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Version 6.0, June 18, 2024
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6.0-RC1
I'm running it everyday, very pleased with it.

There was a problem with LibreOffice, now solved:

https://bkhome.org/news/202406/libreoff ... thgap.html

EasyOS has Flowblade video editor built-in, and I discovered it is broken.
Have fixed that also.

Will check a few more things, and if it looks like has ticked all the boxes, will release it, as version 6.0.

You could do a new install, but I am also planning a method to update a Kirkstone installation.
But probably best to boot a new Scarthgap release first, say from usb-stick, to make sure it works ok on your hardware.

Coz, you never know. Lots of package updates, so always a possibility that it causes a problem with certain older hardware.
Linux kernel 6.6.32, gcc 13.2.0, glibc 2.39, llvm 18.1.3, mesa 24.0.3, xorg 21.1.11 updates for example.

Here it is, version 6.0 Release Candidate 1:

https://bkhome.org/news/202406/easyos-s ... 0-rc1.html

Testers welcome!

That old Compaq Presario; I picked that up off the road verge many years ago.
It was the annual verge pickup conducted by the Shire Council.
To the owners, it was just junk, but I reckon it's a gem.

Looking at past themes, might reuse one of them:

https://bkhome.org/news/202406/a-look-a ... hemes.html

BarryK wrote: ↑Wed Jun 12, 2024 5:33 am

Looking at past themes, might reuse one of them:

https://bkhome.org/news/202406/a-look-a ... hemes.html

Buster had a nice theme. the white icons lent themselves easily to many different backgrounds.

BarryK wrote: ↑Wed Jun 12, 2024 5:33 am

Looking at past themes, might reuse one of them:

https://bkhome.org/news/202406/a-look-a ... hemes.html

My preferences in the proposed themes: EasyOS Buster and Quirky Xerus.

BologneChe wrote: ↑Wed Jun 12, 2024 12:15 pm

BarryK wrote: ↑Wed Jun 12, 2024 5:33 am

Looking at past themes, might reuse one of them:

https://bkhome.org/news/202406/a-look-a ... hemes.html

My preferences in the proposed themes: EasyOS Buster and Quirky Xerus.

Which Quirky Xerus theme do you prefer?
8.5 had a night-lights wallpaper and multicolour icons.
8.1.6 had a brown theme.

https://bkhome.org/news/202110/a-look-a ... hemes.html

Greetings, Barry!
Thank you very much for this new version.
The black-blueish theme with the picture from the surface of another planet is the one I prefer.

Short question: is it possible to update to Scarthgap from Kirkstone 5.8.3?

Thanks in advance.

First impressions after fresh install:

The system seems more responsive.
The Kernel source are available with SFSget. The compilation of a module will be simpler and faster

Weird bug

In the mode direct writing on HDD, create a file in /usr/src. (Edit : The kernel sfs was installed)
Then delete /mnt/wkg/.session/usr/src. In Rox or in terminal go to /usr/src. There are error messages ("directory not available" in Rox and "state file handle" in the terminal with the ls command)
No more error messages after reboot.

(Edit: Same bug with another directories. For example create a file in /audit and then delete /mnt/wkg/.session/audit)

Installed Easy Scarthgap on a test USB stick. Posting this from Scarthgap.
First impressions are very good.

Hardware:

- Video --> Working
- 3D acceleration --> Working
- Screen brightness setting --> Working
- Audio --> Working (and easyer / faster to setup compared to Easy Kirkstone)
- Network --> Working (immediately and without any issue)
- Battery monitoring --> Working
- CPU frequency scaling --> Working
- CPU temperature monitoring --> Working
- Bluetooth --> Working (installation of the iwlwifi firmware from Debian.org needed)
- Keyboard layout and backlighting --> Working
- Mounting and reading / writing from / to NTFS partitions --> Working
- could not test the touchpad, 'cause it's physically broken on my laptop
- the CPU runs 4 °C cooler when idling (the kernel is more efficient: it now hits just 38 °C @ idle on my laptop)

Software:

Had no time to thoroughly test everything, but the system looks to be jet more responsive at first glance. It is globally faster to install and launch programs. Also graphical effects (fades etc...) look smoother.

