Month: October 2017

DebEX Barebone, 64bit, based on Debian Buster/Sid with LXDE, Refracta tools and kernel 4.13.0-16-exton

About DebEX Barebone, DebEX Gnome and DebEX KDE Plasma Linux 64 bit
All three systems/distributions are a based on Debian Buster/Sid (upcoming Debian 10). LXDE is used as Desktop environment in DebEX Barebone/LXDE. Gnome 3.26 and Mate 1.18 are used in DebEX Gnome. KDE 4.16.08 and KDE Plasma Desktop 5:37 are used in DebEX KDE. All three DebEX systems use my special kernel 4.13.0-16-exton. (Kernel 4.13.4). The system language is English (in all three versions of DebEX).

NEWS 171030 about DebEX Barebone/LXDE – a Refracta Build
A new version of DebEX Barebone with LXDE and kernel 4.13.0-16-exton (equivalent to Kernel.org’s stable kernel 4.13.4) is ready. All packages have been updated to the latest version as of October 30, 2017. DebEX Barebone is now based on Debian Buster/Sid (upcoming Debian 10). I have replaced Google Chrome with Firefox 56.0-2 (for Netflix). Most important: The ISO has decreased from 1860 MB to 1330 MB, which makes it easier to run the system live from RAM. That ability allows DebEX LXDE to be very fast, since reading and writing data from/to RAM is much faster than on a hard disk drive.

Important about Refracta

You can use the Refracta tools (pre-installed in all three versions of DebEX) to create your own installable Debian Live DVD once you have installed DebEX to hard drive. I mean change everything and then create a whole new Debian live system. When you start Refracta it will look like this. You don’t even have to install DebEX to hard drive before you can use the Refracta tools. If you have plenty of RAM you can create a new (your own!) Debian 10 system while running DebEX from DVD or a USB stick. Please note that the whole Refracta process (creating your new ISO) will only take 10 – 50 min! You’ll find the ISO in /home/snapshots.

Screenshot of DebEX LXDE Desktop

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DebEX Gnome (Debian Buster/Sid) – Build 171026 – with Gnome 3.26 (latest), Mate 1.18 (latest), Refracta tools, Nvidia 387.12 and kernel 4.13.0-16-exton

About DebEX Barebone, DebEX Gnome and DebEX KDE Plasma Linux 64 bit
All three systems/distributions are a based on Debian. DebEX Gnome and DebEX KDE are based on Debian Buster/Sid (upcoming Debian 10). DebEX Barebone is based on Debian 9 (Stretch) and Debian unstable (Sid). LXDE is used as Desktop environment in DebEX Barebone. Gnome 3.26 and Mate 1.18 are used in DebEX Gnome. KDE 4.16.08 and KDE Plasma Desktop 5:37 are used in DebEX KDE. DebEX Barebone LXDE uses my special kernel 4.12.0-12-exton. (Kernel 4.12.8). DebEX Gnome and DebEX KDE use my special kernel 4.13.0-16-exton. (Kernel 4.13.4). The system language is English (in all three versions of DebEX).

NEWS 171026 about DebEX Gnome/Mate
I have made a new extra version of DebEX, which I call DebEX Gnome Live DVD. It’s a pure Debian system using the testing (buster) and unstable (sid) repositories. Two Desktop Environments are pre-installed. Gnome 3.26 (latest) and Mate 1.18 (latest). I have also installed Nvidia’s proprietary graphics driver 387.12 in this new version of DebEX. To be able to enjoy Gnome 3.26 while running DebEX live (from DVD or a USB stick) you’ll need to have a new Nvidia graphics card installed. You can see which cards are supported here. Otherwise you’ll have to settle for Mate 1.18. (Not a bad choice btw). Furthermore I have installed replaced Google Chrome with Firefox 56.0. It is now possible to watch Netflix movies using Firefox in Linux. All other installed packages have also been updated to the latest version as of 171026. DebEX Gnome uses kernel 4.13.0-16-exton corresponding one of Kernel.org’s latest stable kernels 4.13.4.

Important about Refracta
You can use the Refracta tools (pre-installed in all three versions of DebEX) to create your own installable Debian Live DVD once you have installed DebEX to hard drive. I mean change everything and then create a whole new Debian live system. When you start Refracta it will look like this. You don’t even have to install DebEX to hard drive before you can use the Refracta tools. If you have plenty of RAM you can create a new (your own!) Debian 9/10 system while running DebEX from DVD or a USB stick. Please note that the whole Refracta process (creating your new ISO) will only take 10 – 50 min! You’ll find the ISO in /home/snapshots.

