https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8Aw2zzBE-g

27 June 2016

antiX-16 (Berta Cáceres) released

Debian 8.5 (jessie), but systemd-free! And it fits on a cd! Great LiveUSB features!

We initially set out to add a few enhancements on top of antiX-15 in preparation for a stretch release, but we got carried away and added lots of features particularly when running live.

As usual antiX comes in 3 flavours for both 32 and 64 bit processors.

antiX-full (c695MB) -4 windows managers - IceWM(default), fluxbox, jwm and herbstluftwm

antiX-base (c510MB) -3 windows managers - fluxbox(default), jwm and herbstluftwm

antiX-core-libre (c190MB) - no X. Just enough to get you connected (wired) and ready to build. Uses a libre kernel.

antiX has been designed to be fast, light on resources and flexible.

Install it to harddrive, run it live from a stick or run as a frugal install on a partition.

Want to run antiX on a usb device with persistence?
antiX does this simply and effectively.

Want to remaster your running live system?
antiX makes this easy.

Want to create an iso file of your installed to hard drive system?
Yes, antiX has this feature too.

Want to run live on a box with UEFI bootloader?
antiX can do this.

The choice is yours!

So what is included?

Lots! Explore!

* Based on Debian Jessie, but without systemd nor systemd-shim.
* Customised 4.4.10 LTS kernel with fbcondecor splash
* libreoffice 4.3.3-2
* firefox-esr 45.2.0
* claws-mail 3.13.0
* xmms -for audio
* gnome-mplayer - for playing video
* smtube 16.3.0 - play youtube videos without a using a browser
* streamlight-antix - stream videos with very low RAM usage.
* eudev is available in the jessie dev repo.

File managers and desktop:

* spacefm
* rox-filer

Convert your video and audio files with:

* winff
* asunder

Connect to the net with:

* wicd
* ceni
* or gnome-ppp if you are still on dial-up

Editors:

* geany
* leafpad
* Midnight Commander

Tools for remastering and creating snapshots of installed system:

* iso-snapshot
* remaster tools
* Unetbootin
* antix2usb

Others:

* hexchat - gui chat
* luckybackup - excellent backup tool. There's nothing lucky about it!
* simple-scan - for scanning documents
* transmission-gtk - torrent downloader
* wingrid-antix - turn the stacking window managers into tilers.
* xf86-video-sis-antix - added since it is not in Debian jessie
* Xfburn for burning cd/dvd
* connectshares-antix for network shares
* droopy-antix - an easy way to transfer files over the net.
* flashplugin-nonfree - flash video
* install-meta-antix - install applications easily and safely
* antiX Control Centre - an easy way to do just about anything!

Why not try out our included 'cli' apps:

* Editors: nano and vim
* Newsreader: newsbeuter
* Chat: irssi
* Audio player: mocp
* Video player: mpv
* Audio ripper: abcde
* Torrent: rtorrent
* Cd burner: cdw
* Writer: Wordgrinder

Great '''LiveUSB''' features:

o fast boot times without systemd (X in under 10 seconds on new boxes running live)
o auto-customizable bootloaders (legacy and uefi)
o easy persistence and easy frugal installs
o remasters and respins
o legacy and 32-bit uefi and 64-bit uefi

In more detail:

We make use of the LiveUSB to save information even if home or root
persistence are not enabled. The goal is to make the LiveUSB more
convenient without sacrificing user control. Such saved
information includes:

1) LiveUSB-Storage Feature
2) SaveState Feature
3) BIOS Bootloader "F8 Save" --> save
4) UEFI Bootloader "Customize (with text menus)"
5) Sticky boot options


* LiveUSB-Storage Feature
-----------------------
LiveUSB-Storage directories are created for the root user and the
demo users. This gives you easy, direct
access to store files on the LiveUSB without having to enable
persistence. The only size limitation is the size of the LiveUSB
partition You can disable this with the "nostore" cheat.

