Vivaldi browser and other applications

[szept]

Ok guys, so I'm very, very starting - just turned my USB into EasyOS (Dunfell 4.5.3) drive. I've started using Linux probably around 20 years ago, but just from time to time - I'm not an expert, just a casual Linux user, but recently I only used Puppy (I switched from Lubuntu few months ago). Few days ago I've found out about EasyOS, so I thought I'll give it a go, because I had to format my Puppy USB into EXT3 anyway (I've been told, on this forum, that the use of FAT partition is very limited - I couldn't expand the size of SAVE, Appimages didn't work directly from USB and SFS wouldn't load on start). So here I am. The first thing I've noticed - the WiFi setup is not over (a bit) complicated as it was in Puppy - it's straightforward on Windows, Ubuntu, Lubuntu and Antix, but on FossaPup64 9.5 f.e. you have to know where to type the password as there are 3 boxes IIRC. Well, tomorrow I'll check how it will be for cable connection as I had to do few more steps on Puppy to get on-line (again, all the others I mentioned previously connected automatically, while with Puppy I had to do some clicks - I admit it wasn't too complicated, but I'm curious how will that go).

Anyway, going back to the topic! The very first installation I do on fresh Windows and Linux is Vivaldi browser. On Puppy I downloaded a DEB package from official website (the "get Vivaldi" from Puppy app menu didn't work) and the installation was straightforward, but it didn't work here. I mean there was a "successful installation" notice, but it won't run where I click on the Vivaldi icon in the "internet" menu. Also, it won't show up in the "Default App Chooser". How to make it work?

Few weeks ago, while looking for help for Puppy I've found out there are other options for applications than installation. I've learned about SFS, Appimages and portables (I'm not sure about last one). Not sure what exactly are they, but I've been told they're better at least from the storage perspective. While trying to get Polish version of LibreOffice in Puppy I somehow got and SFS of it directly on my USB and it was running fine, so I have that SFS here and it's working fine as well. I couldn't find SFS for FreeCAD and ShotCut, but I've found Appimages and they're working fine as well. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think I've read somewhere in EasyOS instructions that the SFS are the recommended files here - is that correct? Shall I use SFS (or maybe Appimage) for Vivaldi instead of DEB install? If yes, where can I find more SFS'es (would be nice to get OBS as well)?

Btw, where's the magnifying glass (it was next to MENU in Puppy)? ;(((
This was very useful for a Linux newbie like me. Has it been hidden somewhere?

Last question is how to add shortcuts on the bar (taskbar?) next to the start MENU (e.g. file manager, browser, shutdown button)?

EasyOS looks quite cool so far, thanks!
Damian

P.S.
Where do I check my EasyOS version?

[szept]

I was trying # su apt-get -y install ./vivaldi*.deb but it won't work as well.

Few more comments! I really like the password setup on the first start and then typing password on system load.

Another bug on Puppy was the Keyboard Layout changed back to default us-English (from Polish) every time I run my Puppy USB on different PC, but it didn't change if I restarted the same PC. Tomorrow I'll check Easy on a different PC - let's find out! ;D
Oh, yes, and the volume freaked out when I connected my headphones and later disconnected them. I had to run my previous Puppy save to compare volume settings and one drop-down list wasn't set as before - that was the cause. Can I keep my older save files on EasyOS and replace then when I screw something up as I did on Puppy? Where is the EasyOS save? I think it was mentioned somewhere in tutorial, but I cannot find it now :/

My USB is 30GB and I'm pretty sure on the first run of EasyOS the storage was 4,4GB personal & 4,4GB free, but on the second and third it's 5,5/5,4GB - is that possible? I'm not 100% sure it was like this, but I think it was. Anyway

Oh, noooooo - DEL isn't for removing files, it's Ctrl+X, why, oh why... ;P
I also got used to Ctrl+Alt+V in terminal. Any reason to change all that? Just being curious
F2 is not for rename file?! What is the keyboard shortcut for this then?
A pity Alt+Tab is going through all opened windows, not just two recent ones (like in Windows or Ubuntu).

The icon on the tray got very tiny. I mean the Firefox icon was very wide, from left to right on the whole bar and now its tiny little square. I was trying few stuff in JWMdesk, but I'm pretty sure I reverted all of them...

And this keep changes back to "center" after applying and quitting.

[szept]

Wired connection as well as language settings all working fine on another PC - awesome!

Ok... I did everything according to the installation tutorial and it says to download Dunfell. I think I've got an outdated version!

I'm going to grab the #5 then! I assume the installation process is the same.

P.S.
No, I don't mind having a lengthy conversation with myself...

