Month: April 2016

RaspEX Build 160426, based on Ubuntu 16.04, with Kodi Media Center 16.0 and Fluxbox

raspex-kodi-logoNEWS 160426 about RaspEX for Raspberry Pi 3 and Pi 2
In RaspEX Build 160421, based on Ubuntu 16.04, I could not include Kodi (XBMC) Media Center (a free and open-source media player software application developed by the XBMC Foundation) without removing LXDE and many other programs. Now I’ve found a solution. I was able to install Kodi 16.0 alongside Fluxbox. A Desktop environment besides Kodi is needed so you can configure your wireless network and other stuff. Study all installed packages in Build 160426.
See a screenshot when my wireless network is configured
See a screenshot when Kodi is running

The Raspberry Pi 3 is the third generation Raspberry Pi. It replaced the Raspberry Pi 2 Model B in February 2016.

Compatibility

Unfortunately not all systems made for Raspberry Pi 2 will run on the new Pi 3. They need to be upgraded with a new kernel. I therefore had to upgrade the systems I distribute. I.e. RaspEX, RaspEX with OpenCPN, RaspAnd and RaspArch. I have now (160426) upgraded all systems. RaspEX Build 160426, 160421 and 160402 runs very well on Raspberry Pi 3. You can (of course) also run the new RaspEX systems on a “old” Raspberry Pi 2.

NEWS 160426 ABOUT RaspEX
RaspEX Build 160426 is a Linux ARM system for Raspberry Pi 3 and Pi 2. It is based on Debian Jessie (Debian 8), Ubuntu (Ubuntu 16.04, released 160421) and Linaro (Open Source software for ARM SoCs). In this new version (160426) I’ve replaced LXDE Desktop environment with Fluxbox, Wicd Network Manager with Wifi-Radar and Firefox with Qupzilla. The replacements were necessary to make it possible to install Kodi Media Center 16.0.  NOTE: Kodi (XBMC) Media Center is also installed in Build 160402 based on Ubuntu 15.10.

Screenshot 1 – RaspEX Build 160426 with Fluxbox

Screenshot 2 – RaspEX Build 160426 running Kodi adding Video add-ons

Screenshot 3 – RaspEX Build 160426 running Kodi adding Picture add-ons

Screenshot 4 – RaspEX Build 160426 running Kodi – System Info

Screenshot 5 – RaspEX Build 160426 running Kodi adding Music add-ons

More about RaspEX Build 160426
RaspEX Build 160426 uses Fluxbox as Desktop environment. (Fluxbox is very light on resources and easy to handle but yet full of features to make an easy, and extremely fast, desktop experience). Furthermore Kodi (XBMC) Media Center (a free and open-source media player software application developed by the XBMC Foundation). Many other useful programs are pre-installed. Quzilla is used as Web Browser and Wifi-Radar as Network Manager. You can use Apt-get to install any extra packages you may need. RaspEX uses Ubuntu’s software repositories so you can install thousands of extra packages if you want. Please be aware of that some new installations (for example of Firefox) will break the Kodi installation).

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RaspEX Build 160421: Now based on Ubuntu 16.04, released today (160421)

raspberry-logoNEWS 160421 about RaspEX for Raspberry Pi 3 and Pi 2
Ubuntu 16.04 Xenial Xerus was released today. I therefore (of course) simply had to upgrade RaspEX. Unfortunately I could not get Kodi (XBMC) Media Center to work in this build. I have therefore kept the “old” version (from 160402) of RaspEX with Kodi on the servers. Study all installed packages in Build 160421.

The Raspberry Pi 3 is the third generation Raspberry Pi. It replaced the Raspberry Pi 2 Model B in February 2016.

Compared to the Raspberry Pi 2 it has:
A 1.2GHz 64-bit quad-core ARMv8 CPU
802.11n Wireless LAN
Bluetooth 4.1
Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)

NEWS 160421 ABOUT RaspEX
My previous version of RaspEX is from 160402. I have now upgraded the whole system, replaced the old kernel and added support for Bluetooth. RaspEX Build 160421/160402 is a Linux ARM system for Raspberry Pi 3 and Pi 2. It is based on Debian Jessie (Debian 8), Ubuntu (Ubuntu 16.04/15.10, released 160421/151022) and Linaro (Open Source software for ARM SoCs). In the new versions (160421 and 160402) I’ve installed Wicd Network Manager and replaced Chromium with Firefox with better support for YouTube. I have also installed Samba and VNC4Server so you can connect to your Windows computers in your Home Network and/or control RaspEX on your Raspberry Pi 3 or Pi 2 from your Windows computers with VNC Viewer and/or PuTTY (Telnet and SSH client). Furthermore some extra Network Tools and PulseAudio for better sound in YouTube. NOTE: Kodi (XBMC) Media Center is installed only in Build 160402.