- German locale --> Working (fixed since version 6.0.2)
- Installed Ungoogled Chromium very quickly and with no issues
- Installed AnyDesk as flatpak and it works with no issues
- The GIMP is already pre-installed (v 2.10.36)
- LibreOffice is extremely fast to launch (v 24.2.3.2)
- The system is running on Linux kernel 6.6.32
- Samba networking --> Working
- QEmu and emulation --> not jet tested

This is really impressive. This looks like the perfect EasyOS system: performing really well!! But, at this point, I do not see any need of Quantum Vis. Basically, since they both run on the Linux kernel 6, the only noticeable difference between the 2 is that the former uses own packages and the latter uses Void packages, and therfore on QV it's so much easyer to install KDE packages and apps.

Anyway, I would like to use this. For me now the main problem is how to update Easy Kirkstone to Easy Scarthgap, because, if there's no way, it will be a lot of work for us to make the jump (tons and tons of software and settings to be re-installed and re-executed).

I confirm that the CPU runs slightly hotter on Kirkstone with the kernel 5.15.158. It's 4 °C hotter when idling (42 °C instead of 38 °C). It's not the world, but it for sure results in better battery life. So I found that Scarthgap is slightly faster, slightly more efficient and includes updated software. Now I need to find some way to update.

BarryK wrote: ↑Wed Jun 12, 2024 12:31 pm

BologneChe wrote: ↑Wed Jun 12, 2024 12:15 pm

BarryK wrote: ↑Wed Jun 12, 2024 5:33 am

Looking at past themes, might reuse one of them:

https://bkhome.org/news/202406/a-look-a ... hemes.html

My preferences in the proposed themes: EasyOS Buster and Quirky Xerus.

Which Quirky Xerus theme do you prefer?
8.5 had a night-lights wallpaper and multicolour icons.
8.1.6 had a brown theme.

https://bkhome.org/news/202110/a-look-a ... hemes.html

8.1.6 - brown theme.

Federico wrote: ↑Wed Jun 12, 2024 1:00 pm

Short question: is it possible to update to Scarthgap from Kirkstone 5.8.3?

That is intended, but not yet.
I have to test the procedure, and I have already thought of something that will need to be fixed before the update will work.

Downloaded Scarthgap today. Haven't had a lot of time to try it, but all seems to work very well on first acquaintance. I'm running it on a USB stick but I plan to put it on a desktop hard drive and see how that goes. Much thanks to Barry for all his work. I've been using Easy for the last two and a half years and have been very impressed with how well everything works.

BologneChe wrote: ↑Thu Jun 13, 2024 12:20 am

8.1.6 - brown theme.

warmer colors (and icon themes that work well with warmer colors) are more amenable to those that run redshift

https://unsplash.com/photos/8NuHwPbO62k ... force=true

Caramel wrote: ↑Wed Jun 12, 2024 6:09 pm

Weird bug

In the mode direct writing on HDD, create a file in /usr/src. (Edit : The kernel sfs was installed)
Then delete /mnt/wkg/.session/usr/src. In Rox or in terminal go to /usr/src. There are error messages ("directory not available" in Rox and "state file handle" in the terminal with the ls command)
No more error messages after reboot.

(Edit: Same bug with another directories. For example create a file in /audit and then delete /mnt/wkg/.session/audit)

Yes, that is expected.
In direct mode, without running in zram, the .session folder is a layer in aufs.
The layers cannot be edited, it will greatly upset aufs.
If you do so, you have to immediately reboot.

Aufs does support direct writing to the layers, and most pups allow that; however, I disabled that feature.
The reason was, I had planned to move to overlayfs, the officially-supported alternative to aufs, that does not support direct writing to the layers. But that hasn't happened.

I could enable that feature in aufs.
The downside is that it makes aufs slightly slower.

Federico wrote: ↑Wed Jun 12, 2024 10:25 pm

Anyway, I would like to use this. For me now the main problem is how to update Easy Kirkstone to Easy Scarthgap, because, if there's no way, it will be a lot of work for us to make the jump (tons and tons of software and settings to be re-installed and re-executed).

Stay tuned!

I just installed the 6.0-RC1 onto a flash drive and everything I have used works great and even the default Chromium works without problems.

Will this update into a final release when ready or will I have to do a clean install.

I don't recall ever using a RC before although I may have and just forgotten.

