Bugs and Improvemts for Porteus 1.0, 32 Bit

[Syntux]

BUGS:

• Xorg Server version 1.9.5 is not compatible with VMware drivers when running Porteus as frugal or full install in VMware (vmware-config-tools.pl shows: Skipping X configuration because X drivers are not included.). Worked perfect with previous versions and you could scale the X11 resolution to any possible values with the setting app in the control panel. Now this is limited to only 1280x720 although my card/screen can do up to 1920x1600.
• language-selection-tool does not create config files for guest in /home/guest, only for root. 64-Bit Porteus is the other way around I think?
• language-selection-tool does not set the correct country code in accessability and regional settings

IMPROVEMENTS:

• I find the chosen fonts for the KDE menues, etc. less clear and less readable than in previous versions of Slax Remix
• The country flag for the keyboard switcher in the control panel is strangely misshaped?! Previous versions and the settings menue show the flags in correct shape.
• The clock was better to read in digital format with larger letters

[fanthom]

hi Syntux,

pls try to add vmware drivers to Porteus:
ftp://ftp.heanet.ie/mirrors/ftp.slackwa ... i486-1.txz
they are left out of the ISO cause i had troubles in generating xorg.conf with them (in slax-remix, never checked the Porteus)

will try to solve LST issues during this weekend.

[blablotin]

Hi, when I do

Code: Select all

xset dpms force off

to powersave when I leave the computer.
The screen and backlight switch off, then 5 second later it switch on without any action from mybody to make blank screensaver. It do it even when I disable screen saver.


I cannot find the dpms message from /var/log, and I have not this issue in 64 bits version. so I have no idea about why...

[Syntux]

Hi fanthom,

I installed the vmware drivers to /usr/lib/..., and tried to reinstall/configure vmware-tools, but unfortunately I still get:

Code: Select all

Detected Xorg X server version 1.9.5.

Distribution provided drivers for Xorg X server are used.

Skipping X configuration because X drivers are not included.

I even rebooted my Porteus VMware image, but I did not help? Do I have to activate the vmware drivers somehow?
I never had any real problems with previous Slax-Remix versions with xorg.conf

Regarding missing /home/guest settings for LST, I just reused the ones from /root and everything is fine. Should be easy to fix.
I think for Porteus 1.0 64-Bit it is just the other way around, i.e. the settings were correctly in /home/guest, but not in /root?

Thanx,
Syntux

[brokenman]

@blablotin
I am not seeing this effect. It works OK for me. Are you running this command from a keyboard shortcut or similar? My screen goes blank, switches back on for a second, then switches off again until i touch submit another signal.

[blablotin]

@ brokenman.

I do it with konsol as usually.
and my screen switch off, then on and pass to blank untile I wake up.

If I let my computer iddle for a long time, I notice that the screen is blank instead of beeing off. untile I wake up with mouse ans keyboard. then I keep mosquito away from it

[fanthom]

@Syntux
LST creates settings for user who called the script. if you launch it from root account then it goes to /root/, when from guest then it goes to /home/guest.
when you are logged in as guest, then run 'su' and launch LST then it goes to /root (i think it was your case).

the best option would be to create settings for both accounts: root and guest. the problem appears when user wants to add 2nd, 3rd user (john, anne). LST wont be able to guess which kbd settings goes where.

i think i'll just add a function which gonna ask about user name to whom kbd settings should apply.

[Syntux]

@fanthom:
Thanks, for looking into the LST issue. I also thought about that it only creates the settings for the user that starts the script. I could easily fix this myself, but I was confused, since I expected that it would create the settings for both default users (root and guest). Maybe just some explanation at the start of the script would be fine, or you can allow a list of users as input which would be easier for porteus beginners and for convenience ?

As for my X11 problem with VMware, I experienced that vmware-config-tools.pl will still complain "... Skipping X configuration because X drivers are not included.", but after playing with gui.conf, vmware-config-tools.sh and rebooting I can now use all possible sizes of my physical screen ... Will research and build a new VMware image to better understand what happend and let you know, asap. At least I think your download ftp://ftp.heanet.ie/mirrors/ftp.slackwa ... i486-1.txz is neccessary.

Thanx,
Syntux

[Hamza]

@Syntux,

I am really sorry, but we cannot add an extra package like xf86-video-vmware-11.0.3-i486-1.txz to Porteus for these reasons,

1)
We have not VMware available for Porteus as a module (if you have it, you can share it!)

2)
We need to have the smallest ISO

3)
It can make some troubles

Joke:
4)
VMware is not free and opensource

Regards,

[Syntux]

@Hamza,

I am sorry, too, but I don't agree with any of your points ...

0.) xf86-video-vmware-11.0.3-i486-1.txz is a driver and would not be an extra package, but rather added to the existing other drivers!
1a.) I am using Porteus within VMware und not VMware within Porteus why there is no need for a module, besides maybe a VMware-Tools module.
1b.) I can not share VMware Workstation as module, since it is a commercial product, but you can use VMware Player if you wanted, but maybe Virtualbox is more ideal from a free point of view?
2.) Come on. Just 30 Kb more is not that big of a deal and actually it was already included in slax and slax-remix before.
3.) In all that years I never experienced any big problems with it and used slax, slax-remix and porteus in VMware as well as Virtualbox
4.) See 1a.) and 1b.)

Cheers,
Syntux

[fanthom]

i have removed xf86-video-vmware package from the ISO in slax-remix times as it was causing segfaults when 'xconf' script was running 'X -configure' command.

i have checked this package with Porteus 1.0 and xconf works ok so it could be added to Porteus-1.1 ISO for both arch's i guess - it's 40KB only.

Cheers

[Hamza]

Looks like, I was wrong.

Sorry to all.

[Syntux]

@fanthom:
It would be really nice, if you could include it in porteus 1.1. If you want I can also post my tiny script for a full install to hdd/vmware/virtualbox which I successfully use for a while now. Actually it runs that stable with slax, slax-remix and porteus, that I use it for developing xzm modules and test even larger commercial products with it ... I really like the compactness of porteus and the modularity compared to other distros. It has all I need and is still small, but allows extension by module if I should need more! Thanx!

@Hamza:
No problem. We all can learn and that is the fun about Linux and Porteus

[Hamza]

@Syntux,

If you respect the license of VMware, You cannot redistribute any part of their software. Even the "Player" cannot be redistributed. I am really but if you made this module, You will break their license.

You can redistribute VirtualBox, but you cannot redistribute VMware.

I am really sorry.

More informations:
VMware Player License

A part of their license,

You are not permitted to distribute VMware Products until VMware returns a countersigned copy of the VMware Distribution Agreement to you. In addition, VMware requests that you submit one copy of the Publication upon circulation.

Regards,

[Syntux]

@Hamza:

Thanks for clarifying about VMware Player. I almost expected this, why I also wrote VirtualBox might be a better choice and why we already have a module for VirtualBox and not for VMware Player Nevertheless I expect that every Porteus User could create a VMware Player module for him/herself as long as he/she doesn't distribute it?!

Although I am also interested in using a Virtual Machine within Porteus, my main focus is to run Porteus within a Virtual Machine as fully installed OS!

Cheers,
Syntux