* SaveState Feature
-----------------
The savestate feature saves a few files across reboots. For example
files for wicd are saved so the system will remember your wireless
networks and passwords. You control which files get saved by
editing the list in /live/antiX/state/general-state-files and
/live/antiX/state/machine-state-files. The general files are saved
and restored across machines while the machine files are saved and
restored for each machine so each machine can have its own copy.

* Sticky LiveUSB boot options
---------------------------
In addition, several options automatically become "sticky" (remembered
across reboots) even if persistence is not enabled. There are:

automount Automatically mount partitions when plugged-in***
mount=usb Mount all USB partitions at boot-time***
mount=all Mount ALL partitions at boot-time***
desktop=xxxxx Saves the last desktop you selected***
savestate Enables saving state files
nosavestate Disable saving state files
nostore Disable the LiveUSB-Storage feature
dostore Enable the LiveUSB-Storage feature

For example, if you don't want the LiveUSB-Storage feature enabled
then you just need to select "nostore" once from the "F4 Options"
menu. The feature will stay disabled until you use the "dostore"
boot option.

* F4 Options --> automount should work now
----------------------------------------
File systems that use FUSE (ntfs-3g and exfat) will still need to be
mounted manually. Even FUSE file systems will get mounted at
boot-time with "mount=usb" and "mount=all" boot options.

* The Live UEFI bootloader has been improved
------------------------------------------
There is now a Save option when you select "Customize boot (text
menus)". It works like the F8 Save menu in the BIOS bootloader. If
a Windows UEFI bootloader is detected in the first partition of the
first hard drive then we offer an option to chain load to windows.
Various console resolutions are available in the bootloader menu.
You can also adjust the resolution manually when you edit an entry.

* The nosysv=xxx option has been renamed to disable=xxx
-----------------------------------------------------
(although "nosysv" should still work). The services that are
disabled are no longer printed to the screen, instead they are
listed in the file /etc/live/config/disabled.

* The live boot is less chatty with fewer bogus errors and warnings
-----------------------------------------------------------------
You can make the startup even more terse by using the "verb=4" cheat.
This may not be fully compatible with some of the advanced LiveUSB
options.

* The default retry time has increased from 10 to 15 seconds
----------------------------------------------------------
This is how long we look for the linuxfs file before giving up. If
you use the "failsafe" option then it is set to 30 seconds. The
default retry time for finding a frugal or persistence partition is
still 10 seconds. You can adjust all of these times with "try=xx".

If you want Debian without systemd, give antiX a try. It works great on old boxes and the latest and greatest.

Many thanks to all who worked, tested, promoted and helped antiX.

* BitJam
* Dave
* dolphin_oracle
* SamK
* Translators at antiX Launchpad
* rokytnji, masinick, dark-D, rust collector, eugen-b, Alanarchy, skidoo, peregrine, lagopus, jdmeaux1952, spaceman, james c, jerry, fatmac, balloon, chrispop99, Shay, kmathern and others I may have forgotten for testing, contributing to antiX and promoting antiX as widely as possible.
* SliTaz for mountbox.
* old sidux team for install-meta package.
* Maato for volumeicon http://softwarebakery.com/maato/volumeicon.html
* Michael Deelwater for burniso.
* petya@nigilist.ru for ps_initrd.sh.
* tradetaxfree for zram script.
* P@draigBrady.com for ps_mem.py.
* SamK for unplugdrive.sh, JWM conguration files, droopy, Connectshares, streamlight, wingrid
* Adrian for mx-snapshot on which iso-snapshot is heavily based and the gui installer.
* kexolino for the wallpaper Wooden as well as Consuming_the_light_side and pier

not forgetting, of course,

* antiX Community
* MEPIS Community
* Debian team and volunteers.
* All software developers.

and all users, testers, suggesters, torrent seeders and friends at antiX and MEPIS forums.

and many more...

Get files from here:

https://sourceforge.net/projects/antix- ... /antiX-16/

Enjoy!

anticapitalista, 27 June 2016, Thessaloniki.

NB: antiX MX (Xfce) series follows a different release schedule and is not included in this release.

