March Linux : Now a LIVE CD!!!

s26c.sayan · 2007-05-14 18:08:54

Hi!!

Its been just a few months that I'v been using Arch Linux, and I'v found it to be a truly rocking distro! and I'v been learning so much about linux everyday!!
Recently, I read the excellent guide by Rasat on how to make your own install CD.(http://www.user-contributions.org/wikis/userwiki/index.php?title=Make_Install_CD).
Inspired by it, I have got the idea of creating a new personalized 'distrolet' which I would like to call March Linux (=My Arch ),
I intend this to be another step in the learning process as offered by arch linux.
Please note that I am neither a developer nor a geek even by the widest stretch of the terms! So, this might be a daring step for a rather n00b like me l!!!

March Linux will feature Fluxbox as the default WM (with some customizations that I personally use) along with other important apps.

Please comment/advice me on my proposed project, which is quite obviously in an embryonic stage right now!

P.S: I have created a home page for the project at googlepages : http://marchlinux.wikidot.com [New Site]
This too, is still under construction!!!

Last edited by s26c.sayan (2007-07-28 16:33:17)

mitsoko · 2007-05-16 12:14:16

well, personally am too lazy to go that far . but good luck mate i'll definately keep an ey onthis, to help with testing and such ...

you might wanna take a look at archie or underground (if it comes bak online) to get some ideas ...
i'd recommend larch as a base builder .. i've larch to build a fully functional live usb system .. gnome desktop, php, python, apache, mysql, python, perl, vlc, mplayer+codecs, gimp, geany, and much more ... it came to about 550mb after i stripped out docs, and locales and the like ...

Archie: http://archie.dotsrc.org/
Underground: http://underground.geekcode.info/
Larch: http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=28209 | http://four.fsphost.com/gradgrind/

s26c.sayan · 2007-05-17 07:01:42

Thanks a lot for your reply and support ! You see, I'm not getting enough views/replies on this proposed project, and this can be quite disheartening!

ISO of an ALPHA version of March Linux has been uploaded (ver 0.0.2-ALPHA). You can get it here:
ftp://download.tuxfamily.org/marchlinux/

Testing it will be highly appreciated. Please notify me of problems/bugs AND also your suggestions about how to overcome/correct them (I'm a NO-GEEK, remember!!! )

Last edited by s26c.sayan (2007-05-17 07:03:23)

iphitus · 2007-05-17 08:36:23

s26c.sayan wrote:

Thanks a lot for your reply and support ! You see, I'm not getting enough views/replies on this proposed project, and this can be quite disheartening!

most of us are already quite comfortable with standard Arch I guess, and probably trust something made by the Arch devs, rather than something versioned alpha and made by someone who stresses they are a 'non geek'.

Good luck with it, don't get disheartened, it'll take time before it gets interest, but if you plod on and show you can keep it going, and going well, then your users will gradually tag along and you'll get a name, and other users will follow.

James

Weeks · 2007-05-17 09:03:41

well, i see arch as quite a "distrolet" as is it, mainly because choose to install whatever i want.

if you want a customised set of packages you could set up your own mirror or create a script that automatically goes for a subset of packages. then when you install arch you could just go for the subset of packages (via the script or mirror) and have "your arch". so you wouldn't actually have to have a CD full of packages; you'd install from the network - how arch works currently.

i've never researched into extant solutions, but i've often thought about distributing things on an ISO or having some utility that would automatically install the packages (and perhaps settings) on each of my arch-based computers, bypassing the need of manual setup (although the current setup utility fulfills my needs tbh). and i guess that's what you're looking at now.

don't worry about the lack of feedback. you should concentrate on working on things you love not worrying about peer acceptance, no matter how normal that is. don't expect your first project to be an complete success, just concentrate on learning in general, and learning from mistakes specifically.

it's a good name btw.

s26c.sayan · 2007-05-17 10:24:27

thought about distributing things on an ISO or having some
utility that would automatically install the packages (and perhaps
settings) on each of my arch-based computers, bypassing the need of
manual setup....and i guess that's what you're looking at now

Precisely ! In fact, the idea came to my mind when one of my friends
decided to give Linux a try, and asked me to install a distro.

just concentrate on learning in general, and learning from
mistakes specifically.

That's exactly what I intend to do! Thank you!

By feedback, all I hoped for are comments/views on my project, and maybe
a few words of encouragement! Thanks to all for giving me just that!
Also, if feasible, please try to test the ISO and advise me....

it's a good name btw.

