This topic contains 70 replies, has 28 voices, and was last updated by Mynaardt Apr 12-1:10 am.
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AnonymousXFCE also lightly moded but, the very obvious ugly stuff like, background on desktop icons or TRANSPARENT TERMINAL (just how stupid one has to be??? Or shell I ask: “Did they ever in their life try to use a Terminal?”) and app Errors, they didn’t really make it working impressive. You could see it above. That speed check is a shortcut opening script in Tillix and executing command. It works though but, with that ugly “child process exited” included. Icons backgrund you can see too. Where missing, is ’cause I allready fixed it.
masinick
As shown over the past several posts, no matter what developers, community members, or reviewers do, there are always features in distributions that some people like and others dislike. In some cases, people change things themselves and share what they’ve modified in case anyone else appreciates it. At times, others complain without offering anything constructive as an alternative. For the most part, we have a large number of helpful people within the antiX and MX communities, and I consider myself fortunate to collaborate with many of the people over the years. My own contributions have been primarily in helping new users, and in the past, I’ve assisted in editing documentation.
Like anything else, some people appreciate these kinds of efforts and those are the ones I choose to interact with most.
In terms of styles, I tend to grab images that suit my own personal interests that do not necessarily follow the fine art work seen in the various distributions; they are things limited to my own personal family or hobbies, and they frequently do not mesh with the other styles well, but they are private works.
Brian Masinick
AnonymousI completely agree — no matter what developers do, it’ll never suite everybody. But, it doesn’t need to.
Did you notice that almost everywhere only some nonsense is being developed recently?
Some dark themes, DarkER gray font on lightER gray backgrounds and such?Mint 19 is a great example of a catastrophe that goes all over the Distributions.
Just, fortunately they woke up and reacted, 19.1 Beta is getting usable again.Many things are matter of taste. Some low contrast or dark theme can have some rare use case too but, how comes that before nobody complained about too much contrast in previous Mint-X theme but, many enough are complaining about too low contrast of successor Mint-Y?
Second thing would be, ergonomic GUI is defined by standards and there are good reasons for it.
It’s easier to brake a good Fonts and Themes then fix them for themselves and, as from example above, most people will not complain against something good per default but, (almost) nobody will be pleased when the “first impression” is bad.
Just like when you meet a girl. 😉
If they say it loud (== “just criticize”) or just pass to another Distro is another thing.
Give the people the solid base that looks right — minority who wants (sometimes useless) “Design Masterpiece” should design it to themselves.
Their prize is — (as an example) broken, almost transparent Terminal that they can enjoy all day long.
It seems that in a moment, we just get a changes for the change’s sake.Those were only some examples but, reality goes much further (and is much worse).
BobC
It’s ok, Modicia isn’t for me, not cutting it down, just like MX isn’t for me.
Well, they are using exactly the same amount of memory for the same things, on the same HW. The difference is only, that Modicia is highly optimized and it preloads everything you might want to use but, are not using just yet. This makes it much more responsive then MX.
That is the comment I want talk about.
The “preloads” idea is what I want to understand. I see antiX includes zswap loaded and comes with zram available but not implemented, but maybe you are’t talking about that. What did you mean by “preloads” and if you know, how is it implemented?
Thanks…
rokytnji
Gnome-Shell > Naw > Never tried it. No wish to. Kinda set in my ways.
LXDE > Naw > personal experience building from 8.5 core.
Kde > Naw > I am KDE dyslexic
XFCE > Yep > reminds me of Old Gnome which I learned on.
Phone interface > Still learning > PITA
Chrome Book interface. > Old dog new tricks. Kinda on da fence on this one. > One Chrome Book Acer C710 bought cheap off ebay by me has screwed up write protect on da bios chip. So I am crouton Ubuntu XFCE on it with the latest LTS Ubuntu version. Still the 16 gig SSD in it. It works OK. Better than the unsupported Google Parrot OS on it.
Which was required for the Crouton installation process. I just went with basic xfce with no buncha stuff pulled in.Some of these new Lumina and Budgie stuff. I leave that to the younger blood with fresher brains than I.
Off topic stuff:
Other Acer C710. Which had a work able write protect bypass. Runs AntiX 17 Full with John Lewis Bios installed by me.
No fav desktop environments on it. It also has the stock small 16 gig SSD drive in it. So trying to keep space open on drive.At one time. On my AntiX Chromebook install. I inserted a 32 gig Fat 32 SD card. Symlinked everything from /home/username to it.
Since /home was installed to / during initial procedure on a single 16 ssd ext 4 partition.
Edited /etc/fstab accordingly to mount the card on boot since it was now a spare hard drive.But. Like all good experiments. I crashed and burned it with a improper power down < battery died while running >
I forgot to run live and repair corrupted files on card with Gparted and using check < unmount, then right click mouse and pick check >.