* If you want to try eudev, add dev to /etc/apt/sources.list.d/antix.list as shown below and then do apt-get dist-upgrade

deb http://ftp.cc.uoc.gr/mirrors/linux/mx/antix/jessie jessie main nosystemd dev

* The present installer does not allow for capital letters in the username. If you wish to have an installer that does this, use the one in the dev repo (see above). This installer should work ok, but it has not been extensively tested.

Hi DO. Great to see you at LQ also.

Can people stay free from systemd forever or is it inevitable that all distros will have to follow the systemd route. I have no opinion on systemd either way but am curious about it.

So far its possible. I can't speak for forever, but the plan for antiX-17 is to remain systemd free while still maintaining debian 9 stretch compatibility. Its possible now to be based on testing and sysd free, but testing is still a moving target until feature freeze, which is a ways down the road yet. antiX 17 should also feature "eudev" the udev fork that is committed to not requiring systemd but still be "udev".

I see. And if being systemd-free became too much hassle or became untenable -- would you then switch antiX and MX to use systemd?

given the lead devs stance on systemd, I doubt it. he would likely fight tooth and nail to keep systemd out of antiX.

MX is not quite systemd free. Its present, but not used for init or service management. while distrowatch calls MX "antiX MX edition" its really a separate project built on top of antiX.

@dolphin_oracle
Thank you and antiX and Mepis team for providing these nifty distros.

I have a question. it's absolutely hypothetical.
I have noticed that antiX and MX use official debian repository. Considering systemd as the default init for Debian, is it possible that some packages from debian repository don't install/work on antiX/MX?

great question.

1. with MX, everything in debian jessie/stable should install fine. mx doesn't use systemd for init, but it is present in the system.

2. with antiX-16, everything in debian jessie/stable should install. Many stable packages that "require" systemd have been repackaged in the antiX "nosystemd" repo. If apps are found that still require systemd, the dev has been repackaging them to "nosystemd" versions. many services have already been repackaged, including cups and pulseaudio.

3. the situation is a little more murky with the debian testing repo, as its a moving target until debian feature freeze. we've seen apps update to systemd requirements that didn't have them before.

so if staying systemd freed is important to you, then stick with antiX-16 stable.

2 members found this post helpful.

Thanks a lot

Hi...

Thank you for this information, I didn't know these requirements existed.

Regards...

P A G E NOT F O U N D ...

dolphin_oracle,

Was this the correct sourceforge link?

https://sourceforge.net/projects/ant...urce=directory

^
thx pal !

I've been a long time Debian, MEPIS, MX, and antiX user.

When Debian moved from sysinitd to systemd, I watched for a while, then upgraded a test version, and I never ran into problems.

I've also used a few releases of Fedora, which champions a lot of the systemd work. Like Debian, I haven't experienced any system issues that could be tracked to systemd.

When I've been working with antiX and MX, as long as I'm sticking with the intended repositories and not mixing old and new Debian repositories and creating packaging conflicts, both of them also work quite well.

The only time I've run into issues is when I deliberately tried things "against recommendations" from the antiX and MX teams to assess the impact and consequences. None of the experiments I ran completely broke a system to the point of not working at all, but they definitely affected operations relating to starting, stopping, or resetting services.

Systemd vs. sysinitd discussions often lead to conflict and disagreement. What I can tell you from the point of view of working systems is that both approaches work. Changing from one to the other, without question, impacts the way that the system works, and it greatly affects the libraries used.

UNIX and Linux purists that prefer the small, modular, one program for each task approach tend to be the ones who object to systemd, which is more of a monolithic, big system approach to job scheduling, device management, and system control. That, in a nutshell, explains why the antiX developer prefers the sysinitd approach. Any monolithic approach from a purist perspective smacks of the kinds of solutions that proprietary vendors tend to create, so just from that statement, you can see why this discussion can become "testy" and contentious.

If you stick with whatever is recommended by antiX or MX, you can be certain that it will work. For anyone other than a developer or enthusiast, that's probably enough. Anyone else is likely to have an opinion one way or the other. I'll simply conclude by noting that there are very good systems in both camps that work well, so continue to use whatever system best suits your personal needs without worry or concern.

2 members found this post helpful.