Anyone interested in trying to get SLICK moving forward? In my opinion the SLICK concept rocks! The challenges might be monumental. SLICK - openSUSE
Some of those monumental challenges:
Small size openSuSE
Speed improvement (even if it’s just a perception)
Clean no-bloat kit of selected software
A version that isn’t a true fork.
Complete compatibility with the normal repositories.
Option to use KDE 3.5.10
(I’m cheating I’ve added that last one)
I originally believed that the concepts of SLICK and SuperSuSE were good and held some great promise. It would be nice to allow users more creative ways to use OpenSuSE. That DVD download can be a real hippo. Assuming the SLICK project was successful then we can work on OpenSuSE for Source Code fanatics, OpenSuSE for Dummies, and OpenSuSE for Forkers. Give people the tools and the creativite minds will run!
I would love Slick to get rolling again. I think it was a great concept. I only wish I new more about the process they used to get those CD’s set up without the dependencies issues that you tend to get on a normal install. There are certain packages that are marked as needed which really aren’t in some of the patterns out there.
My first linux distro I cut my teeth on was coyotelinux
(router/firewall) all ran off a 1.68MB floppy. Had to learn how to use
redhat 6.2 on a sparcstation 64 that I have been given to create it
first…lol
–
Cheers Malcolm °¿° (Linux Counter #276890)
openSUSE 11.1 (i586) Kernel 2.6.27.21-0.1-pae
up 1:52, 1 user, load average: 0.47, 0.34, 0.22
ASUS eeePC 1000HE ATOM N280 1.66GHz | GPU Mobile 945GM/GMS/GME
I wasn’t aware of these studio projects. Will study that further. In fact, I was looking for a scaled down version for quick install (like PuppyLinux).
My assumption is… that there are at least 14 people who can provide a list like that.
4 could be in custody in Europe, 1 in New Zealand, 6 in North America, 1 more in China, with the remainder off-world or lost in other dimensions.
We know the 4 of the ones in North America are at a secret hidden Novell location. These 4 are kept behind locked doors and are fed pizza and beer through a feeding slot. I assume the ones in Europe share the same fate as their North American fellows.
I’m hoping at least two of these persons see ‘SLICK’ in the Soapbox and decide to defy oppression and email email the secret documents to someone. Just don’t send them to me. I don’t want my Wii bugged by the NSA at Novell’s request.
My assumption is… that there are at least 14 people who can provide a list like that.
4 could be in custody in Europe, 1 in New Zealand, 6 in North America, 1 more in China, with the remainder off-world or lost in other dimensions.
We know the ones in North America are at a secret hidden Novell location. These 4 are kept behind locked doors and are fed pizza and beer through a feeding slot. I assume the ones in Europe share the same fate as their North American fellows.
I’m hoping at least two of these persons see ‘SLICK’ in the Soapbox and decide to defy oppression and email the secret documents to someone. Just don’t send it to me. I don’t want my Wii bugged by the NSA at Novell’s request.
I’d call those guys the Runtime Appliance Fork of OpenSuSE. No insult intended… if openSuSE can fly drones I don’t want to know about it.
I’m thinking we need a Hungry-Man Dinner openSuSE which gives you just what you need to want to run to the freezer to find the frozen deserts. Desert would be KDE 3.5.10 plus.
On Sat, 09 May 2009 01:36:01 +0000, CloudLion ca wrote:
> I’m thinking we need a Hungry-Man Dinner openSuSE which gives you just
> what you need to want to run to the freezer to find the frozen deserts.
> Desert would be KDE 3.5.10 plus.
Studio could give you the option of building that.
Or, for that matter, I understand OBS is supposed to be able to do
something similar as well.
I think it would take a serious effort to build SLICK from the build service or studio. Using the build service for a new user might be an effort. I don’t see someone who needs a fast solution using that path either.
I always perceived the Slick to be an openSuSE fast food restaurant; limited menu fast in and fast out. A short image download that is up and running fast.
The key assumption Slick: a 1 CD KDE openSuSE installation that includes useful functionality and software installed during a single setup session that could completed in under 25 minutes. The basic installation wouldn’t depend on network connectivity. It would minimalist but not a skeleton. I assume YaST would be the installer.
I think the concept could be adapted to allow a module approach. If you get a good SLICK up and running which is compatible with the repositories then other options can be added. Perhaps the user doesn’t want to fiddle with YaST and the repositories. It can a lot of time and effort to find a good mix of software and many people don’t have that time to research the details.
How about modular pre-configured extension kits.
Expansion server packages (example: LAMP, Work Group, LAN, Organizational, WAN)
Application kits (example: OpenOffice mix for programmers, OpenOffice mix for writers, OpenOffice mix for dummies)
Programmer and Developer power packs (eg: Mono mix, C++, Web development, embedded systems, software design and software quality engineering)
Network deployment and security kits.
Education kits (example: K-12, Secondary school, Post secondary, cultural, special purpose)
Multimedia
Entertainment
People can create and share extension kits. The extension kits would allow some creative possibilities for interactions between different type of audiences using openSuSE as a communication and development tool. You can do all of the above with the main distribution if you have the time and patience. Or they hire OldCPU and he bills the customer 120.00 euros an hour. A month later they buy MS Windows and MS Office because the customer can’t afford OldCPU or Linux.