[BarryK]

The tutorial pages are sometimes trailing behind, and get updated when I have some spare time. The current release is 5.0

Regarding vivaldi, the next release of Easy will have it in the menu, "Internet -> Download latest Vivaldi"
That will download and install vivaldi for you.
If you have installed a vivaldi deb beforehand, please be sure to uninstall it.

If you are booting from a usb-stick, there is a "save folder" in the second partition of the usb-stick (we call it the "working partition".
If you have a 30GB usb-stick, then you have almost that much free space -- however, as the default is to run in RAM and only flush to the working-partition when you choose to or at shutdown, the tray will only be showing free space in the RAM (which might be surprisingly high, because Easy uses file compression in the RAM)

Unlike Puppy, there are not different "save files" or "save folders", just the one; however, you can take snapshots and roll back or roll forward. See the menu "Filesystem -> Easy Version Control".

Don't want to overload you with information, but if you click on the "save" icon on the desktop, you will see a checkbox "direct writes to the drive". If you tick this then reboot, all file writes will go directly to the drive. This does result in more writes to the Flash drive, which is why it is not the default.
But you should notice the tray is now showing almost 30GB free space. That's coz you are not using the RAM as an in-between.

Note that for good quality SSDs, direct writing is OK. Cheap usb flash sticks though, will last longer if you use the indirect save.

[szept]

Thanks for the info!

Ok, so I've got the #5 now and... I've noticed few suprisingly behaviours. The right ALT which is used for Polish letters doesn't work. In the browser I think it works as ENTER. Also, the sound didn't work straighaway, I had to go through options and unmute in Output Devices.

Another thing is the wierd changing of themes/background. Watch the whole video as there are funny things going on while hovering the mouse over desktop icons later on

I think I'll try previous version of EasyOS.

EDIT:
All 3 Kirkstones (4.101, 4.99, 5.0) present same behavior - the ALT key works as ENTER and the JWMdesk icon/theme/background image changes screw up desktop appearance. I'm back on Dunfell. 4.5.5 and 4.5.3 are both muted on default, not sure how did I not notice it on the first 4.5.3. Is it possible it unmuted itself somehow?

[BarryK]

Regarding problem with JWMDesk, please contact radky, the developer of JWMDesk, at this forum thread:

viewtopic.php?t=3561

The latest is version 3.6, which is in Easy.

[szept]

Thanks, done. What about the ALT key doing the ENTER job - is that also due to JWMdesk?

P.S.
Can I somehow change the pRun application launcher settings to find an app by only partially typed name? F.e. I'd like to find LMarbles by typing only Marbles. Is that possible or do I always need to know the exact name of app?

[Keef]

do I always need to know the exact name of app?

Yes. But pRun should do what you want, and offer matches as you type (auto-completion). For lmarbles, I just type 'lm'.

[szept]

pRun should do what you want, and offer matches as you type (auto-completion). For lmarbles, I just type 'lm'.

Yes, it does find apps if why I type is exactly the beginning of the name, but that means I have to know at least the first few letters. It doesn't show anything if I start typing from anything but the very first letter and the following letters. Also, I mine doesn't find LibreOffice, even if I have it.

[BarryK]

pRun finds executables.
In the case of LibreOffice, they are 'swriter' 'soffice' etc - - going from memory coz on a train right now.

Note, you can find a list of all files an app has installed, in /root/.packages/built-in

[szept]

pRun finds executables. In the case of LibreOffice, they are 'swriter' 'soffice' etc.

Yesterday I was trying to find LibreOffice by typing soffice, but it didn't work, but it finds swriter and scalc. Is it possible to make pRun finding executables, but not only by typing the exact name from the very first letter, but also if I only type some part of the name, e.g. it finds Audacious if I type ciou only (as well as everything else with the name including ciou).

Note, you can find a list of all files an app has installed, in /root/.packages/built-in

Do you mean that bunch of text files in /root/.packages/builtin_files/ ???
There are no swriter or scalc there.

[BarryK]

Do you mean that bunch of text files in /root/.packages/builtin_files/ ???
There are no swriter or scalc there.

Look in /root/.packages/builtin_files/libreoffice

[Keef]

Try using the wildcard character '*' - e.g '*cio'.

[szept]

Ok, so I've discovered that the crazy desktop issue as well as ALT-key issue (ALT working as ENTER key) are gone after the very first restart of EasyOS (same happens to Puppy F96-CE), when the session save files is created. Hence, I'm getting the 5.1 now - thanks for Vivaldi!!!

Look in /root/.packages/builtin_files/libreoffice

Ok, so it's there

Try using the wildcard character '*' - e.g '*cio'.

That's exactly was I was looking for!!!!!!! Thanks