antiX transformation pack – antiX FT 10

[Member madibi]

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@PPC your doubts poll 🙂
point 1: <Should I add…> : my opinion is no. I don’t forget that the “omen nomen” is Antix, that to my mind reminds to very old hw
point 2: may be, it’s a personal choice depending on personal hw
point 3: yes, in fact ft10 is addressed to new linux users, defectors win refugees
point 4: seamonkey. I’d rather stich to Antix decision
point 5: firefox localization. May be useful, also it’s not a must
point 6: edit: I agree, it makes no sense
point 7: at the moment no suggestion

[Member sleekmason]

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@PPC Your search button in the calendar rocks! Works really well:)

The poll.. . . You should do exactly what you think is best, and will look the best. Changes can always be made the other direction, and people can choose to use or not use items as they see fit. If your stuff looks great with Picom/compton, then by all means add it in. I personally use the trash can frequently as a secondary step, saving my butt on rare occasions. Really really nice work!

[Member ModdIt]

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1 I would say yes the eye candy is important to win over users, biggest problem is ex
windozers think they have to do everyting in a console ant that linux is stuffxy boring old
farts stuff.
2 no ask every start would drive me nuts
3 yes
4 Would just point to package installer language section.
My worry is that users will install Fox or LO from the respective
sites and FT10 can not get the fitting language packs for verssion installed.

Really like where this is going !!!. Many Thanks PPC BobC and all others helping. Not forgetting translation team.

[Member madibi]

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@PPC: point 7
May be I have a suggestion
As far as the network is concerned, Windows users are used to navigate the lan through the file manager. They click on an Icon named lan, then they find all the available lan resources.
This is easy and roughly the same with a lot of other distros, with Antix it is far more complicated. I don’t know how much does this possibility cost in terms of footprint, but I think that in case you want to soften the move to linux Antix, this may be a point not to be overlooked.

[Member PPC]

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Thanks everyone that provided input.

Beta2 is available on gitlab (over at https://gitlab.com/antix-contribs/ft10-transformation/-/raw/main/packages/ft10-transformation_1.3beta2_all.deb)
You can install it using the same process advised for beta 1, with one extra step: since I did not update the version number, so, if you installed beta1, please uninstall beta1 before trying to install the newer one (you can do it running this command from the terminal, before installing beta2:
sudo apt purge ft10-transformation

Changes:
– Now all toolbar icons (except those from the running windows section) toggle on/off the respective window (exceptions – the network info and the USB unplug windows, that disappear by themselves after some seconds).
– Fixed a misconfiguration of the Categories menu, noticeable when in non dark mode.

[Member PPC]

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FT10 is meant to be as easy to use as possible to use, out of the box, but here some tips:

When you first enable FT10, you can choose to use The Categories menu (on the left) or the Tiled menu (on the right).
The Categories menu is more similar to the default antiX menu, and also to Windows 7 menu
The Tiled menu is cleaner, no categories, just the list of all your apps, that you can scroll, or search- this is more similar to app launchers like the one on Ubuntu or Windows 10 and 11.
By default the Tiled menu includes a list of 21 icons on it’s right side (where Windows 10 “Tiles” are, ence the name). Those icons are organized by tasks (general system apps + calculator; Office; Web services; Toogle conky resource monitor and Clock – organized to look almost like a smartphone’s home screen). The Tiles can’t, for now, be edited using a GUI (but I provided a short explanation, on the Thread on how to manually edit a Tile), but can be toggled on/off – If you are using the Tiled menu click the first menu entry “Favorite apps…” and then click the “Tiles” button. The menu will be displayed, so you can instantly see the change. I guess it should call the “Tiless” menu now.
The “Tiled” menu, without Tiles looks quite a bit like the default Windows 11 menu (which surprised me, because I came out with this layout before any picture of the Windows 11 menu was made available on the Internet), but easier to use, because it lists both the “Favorites” (“Pinned” apps in Windows 11 lingo) and “All apps” on the same place, without any need to click a button. It also includes a “Recent” button, that allows access to the latest edited files. FT10 does not include any “Recommended apps” because- 1º- that stupid, 2º- it’s near impossible to implement, because, unlike Windows, antiX does not track every single thing you do…
If you are using the Tiled menu and miss categories (they can be handy, for example, to choose a “Game” to play- because all games are displayed together- you can right click the Start Menu and access the categories from the IcewM or FLuxbox menu. I’m working on a way to quickly access categories even from inside the Tiled Menu.

Dark mode – well Dark modes are the latest UI rage- I like them, most of the time they save my eye sight. But some people don’t like dark modes- you can enable a “Light Mode” in 2 clicks: Right click “+/-” icon > Left click “Toggle dark mode”. that’s it.