:):)

hacosta · 2007-05-17 17:59:32

im not a fluxbox user and, not your target audience but i think it would be a good idea if you setup your repo with a metapackage so users can just add your repo and do a pacman -S march-desktop or whatever

pecan · 2007-05-18 06:16:27

If i used fluxbox instead of enlightenment I'd take a look, but I don't. Sounds like a handy way of quickly installing a arch system though.

s26c.sayan · 2007-05-22 20:12:55

UPDATE:

From now on, March Linux will concentrate on being a LnF distrolet of Arch.
(The next version will be available soon, just to show that March not yet dead ! )

Currently, Jacman serves as the GUI frontend to pacman in March. Jacman, despite being an excellent program, is quite heavy due to its JRE dep. I'v created PacKommander, a simple GUI wrapper for pacman using Kommander, which shall replace Jacman in near future.
PacKommander Download : http://www.esnips.com/nsdoc/863fc34f-0b … 6a11c6c7de
Screenshots: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sayanriju/ … 268333286/

Could anyone plz give this simple .kmdr app a try and gimme some feedback? (It requires Kommander, whch AFAIK is available in AUR,)

Last edited by s26c.sayan (2007-05-26 12:48:25)

rasat · 2007-05-23 05:33:03

Great to see new GUIs. I will take a look.

For easier access, use this URL:
http://www.esnips.com/_t_/PacKommander

EDIT
Its very good! What I like is the simplicity and runs immediate with a click on the package.Both in root and user mode.

EDIT
Suggestion:
In search when listing name of packages and description, for easier to read make the package name labels in bold or color.

s26c.sayan · 2007-05-23 09:16:49

rasat wrote:

Great to see new GUIs. I will take a look.
For easier access, use this URL:
http://www.esnips.com/_t_/PacKommander
EDIT
Its very good! What I like is the simplicity and runs immediate with a click on the package.Both in root and user mode.
EDIT
Suggestion:
In search when listing name of packages and description, for easier to read make the package name labels in bold or color.

Thanks for your complements !!
I dont know if I'l be able to implement your suggestions soon, since I'v seen Kommader for the first time just two days ago, and dont yet know entirely what it has to offer! I'l keep trying, though!!!

UPDATE :

PacKommander can now do more!! Using a 'Package Queue', it can install MULTIPLE packages at a time!! Check out the latest version (2.5): http://packommander.sourceforge.net/

Last edited by s26c.sayan (2007-07-26 18:58:43)

smokinjoe · 2007-05-26 00:27:43

hey sayan... your install cd I downloaded and mounted into a cd

I boot type enter or arch, but it freezes in "Loading.."

trying to install it since it's more quick to try then installing whole arch

s26c.sayan · 2007-05-26 06:52:30

smokinjoe wrote:

hey sayan... your install cd I downloaded and mounted into a cd
I boot type enter or arch, but it freezes in "Loading.."
trying to install it since it's more quick to try then installing whole arch

Thank you for deciding to give March Linux a try!

Well, first of all, you should check whether the ISO image you downloaded is corrupted. Do a md5sum check with the supplied md5sum. I have seen two such errors arising out of corrupted downloads (bad host server, maybe)! Also make sure you have burnt it onto the CD properly.

So far, I have tried the same iso on IDE hard disks only and they were successful .Maybe you have a SCSI disk?

smokinjoe · 2007-05-26 17:07:04

yea i think my hd is scsi
there is a command for that right?
i'll give a try here

s26c.sayan · 2007-05-26 17:15:50

smokinjoe wrote:

yea i think my hd is scsi
there is a command for that right?
i'll give a try here

SCSI or otherwise, you should at least see the CD booting into the installation screen!!
If you don't, the ISO must be corrupted, or the CD was not burnt properly!
I strongly recommend you to perform a md5sum check on the downloaded ISO.

Besides, SCSI drive shouldn't technically cause any problem with March Linux in general.
Anyway, the next version of March Linux is almost ready now, and shall be uploaded within a week. Maybe you'd like to give that a try again!

s26c.sayan · 2007-07-28 16:37:46

Hello, everybody!
After a brief lull, March is back!

It has now a totally new look.....instead of a text-install CD it is now a Live only CD.
The iso is ready (470mb) and has been uploaded. But, I'm not too sure if the upload is ok and not corrupt.
That's why the download link is not yet public. If anyone is willing to do a test (will be much appreciated), please let me know, so that I can give the link.
Thanx in advance!

dongiovanni · 2007-07-29 08:11:05

It would be interesting to test your live cd...

s26c.sayan · 2007-07-29 08:20:18

You can download the iso here.....
http://download.tuxfamily.org/marchlive/iso/

Doing a md5sum check is highly recommended...because as said earlier, I'm not too sure if I uploaded it ok......
Thanx!

colnago · 2007-08-13 06:32:25

Hi s26c.sayan

You made the waiting list at distrowatch:

http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=

s26c.sayan · 2007-08-13 07:18:37

Yaaay!!!

Thanx for informing!!

Arch Linux

#1 2007-05-14 18:08:54

March Linux : Now a LIVE CD!!!

#2 2007-05-16 12:14:16

Re: March Linux : Now a LIVE CD!!!

#3 2007-05-17 07:01:42

Re: March Linux : Now a LIVE CD!!!

#4 2007-05-17 08:36:23

Re: March Linux : Now a LIVE CD!!!

#5 2007-05-17 09:03:41

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#6 2007-05-17 10:24:27

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#7 2007-05-17 17:59:32

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#8 2007-05-18 06:16:27

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