Peterborough Linux User Group (Canada) Forum

Linux & Android => Distributions => Topic started by: buster on February 05, 2019, 06:41:44 PM

Title: MX Linux Classified as 'Major' Distribution on DistroWatch
Post by: buster on February 05, 2019, 06:41:44 PM
Now I'm not going to be mean-spirited and say, "I told you so!" If fact, I'm going to say I think they made a mistake.

My update of MX Linux borked itself most ungraciously. That doesn't seem 'major' to me. Other than this tendency to self-destruct, it is a fine distro, and one I have advocated for.

https://distrowatch.com/dwres.php?resource=major
Title: Re: MX Linux Classified as 'Major' Distribution on DistroWatch
Post by: Jason on February 05, 2019, 07:32:10 PM
You were just mentioning in another thread that Deepin borked itself with an update, too. You've been having some bad luck lately :)
Title: Re: MX Linux Classified as 'Major' Distribution on DistroWatch
Post by: fox on February 05, 2019, 07:46:47 PM
I don't know whether an update would work the same on a VM as it would on bare metal because you have the "additions" in the way.
Title: Re: MX Linux Classified as 'Major' Distribution on DistroWatch
Post by: buster on February 05, 2019, 08:30:56 PM
Reinstalled MX and got it working nicely. Lots of updates. 'Major' work to update.
Title: Re: MX Linux Classified as 'Major' Distribution on DistroWatch
Post by: buster on February 05, 2019, 08:40:09 PM
Jason wrote, "You were just mentioning in another thread that Deepin borked itself with an update, too. You've been having some bad luck lately"

Did some research and saw this particular issue has happened before. It's their issue because it happened on all three. But yes, I do need sympathy.
Title: Re: MX Linux Classified as 'Major' Distribution on DistroWatch
Post by: buster on February 06, 2019, 03:25:29 PM
Examined more closely the MX Package Installer. It's far more sophisticated than I realized. When open there are tabs at the top, and each tab accesses different repositories, at least to some degree. The individual tabs are:

Popular
Stable
MX Test
Debian Backports
Flatpaks

Someone in the forum wanted to update LibreOffice from the supplied 6.0 to 6.1, and was directed to the backports tab. That's how I discovered it. Maybe some danger I suppose, but that doesn't matter much on a  vm.
Title: Re: MX Linux Classified as 'Major' Distribution on DistroWatch
Post by: buster on February 06, 2019, 03:58:58 PM
Found out VLC doesn't work in my vm MX,so downloaded SMPlayer. Then....

Put a USB stick in and a wee notice came up asking whether to open it in host or virtual. Choose virtual. And after a bit of time the contents were displayed. Did a right click on a movie and selected SMPlayer. Worked perfectly, including full screen. Beauty, eh?

Maybe MX deserves to be 'major'.
Title: Re: MX Linux Classified as 'Major' Distribution on DistroWatch
Post by: buster on April 08, 2019, 06:23:16 PM
MX Linux is way near the top on Distrowatch, and I must say it deserves it.(Ignore previous post to the contrary.) It's my go to system, and it's amazing. Mepis is back! It is indeed a Major distribution, and it's no wonder Jesse Smith of Distrowatch uses it.
Title: Re: MX Linux Classified as 'Major' Distribution on DistroWatch
Post by: buster on May 01, 2019, 08:58:03 PM
Top of the hits list on DistroWatch.

If you check hits for 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months or 1 year, MX Linux tops everyone for hits. I know that only indicates 'interest' or 'curiosity', but to me it indicates a very positive outlook for this worthy successor to Mepis.  And the more I use it, the more I admire it.
Title: Re: MX Linux Classified as 'Major' Distribution on DistroWatch
Post by: Jason on May 02, 2019, 12:58:15 AM
Does anyone else in the LUG use it? I'm just curious. When we're doing memberships, I might create an applications with a poll for OSes that members use.
Title: Re: MX Linux Classified as 'Major' Distribution on DistroWatch
Post by: fox on May 02, 2019, 07:29:38 AM
I have it on my xps as a backup, but only to play with. I've had it there since Buster started his other MX thread.
Title: Re: MX Linux Classified as 'Major' Distribution on DistroWatch
Post by: ssfc72 on May 02, 2019, 07:55:34 AM
I think I may ditch the Mint 19, on my one notebook and put MXLinux on it.
Title: Re: MX Linux Classified as 'Major' Distribution on DistroWatch
Post by: buster on May 03, 2019, 08:08:00 AM
Like to read about your reactions if you do.
Title: Re: MX Linux Classified as 'Major' Distribution on DistroWatch
Post by: fox on August 12, 2019, 02:49:13 PM
One potential issue with MX Linux is that you have to disable Secure Boot on a PC to run it. I don't know how much that matters, but a number of distributions (e.g.Ubuntu, Fedora, openSuse, and now Debian) can now be booted with Secure Boot enabled. MX is based on Debian, but the developers of MX have not yet installed the shim that is required for Secure Boot. MX is a good distribution, but I wasn't using it much on my xps, so I ended up nuking it.
Title: Re: MX Linux Classified as 'Major' Distribution on DistroWatch
Post by: buster on August 12, 2019, 03:23:57 PM
"One potential issue with MX Linux is that you have to disable Secure Boot on a PC to run it."