Visual Effects (aka Composition effects)- be default antix is setup to be the lightest possible on system resources. So, by default FT10 does not provide Visual effects that are common on some OS’s, like Transparencies, Shadows, Fade in and Fade out.- so you don’t waste system resources on “eye candy”. But you can enable those effects:
When enabling FT10, click the “Install Compton” option. If you did that once (or already installed compton/picom use any other way)- just search, in the menu “Visual Effects” and click it to enable/disable Visual Effects.
For now FT10 provides no automatic way to always enable Visual Effects every time you boot. To do that: Control Center > Click the option to edit your Window manager configuration (IceWM is the default window manager) > Click the “startup” tab and insert this line, right after the line that says “ft10-start”
ft10-compton &
… and save that config file.
The next time you restart antiX, the Visual Effects will be turned on.

If you left click the Time and date, on the toolbar, you get a Calendar – you can click any day to set an event for it. If a day has an event, it’s displayed on the top of the calendar window. You can search for events using the magnifying glass icon.

If you right click the Time and date (or click “Clock” on the menu or it’s Tile) you can access a World Clock, use a basic stopwatch, set up an alarm or set up a count down timer. If you want you computer to suspend after some time (ex: after finishing a huge download that will that about 60 minutes), you can use a Timer (and check the option “SUSPEND COMPUTER” available on the Settings tab.

P.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 3 months ago by PPC.
• This reply was modified 1 year, 3 months ago by PPC.
• This reply was modified 1 year, 3 months ago by PPC.

[Member marcelocripe]

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Hello PPC.

-I try to not install any packages that the user may not need …

I prefer to keep all these programs as options that can be displayed in the window that pops up when the user activates the FT10 and chooses the template from the menu. Thus, the translator or Compton will only be installed if the user wants to. I know that I will use the automatic translator in all my future FT10 installations, Compton will be for the computers with more resources and if the end user so desires.

… and configured to be the default antiX File Manager- because the default File Manager …

I don’t think it’s worth all this work, besides, we need to create ways for new users to learn how to change the default Rox-IceWM desktop to zzz-IceWM or space-IceWM or any other to zzz or space already that it is common sense that using Rox Filer is something very different than using Windows or other GNU/Linux distributions. In this way, the user starts to use what is already ready, instead of “transforming” Rox-IceWM into zzz-IceWM, which makes no sense, besides being a lot of work for you and something “invasive” to the user.

Seamonkey cam by default with antiX 19.4, but is not included in antiX 21 – should I add the option to install it to the FT10 enable menu?

I suggest including it in the window that pops up when the user activates the FT10 and chooses the template from the menu.

Should I add an option to try to automatically locate Firefox-esr (and possibly LibreOffice) so it runs on the User’s language?

This is another very interesting feature, I would definitely use it, but I suggest including it in the window that appears when the user activates FT10 and chooses the model from the menu. Because, it will only be interesting for non-native English-speaking users who always have extra work to have programs in their own language.

-To make FT10 work better with JWM window manager I had to make many concessions.

I’ve been following the development and beneficial growth of the FT10 for over a year, initially it was the Tint2 bar for Fluxbox with various features, now the FT10 looks like a complete “desktop” (laughs). In my opinion you’ve done an excellent job of getting it to work as well as possible in all three window managers. FT10 raises the bar on antiX and makes it easier to transition between other operating systems and antiX.

-Is there any extra feature you think FT10 should include out of the box (Setting up a Trash can/ Recycle bin in zzzfm is already in my To do list)?

In addition to the details related to the translations that I have already sent you about the pt-BR language, really the Trash or Recycle Bin is the only item that I believe would make the FT10 a complete “work environment”. I have no idea what is the best way to do this, I imagine having several “session” files one in each language and so it could be copied to the folder related to the file manager and still have to change the username.

Thank you so much for all your hard work, commitment and dedication in making the FT10 what it is today with so many interesting features.

– – – – –

Olá PPC.

-I try to not install any packages that the user may not need …

Eu prefiro que seja mantido todos estes programas como opções que podem ser exibidas na janela que surge quando o usuário ativa o FT10 e escolhe o modelo do menu. Assim, só será instalado o tradutor ou o Compton se o usuário quiser. Eu sei que irei utilizar em todas as minhas futuras instalações do FT10 o tradutor automático, o compton será para os computadores mais com mais recurso e se o usuário final assim o desejar.

… and configured to be the default antiX File Manager- because the default File Manager …

Eu acho que não vale a pena todo este trabalho, além do mais, nós precisamos criar meios dos novos usuários aprenderem a alterar a área de trabalho padrão Rox-IceWM para zzz-IceWM ou space-IceWM ou qualquer outra para zzz ou space, já que é de comum senso que utilizar o Rox Filer é algo muito diferente do que no Windows ou em outras distribuições GNU/Linux. Desta forma, o usuário passa a utilizar o que já está pronto, ao invés de “transformar” o Rox-IceWM no zzz-IceWM, o que não faz sentido, além de ser muito trabalhoso para você e algo “invasivo” ao sistema do usuário.