SCREENSHOTS
1. DebEX Gnome Desktop
2. DebEX Mate Desktop
3. DebEX running in VirtualBox
4. DebEX running in VMware
5. DebEX – Refracta snapshot has started

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DebEX KDE (Debian Buster/Sid) – Build 171023 – with KDE Plasma 5.37, Refracta tools, Nvidia 384.90 and kernel 4.13.0-16-exton

NEWS 171023 about DebEX KDE Plasma – a Refracta Build 171023
I have made a new version of DebEX KDE Plasma Live DVD. It replaces version 161001. It’s a pure Debian 10 system. (Buster/Sid). I.e.: There are no Ubuntu or Kubuntu elements involved. DebEX KDE Plasma uses KDE 4.16 and KDE Plasma Desktop 5:37 as Desktop environment. It uses kernel 4.13.0-16-exton – (4.13.4). I have installed Nvidia’s proprietary graphic driver 384.90. I have replaced Google Chrome with Firefox 56.0 (for Netflix). I’ve also added SMPlayer – an alternative to Vlc. (SMPlayer is a free media player for Windows and Linux with built-in codecs that can play virtually all video and audio formats. It doesn’t need any external codecs. Just install SMPlayer and you’ll be able to play all formats without the hassle to find and install codec packs). All other installed packages have also been updated to the latest version of 171023. Study the full package list.

What’s new in kernel 4.13
?

Important about Refracta
You can use the Refracta tools (pre-installed) to create your own installable Debian Live DVD once you have installed DebEX KDE to hard drive. I mean change everything and then create a whole new Debian live system. When you start Refracta it will look like this. You don’t even have to install DebEX to hard drive before you can use the Refracta tools. If you have plenty of RAM you can create a new (your own!) Debian 10/9 system while running DebEX from a DVD or a USB stick. Please note that the whole Refracta process (creating your new ISO) will only take 10 – 30 min! You’ll find the ISO in /home/snapshots.

SCREENSHOTS
1. The KDE Plasma Desktop in version 171023
2. The KDE Desktop with Netflix running
3. DebEX KDE running in VMware
4. DebEX KDE running in VirtualBox
5. Installation in VirtualBox – error to ignore
6. DebEX KDE running in VMware
7. YouTube running in DebEX KDE

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RaspAnd Nougat 7.1.2 for Raspberry Pi 3 – Build 171019/170805 – with GAPPS, Aptoide TV and Kodi 18.0-ALPHA1 to be installed in Linux

NEWS 171019 about RaspAnd Nougat 7.1.2 for Raspberry Pi 3
RaspAnd Nougat 7.1.2 Build 170805 can be installed in Windows using Win32 Disk Imager. This method has one disadvantage. Only about 5GB can be used as data storage no matter which card you use. I have therefore today uploaded a new version, which can be (must be) installed using a Linux system. The new system from 171019 is basically the same system as the RaspAnd system from 170805. I have only added AIDA 1.47 and replaced Google Chrome with Firefox 56.0. Kodi has been upgraded from version 17.3 to version 18.0-ALPHA1. Now say, for example, that you use Micro SD card (preferable a class 10 card) of 64GB about 56GB can be used as data storage. This is of course a big advantage. When you are done with partitioning of the card it shall look like the screenshot below shows. The needed partitions for RaspAnd are created with GParted in Linux.

Read about how to install RaspAnd 7.1.2 Nougat version 171019 in Linux…

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ExTiX 17.8 – “The Ultimate Linux System” – with LXQt 0.11.1, Refracta tools, Nvidia 384.90 and kernel 4.13.0-15-exton – Build 171012

I have made a new version of ExTiX – The Ultimate Linux System. I call it ExTiX 17.8 LXQt Live DVD. (The previous version was 17.4 from 170418).

ABOUT
ExTiX 17.8 LXQt DVD 64 bit is based on Debian 9 Stretch and Ubuntu 17.10 Artful Aardvark, to be released 171019. The original system includes the Desktop Environment Gnome. After removing Gnome I have installed LXQt 0.11.1. LXQt is the Qt port and the upcoming version of LXDE, the Lightweight Desktop Environment. It is the product of the merge between the LXDE-Qt and the Razor-qt projects: A lightweight, modular, blazing-fast and user-friendly desktop environment.

The system language is ENGLISH.

Used KERNEL

My special kernel 4.13.0-15-exton corresponding Kernel.org’s stable kernel 4.13.4.

What’s new in kernel 4.13?

