Revisiting antiX and SimplyMEPIS

Revisiting antiX and SimplyMEPIS

The sidux, SimplyMEPIS, and antiX distributions are the trilogy of systems that I prefer to use the most, though I have, test, and use many more systems. Recently I have updated the most current software updates across each of my systems, but other than that, I have not been using much beside sidux. With sidux, I've spent several days using different desktop and window managers, including the relatively recent KDE 4.2.2, fvwm-crystal, and XFCE.

Yesterday I made it a point to spend some time with both antiX and SimplyMEPIS. There were no package updates in SimplyMEPIS at all; it is rock stable. There were only a few package updates to antiX, which is based on Debian Testing. Both of them ran very smoothly and cleanly. No wonder I keep them among my trilogy of systems!

What I enjoy about all three of my favorite systems is that they work so well; that is what is common about the three of them, along with the fact that each of them is based upon Debian packaging: sidux is based on Debian Sid, antiX is based on Debian Testing, and SimplyMEPIS is based on Debian Stable. By using all three of them, I can get a pretty good idea about what is going on in each of these Debian repositories. I also have an installed copy of Debian Lenny, which, like SimplyMEPIS, is quite solid and stable; I have it implemented with XFCE and it is also fast.

In addition to being able to track what is going on with Debian by using these distributions, I also get three very good systems that have three very different, distinctive attributes that I appreciate, attributes that are difficult to obtain in a single system. sidux is a cutting edge system, antiX is a light, fast, and flexible system, and SimplyMEPIS is a simple, stable system. All three of them are among the best, if not THE best, with those particular attributes, and I consider each of them to be at the top of their class for the kind of niche they fill. In addition to that, I happen to like each distribution, and the communities that represent them are very helpful.

Revisiting antiX and SimplyMEPIS

Revisiting antiX and SimplyMEPIS

The sidux, SimplyMEPIS, and antiX distributions are the trilogy of systems that I prefer to use the most, though I have, test, and use many more systems. Recently I have updated the most current software updates across each of my systems, but other than that, I have not been using much beside sidux. With sidux, I've spent several days using different desktop and window managers, including the relatively recent KDE 4.2.2, fvwm-crystal, and XFCE.

Yesterday I made it a point to spend some time with both antiX and SimplyMEPIS. There were no package updates in SimplyMEPIS at all; it is rock stable. There were only a few package updates to antiX, which is based on Debian Testing. Both of them ran very smoothly and cleanly. No wonder I keep them among my trilogy of systems!

What I enjoy about all three of my favorite systems is that they work so well; that is what is common about the three of them, along with the fact that each of them is based upon Debian packaging: sidux is based on Debian Sid, antiX is based on Debian Testing, and SimplyMEPIS is based on Debian Stable. By using all three of them, I can get a pretty good idea about what is going on in each of these Debian repositories. I also have an installed copy of Debian Lenny, which, like SimplyMEPIS, is quite solid and stable; I have it implemented with XFCE and it is also fast.

In addition to being able to track what is going on with Debian by using these distributions, I also get three very good systems that have three very different, distinctive attributes that I appreciate, attributes that are difficult to obtain in a single system. sidux is a cutting edge system, antiX is a light, fast, and flexible system, and SimplyMEPIS is a simple, stable system. All three of them are among the best, if not THE best, with those particular attributes, and I consider each of them to be at the top of their class for the kind of niche they fill. In addition to that, I happen to like each distribution, and the communities that represent them are very helpful.

Updating systems

I did a lot of software updating this past week, updating most of the distributions on three distinct systems I have at home, a Compaq/HP D530 desktop and two laptops, first a Lenovo 3000 Y410, then what I call a portable, a Gateway PA6A 17" system, which is what I typically use as my desktop.

All updates went well, and we seem to be going through a time of relative quiet, at least for the stable distributions. The Mandriva Cooker, on the other hand, had 715 initial updates, then when I removed some old packages with old file dependencies, I added well over 400 new packages when I added the complete KDE4 metapackage (which I may disassemble at some point in the future). The Mandriva Cooker did well, particularly since it is really at an early Alpha stage for the Mandriva 2010.0 Fall release.

Ubuntu also released Alpha 1 this week; I have not gotten into that - I may wait until Alpha 2 or 3 to get involved in it.

Updating software on Linux systems

I spent a few hours today updating software packages on several of my Linux systems, including sidux, xubuntu, kubuntu, Debian Lenny, and gOS. All of the updates went well. The other day I also updated my SimplyMEPIS and PCLinuxOS systems, and those updates also went well.

I am going to double check antiX and make sure I update anti to the latest and greatest, too.

KDE 4.2.2 still has a few problems

I went through the first week or so without encountering any major issues with KDE 4.2.2 at all, but once I started using more than just Email and a Web browser, I started running into issues. I used Dolphin, the new file manager, to locate a Word 2007 document that someone had sent me and I opened it. Open Office 3.0.1 got about halfway through initialization, then froze the entire desktop. At first, I could not tell what was responsible for the issue, so I tried it again. I should note that when I say froze the entire desktop, in the past, I could issue a Ctrl-Alt-F1 ... F4 and start a non graphical interface. I was locked from doing that; no key sequences at all responded; holding the power button for five seconds is the only thing that worked.

Did it again, was able to open a few files, but coming back to the same file on the third or fourth try blew me right out of the desktop - but that's better, at least I did not have to reboot. Once I saw that, I blame Plasma for the issue, but also Open Office for erratic behavior. However, running with fvwm-crystal, I saw no symptoms of an issue with Open Office, despite opening several files repeatedly, therefore I believe this to actually be a KDE 4.2.2 and more specifically a Plasma issue. Have to follow up to verify this, then issue a bug report so that this can get fixed.

KDE 4.2.2 installed on sidux

KDE 4.2.2 installed on sidux

I have successfully install KDE 4.2.2 on two existing sidux systems, upgrading, using the smxi tool to the current system packages, removing select KDE 3.5 packages, and then upgrading to the latest KDE software, all under complete control of smxi. It all worked flawlessly, once more a great testimony of what sidux and smxi are capable of doing, providing the very latest in cutting edge software that works with reliability and great performance.

PCLinuxOS 2009.1 Mini review

Last time I was here I said that I would try to remember to comment on PCLinuxOS after I get a chance to install the final version. I have also previously tested at least two of the earlier test versions. The first test version would not load for me; I was disappointed; ALL previous PCLinuxOS versions, whether test or not, worked great. The second test version I tried, test 3, was better. Apps worked fine; wireless did not work.

The final version works a lot better. I installed it a few weeks ago on my Gateway PA6A laptop, then gave it to my son to use. I got wireless working fairly quickly on that one. This week I installed it on my Lenovo Y410 laptop and it was, if anything, even easier. I have not found any serious defects on either machine.

Just about everything you need for routine computing is on this system. The live CD boots in a reasonable amount of time, but if you load it completely into RAM then install from there, it is one of the fastest hard disk installations I know of. Only sidux is faster.

This is one of three really easy systems to use, and one of the few I would recommend to first time users. My two children use PCLinuxOS regularly when they spend time with daddy. On my GRUB bootloader menu, I put their names, followed by PCLinuxOS to make it easy to see in my multi-distro boot menu. They find it easily and have no problems using it. Is that enough of a testimonial to PCLinuxOS?