Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=puppy

There was around 185 reviews posted, but now they show 45.

Not as big a sample of reviews as other Linux OS's, shown on DistroWatch.

All developers of Puppy Linux versions and Woof-CE, should look at the really low ratting reviews.

Those are good indications on what really needs to be worked on and improved!

See my next post

I just had a quick peek on the site and it gives this information currently:

Reader supplied reviews for Puppy Linux

Average rating
7.8
from 45 review(s)

That doesn't sound bad to me ............. have I missed something?

When it had 185 reviews listed.

The average ratting score was 8.9.

I think what they have done is delete some of the really, really old reviews.
A lot of them gave Puppy a 10.0 ratting.

Some of the newest reviews are giving Puppy a 1.0 ratting.

Those to me are saying what Puppy needs to improve.

Aaahhh .... then that does make a big difference!!

They do an annual purge of contents, could this be the reason why?

I only know this as the application packages need to be submitted etc for inclusion each year (June).

Hopefully, someone can contact the Admin and seek clarification.

bigpup wrote: Wed May 24, 2023 3:28 pm

Some of the newest reviews are giving Puppy a 1.0 ratting.
Those to me are saying what Puppy needs to improve.

consider the source, here is a couple of " 1 " votes:

I couldn't start it on my flash drive, no matter what I tried, and I still had wireless connection issues. I think it needs an improvement in terms of hardware drivers support...

I would be curious to know if this guy actually tried to install after reading some documentation or just assumed "etcher should work"? But wait, maybe he did get it working if he had "wireless connection issues" hmmm, maybe he was expecting a full driver package? Should devs make note of this?

Very lightweight distro, will resurrect any machine from many years ago, but that's all. It lacks many features, repositories are extremely limited, and many packages are out of date. Recurrent problems with certain hardware, which was my case, like audio card and bluetooth. I don't see it as a distro for ''home users'' as they claim, it seems more like it is for a very specific niche, who need something extremely light for some weak or old system. You can only use root, and it's extremely difficult to even change the password. I also encountered some problems where the terminal could not find CLI commands or identify apps, like vim. Very difficult to use as a daily drive. I've come to the conclusion that Puppy is not for me, but I wish good adventures for those who want to try it out.

Ok, a more comprehensive review. where should we start?

did he install Vim or assume "it should be there" ?

is he looking for cli apps often installed with the major distros and assumes every bash shell has all his preferred cli apps?

in general, is he/she expecting it to be just like something else? Does he assume all linux distros should meet a "minimum" standard?

What should that be?

User-reviews are what they are.

Here is a snippet from one:

Version: 22.12
Rating: 3
Date: 2022-12-20
Votes: 12

It is a good distro, but it lacks support.
There is a forum but not very friendly.

Hmm?

yes, I have seen a lot of what could be percieved as unfriendly behavior directed towards new guys.

I am unsure if it was @dimkr or @ozsouth , but they always suggest/provide a larger firmware base.

To me that is great suggestion plus isn't there a member who regularly provides a "large" firmware SFS?

If users are experiencing issues, could they not be directed to this repository/directory?

Newer kernels drop out support for older hardware, so instead of users trying out the latest builds, maybe redirecting them to an older kernel or see if someone would be kind enough to compile a driver for the kernel they are currently using.

Jasper wrote: Wed May 24, 2023 6:51 pm

I am unsure if it was @dimkr or @ozsouth , but they always suggest/provide a larger firmware base.

To me that is great suggestion plus isn't there a member who regularly provides a "large" firmware SFS?

If users are experiencing issues, could they not be directed to this repository/directory?

Newer kernels drop out support for older hardware, so instead of users trying out the latest builds, maybe redirecting them to an older kernel or see if someone would be kind enough to compile a driver for the kernel they are currently using.

Large firmware collection shared by "gyro"...

https://www.mediafire.com/folder/k2j223jzddy9x/firmware

Jasper wrote: Wed May 24, 2023 6:51 pm

I am unsure if it was @dimkr or @ozsouth , but they always suggest/provide a larger firmware base.

If Bookworm Pup64 sticks with the Debian kernel and about 100 MB of Debian firmware packages, hardware support will be superior to any previous "official" Puppy. And having apt included and working well is priceless. Yes, it's bigger. But at least, it works out of the box and addresses some of Puppy's weakest points.

williwaw wrote: Wed May 24, 2023 4:46 pm

yes, I have seen a lot of what could be percieved as unfriendly behavior directed towards new guys.

