NEWS 190521 ABOUT Exton|OS with Budgie Desktop 10.5 and Refracta Snapshot
The Desktop Environment in this Exton|OS build is Budgie 10.5. (Budgie is focused on simplicity an elegance. Designed with the modern user in mind). Program content in build 190521: Refracta Snapshot, Calamares 3.2.4, Firefox, Gimp, SMPlayer, SMTube, and GParted. Also all necessary additions in order to install programs from source. Calamares is an installer framework. By design it is very customizable, in order to satisfy a wide variety of needs and use cases. Kernel 5.1.3-exton (corresponding Kernel.org‘s latest kernel 5.1.3) is used. You can download “my” kernel and install it in newer Ubuntu/Debian systems (if you want). All packages have been updated to the latest available version as at May 21, 2019 Study the NEW PACKAGE list. Google Chrome has been removed since it’s now possible to use Netflix in Firefox. Using Refracta Snapshot you can change everything to your liking and create your own live installable Ubuntu system. I mean create your own installable Ubuntu 19.04 Live DVD once you have installed Exton|OS to hard drive.
MOST IMPORTANT CHANGES IN BUILD 190521
1. This Exton|OS version is for non-efi computers, which means that you can use the Calamares Installer in VirtualBox/VMware and thus install Exton|OS in any language. You can even use Calamares for installation to a USB stick and that way get persistence. Please read my instruction before you perform such an installation. Calamares Installer replaces Ubiquity (Ubuntu’s installer). Calamares Installer is also very simple to use. No “expert knowledge” is needed.
2. A brand new kernel – 5.1.3 – is used.
3. The very nice icon theme Papirus is installed and used.
I haven’t changed the wallpapers since it’s hard to find nicer ones.
IMPORTANT ABOUT REFRACTA Snapshot
Refracta Snapshot is pre-installed in Exton|OS Build 190521. Use them to create your own live installable Ubuntu system. I mean create your own installable Ubuntu 19.04 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 Refracta Snapshot. 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 15 – 40 min! You’ll find the ISO in /home/snapshots. (Or change that in /etc/refractasnapshot.conf). The whole thing is very simple.
About Calamares Installer
Calamares is an installer framework. By design it is very customizable, in order to satisfy a wide variety of needs and use cases. Calamares aims to be easy, usable, beautiful, pragmatic, inclusive and distribution-agnostic. Calamares includes an advanced partitioning feature, with support for both manual and automated partitioning operations. It is the first installer with an automated “Replace Partition” option, which makes it easy to reuse a partition over and over for distribution testing. See a slideshow below showing the whole Calamares install process in Exton|OS.
Using Calamares you can choose language when the installation starts. When it’s ready everything will be in your chosen language!
Exton|OS Build 190521 is based on Ubuntu 19.04 64 bit and Debian unstable/experimental (upcoming Debian 10). Exton|OS’s ISO file is a ISO-hybrid, which means that it can very easily be transferred (copied) to a USB pen drive. Read my INSTRUCTION. Ubuntu 19.04 will be supported until January 2020.
Runs from RAM
Another great thing is that Exton|OS can run from RAM. Use Boot alternative 3 (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. I.e. superfast!
Locale
The system language is English.
Log in to Budgie Desktop
When you start up your computer from the DVD or the USB stick you will end up in X at LightDM‘s login screen or automatically logged in to Budgie Desktop as the ordinary user live. Log in as root (superuser) with password root or as the ordinary user live with password live. During a hard drive install (using Calamares Installer) you can create your own ordinary user.
Network connections
Use NetworkManager to configure your network connection. It works extremely well. If you use a wired connection you will be automatically connected to Internet. I you use a wireless connection just click on the Network icon in the upper right corner and choose your network.
Configure sound
If you don’t have sound just open up a terminal and run the command alsamixer.
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 Calamares 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 >>Calamares. The installation to hard drive is now so simple that a 10 year old child can do it. NOTE: You should format your intended installation partition in advance. You can use GParted for that. You shall not use Calamares on a UEFI-enabled computer (if you want/need to install Grub), since Calamares now is configured especially for non-UEFI-enabled computers. If you already have installed Grub on your computer you can use Calamares anyway. Just refrain from installing Grub when you install Exton|OS to hard drive. Read my instruction How To dual boot, triple boot or multiboot Linux with Windows in a simple way and be happy.
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 Budgie as root if you want.
Repositories and software management
Exton|OS is totally compatible with Ubuntu 19.04 and therefore uses Ubuntu’s repositories. After a hard drive install of Exton|OS you can go ahead and install any extra software you like and also upgrade the whole system. After running the command sudo apt-get update you should use Synaptic Package Manager.
VirtualBox and VMware
Exton|OS runs very well live in VirtualBox and VMware. Exton|OS Budgie Build 190521 is for non-UEFI computers so you can install Exton|OS to a virtual hard drive in VirtualBox and VMware using Calamares. NOTE: When running Exton|OS in VirtualBox you may have to use the boot alternative nomodeset (failsafe).
Spotify
You may want to install Spotify in Exton|OS. Just go ahead. It’s very easy. Follow this instruction for Ubuntu. When running Exton|OS Build 190521 live or from hard drive you can just install Spotify with the command sudo apt update followed by sudo apt install spotify-client. Watch this screenshot.
USB installation
To enable persistence you can install Exton|OS to a USB stick in the same way as a hard drive installation. I.e. using Calamares Installer. Read my INSTRUCTION. For persistence read under C).
SCREENSHOTS
Screenshot 1 – Exton|OS’s Budgie live Desktop
Screenshot 2 – Exton|OS’s Budgie root Desktop
Screenshot 3 – Exton|OS’s Budgie Desktop installing Spotify
Screenshot 4 – Exton|OS’s Budgie Desktop running Refracta Snapshot
Screenshot 5 – Exton|OS running in VMware
Screenshot 6 – showing how to add apps to Docky
Screenshot 7 – showing how to configure a wireless Network
DOWNLOAD
This Exton|OS build has been replaced by Build 191128…
andex.exton.net – latest is AndEX Pie 9.0 (with GAPPS) and AndEX Oreo 8.1 (also with GAPPS)!
and
about my Pie, Oreo, Nougat, Marshmallow and Lollipop versions for Raspberry Pi 3/2 at
raspex.exton.se – latest is RaspAnd Pie 9.0 (without GAPPS) and RaspAnd Oreo 8.1 (with GAPPS)!