Anyway my install is working will post back if any problems arise.

Thanks for your work.

Lamine having problem.

nnriyer wrote: ↑Thu Jun 13, 2024 5:44 am

Lamine having problem.

Hmmm, yes.
Previously, used limine 4.x, have now bumped to 5.x, specifically 5.20231207.1

Filenames have changed.
Looks like there is only 'limine' executable, and 'limine-bios.sys'

OK, I will fix the Limine Installer.

tammi806 wrote: ↑Thu Jun 13, 2024 1:33 am

Will this update into a final release when ready or will I have to do a clean install.

Yes, you will be able to update when 6.0 is released.

BarryK wrote: ↑Thu Jun 13, 2024 6:40 pm

tammi806 wrote: ↑Thu Jun 13, 2024 1:33 am

Will this update into a final release when ready or will I have to do a clean install.

Yes, you will be able to update when 6.0 is released.

Cool good to know.

Thanks Barry K.

Decided to see what that dark-brown theme from Quirky Xerus 8.1.6 looks like:

https://bkhome.org/news/202406/proposed ... ap-60.html

Not sure if want to go for that, for 6.0, though.

BarryK wrote: ↑Fri Jun 14, 2024 6:05 am

Decided to see what that dark-brown theme from Quirky Xerus 8.1.6 looks like

Not legible theme.

Hi, I wonder if you could incorporate anything in the theme from the the very first Puppy since Scarthgap has evolved from it, and its almost its anniversary?

I've no idea what the fist one looked like but just a thought!

Happy Anniversary anyway! (19th June 2003).

Cheers

(Scarthgap working wonders on my HP Mini 210-2000 frugal and usb and blazing on my Dell XPS 15 via usb!)

warmer colors (and icon themes that work well with warmer colors) are more amenable to those that run redshift

https://unsplash.com/photos/8NuHwPbO62k ... force=true

Nice...

Has anybody tested samba?
That's one thing I haven't got around to yet.

Kirkstone has samba version 4.14.14
Scarthgap has 4.19.5

I hope the version bump hasn't caused any issues.

Hi Barry,
I tested Samba and it's 100% working.

- Configured the Samba service through EasyShare
- the default share ( /files ) can be accessed and written on from Windows PCs
- the service detects automatically and successfully Windows network shares
- the Windows network shares can be read but not written on through Rox Filer. This is normal 'cause, if I remember well, to write on samba shares from EasyOS a custom mount command containing network credentials is needed

Unfortunately I also discovered that the system is plagued with the same video issue that I already reported for Quantum Vis: after a couple of reboots the X server stopped working for me, and did not come back. Reconfiguring it through xorgwizard and trying to start the system on another physical machine did not solve the problem. It is exactly the same issue.
I checked my testing USB stick through fsck from my working Kirkstone system and it reported:

# fsck /dev/sdb2
fsck von util-linux 2.37.4
e2fsck 1.46.5 (30-Dec-2021)
easy2: clean, 30328/3760128 files, 1122382/15018496 blocks

Can someone please confirm this? Is everyone able to boot the system as many times as needed? I am on Intel:

# lspci | grep VGA
0000:00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation TigerLake-LP GT2 [Iris Xe Graphics] (rev 01)
# 

I really hope that this is nothing too severe. Thanks in advance.

If I reinstall the Scarthgap image onto the USB stick from scratch I regain the ability to boot the system, but just for a couple of times. So I assume that the stick is OK, and that either:

- the kernel is buggy

or:
- the driver is buggy

or:
- the shutdown routine makes something wrong

Most probably this does only occur on specific hardware. Please someone confirm this.

I have tried Scarthgap on USB with 3 different computers, 2 desktops and a laptop, no issues after multiple times booting.

Federico wrote: ↑Fri Jun 14, 2024 4:52 pm

Unfortunately I also discovered that the system is plagued with the same video issue that I already reported for Quantum Vis: after a couple of reboots the X server stopped working for me, and did not come back. Reconfiguring it through xorgwizard and trying to start the system on another physical machine did not solve the problem. It is exactly the same issue.

I think that you previously reported result of running "report-video" in a terminal?
and it showed Xorg using the "modesetting" driver?

If so, try change to the "intel" driver in xorgwizard, or vice-versa.