Can you give some examples?

I have to wonder which of these reviews are for S15 or fossapup. From my experience with S15, not being an old time slackware guy, I found the repository to be really bare bones. I actually was a little shocked by it. Seemed to me slackware is for those who like to compile.

It didn't seem to fit as a daily driver for me, and I've got a lot of puppy experience at this point.

I'm kind of wondering if F96_CE4 with a fat driver/firmare selection would be a good next offering on distrowatch, if it's not there already.

I think
JammyPup64 (@jrb )
or
BookwormPup64 (@radky )
or
both
should be next "release" - F96-CE is fine but is based on 2020 vintage components

Why is that? I will never visit that site again dude

DW is for profit.
I check DW for its "Latest Packages" only.

@peebee

...............based on 2020 vintage components

That's only 3 years ago ............. in canine years that's 21 years ago ............ point taken

That's why F96-CE is considered a bridge to whichever next newest Puppy Linux will be.

@rockedge

FP-96-CE does stand on it's own feet IMO.

Also, its a LTS build ending on April, 2025. Hopefully kernel updates/PPM will be keep working until then (?)

It might not be the latest build but it's a rock solid offering to users. As always credit to all members who contributed to it's release and upkeep

bigpup wrote: Wed May 24, 2023 3:18 pm

https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=puppy

There was around 185 reviews posted, but now they show 45.

Not as big a sample of reviews as other Linux OS's, shown on DistroWatch.

All developers of Puppy Linux versions and Woof-CE, should look at the really low ratting reviews.

Those are good indications on what really needs to be worked on and improved!

See my next post

why dont we all just get in there an write a fantastic review - about a fantastic distro....? easy peasy lemon squeezy
I have already! - plenty of good stuff to say

That could be a good idea, because if all Puppy Linux users were to write fantastic reviews about Puppy Linux on DistroWatch, it could have several potential outcomes:

Puppy linux is going to Increase its visibility because it would receive a significant boost in visibility on DistroWatch, a popular website that tracks and reviews various Linux distributions, because as you know, positive reviews from a large user base would likely draw attention to the distribution, potentially increasing its ranking and exposure.

You are going to attract new users because when potential users visit DistroWatch and read numerous glowing reviews, they may be inclined to give Puppy Linux a try, especially if they are looking for a lightweight distribution.

You are going to have a enhanced reputation because thispositive reviews possibly increase number of positive experiences shared by users and could solidify its status as a reliable and well-regarded distribution within the Linux community.

Our community growth but it is possible it has an increased quantity, not quality, and with it, Puppy linux developers are going to be more motivated and are going to work more with puppy, because the positive feedback from users may serve as an encouragement and motivation for them.

BUT... YOU SHOULD NEVER FORGET that artificially inflating review scores or manipulating the system with fake reviews is generally discouraged and can be counterproductive.

Genuine and honest reviews are more valuable in the long run, as they provide accurate feedback for potential users and help developers identify areas for improvement.

Advanced SEO and Market analysts consider not only the quantity and valuation of the different posts that appear in distrowach, but also their quality.

All of us can imagine that a positive comment from Barry K is not the same as one from any other user and, above all, you should not forget that a survey was recently raised in this same forum, and some 60 people have participated (and it was only scoring, I don't know the degree of participation if you had been asked to write a comment of about 250 words, haha) [related with this, did you see anytime a review made by Barry ? Ask yoursleves why... ]

Of course, it is an idea we must consider, but I mentioned, when you manipulate data, you can manipulate more things and obtain the opposite result.

As always, it is only a personal reflection.- of course, all of you can act the way u think correct.

Have a nice day.

------------------------- edited------------------------------

It's only an advice.- When you underline some of the pros of a distribution, be sure those "pros" are going to be satisfied, for instance, when you pointed out ...

I urge everybody to give it a try - you wont be dissapointet!!! the puppy community is always helpfull and fun, a bunch of good people!

You are using the terms: ALWAYS, helpfun and fun.... and this doesn't depend on you, and "always" is a difficult word, hahah and "good" has subjective values , as you can see... no everybody think the same way:

williwaw wrote: Wed May 24, 2023 4:46 pm

yes, I have seen a lot of what could be percieved as unfriendly behavior directed towards new guys.

