@bigpup / @rockedge / @wiak / @fredx181 / @all :-
bigpup wrote: Wed Jan 15, 2025 12:32 am
This forum is named Puppy Linux forum.
Everything on it should be about Puppy Linux.
Rockedge is allowing operating systems, that are not Puppy Linux, to have space on the Puppy Linux forum.
A free ride!
.......</snip>
If this forum is going to be a bunch of different Linux OS's forum.
Then it needs to say that in the name of the forum.
@bigpup :-
I don't know if you missed it, my friend, but the entire reason for the continued use of the "Puppy Linux Discussion Forum" title has been dissected & explained at length already in this thread. It's all about the SEO rankings (Search Engine Optimizations).....and how people find us in the first place.
Love it or loathe it, like it or not, Puppy has - in a way - been a victim of its own success.....hailing back to its roots, in the days when something like a Puppy was a revelation. For better or for worse, Puppy has become a "brand name"; almost a 'generic' name - like 'Hoover' is for vacuum cleaner - when anybody starts discussing small, portable operating systems.
However; remember the general description of Puppy (and derivatives) as it is used today. A family of similarly-engineered small distros, bound by common, core concepts, attempting to provide a similar experience.....regardless of choice.
From the Home page:-
"Puppy Linux is a collection of multiple Linux distributions, built on the same shared principles, built using the same set of tools, built on top of a unique set of puppy specific applications and configurations and generally speaking provide consistent behaviours and features, no matter which flavours you choose."
That's always been something of a loose, fluid description, leaving plenty of "wiggle-room" for modification/experimentation. But; we have to move with the times.
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I have a confession to make to you all. I've always said that, yes; on occasion I get the urge to try something different.....and I never stray far, or for very long.....and ALWAYS return to the "sanity" of the "kennels". Familiarity has a tendency to "breed contempt", as it were, and makes so many humans think that the way they are USED to doing things is the only way they CAN be done. We're creatures of habit, most of us.....whether we admit it or not.
However.....
Although I've always maintained I'm a Puppy 'fan', first & foremost, I have on many occasions sampled several of the multitude of alternative offerings that have always been available in our community. Furthermore, I've always tried to keep an open mind & judge them on their merits, and NOT compare them to what I'm used to. I've probably been "naughty", too, in that I rarely - if ever - give any kind of feedback on my try-outs. I owe many individuals an apology over that lack of feedback.
Less than 6 months after joining, I was already experimenting with the 'Mariner' edition of Lighthouse64.
I've tried out several of Barry's offerings over the years.
I tried out the DebianDogs, both before AND after Fred took over at the helm. Unique wee distros, the only thing that put me off was the primary use of Synaptic. (I had a very bad introduction to the whole concept of package managers, primarily Synaptic, many years ago, which put me right off using them, despite that they're the most efficient way to install things. I was pleased when I initially discovered Puppy didn't really rely on one to the extent that mainstream distros did).
I've used 10wt3ch's Studio Pups for years.
I gave the early kennel Linux distros a fair crack of the whip....especially 'Airedale'. A lot of novel, inventive work has gone into these small distros, and they ARE incredibly good. And as for Sofiya's work, I'm.....I'm speechless, honestly I am. They're in a class of their own.
The main reason I keep returning to Puppy is simple.....and it's nothing to do with being 'bone-headed', or 'stubborn', or unwilling to change. I've invested so much time and effort in creating totally unique set-ups, tailored & fine-tuned to my unique, personal requirements.....and I've reached that stage of my life where the enthusiasm just isn't there any more. But I have every respect for those that still have it..!
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As for that "title".....hm.
It's what brings the traffic in our direction, it's true. But in no way does it even begin to hint at the treasure-trove of absolute gems this community offers.....and by that, I include everyone. Even @wiak (bless 'im!).....whose FirstRibit scripts (or was that wd_multi? Not sure now) got a try-out by me a couple of years ago. I was very impressed, being able to create a totally portable build of Manjaro Linux. THAT was neat.
We need to keep the title for historic & technical reasons. But there's no reason for NOT having a more equitable division of the available real-estate, given just how much utterly exquisite workmanship there IS to "display". I wonder if it might be an idea to have something like an initial, single, short "landing-page" come up before the "front-page" proper, giving the visitor a welcome, making it totally clear that what he/she is about to find is very much MORE than just Puppy in this modern day & age.....and giving a small list of direct links to each of the main distro sections. one for KL, one for FatDog, one for Easy, etc. This gives the individual the option to proceed straight to a given section if they already know what they're looking for. Otherwise, there can be a BIG button at the bottom saying something quirky like "Into the kennels..... >>>>>". Or summat like that, anyroad.
Just an idea.
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And last (but not least). Quite simply, i feel I owe EVERYBODY an apology for my somewhat erratic behaviour - including outbursts - this last week or two. Mama - who hit 91, 3 days ago - has (we believe) had a series of mini-TIAs over the Xmas/New Year period. At one point we thought she'd lost her eyesight; on another occasion, she was breathing so shallowly during an afternoon nap that I honestly thought she'd passed away. Needless to say, I've been on edge for several days now.
If I had the sense I was born with, I'd have kept away.....but you guys are like family after all these years, and the familiar surroundings have kept me somewhat calmer, and kept my mind off other things. Erik, in particular, did NOT deserve my outburst yesterday.
Anyways; there ya go. That's my 'take' on things after due consideration.....whether y'all consider it constructive or not.
Mike.