Bill,

Regarding antiX, that will also be a learning curve for you. If you grab it, make sure the first time that you start with the FULL version, as opposed to the BASE version. Later, when you know what you are doing more, the BASE version is really cool, because you can literally create your own custom system with it!

The reason I suggest going with the FULL version is that it comes with a bit more software - beginning with TWO window managers, IceWM and Fluxbox. Veterans swear by Fluxbox, but it uses a different menu style than most other current generation window managers, using the right mouse button to bring up menus. You may end up liking it eventually, but I personally think that IceWM is easier to start with.

If you actually like a Microsoft Windows kind of style, you can even set up themes with IceWM that look a lot like Windows - which for some, brings a comfort level until they learn the full power of it.

Both IceWM and Fluxbox use text readable configuration files. These may be daunting to the beginner, but if you are not afraid of opening up an ordinary text editor, you can view their contents, get an idea of the syntax, and it is not all that difficult to modify and manage them. You may or may not be ready for that step yet, but if you are, you may REALLY enjoy it then, because the power to change menus and appearance will be at your fingertips.

smxi comes in particularly handy with antiX because you can extend antiX just as you have been extending sidux.

You can add other window managers, you can also add KDE, LXDE, and XFCE, if they make you feel more comfortable. Eriefisher, over on the antiX forums, works a lot with XFCE and antiX. As far as I know, he runs either a Testing or Sid release that he has been running as a rolling release for quite some time now. He still tests new releases when they come out, but I am pretty sure that his every day system is an antiX system modified with XFCE. In some ways, antiX, especially now with the most recent changes that h2 has made to the tool, is arguably more flexible than sidux.

For example, you can continue to use the stock MEPIS kernel with it, you can add or replace it with a Debian kernel, you can use a sidux kernel, or you can use the kernels that damentz creates called the liquorix kernel; now that's flexible. Moreover, you can use Debian Stable (currently Lenny), you can use Debian Testing, (currently Squeeze), or you can use Debian Unstable (always called Sid, the unstable kid who likes to destroy toys for fun - Toy Story character).

That's just a brief outline of what you can do, and the addition of smxi to this mix makes it REALLY interesting.
Back to top

antiX + smxi sounds really good and I'll bet Anticapitalista does not stifle anybody unless they sound too much like Wall St brokers. After all, that is what an Anticapitalista would do, don't you think?

No doubt I am going to get there. At the moment I really owe Fedora 11 a look and I am still working on my suspend/hibernate puzzle.

The newest wrinkle? I have it working with sidux-Xfce, but it will not work with sidux-Kde. Now that is really interesting in that both window managers are running off the same kernel with the same video driver. So we know those variables are not involved in the puzzle. My guess? I am going to knock out libpowersave11 and suspend/hibernate will work under Kde, while the absence of it will make no difference to Xfce. (Wish I knew why!)

We shall see. And since I am wandering off the thread I'll report the results elsewhere, probably at USALUG.

Meanwhile, smxi is shaping up as my toolbox discovery of the year. smxi is a darned good argument for running Debian systems compatible with it.
Back to top

kde 4 introduced powerdevil, which conflicts with powersaved, which is a tested and working suspend resume thing.

The bugs and failures were totally predictable with using a brand new, proprietary to kde suspend resume app like powerdevil, and was imo one of the less intelligent things kde did, especially given that kpowersave was a nice simple front end for a tested and fairly robust technology, powersave.

This thing of breaking then rebuilding stuff all the time in foss is kind of tiresome, to me it's much better to work on core technologies, get them debugged and stabilized, then add front ends to them with the various desktops, but sadly kde chose to do the thing that was most likely to break most systems, especially older ones or ones that the core kde devs don't own....

To get around this, you can remove powerdevil and reinstall powersaved, then create a short cut link to suspend with powersave directly.
Back to top

Let me know if I can ask this question here........I'll delete this if I shouldn't be asking.

Can someone post the procedure on how to downgrade kde4 to kde3 (sidux) ?
Back to top

BakUp, if you are using the latest sidux, then as far as I know, you can't downgrade kde4 to kde3.5. What you could do is install the last kde3.5 version of sidux and then pin kde to 3.5 (though I have no idea how long this will work as even Debian Testing now has kde4.2)
Back to top

Good idea, anti, but I think you are right; even if you can get that working, the amount of time it is likely to work without problems is pretty limited. Though I am a fan of sidux, too, if you really want or need KDE 3.5 (versus trying another desktop or window manager), you may have to revert to a really classic system, such as SimplyMEPIS 8.0 or PCLinuxOS 2009.1 or 2. In the case of both of these distributions, both of them have plans to finally move to KDE 4.3 or 4.4 in their next releases (depending on when those releases are actually ready). Options for using KDE 3 are starting to run out, unless someone decides to fork it or maintain it in some "classic" distribution.

The good news is that KDE 4.3 is much better than earlier releases. I had OK results with KDE 4.2.2, but noticed a few defects. KDE 4.2.4 was better, but KDE 4.3, at least for me, is much better. Over 10,000 defects were addressed. KDE 4.3.1 should be out soon, and that will address even more defects, and there are supposed to be monthly defect release updates until KDE 4.4 is released early next year.

If that's not good enough, I recommend XFCE 4.6.1. I am using it now and it is rock solid.
Back to top

Thanks for the comments and suggestions masinick and anticapitalista !

I have xfce on my laptop and KDE 4.2 on my desktop. I do not believe I will have any interest in any future KDE release. KDE4 has given me a bad experience and I will never be interested in it again, I don't need it. I am more than ever attracted to xfce, maybe gnome if I have to for some reason. Two years ago I never would believe I would be saying this, ha ha ! But that is what Linux is all about.......freedom of choice.

Thanks again,
BakUp
Back to top

Thanks for a good idea! Given that I only half understand how all this works I would have missed it entirely. So I'll try it shortly - very shortly if it keeps raining outside!
Back to top

TechAdmin's advice on implementing suspend for KDE on sidux works as he suggested. Many thanks to him for the suggestion!

sidux surely is nice, but I have antiX loaded and running! And I must say it looks like fun.

And the pleasure of learning Linux -- which I knew nothing about not all that long ago -- is why I do this!
Back to top

Just to remind unaware users:

smxi is not promoted or even included in the sidux-CD/DVD"

I write this as the sidux webshop until today promotes it in the description of their CSs/DVDs even on their newest release 2009-4.

or in german



regards

Reiner

PS. They will remove it now
Back to top