Seamonkey came by default with antiX 19.4, but is not included in antiX 21 – should I add the option to install it to the FT10 enable menu?

Eu sugiro incluir na janela que surge quando o usuário ativa o FT10 e escolhe o modelo do menu.

Should I add an option to try to automatically localize Firefox-esr (and possibly LibreOffice) so it runs on the User’s language?

Esta é outra funcionalidade muito interessante, eu iria utilizar com toda certeza, mas eu sugiro incluir na janela que surge quando o usuário ativa o FT10 e escolhe o modelo do menu. Porque, só será interessante aos usuários não nativos do idioma Inglês que sempre possuem um trabalho a mais para ter os programas em seu próprio idioma.

-To make FT10 work better with JWM window manager I had to make many concessions.

Eu estou acompanhando o desenvolvimento e o crescimento benéfico do FT10 há mais de um ano, inicialmente era a barra do Tint2 para o Fluxbox com vários recursos, agora, o FT10 parece um “ambiente de trabalho” completo (risos). Na minha opinião você fez um excelente trabalho em fazer funcionar da forma que foi possível nos três gerenciadores de janelas. O FT10 eleva a qualidade do antiX e torna mais fácil a transição entre outros sistemas operacionais e o antiX. 

-Is there any extra feature you think FT10 should include out of the box (Setting up a Trash can/ Recycle bin in zzzfm is already in my To do list)?

Além dos detalhes relacionados às traduções que eu já te enviei sobre o idioma pt-BR, realmente a Lixeira ou Reciclagem é o único item que eu acredito que deixaria o FT10 um “ambiente de trabalho” completo. Eu não tenho ideia de qual será a melhor forma de ser feito isto, eu imagino ter vários arquivos “session” um em cada idioma e assim poderia ser copiado para a pastas correlata ao gerenciador de arquivos e ainda ter que alterar o nome do usuário.

Muito obrigado por todo o seu trabalho, empenho e dedicação em tornar o FT10 o que é hoje e com tantas funcionalidades interessantes.

[Member felipecardope]

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Hello PPC.

I installed jgmenu (jgmenu-antix_4.3.1_contribs2_amd64.deb – marcelocripe shared by email) and ft10 (ft10-transformation_1.3beta1_all.deb), I am helping to test ft10 on antiX-19.3_x64-full.
When I first activated ft10, everything worked fine.
I disabled ft10 to go back to space-icewm, the volume icon was not showing in the bottom right of the icewm bar.
I turned ft10 on and off again, when I did that two volume icons appeared and both were working.

I liked ft10 and now I’m going to test the package “ft10-transformation_1.3beta2_all.deb”.

Olá PPC.

Eu instalei o jgmenu (jgmenu-antix_4.3.1_contribs2_amd64.deb – o marcelocripe compartilhou por e-mail) e o ft10 (ft10-transformation_1.3beta1_all.deb), eu estou ajudando a testar o ft10 no antiX-19.3_x64-full.
Quando eu ativei o ft10 pela primeira vez, tudo funcionou direito.
Eu desativei o ft10 para voltar para space-icewm, o ícone de volume não estava aparecendo no canto inferior direito da barra do icewm.
Eu ativei e desativei o ft10 novamente, quando eu fiz isso, apareceram dois ícones de volume e os dois estavam funcionando.

Eu gostei do ft10 e agora eu vou testar o pacote “ft10-transformation_1.3beta2_all.deb”.

[Member felipecardope]

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-Is there any extra feature you think FT10 should include out of the box

PPC, is it possible to join the two menus and have something similar to my mounting?

PPC, é possível juntar os dois menus e termos algo parecido com a minha montagem?

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[Member PPC]

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@felipecardope – jgmenu (the software used to create FT10’s menu) is very powerful and it certainly can do that, but it’s somewhat difficult to edit the menu settings, so I will not (at least for now) add “Tiles” to the “Categories” menu. Marcelo has been asking me to do that from the start… Also, as you can see from your montage- such a menu would be huge and would not display correctly on lower resolution screens- as it is, FT10 is able to run in any screen, from 1024×600 up to (probably) the hightest resolution available – the current menu configuration was painstakingly achieved to allow users to view the menu correctly, even if they have to increase the menu’s fonts, to be able to read them in a higher resolution screen…
What I’m working on is on a button, that will be placed on the upper left side of the Tiled menu, than , when clicked, displays the categories, making it easier to search for applications by category… That is the only feature of the menu that, if I’m able to finish in time, will be added in the final version 1.3

