NEWS 170609 ABOUT Exton|OS with Mate 1.18.0 and Refracta Tools
The Desktop Environment is Mate 1.18 (A fork of GNOME 2. It provides an intuitive and attractive desktop environment using traditional metaphors for Linux and other Unix-like operating systems). Program content in build 170609: Refracta Tools, Firefox, Gimp, Vlc, SMPLayer, SMTube, and GParted. Also all necessary additions in order to install programs from source. All packages have been updated to the latest available version as at June 9, 2017. Study the NEW PACKAGE list. Google Chrome has been removed since it’s now possible to use Netflix in Firefox.

WHAT’S NEW in MATE 1.18?

The headline changes in MATE 1.18 are:

• The entire MATE Desktop suite of applications and components is now GTK3+ only!
• Added libinput support for mouse and touchpad
• Much improved accessibility support (particularly for visually impaired users)
• Caja adds several new features including:
  • Added a copy queue and copy pausing.
  • Asking confirmation before moving files to the Trash.
  • Support for back/forward mouse buttons for directory navigation.
  • Notification when ejected drives are safe to unplug.
• Lock screen will load the users selected background instead of the system defined default.
• MATE Panel gets several improvements, including:
  • Added desktop actions support for additional launch options.
  • Added StatusNotifier support.
  • Added support for Menulibre menu editor, if installed it is preferred over Mozo.
• Engrampa, the archive manager, includes a number of improvements:
  • Added ear and war to the supported types list.
  • Check the rar/unrar version to the correct date is shown.
  • Fixed compress rar and 7z split into volumes.
• Notifications now implement action icons support, for example playback control icons used by media players.
• Reworked the font viewer to add font browsing mode, support for TTC fonts and expose it in the menus by default.
• Replaced deprecated upower suspend/hibernate functions with ConsoleKit2 equivalents.
• MATE Terminal adds the ability to close tabs with middle mouse button.
• Atril, the document viewer, has much improved page load times and adds support for unarchiver used by some comics.
• Lots of deprecated GTK+ methods have been replaced and many bugs have been fixed.
• The plugin systems, and all C and Python plugins, in Eye of MATE and Pluma have been ported to libpeas.
• Translations are updated. Thank you to our team of translators!
• A number of memory leaks have been plugged.
• A-n-d most exciting of all… MATE Calculator is back and has been ported to GTK3+.

IMPORTANT ABOUT REFRACTA TOOLS
Refracta tools are pre-installed in Exton|OS Mate Build 170609. Use them to create your own live installable Ubuntu system. I mean create your own installable Ubuntu 17.04 Live DVD once you have installed Exton|OS to hard drive. I mean change everything and then create a whole new Ubuntu live system. Start Refracta from Applications >> System Tools >> Refracta Snapshot. You don’t even have to install Exton|OS to hard drive before you can use the Refracta tools. If you have plenty of RAM you can create a new (your own!) Ubuntu system while running Exton|OS from DVD or a USB stick. Please note that the whole Refracta process (creating your new ISO) will only take 5 – 10 min! You’ll find the ISO in /home/snapshots. (Or change that in /etc/refractasnapshot.conf). The whole thing is very simple. Refracta Installer replaces Ubiquity (Ubuntu’s installer). Refracta Installer is also very simple to use. No “expert knowledge” is needed.

Exton|OS build 170609 is based on Ubuntu 17.04 64 bit and Debian Stretch/Sid (upcoming Debian 9). Exton|OS’s ISO file is a ISO-hybrid, which means that it can very easily be transferred (copied) to a USB pen drive. You can even run Exton|OS from a USB stick and save all your system changes on the stick. I.e. you will enjoy persistence! Read my INSTRUCTION. For persistence please read under B) or use UNetbootin in Windows or Linux.

MORE NEWS 170609
A new and much better version of Exton|OS is ready. I have replaced kernel 4.9.0-11-exton with my special kernel 4.11.0-5-exton corresponding Kernel.org’s kernel 4.11.3 – the second latest stable kernel as of 170609. You can download “my” kernel if you want to use it in another Ubuntu/Debian system. Extract ubuntu-kernel-64bit-4.11.0-5-exton.zip with the command unzip ubuntu-kernel-64bit-4.11.0-5-exton.zip. With kernel 4.11.3 there is no real need to use Nvidia proprietary graphic drivers since this kernel has better support for the open-source Nvidia driver Nouveau than any other older kernel.