____________________________________________

I wanna finish with my personal experience: I discovered puppy and I gave it a try, because.... IT WAS NOT THE FIRST AT DISTROWACH... and yes, I know, I'm very special, hahahah

CHEERS.

Gnimmelf wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 2:17 pm

bigpup wrote: Wed May 24, 2023 3:18 pm

https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=puppy

There was around 185 reviews posted, but now they show 45.

Not as big a sample of reviews as other Linux OS's, shown on DistroWatch.

All developers of Puppy Linux versions and Woof-CE, should look at the really low ratting reviews.

Those are good indications on what really needs to be worked on and improved!

See my next post

why dont we all just get in there an write a fantastic review - about a fantastic distro....? easy peasy lemon squeezy
I have already! - plenty of good stuff to say

i hear you! i just thought that Puppy linux doesnt get the attention it really deserves! and that it could be helped by a bunch of good and sincere reviews from happy puppy people

It was nice years ago, when computers hasn't got nowadays power.- Today it is fixed in the past.

All of us know that Puppy Linux is a lightweight and minimalist Linux distribution that is designed to run on older or low-spec hardware. While Puppy Linux can be useful in certain situations, there are a few reasons why it may not be recommended for everyone:

Limited package availability: Puppy Linux uses its own package manager called "PET" (Puppy Package Manager) and doesn't have access to the wide range of software available in mainstream Linux distributions. This can make it challenging to find and install certain applications or libraries that you may need.

Less community support: Puppy Linux has a smaller user base compared to popular Linux distributions like Ubuntu or Fedora. As a result, there may be fewer online resources, forums, or community support available when you encounter issues or need help with troubleshooting.

Lack of long-term support: Puppy Linux follows a different release model compared to many mainstream distributions. Instead of regular long-term support (LTS) releases, Puppy Linux tends to have more frequent updates and releases. This can make it more difficult to rely on Puppy Linux for long-term stability and security updates.

Steeper learning curve: While Puppy Linux is known for its simplicity and ease of use, it still requires some technical knowledge and familiarity with Linux. If you are new to Linux or prefer a more user-friendly experience, other distributions like Ubuntu or Linux Mint may be more suitable.

Hardware compatibility issues: Puppy Linux may not always work out of the box with all hardware configurations. Due to its lightweight nature, certain hardware components or drivers may not be supported, requiring additional configuration or troubleshooting to get them working properly.

Ultimately, whether Puppy Linux is suitable for you depends on your specific needs and requirements. If you have older hardware or prefer a minimalist Linux distribution, Puppy Linux can be a viable option. However, if you require extensive software availability, long-term support, or a larger community for support, you may want to consider other mainstream Linux distributions.

This is one of the reviews that rated Puppy a 2.

It does give some information on what could be improved or made better.

But it also is still trying to compare Puppy Linux to how other operating systems work.
This person just does not get the difference and understand why it is different.

I guess they think a operating system's software package repository, should have every possible piece of Linux software in it.
None of them do!!!!!

I have no idea what they think is a big user base?
I guess they have never seen this forum.

Wonder what they would say about Windows 11 after using an older version of Windows.
Oh wait, that thing works like a cell phone.

bigpup wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 8:41 pm

This is one of the reviews that rated Puppy a 2.

It does give some information on what could be improved or made better.

I am guessing the devs can make note of what the devs do (or don't).

Does anyone have any suggestions on how us forumites can do better?

@bigpup
I could never have started with Puppy Linux as my first distribution. I took my experience with Linux Mint. And already with this distribution, there is a learning curve to climb slowly. Need to be a bit more experienced to use Puppy.

bigpup wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 8:41 pm

But it also is still trying to compare Puppy Linux to how other operating systems work.
This person just does not get the difference and understand why it is different.

It could be possible that in this comment " People is still trying to compare Puppy Linux....." is the key of the problem.

Puppy is a special system, it has it own particularities... and it is possible we should do potential users know they are going to use something special, that can use the resources of other LINUX distros, but has it own particularities.

bigpup wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 8:41 pm

I have no idea what they think is a big user base?
I guess they have never seen this forum.

I agree again with you.- That is the reason I made a comment in other post viewtopic.php?p=90382#p90382 about valorations and its value.....

It's late here... I have been working a lot so this comment could be out of context.... try to understand me, jajaja

Have a nice day u all.- CHEERS .