Netrunner rolling based upon Manjaro

[NickStone]

Netrunner, the sister distro to Kubuntu, is creating a rolling release edition with help from Manjaro

http://manjaro.org/2014/04/04/netrun...ed-on-manjaro/

[Jimmy.P]

I don's see why they want to make a rolling distro from a Arch/Manjaro when they use Kubuntu/Ubuntu for Netrunner. Anyway since I like Arch and if I want to use it I would go with the new Evo installer I tried it a couple of times just for fun and it worked fine.

[NickStone]

I think Blue Systems wanted to create a rolling release of one of their distros and decided to seek guidance / help from a team of developers who are very good at developing a rolling release.

[jpenguin]

What will this bring to the table? I'll probably have to try this, but I don't see why you wouldn't just Majaro if you want "easy" arch...

[woodsmoke]

After Nick mentioned it, I looked Netrunner up and it turned out to be supported by BlueSystems so...BECAUSE OF THAT..... I installed the Frontier version, which is not rolling.

A) It seems to me, personally, that BlueSystems is maybe.........MAYBE.....trying to have distros that appeal to "different" personality types in terms of what the user wants in terms of...oh....appearance.. maybe..

It uses some pieces of "Gnome" such as Thunderbird for mail, but then disables mail, etc, in Kontact and uses the contacts and calendar....which could be dicey unless one uses only a google setup in T-bird or only local calendar.

Or not...... don't know...

like not having a plasma "folder" on the desktop and instead the desktop is a desktop and there are icons and links on it a'la XPish....

again don't know...

But there are two really huge items in terms of a "know nothing kid" that is used to MS products using it.

a) it saw my brand spanking new HP printer which I set up EXPERIMENTALLY as Wi-Fi and then just use as a usb, but it SAW the printer

I mean it was ALREADY in the printer list....!!! when I clicked the install!!! : 0 as a wireless printer AND installing the driver was one click.

For the know-nothing kid,..........that is what is expected, since they are used to popping in a cd and walking off...or in some cases, now XP will automatically install a printer...

B) The Jam speaker setup was almost effortless on the same machine that in Kubu takes several steps....

C) Facebook integration is one click...again a nod to the young crowd...

Other than that........it can be..............."laggy" sometimes.... but that may just be that it is intended for a modern high end machine and mine is doofus and old!

BUT...........I think they could have a winner on their hands with it. Just an opinion and of little worth.

woodsmoke

[claydoh]

Woody, was that the normal Netrunner, or the manjaro based version?
The normal netrunner is exactly kubuntu with a different look and default software selection. Curious as to what the real differences are in a non-debian base.

[woodsmoke]

Hi Claydoh
It is the "normal", like Ubuntu with KDE making Kubuntu.

It is possible to post in the wrong place over there...........lol........I thought there was the whole Ubuntu thing and then the Manjuro thing and then things like hardware, etc. and posted in hardware, and found out..oops! wrong sub-forum!

Yes it "is" Kubuntu, ....except.........that they have made a very GOOD attempt to make a dedicated version of the plasma desktop which is labled the Netrunner desktop.

It is VERY XPish...very XPish... but it all depends on having the widgets locked.

When you "save something to the desktop", it literally pops up on the "desktop you see on the screen".......just like with Windblows.

I actually tried to get at the cashew, which is pretty much hidden with a very small cashew on the far right of the lower panel. The only way to get at it is to unlock the widgets and then it pops up...

If you make a second desktop, which is grayed out normally, you can make two or three or whatever, and make a cube, etc. but when you do, the icons/links on the "desktop" disappear and are now in the folder "desktop", .... Yes, just like Kubuntu....

You do not have the little three colored balls at the left the icon for "desktops" like you have in Kubuntu. You CAN go to the "desktop" widget at the top right, like is in Kubuntu, but to have something in the panel, I had to put in the "pager widget" and it is there very bold with name, such as "general" or "writing" for me.

If you try to go back to the original setup by locking the widgets, you DO NOT get the original XPish desktop with the links etc on it.

You have to right click on the desktop, and you get a much restricted set of choices in desktop options, but in the general tab you have "folder view", if you click it, you get the "original XPish" desktop back....but....that also then expands the options in desktop options and you get the icon/option for "Netrunner desktop" .

They have done a lot of things right for setting up a system for a "new to Linux" user,

One example is that there is a big icon in the bottom right panel for Netrunner, which, I personally think is a great ides.

The only problem with all of this is that the "read me / help" link on the desktop leads to their very nice updates part of their site...

But........it still does not get at what I, personally, think should be done which is to have a bunch of "users" to get together and write out a one side one sheet about the "tricks and tips"... like...telling a new person from Windblow just what netrunner ........IS....... we won't go there about what "is is"...lol................

It is so well done that it found my Kensington Bluetooth 2.0 adapter and THEN FOUND THE WIRELESS PRINTER.....which Kubuntu did not do .......

but guess what.......... I just hurtled into the modern world, with a new computer, posted elsewhere, and it has a brand new Broadcom wireless and IT found the wireless printer with Kubuntu....

So, part of the "situations" that I have experienced, not many, was just old....really old.......... like.... 10 years old...hardware....

But, yes, after this big meander...it is a very heavily tweaked Kubuntu.........with GREAT DRIVER SUPPORT.........I think it's a winner for the "new from Linux".. for Blue Systems...

It is the very first distro that I think, if one has grilled the new user about hardware, modern, etc...you could just hand them the DVD, and also work with them on UEFI Secure boot for a dual install.

if anyone has any other questions, please ask....

and no.....I'm not going off the farm! LOl

[woodsmoke]

Nick
I really DO want to sincerely THANK you for bringing up Netrunner.

I won't get into details, but trying it out has DRASTICALLY changed how I "deal with scheduling" etc, in my life.

I've tried the "laptop in the kitchen".

And, the "tablet velcroed to the refrigerator door. :0

Annnnddd...... always just fell back onto the phone....no...I didn't.........FALL onto the phone!... geeze....

But... because of the really large icons/widgets on the desktop it occured to me to put the thing on a computer and put it on my large screen t.v.!! Aaaannnd use the Gyration "air mouse" to interact with only the Kontact icon and the Clementine(that is the default player for Netrunner) and that is all I use it for...but...while making breakfast, drinking coffee etc. I now get to interact with the days/weeks/whatever scheduling info in a different "physical" manner.. standing up, drinking coffee, walking to the window...mulling things over in my head....on the phone talking to someone while looking at the schedule on the screen... it really has ......changed....how I interact with the information..... The Medium is the Massage.

Again......thank you VERY much!

woodsmoke

[NickStone]

My pleasure Woody.

[woodsmoke]

I've now installed Kubu on the machine and am tweaking the plasma widgets and...surprisingly...... using ctrl-codes! lol NEVER thought I'd be doin' THAT!!

woodsmoke