-Another change- that I wonder why I didn’t do before is this- all FT10’s “File Manager” icons (the white folder icons on the toolbar, on the lower right of the menu and also the blue folder icon on the Tiles) will probably use zzzfm, and if zzzfm is not installed, then will use the default file manager. This allows users to have zzzfm available (if installed,which they can do from FT10’s activation menu, just by checking a box) without having to perform the extra step of having to change to a zzzfm managed desktop or having to manually set up the default file manager to be zzzfm. This solution is not perfect- for example, when you plug in a usb thumb drive, the default file manager will pop open (and it’s usually rox-filer) the same should happen when you open the folder where you downloaded a file to, directly from firefox. At least this shows new users that they are not forced to use rox-filer… All without even changing any antiX setting (which I don’t like using- I don’t like forcing changes in other persons systems)…
There may be the one person that says- “I don’t like zzzfm, but it’s installed by default in antiX 21 and it always opens when I click the White folder thingie”. To that hypothetical user I would say- don’t click the “White folder thingie”- add your file manager’s icon to the toolbar and just click it! As the main FT10 I have to make choices that I think will please most people…

P.

[Member PPC]

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@Bobc – I haven’t forgot your proposal to check automatically for system updates- since many users expect the OS to handle that automatically… I’ve come up with a middle-ground, that I’ve been thinking for a while, but just tested out yesterday – place a script, in the anacron list (this means it will be run just once a day, to check if users should run antiX updater or not… I’ve not yet messed with anacron (I just progammed a computer to check for updates with Cron, once)…

The initial version of the script is:

#!/bin/bash
#A script to help remind if users should check for system updates or not, by PPC, 31/01/2022, GPL license

days_to_wait_before_warning=8
date_of_last_update=$(stat -c %y /var/lib/apt/periodic/update-success-stamp| cut -d" " -f1)
today=$(date +%Y-%m-%d)
let DIFF=(<code>date +%s -d $today</code>-<code>date +%s -d $date_of_last_update</code>)/86400

if [ $DIFF -ge $days_to_wait_before_warning ]; then
yad --center --title="antix Updater" --text="It's been $DIFF day(s) since you last check for updates.\n You should check for updates now" --button="Ok" 
#else
#yad --center --title="antix Updater" --text="Your system should be up to day, you just updated it $DIFF day(s) ago." --button="OK"
fi

• This reply was modified 1 year, 3 months ago by PPC.

[Moderator BobC]

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Just opinions, here, based on experience with setting up systems for non-techie user friends…

If a trash/recycling system is implemented, it should have defaults set to limit trash space used and minimum available disk space percentage, and an automatic cleanup routine that runs at least daily to purge older trash files down to within the limits. Otherwise people will not know or forget to go clean it up, and the drive will fill.

As for the automatic updates check, I like the automatic daily check idea, but I think it should first check to see if any updates are needed, and not bother you at all, if nothing needs to be done. If there are available updates, it should calculate how many days since last update, pop up the yad box to let you know there are updates and how long its been, and give you a button to “Update” without the user needing to go to the menu to run it.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 3 months ago by BobC.

[Member PPC]

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@BobC- We’ll have to think about the trash can/recycle bin later… One problem at a time 🙂

Do you have any idea how to check for updates without having to use sudo (without messing with the system and desabling the need for a regular user to use elevated privileges to update the system?) I’ve been looking for something like that. Most probably what will end up in FT10 is the option to install (and automatically add it to the startup file) apt-notifier- I just don’t like it because it uses system resources…

P.

[Moderator BobC]

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This is probably what you are looking for…

# see how many updates are needed
export updates=$(aptitude search "~U" | wc -l)
# and check the output says 0...
if [[ "$updates" -eq 0 ]]; then  

At that point, you could list them or Update or cancel

PS: Using cron once a day to run that shouldn’t use much resources. Maybe give the option to run it daily or weekly (choose a day) in the setup.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 3 months ago by BobC.

[Member dariel.elias]

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Dear @PPC

As a new AntiX user, who still hasn’t mastered all the possibilities of the system, I want to congratulate you for the excellent work that resulted in this FT10 transformation package that, without a doubt, makes the experience of migrating from MS Windows to Linux much easier. .

I chose to use AntiX on an old netbook (Dell Inspiron Mini 1011) that I no longer used, and when installing the transformation pack I noticed that the battery/charging indicator, when used in light mode, is unreadable, as shown in the attached file , both in the stable version and in the beta version.

I know the work is Herculean, but in a next update, if possible, it would be interesting to also change the font color of the battery charging manager when changed to light mode.

Sincerely,

Dariel

• This reply was modified 1 year, 3 months ago by dariel.elias.

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