on and on and on and on?
Core utilities:---------------ect???
Gui Utilities:-----------------more and more and more??
Windows compatability:---- and so on.
Artwork:----------------------prettier,eviler, compelling??

Anyways I was thinking we should have a sub development board for each of these (I know I have missed some) with a sticky. That clearly defines what we are trying to accomplish goals/objectives a summary as the first post on that board. I think they should be open and subjective to changes. This isn't to put down development efforts, I just think it would be better to help align peoples efforts. Leave the guidelines up for debate. I don't believe we are writing the 10 commandments of Porteus. So that it can evolve.

Right now it seems like everyone does their own thing.
And the primary developers are waiting for the next great idea/tool/whatever.

I love how the live environment is so modular and plug&playish with the xzm's.
I hate that it seems like the only option is to emulate/migrate/be just like fill in the blank.
I love that I have an easy time compiling the tools I use from source.
I hate this lack of direction.

Why do so many people find success with "12 step programs". They have their steps and traditions.
If we have some clearly defined steps and traditions(aka objectives), we could conquer the world, and topple fubar-untu, Winblows 7.5, and kill the leopard.

That last line was to meant be kinda funny, but on a serious note lets get something started. Be our own source driven & Evolving O.S.

[Hamza]

One of objective is :

Porteus in Top 10 of Linux Distribution.

[82issa]

I like this objective @ hamza.

[Hamza]

For more infos,

you can see this topic : http://forum.porteus.org/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=29

[82issa]

Haven't the main part of those objectives been meet? What would be holding us back from setting up new/more robust and definitive objectives.

[Hamza]

Sorry - can't answer you

[Rava]

Haven't the main part of those objectives been meet? What would be holding us back from setting up new/more robust and definitive objectives.

Dear 82issa
when you read e.g. the threads in development about the 1.0 alpha, beta and rc1 of 64 bit you will realize that there is still work to do, important work to get the OS running without severe bugs.
That is the main objective for now, and we also have achieved quite a bit:

non-root user as default
changed the contents of the main modules so you can easily remove KDE and put another window manager in instead.

In my book these are great goals, and first one could be achieved with slax as well, but you have to do that again and again for each new slax version...
And the 2nd was mainly an issue for the folks (like me) who dislike the KDE standard window manager.

In my book we still have some stuff to do before we can go an think of "new" objectives...

Just my 2 cents

[agreimann]

I just saw this post, and will quickly reply... as I'm working on building the a new Porteus installer.

Windows market share is at the highest ever--and Linux does not even have 10% of the market globally, but I believe that adding a friendlier documentation system that welcomes in new users, and an improved installer, we could definitely attract a *lot* more users, when they see how hard we're all working on building, whether through code, ideas, or as a committed group, the operating system. I'm hoping we make Porteus a joy to use. Also, while running as root makes things nice and easy, all I was mentioning is that there's no denying it's dangerous. I was only suggesting adding something to the installer--but I will not implement users right now.

To me, the objective of Porteus is to build a system that makes it into one of the top, best distributions--because I definitely think I speak for the Porteus community when I say, I think it should be there!

[Hamza]

adding a friendlier documentation system that welcomes in new users

Already done with help of The DOC Team.

Good luck with build of win installer

[Ahau]

I guess my take on this (not that anyone asked for it) is that making porteus’ installation easier, more robust and more reliable will be a net benefit to the #1 stated goal, i.e., taking over the world. That is independent, in my mind, of their current OS or what is driving them to try our distro. Installation is the primary bottleneck in attracting new users – they want a system that is easily installed and works with all of their hardware without much (or any) tinkering. If folks can’t get past the install, they’ll move on to some other distro. Having an easy installation process will not deter experienced linux users.

What I have seen on the slax forum is lots and lots of first time users from windows who are having issues getting their system up and running (in particular, installs to flash drives, video drivers, network cards, and sound cards). I think that a linux distribution that is geared towards a USB flashdrive setup is a natural starting point for someone to transition from windows to linux. You don’t have to install a bootloader to your hard drive, nor do you have to format any partitions (very scary things for a new linux user to do), and you don’t even have to tell your wife about it (and, she won’t be able to see any of your browser history, either!). We may find that our direction is impacted as much by the users who show up on our doorstep as it is by the course we lay out.

All that said, I think there is truth in what 82issa wrote, and we could use more definition in our roadmapping. Our emphasis for the last four months has been to get version 1.0 up and running. Now that we are almost there, I think we can start to look beyond that (though, I can’t speak for the maintainers!). I’m on board to help draw up the documentation, but would like some input from the maintainers and the community.

[Hamza]

For me , the first objective is :

-Make an universal operating system with the smallest size and the better applications.

[82issa]

Thanks to you all for this great input. Some times this stuff seems like standing in the middle of a forest. And not knowing which way out. Hopefully a small roadmap could guide us out.

[Hamza]

You're welcome!

[Rava]

@agreimann

Speaking of the installer. I read the very small readme for the 8.5 GB iso of "SuperGamer" (Linux Game Live double layer DVD, they claim to have made the first double layer live DVD ever)

Linux has a hard time writing a MBR of a FlashDrive so boot into Windows and open up
the FlashDrive to view the folders. Go to the boot folder and right click on the
bootinst.bat file and execute it, hit continue if it gives an error then follow the
instructions, after it finishes the FlashDrive should be bootable.

I was like... whut? We did that on flash drives for Slax for years now, and with Porteus it got even better....

______________________________

For me , the first objective is :
-Make an universal operating system with the smallest size and the better applications.

Whereas the "small size" seems to collide with "speed" at times, at least that was what I read in a thread about using the older compression or the newest one...

[Hamza]

Personally :

When someone boot Porteus , he will understand the philosophy of Porteus without any problems . That's what I think.