Hey Gang!
Just a quick note that thanks to @stefano, I've moved my Mastodon account to the BSD Café!
It looks like most of my followers made it over, feel free to reconnect if it didn't happen automagically.
New account:
A couple days ago I posted a few links discussing using a different init system on Debian (instead of systemd).
Thinking about it more, I wouldn't do that unless I was prepared for the world of hurt that doing so may cause.
There is bound to be "gotchas" related to how packages that are dependent on an init system are configured and would expect systemd and/or long term b0rk@ge related to same.
When something eventually breaks? Ain't got no time for dat!
For Debian without systemd, Devuan is an alternative. I've dabbled with Devuan but don't know what it's like in prod. How "init curated" is the Devuan repo vs Debian repos? It's been around a long time and the forums aren't on fire so probably fine.
There's non-systemd life beyond Debian based systems of course. The distrowatch web site has a search filter that can exclude systemd. Have a play.
FWIW, I've been running Alpine on three desktop hosts (kde+way) happily for a few months. Desktop != Server
#RunBSD ?
I always feel 'dirty' when I install Windows in a VM on my Linux hosts in order to test client software and whatnot when supporting clients (people).
There must be a better way?
Currently I'm installing a 'full fat' Windows 11 LTSC virtual machine to do this type of work.
Is there a slimmer, simpler way to get 'real Windows' for testing things?
I haven't had much luck with things like Winboat or similar and it doesn't seem to be much more than a full fat Windows instance running in a container anyway. Wine is not Windows so don't want to go there.
I could do Win10 since the client software is available on 10 but the client (users) are on 11 so not much point.
Options? Slimmer, simpler installs somehow?
All ears over here...
"Exited (137) 19 months ago"
I guess it's safe to delete this container.
I've been messing around with #LXQT in a vm lately. I really kind of like it.
Is anyone using LXQT in a multi-head / multi-monitor configuration?
Any issues with where it defaults to placing new apps, resuming from screensaver or hibernation, adding/removing displays while running? Anything else I'm not thinking about?
I do enjoy a desktop environment that allows you to _easily_ create an old skool right-click menu on your desktop.
There's some quirks to configuring the ordering, not sure if I'll need to hand edit the menu once I get it most of the way there.
For a mutli-head setup this avoids having to have an Application Launcher on every screen, but it does require access to unobscured desktop in order to work.
And my nerdy part likes the '80s-'90s UNIX desktop vibes it creates. Ha.
#Linux #RunBSD #KDE #KDEPlasma #desktop #DesktopEnvironment #GUI #UX
Some non-US company needs to build a hardware phone set around Postmarket OS and just 'get on with it'. There's an obvious appetite for something other than Google Android or Apple iOS phones.
I mean, the OS is there just waiting; throw some professional engineering effort around power management, cameras, and UX and it's a good jump into a practical, commodity phone that is open with a lot of heavy lifting already done. If that corp was practical and ethical it even could be a decent technology and social "good".
In Canada I'd hope a company like BlackBerry could do something like this but, do they even make hardware anymore, do they exist in the mobile space? If they exist would they even still have the talent to pull off something like this?
It doesn't have to be an expensive premium device, it just needs to be decent enough, affordable device with open software like an unencumbered browser, tethering, ability to run Signal...
Random thoughts...
More "distro hopping bullroar"...
Paved over the FreeBSD test box with Alpine Linux ('cuz reasons) to give Alpine a shake on physical hardware with a GPU (RX 6600) for desktop usage.
Fine, fine. Things were going well and even added the second display from my "big box" so that I could try dual displays. Locked up the office and went into the house. During the evening I shelled in and did a few more things (various apk adds, set locale to en_CA, etc.). Did some reboots to make sure things we set correctly afterwards. Cool, cool.
This AM the box was back to the blinking cursor thing instead of showing SDDM. Similarly to when FreeBSD was installed it didn't like multiple displays but this time instead of being dumb about the Intel iGPU it didn't like having two screens (same GPU) but not seeing the iGPU. Re-enabled the iGPU but setting PCI as default made it work. Lol
Probably hardware, OS, and software versionitis detection edges. FreeBSD15+KDE6.4(?), Alpine3.23+KDE6.5
At least it's entertaining, right?
Non-systemd operating systems like the BSDs, Devuan, etc...
Do we think there will be some kind of work around in place for Gnome 50?
Has KDE articulated a plan either in favour or not for systemd-only in the future similarly to Gnome?
Xfce stated a direction?
I'm going to guess that Cosmic will always be only systemd.
Sigh.
I think this Christmas may be the season to experiment with getting a physical 'BSD desktop workstation going again for the first time in like ~15 years.
FreeBSD Friends!
Anyone that is running 15.0-RC4 have experience with wifi 6 support via the MediaTek MT76 chipset devices?
USB, M2, other? Link to the device you've had success with?
My target is OPNSense when it goes to 15 but may spin up a dedicated mini access point with FreeBSD in the meantime.
Other Wifi6 devices that are compatible with 14 that deliver Wifi6 speeds?
TIA!