NEWS ABOUT ExTiX 17.8 build 171012 with the LXQt Desktop environment
1. ExTiX LXQt is based on Ubuntu 17.10 Artful Aardvark. LXQt 0.11.1 is used as Desktop environment. All packages have been updated to the latest version by 171012. Kernel 4.13.0-15-exton is used. (Kernel.org‘s kernel 4.13.4).
2. Firefox has replaced Google Chrome as Web Browser. It’s now possible to watch Netflix movies also in Firefox (while running Linux).
3. I have installed BlueGriffon 2.3.1 Web Editor. BlueGriffon is a new WYSIWYG content editor for the World Wide Web. Powered by Gecko, the rendering engine of Firefox, it’s a modern and robust solution to edit Web pages in conformance to the latest Web Standards. Only to be compared with Dreamweaver. (In my opinion).
4. Other included important/useful packages are: LibreOffice, Thunderbird, GParted, Brasero, SMPlayer, GCC and other compilation tools so that you can install packages from source. Furthermore “all” multimedia codecs. Everything the average Linux user could wish for I would say.
5. I have also installed Nvidia’s proprietary graphics driver 384.90 in this new version ExTiX LXQt. It has support for the following GPUs: Vulkan, GeForce GTX 1080 Ti,TITAN Xp, Quadro GP100, Quadro P4000, Quadro P2000, Quadro K1200, Quadro M6000, GeForce 920M, GeForce 930A, GeForce 930M, GeForce 940M, GeForce GTX 950M, GeForce GTX 960M and GeForce GTX TITAN X. This driver will be used automatically if your card is supported if you start up ExTiX in compatibility mode – nomodeset.

Refracta Tools
While running ExTiX LXQt 17.8 live or from hard drive you can use Refracta tools (pre-installed) to create your own live installable Ubuntu system. A ten year child can do it! Watch a slideshow below. (The slideshow is for ExTiX KDE 17.5, but Refracta tools works in the same way in ExTiX LXQt).


SCREENSHOTS
Screenshot of ExTiX 17.8 Desktop – LXQt 0.11.1
Refracta tools running while logged in as user live
Connections to Windows computers via PCManFM-qt using Samba
ExTiX running in VMware

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ARCore For Android 7.0 Nougat Or Higher

As is often the case, Apple has dominated smartphone news lately. The announcement of a few new iPhones and the iOS 11 system got a lot of people excited. And perhaps more notably, that new operating system introduced augmented reality through the ARKit development platform. Now there’s a great deal of talk about what augmented reality on Apple devices is capable. Only, as you may know, Google had actually already released much the same thing (with far less fanfare).

Google’s version is called ARCore, and it basically brings augmented reality capabilities to existing and future Android phones. More specifically, it is compatible with any Android mobile device operating on Nougat 7.0 or above, which means millions and millions of devices can already enjoy augmented reality. ARCore isn’t a full development program, but rather works with Java/OpenGL, Unity, and Unreal to bring about an impressive and deeply realistic version of AR. A better understanding of the surrounding environment helps ARCore to make digital elements appear as if they’ve truly settled into real environments.

All that’s left to wonder is what some of its uses will be. And we have a few educated guesses.

Learning Programs

One of the most exciting things that Android and iOS developers have already realized about mobile AR is that it has the ability to blow up microscopic constructions so that they can be explored in a size humans relate better to. Case in point, the first publicly released ARCore-based app was something called AR Atom Visualizer which you guessed it blows atoms up so that we can manipulate and explore their structures. That app alone is quite fascinating, but imagine similar builds for other subjects. AR will allow students to study complex microorganisms, human anatomy, and all kinds of other things.

Artistic Apps

It’s been somewhat surprising to see the focus on art in the realm of virtual reality. TiltBrush may just be the most popular experience that has come out for VR devices, and it exists solely to allow users to craft virtual paintings (which can almost feel like sculptures). There’s really nothing to stop AR from following suit, so it’s more or less a certainty that similar apps will emerge and grow popular. In fact, there are already some that allow for simple TiltBrush-style creation.

Old Games Reborn

You need only do the most basic exploration of the Android or iOS app stores to see that mobile games will largely dominate ARCore innovation. But more specifically we’re liable to see some old types of games reborn on the format. The first that come to mind are board games, which can be made to look as if they’re sitting in front of us in physical form. But there are broader examples as well. The casino genre is certainly one to watch. The last few years saw innovations in live dealer and 3D gaming, and leading developers have already taken that concept into overdrive by introducing VR games. AR is next in line, meaning we’ll probably see card, poker, and even roulette slot games in this category as well.

New Games Adapted

Sticking with games which again, are poised to dominate the majority of ARCore releases in the early going it won’t just be old school concepts that are adapted. While some types of games will be ill-suited to augmented reality, a lot of the experiences that have been successful as basic mobile apps could prove easily adaptable. Games that often feature in Android stores, from The Room to Monument Valley, are based primarily on captivating visuals, puzzles and angles, and generally immersive qualities. We like these games on mobile devices because that’s all they require to stand out they are not big, spacious adventures, but rather intimate and intricate experiences. These same games, projected into space via ARCore, could be spellbinding.

Author: John Hanson

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