What’s new in Linux kernel 4.11?

Runs from RAM
Another great thing is that Exton|OS can run from RAM. Use Boot alternative 4 (load to RAM). When the system has booted up you can remove the disc (DVD) or USB stick. You’ll need at least 2 GB RAM to run Exton|OS that way.

Desktop Environment
The Desktop Environment is Mate 1.18.0. (A fork of GNOME 2. It provides an intuitive and attractive desktop environment using traditional metaphors for Linux and other Unix-like operating systems). Program content: Refracta Tools, Firefox, Gimp, Google Chrome (for Netflix), Vlc and GParted. Also all necessary additions in order to install programs from source. All packages have been updated to the latest available version as at June 9, 2017. Study the full package list.

Locale
The system language is English.

Log in to Mate
When you start up your computer from the dvd you will end up in X at LightDM‘s login screen. Log in as root (superuser) with password root or as the ordinary user live with password live. (During a hard drive install (using Refracta Installer) you can create your own ordinary user).

Network connections
Use Wicd to configure your network connection. You may have to change the Network Interfaces eth0 and wlan0 to eth1 respectively wlan1 or…
Check your Interfaces with the command iwconfig. On one of my computers the interfaces were called wlp5s0 respectively enp2s0. Watch this screenshot.

About Vlc Media Player
If you can’t play certain media files using Vlc I suggest that you install SMPlayer (sudo apt-get install smplayer) as a replacement. SMPlayer has “built in” support for most media formats. Note: SMPlayer and SMTube are already installed in Exton|OS Build 170609.

Configure sound
If you don’t have sound just open up a terminal and run the command alsamixer. Watch this screenshot.

Installation to hard drive
Note that you in advance (just in case) should create a partition of at least 20 GB for Exton|OS (if you want to make your own Ubuntu system) and a SWAP space double the size of your computer’s RAM. I.e. if you have RAM of 1024 MB or less. If you have RAM of 2 GB or more it’s enough with a SWAP space of 2 GB. The installation program Refracta Installer in Exton|OS is otherwise “intuitive”. Choose manual partitioning and select the partition you created in advance for installation. You’ll find the installation program under Applications >> System Tools >> Refracta Installer. The installation to hard drive is now so simple that a 10 year old child can do it. NOTE 1: You should format your intended installation partition in advance. You can use GParted for that. NOTE 2: If you want to install Grub as bootloader while installing Exton|OS Mate on a not UEFI-enabled computer you’ll have to replace grub-efi-amd64 with grub-pc. Just run the command sudo apt-get update followed by sudo apt-get install grub-pc before you start the install program Refracta Installer.

Changing root’s password
If you install Exton|OS to hard drive the password for root (root) you’ll get the chance to change root’s password. The root password is otherwise changed by running the command sudo passwd root. You can log in to Mate as root if you want.

Repositories and software management
Exton|OS is totally compatible with Ubuntu 17.04 and therefore uses Ubuntu’s repositories. After a hard drive install of Exton|OS you can go ahead an install any extra software you like and also upgrade the whole system. After running the command apt-get update you should use Synaptic Package Manager.

VirtualBox and VMware
Exton|OS Mate runs very well live in VirtualBox and VMware. Exton|OS Mate has UEFI boot enabled. So to be able to install to and run Exton|OS from a virtual hard drive in VirtualBox and VMware you’ll have to replace grub-efi-amd64 with grub-pc. Just run the command sudo apt-get update followed by sudo apt-get install grub-pc before you start the install program Refracta Installer. NOTE: When running Exton|OS in VirtualBox you may have to use the boot alternative nomodeset.

Spotify
You may want to install Spotify in Exton|OS Mate. Just go ahead. It’s very easy. Follow this instruction for Ubuntu. When running Exton|OS Mate Build 170609 live or from hard drive you can just install Spotify with the command sudo apt-get install spotify-client.

USB installation
Read my INSTRUCTION.

SCREENSHOTS
Screenshot 1 of Exton|OS’s Mate Desktop
Screenshot 2 of Exton|OS’s Mate Desktop running Spotify
Screenshot 3 of Exton|OS’s Mate Desktop running Refracta Snapshot
Screenshot 4 of Exton|OS running in VMware
Screenshot 5 of Exton|OS running in VirtualBox
Screenshot 6 – showing how to configure the Network with Wicd in VirtualBox

DOWNLOAD
This version of Exton|OS has been replaced by Build 180301

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