So I pulled it. Put it back in da camera.It was a good learning experience for me.
Sometimes I drive a crooked road to get my mind straight.
Not all who Wander are Lost.
Linux Registered User # 475019
How to Search for AntiX solutions to your problems
Anonymous@ BobC:
Basically speaking, that’s something like Windows Superfetch.
Here some links for beginning:
What it is, what is doing, where to get and does it make sense and which if any at all.
https://www.linux.com/blog/using-preload-speed-linux
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Preload
https://askubuntu.com/questions/110335/drawbacks-of-using-preload-why-isnt-it-included-by-default
rokytnji
Thanks. Giving it a go on this 16 gig ram IBM T430 for starters
harry@biker:~ $ cat /etc/preload.conf [model] # cycle: # # This is the quantum of time for preload. Preload performs # data gathering and predictions every cycle. Use an even # number. # # Note: Setting this parameter too low may reduce system performance # and stability. # # unit: seconds # default: 20 # cycle = 20 # usecorrelation: # # Whether correlation coefficient should be used in the prediction # algorithm. There are arguments both for and against using it. # Currently it's believed that using it results in more accurate # prediction. The option may be removed in the future. # # default: true usecorrelation = true # minsize: # # Minimum sum of the length of maps of the process for # preload to consider tracking the application. # # Note: Setting this parameter too high will make preload less # effective, while setting it too low will make it eat # quadratically more resources, as it tracks more processes. # # unit: bytes # default: 2000000 # minsize = 2000000 # # The following control how much memory preload is allowed to use # for preloading in each cycle. All values are percentages and are # clamped to -100 to 100. # # The total memory preload uses for prefetching is then computed using # the following formulae: # # max (0, TOTAL * memtotal + FREE * memfree) + CACHED * memcached # where TOTAL, FREE, and CACHED are the respective values read at # runtime from /proc/meminfo. # # memtotal: precentage of total memory # # unit: signed_integer_percent # default: -10 # memtotal = -10 # memfree: precentage of free memory # # unit: signed_integer_percent # default: 50 # memfree = 50 # memcached: precentage of cached memory # # unit: signed_integer_percent # default: 0 # memcached = 0 ########################################################################### [system] # doscan: # # Whether preload should monitor running processes and update its # model state. Normally you do want that, that's all preload is # about, but you may want to temporarily turn it off for various # reasons like testing and only make predictions. Note that if # scanning is off, predictions are made based on whatever processes # have been running when preload started and the list of running # processes is not updated at all. # # default: true doscan = true # dopredict: # # Whether preload should make prediction and prefetch anything off # the disk. Quite like doscan, you normally want that, that's the # other half of what preload is about, but you may want to temporarily # turn it off, to only train the model for example. Note that # this allows you to turn scan/predict or or off on the fly, by # modifying the config file and signalling the daemon. # # default: true dopredict = true # autosave: # # Preload will automatically save the state to disk every # autosave period. This is only relevant if doscan is set to true. # Note that some janitory work on the model, like removing entries # for files that no longer exist happen at state save time. So, # turning off autosave completely is not advised. # # unit: seconds # default: 3600 # autosave = 3600 # mapprefix: # # A list of path prefixes that controll which mapped file are to # be considered by preload and which not. The list items are # separated by semicolons. Matching will be stopped as soon as # the first item is matched. For each item, if item appears at # the beginning of the path of the file, then a match occurs, and # the file is accepted. If on the other hand, the item has a # exclamation mark as its first character, then the rest of the # item is considered, and if a match happens, the file is rejected. # For example a value of !/lib/modules;/ means that every file other # than those in /lib/modules should be accepted. In this case, the # trailing item can be removed, since if no match occurs, the file is # accepted. It's advised to make sure /dev is rejected, since # preload doesn't special-handle device files internally. # # Note that /lib matches all of /lib, /lib64, and even /libexec if # there was one. If one really meant /lib only, they should use # /lib/ instead. # # default: (empty list, accept all) mapprefix = /usr/;/lib;/var/cache/;!