SLICK would be openSuSE fast food which could be extended into that all you can eat buffet one dish at a time.
I’d like to be able to have an automated tool to recompile the entire thing from source code just be even more evil. How about trying to make it too easy and idiot poof by making winYaSt32 and winYaST64. Do all those configuration choices in Windows and just reboot and let it do all the work on it’s own. Use Windows for something useful. It only has to stay there long enough to finish the building the installation scripts and options. Make those programs with C# and Mono.
On Sat, 09 May 2009 04:46:02 +0000, CloudLion ca wrote:
> I think it would take a serious effort to build SLICK from the build
> service or studio. Using the build service for a new user might be an
> effort. I don’t see someone who needs a fast solution using that path
> either.
Arguably, OBS is fairly complex to use. I’m hoping it becomes simpler.
But for Studio, this would be pretty trivial. I’ve had the chance to
play with it and it’s pretty slick.
> I always perceived the Slick to be an openSuSE fast food restaurant;
> limited menu fast in and fast out. A short image download that is up and
> running fast.
>
> The key assumption Slick: a 1 CD KDE openSuSE installation that includes
> useful functionality and software installed during a single setup
> session that could completed in under 25 minutes. The basic installation
> wouldn’t depend on network connectivity. It would minimalist but not a
> skeleton. I assume YaST would be the installer.
I was really disappointed when SLICK fell by the wayside. I thought it was a great concept–and still is. The influence of SLICK, however, can still be seen in a few concepts that have made it to the mainline distro. For instance, single (live) disk installs and parallel booting.
While not quite being the same as SLICK, Suse Studio is very promising, and is progressing quite nicely. One of the planned future features is an easy way for users to easily share the custom images they create. Perhaps they’ll even have a way to collaborate with other users on a single project.
I’ll try Studio again and see if that is a good starting point. I’ll suggest to a friend that they put half dozen co-op placement students on the task of experimenting with Studio. They will have more available time on their hands.
CloudLion_ca, I’ve also been puzzling over how to influence the openSUSE community to have a 3.5.10 KDE version in openSUSE-11.2. Although I am not puzzling wrt slick, but I am puzzling generically. And hence my apologies, as I am a bit off topic (abeit remotely related).
I also do not know what thinking/discussions have been done amongst those who know how to implement KDE-3.5.10 (in openSUSE), nor do I know if any discussions have been done.
I do recall reading that while Novell/SuSE-GmbH will not put KDE-3.5.10 in openSUSE-11.2, they will provide some very limited support/help ( ? not sure if I have that right) to those in the community who might package KDE-3.5.10 for openSUSE-11.2.
I was playing with KDE-4.2.3 in openSUSE-11.2 milestone1, and in truth, I am starting to like it. I may just move to KDE-4.3 in openSUSE-11.2, but I’m not convinced (yet) that I will, and having 3.5.10 as a community produced option with 11.2 (or shortly after) would be nice.
I figure if anyone can figure out how to go about this (ensuring 11.2 has the KDE-3.5.10 option provided by the openSUSE community), he may be the best person to initially ask. Even if he does not plan this himself, he may be able to point to people who will know.
So if this (KDE-3.5.10) is very important to you in 11.2, then you could send him an email.
Though I was assured by several posters at #opensuse-kde that the full feature set of the bells and whistles I want and use from KDE 3.5.10 are to be implemented in 4.3. Now the fun thing is that this information was contradicted by several people in #opensuse and #suse. I didn’t finish the conversations in the last two. Two more places where one has to question the definition and implied meaning of ‘open community’.
I tried out the latest Kubuntu… I just don’t see why everyone is getting all excited. It just looks like someone took another Debian and tried to turn it into OS X. If I wanted OS X I’d buy a copy and install it on an off the shelf HP Pavilion. I use to get more excited about Solaris… but that is now in the hands of Darth Larry. I’ll be happier when there is a full implementation of KDE 3.5.10 on Solaris. If that ever happens. If we can’t save KDE 3.5.10 in OpenSuSE then there is always hope we can save it in Solaris and BSD. But then again… you never know. Darth Larry might push to buy Novell before someone else does. Then we can all cry in our cappuccinos.
Based on what I have seen in KDE-4.2.3 in 11.2 Milestone1, I think 4.3 should be useable (for me). I may even move my 83-year old mother to KDE-4.3 (after setting up the desktop icons to look similar to what she has on KDE-3.5.10).
But I’m not going to hold my breath for ALL of the 3.5.10 features to be in 4.3. I speculate that some of the KDE3.5 unique candy in terms of transparency implementation, and others, may not be in place. But on the other hand 4.3 will for certain have features KDE-3.5. does not have.
All the candy, and functionality, or it’s not as good as KDE 3.5.10. Until we get everything then it’s still just a hot makeup job I’m calling: KDE.AeroXVista. For the sake of bragging rights I think OpenSuSE 11.2 should continue to support KDE 3.5.10.