Screenshot 1 – RaspEX connected to Windows via Samba

Screenshot 2 – RaspEX connected to Windows via PuTTy

Screenshot 3 – RaspEX “running on” Windows with VNC Viewer

View all installed packages in RaspEX – Build 160421

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LFA Build 160419, 64 bit, based on Ubuntu 16.04, with Fluxbox as Window Manager and Cairo-Dock as Desktop Interface

linux-logo-exton-lfaAbout Linux For All (LFA)
The system is based on Ubuntu 16.04, codenamed Xenial Xerus and Debian Jessie (Debian 8.4).
It’s a total rebuild. I.e. nothing is left of the old LFA system.

The system language is ENGLISH.

NEWS 160419
A new upgraded version of LFA is out. All installed packages have been updated to the latest version as of 160419.

News about LFA build 160419
One of my previous versions of LFA (build 141120) had four (4) Desktop environments installed. Namely Unity (Ubuntu), LXDE, Razor-qt and XBMC. LFA build 160419 uses only Fluxbox as Window Manager and Cairo-Dock as Desktop Interface. Cairo-Dock is designed to be light, fast and customizable, and is desktop-agnostic. It has a powerful DBus interface, to be controlled from a terminal or another application. Features can be added by plug-ins or applets, and applets can be written in C or in any language. About Fluxbox: Fluxbox is a Window Manager for X that was based on the Blackbox 0.61.1 code. It is very light on resources and easy to handle but yet full of features to make an easy, and extremely fast, desktop experience. So who needs KDE or Gnome?

Used KERNEL
My special kernel 4.4.0-19-exton.

What’s new in kernel 4.4?

Screenshot of LFA’s new Desktop
Screenshot – Ubiquity running

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CruxEX (CRUX 3.2) live CD/USB with kernel 4.5.1-cruxex and Nvidia Graphics driver 361.42 pre-installed

logo-linux-exton-netI have made yet another version of CruxEX.

CruxEX 3.2 64 bit Linux Live CD/USB is based on CRUX 3.2 (latest version, released 151123), which is all Linux enthusiasts/nerds favorite OS. (CRUX 3.2 is a lightweight Linux distribution for the x86-64 architecture targeted at experienced Linux users). CruxEX 3.2 2016 uses the LXDE Desktop environment. I have replaced the original CRUX kernel with “my” special kernel 4.5.1-cruxex, with support for “extra everything”.

Kernel etc
Kernel 4.5.1 is the latest available stable kernel as of 160414. Among all installed and updated applications are Firefox, GParted, Gimp and Wicd. Furthermore compilation tools so that you can install programs from source.

NEWS 160414
CruxEX 2016 is distributed both as an ISO file and a Zip file. Install my new version of CruxEX 3.2 64bit from 160414 to a USB Pen Drive and save your system changes – read this INSTRUCTION. If you later on decide you want to install CruxEX to hard drive from the USB Pen Drive all your system changes will also be installed to the hard drive. Or burn the ISO file to a CD and run CruxEX live the “normal” way. Mainly the ISO file is for all of you who like to run and test Linux systems in VirtualBox (before installing the systems to hard drive).

See a screenshot of the LXDE Desktop

Prt-get in action

CruxEX running in Windows 10 in VirtualBox (after installation)

Study ALL installed packages

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SlackEX (Slackware 14.2/Current) live USB with kernel 4.5.1 and KDE 4.14.18

slackware_logoI have made yet another version of SlackEX. It has the latest kernel (4.5.1, released 160412) and the latest KDE (4.14.18) Desktop Environment.

New features in version 160413 of SlackEX
I have replaced kernel 4.4.1-x86_64-exton with kernel 4.5.1-x86_64-exton with support for “everything”. Most important is that I have changed repositories from Slackware 14.1 to Current. I.e. Slackware 14.2. KDE is upgraded to version 4.14.18 (latest KDE version). All other component software is also upgraded to the latest Slackware Current version by now. I may also mention in particular GParted 0.24.0 (latest, not in Slackware’s repositories), VirtualBox 5.0.16 (latest, not in Slackware’s repositories), Google Chrome 46.0.2490.86 (not in Slackware’s repositories), Gimp 2.8.10 (installed from source), GSlapt 0.5.3h, Firefox 45.0.2, Thunderbird 38.7, Samba 4.3.2 and GCC 5.3.0. Furthermore I have installed Grub2, which can be used as boot loader (if you want) after a hard drive install. Study the full package LIST. Note: I have replaced Wicd with NetworkManager. It works better. Most important: This version of SlackEX has to be installed to a USB Pen Drive!

Whats new in kernel 4.5.1?

Screenshot – KDE 4.14.18 Desktop with Netflix running

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