/ # exeprefix: # # The syntax for this is exactly the same as for mapprefix. The only # difference is that this is used to accept or reject binary exectuable # files instead of maps. # # default: (empty list, accept all) exeprefix = !/usr/sbin/;!/usr/local/sbin/;/usr/;!/ # maxprocs # # Maximum number of processes to use to do parallel readahead. If # equal to 0, no parallel processing is done and all readahead is # done in-process. Parallel readahead supposedly gives a better I/O # performance as it allows the kernel to batch several I/O requests # of nearby blocks. # # default: 30 processes = 30 # sortstrategy # # The I/O sorting strategy. Ideally this should be automatically # decided, but it's not currently. One of: # # 0 -- SORT_NONE: No I/O sorting. # Useful on Flash memory for example. # 1 -- SORT_PATH: Sort based on file path only. # Useful for network filesystems. # 2 -- SORT_INODE: Sort based on inode number. # Does less house-keeping I/O than the next option. # 3 -- SORT_BLOCK: Sort I/O based on disk block. Most sophisticated. # And useful for most Linux filesystems. # # default: 3 sortstrategy = 3 harry@biker:~ $ sudo cp /etc/preload.conf /etc/preload.conf.bk harry@biker:~ $ cd /etc harry@biker:/etc $ ls abcde.conf cups gshadow ld.so.cache mtab rc2.d ssh acpi cupshelpers gshadow- ld.so.conf mtools.conf rc3.d ssl adduser.conf dbus-1 gss ld.so.conf.d nanorc rc4.d staff-group-for-usr-local adjtime debconf.conf gtk libao.conf netconfig rc5.d subgid alternatives debian_version gtk-2.0 libaudit.conf netscsid.conf rc6.d subgid- antix-version default gtk-3.0 libgda-5.0 network rc.local subuid apm defaultdomain gufw libnl-3 networks rc.local.dpkg-old subuid- apparmor.d deluser.conf hdparm.conf libpaper.d newsbeuter rcS.d sudoers apt desktop-session host.conf libreoffice newt request-key.conf sudoers.d asciidoc dhcp hostname libuser.conf nsswitch.conf request-key.d sysctl.conf asound.conf dictd hosts live obex-data-server resolvconf sysctl.d avahi dictionaries-common hosts.allow locale.alias openal resolv.conf systemd bash.bashrc dillo hosts.deny locale.gen opt rmt terminfo bash_completion dkms hp locale.gen.all os-release rpc timezone bash_completion.d dpkg iceweasel locale.gen.net pam.conf rsyslog.conf tmpfiles.d bindresvport.blacklist drirc idmapd.conf localtime pam.d rsyslog.d ucf.conf bluetooth elinks ifplugd logcheck papersize samba udev bogofilter.cf emacs ImageMagick-6 login.defs passwd sane.d udevil bootchartd.conf environment init logrotate.conf passwd- screenrc udisks2 ca-certificates esound init.d logrotate.d pcmcia s-distro-level ufw ca-certificates.conf firefox-esr initramfs-tools lsb-release perl s-distro-version uniconf.conf ca-certificates.conf.dpkg-old fish inittab magic pm securetty updatedb.conf calendar fonts inputrc magic.mime pmount.allow security UPower chatscripts fstab insserv mail pnm2ppa.conf selinux usb_modeswitch.conf chromium.d fstab.bk insserv.conf mailcap polkit-1 sensors3.conf usb_modeswitch.d clicompanion.d fstab.hotplug insserv.conf.d mailcap.order ppp sensors.d vdpau_wrapper.cfg conf.d fuse.conf inxi.conf mailname preload.conf services vim conky fuse.conf.bk ioctl.save manpath.config preload.conf.bk sgml wgetrc console gai.conf iproute2 mc profile shadow wicd ConsoleKit gconf irssi.conf menu profile.d shadow- wildmidi console-setup gftp iso-snapshot.conf menu-methods protocols shells wodim.conf cron.d ghostscript issue mime.types pulse skel wpa_supplicant cron.daily gnome-vfs-mime-magic issuebk mke2fs.conf python slim.conf wvdial.conf cron.hourly GNUstep issue.net modprobe.d python2.7 smartd.conf X11 cron.monthly gpm.conf jwm modules python3 smartmontools xdg crontab groff kbd modules.bk python3.4 smxi.conf xlock.staff cron.weekly group kernel modules-load.d ranger spacefm xml cruft group- kernel-img.conf motd rc0.d spamassassin xpdf crypttab grub.d ldap mpv rc1.d splash harry@biker:/etc $ apt-cache policy preload preload: Installed: 0.6.4-2 Candidate: 0.6.4-2 Version table: *** 0.6.4-2 0 500 http://ftp.gr.debian.org/debian/ jessie/main i386 Packages 100 /var/lib/dpkg/statusSometimes I drive a crooked road to get my mind straight.
Not all who Wander are Lost.
Linux Registered User # 475019
How to Search for AntiX solutions to your problems
rokytnji
OOOps. Missed this/
Installation
Install the preloadAUR package. You may now start the systemd service preload, and/or enable it in order to start at boot.
So I’ll purge it.
