On automatically recognising distros in posts
 

I notice that the automatic recognition of distros does not work for some of the smaller ones. For example, I am now using Crux, but the panel to the left of my posts shows only generic Linux (and sometimes only a question mark, which is worse!). The same thing happens with LFS. Is there a way to improve this?

I've also noticed that where I suspect the poster might actually be running Linux Mint for example; their post shows the Ubuntu icon for their OS icon. I know it's the User Agent that tells LQ which OS you're using, so I imagine that Jeremy would need to add more OS's to LQ's OS list for the User Agent icon there.

But I don't understand why Linux Mint doesn't seem to have it's own User Agent icon for the detected OS ? Given it's one of the most popular distro's out.

Possibly because there aren't any sites in the real world that would recognise and cater for "Mint" in HTTP_USER_AGENT, whereas for "Ubuntu" there already are many. Mint is 99.9% Ubuntu, so being served Ubuntu-specific content (e.g. download selection) is fine.

While I do see your point, and I believe you can install Ubuntu packages on Linux Mint (I *think*), and while there may not be a lot of differences [major] between the two; I can't help but think it could still be of benefit to know if it's Linux Mint or actually Ubuntu itself the poster is posting from (particularly if their the OP).

Also, are you saying you "Minters" don't deserve you're own User Agent? I would have thought that was blasphemy in the Linux Mint world there, shame on you hydrurga! :p Just kidding... ;) :jawa:

:p

I've just asked the Mint developers why they don't use "Mint" in HTTP_USER_AGENT and the response was that there is simply no need for it, that Mint has nothing to gain by setting this differently. They added that including such a string would be unlikely to break compatibility, but that there is no reason to find out.

And yes, you can install Ubuntu packages on Linux Mint so you can now say "(I *know*)". :)

Hydrurga the Minter.

Does this mean that if I set the environmental variable HTTP_USER_AGENT to my distro name, LQ will recognise it?

It is (was?) the same for Slackware, you had to manually add it to your user agent string to get the icon to appear, as I recall.
No, not necessarily - the forum software would first need an icon set up, etc to cater for it. Which may or may not already be the case.

I would imagine no. It takes two to tango and LQ must recognise the string and then display the relevant logo. And it's unlikely that LQ would do that for one person, unless you can round up all the other Crux users and make a case for it.

Out of interest, what does your HTTP_USER_AGENT show for the browser you use to view LQ?

I actually have seen several older posts with the Linux Mint icon instead of Ubuntu. It would of course be difficult to find them, but if I remember right they were posted by @frankbell.

There's a way to change this in Firefox by tweaking the about:config settings (there's a thread here on LQ, somewhere), but yes, as has been said, there would need to be the corresponding distro icon available on LQ for it to work. Most of the major distros, BSDs, Solaris-like OSes, Android, macOS, and Windows versions are represented.

I don't think I have anything set. I can't find it in Preferences or about:config and it isn't set in my environment either.

This site will display your user agent:
https://www.whoishostingthis.com/tools/user-agent/

OK, it's Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Linux x86_64; rv:63.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/63.0.

Exactly the same as mine. This desktop is CentOS 7.5.

...and you've got the same generic Linux icon. Now that is bad!! Crux may be a minority interest but I would regard CentOS as mainstream. It ought at worst to identify as Red Hat.

btw, I always get a question mark icon on fresh posts. Then on refreshing the page it turns into the penguin.