$ sudo apt-get purge preloadharry@biker:~ $ sudo updatedb harry@biker:~ $ locate preload /etc/preload.conf.bk /usr/lib/preloadable_libintl.so /var/cache/apt/archives/preload_0.6.4-2_i386.debSometimes I drive a crooked road to get my mind straight.
Not all who Wander are Lost.
Linux Registered User # 475019
How to Search for AntiX solutions to your problems
BobC
I installed and loaded preload from the repo on a test system and didn’t have any problem so far. It didn’t depend on any systemd stuff, and appears to be running.
I rebooted and its running.
I wonder how I would be able to tell if its doing me any good. If I was going to add this to an OS, I would want to add something to help analyze what effect it has on how responsive the system is doing tasks I do. Especially with antiX’s wanting to help people with older hardware, I’d also want to have it so it self configures based on the hardware found or is easily configured, ie only turned on if it finds a machine that would likely benefit, and have a setting in services to override it easily.
I guess we are off the subjects of desktops here. Maybe we should create a preload thread? For example, if Modicia benefits, maybe MX would also, given the similarities, and possibly antiX depending of course on hardware provided and applications used. I certainly hate hearing (did I?) that antiX performance is lacking in any way…
- This reply was modified 10 months, 2 weeks ago by BobC.
Anonymous… if Modicia benefits, maybe MX would also, given the similarities, and possibly antiX depending of course on hardware provided and applications used.
From some discussions:
Preload monitors applications that users run, and by analysing this data, predicts what applications users might run, and fetches those binaries and their dependencies into memory for faster startup times.
I think that the reason its not preloaded with the OS, is because the user has to know exactly what there doing, and have enough experience to be able to use it, and the system has to have enough RAM.
On a more technical aspect, preload works by moving data from the hard disk to RAM, which makes most hard disk to go to sleep mode if not used, and then have to spin back up when needed. So spinning up/down the drive, would cause the Load/Unload Cycle count, and the Power-On time count rise, and that will shorten the life of the drive.
There’s no real need for preload if you have an SSD.
– This is because SSDs provide much faster random access times than hard disks, so “pre-loading” binaries/dependencies in memory is a waste, IMO
– The basic downside then is that preload is “using” additional memory without providing a tangible benefit.So the reason it’s not enabled by default is because its ability to actually improve performance is based largely on how you use your system. For some people it will be a negative and for others a positive.
Lastly, having preload on, even if you’re not using it, consumes ram. So if you’re not launching applications frequently…
… you’ll probably gain nothing if you don’t have HDD and are not starting this or that application all the time.
If I start a Web browser, Text editor and 3, 4 more programs in the morning and close them again in the evening, before shutdown, they’ll be started exactly once and will be running all day long so there’s no need to preload anything (Linux virtual memory management is anyway keeping in cache what it needs related to those couple of applications). Plus, since I use SSD’s it brings double much nothing. Plus, if you don’t have enough RAM, it’s also questionable how much you’ll profit. How much is “enough” is relative to the applications in use. If you have something very memory hungry or if you have a tons of “light” applications so, nobody can tell YOU how much is “enough” for YOU.
If you go through a dozen of different forums, you’ll also notice one more thing which is important before making a decision on “to preload or not to preload”. The point is: People take themselves right to discuss on any topic ’cause of their “democratic right to say their opinion”. Well, everybody has a right to make himself his own thoughts but, not every opinion deserves to be written down (and heard) since, the wast majority of people decides to discuss on the kind of stuff, they understand nothing about plus, they put themselves in the center of the universe without thinking in wider relations. Every try to persuade them and give them a reasonable explanation on how the things really should look like will fail.
Then you get opinions like: Distro APZZ is using soooo much RAM but, they understand nothing about memory management. They discuss the Fonts quality but, are not even able to find a completely missing font family on a screenshot. They discuss about … just about f…..g anything.
It always turns into the “Eppur si muove” tragedy at the end. There is one person who knows better and IS RIGHT and there is a wast majority which sees it different and GET RIGHT. 😉
Mynaardt
Hi there!
Myself, I like a DE that doesn’t use much RAM. Mostly so there’s that much more RAM available for the apps I want to run.
Xfce I rather like because it isn’t a RAM-hog and does have a bit of eye-candy I rather like.
And it’s relatively easy to customize by way of various GUI stuff.I also do like the three DEs that antiX has: Fluxbox, Ice-WM and JWM.
Pretty spartan compared to a lot of DEs out there, but more than good enough for my liking.
A little more care needed to customize than Xfce, but that’s okay. It hasn’t been too difficult for me (yet).All these DEs make it easy to navigate around to the apps I like, and that’s the main thing.
Having lots of RAM left over is big bonus too!antiX is your computer's friend: always trust the antiX operating system
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