That's not a problem as far a I know in virtual. Never experienced it anyway. But the way, did an update for MXLiniux quite a while ago, and saw a problem I'd need to address. Lazy.  Opened a different OS I had in VMWare and used it. Ultimately I got rid of it. Fickle. Have only Q4OS on my laptop, but have 5 or 6 stored ready to use, I think, on Marilyn's machine.
Title: Re: MX Linux Classified as 'Major' Distribution on DistroWatch
Post by: fox on August 12, 2019, 04:38:30 PM
I agree; this wouldn't be a problem in a virtual machine. I don't even know how much of a problem it is in bare metal. However, I had to disable Secure Boot to try the live distro and to run it once it was installed. That wouldn't bother me if I decided it was my main distro, but it definitely isn't.
Title: Re: MX Linux Classified as 'Major' Distribution on DistroWatch
Post by: buster on March 10, 2020, 02:23:32 PM
An old thread, but my latest experience doesn't deserve a new one.

Installed MXLinux again as a virtual. Easy process. Nice looking. Used Synaptic to install

open-vm-tools
open-vm-tools-desktop

And then as I used it I ran into a problem I always seem to encounter with XFCE Desktop Environments - drag and drop is unreliable. Tiny files can be moved across to the host, but not big ones. A pain.

Also the sound needs coddling after the install.

So it's gone again.
Title: Re: MX Linux Classified as 'Major' Distribution on DistroWatch
Post by: Jason on March 10, 2020, 04:42:07 PM
Quote from: buster on March 10, 2020, 02:23:32 PM
An old thread, but my latest experience doesn't deserve a new one.

Doesn't matter. I'm sure MX Linux has had a new version since then.


Quote
And then as I used it I ran into a problem I always seem to encounter with XFCE Desktop Environments - drag and drop is unreliable. Tiny files can be moved across to the host, but not big ones. A pain.

If I remember correctly, I mentioned this to you in a private message, something about VMware and transferring large files from Linux guests to Windows hosts and vice-versa.
Title: Re: MX Linux Classified as 'Major' Distribution on DistroWatch
Post by: buster on March 10, 2020, 05:34:49 PM
"If I remember correctly, I mentioned this to you in a private message, something about VMware and transferring large files from Linux guests to Windows hosts and vice-versa."

Well, it's certainly not a problem in Mint or Kubuntu up to say a couple of gigs. Have done it for ages. And that's all I need for transfers.
Title: Re: MX Linux Classified as 'Major' Distribution on DistroWatch
Post by: ssfc72 on March 14, 2020, 12:45:15 AM
I just installed the latest MXLinux as a VM Guest on a Mint 19 Host.  Edit - I am using VMware Player
Sound works fine. No problem with watching YouTube movies.
On my notebook there is a problem with a usb pendrive not being recognised by the MXLinux Guest (edited).  I get a complaint message that MXLinux can't recognise the network driver (or something similar), it then tries to fix the problem but fails to show the usb pendrive.  I can, however drag and drop small files from the usb pendrive showing on the Host, to a Folder on the VM MXLinux.  Large movie files can not be copied from the Host to the Guest, MXLinux.
Title: Re: MX Linux Classified as 'Major' Distribution on DistroWatch
Post by: Jason on March 14, 2020, 01:02:28 AM
I seem to recall that with Virtualbox, you had to turn on USB in the settings on per-guest basis. You didn't mention what VM software you're using, but I'm sure there is a similar function for VMware Workstation Player. Also, if the USB drive is engaged by the host, it can't be accessed by the guest and probably vice-versa. Or at least, that's been my past experience.

Regarding dragging and dropping files, there are some limitations for doing that according to the VMware Workstation Player according to the manual here (https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Workstation-Player-for-Windows/15.0/com.vmware.player.win.using.doc/GUID-5FC42BAD-0AAC-4EAF-8AD9-A41408ECF9BC.html).
Title: Re: MX Linux Classified as 'Major' Distribution on DistroWatch
Post by: ssfc72 on March 14, 2020, 09:08:01 AM
Thanks for the info and Links Jason.  I am surprised that VMware Player cannot drag and drop or copy/paste large files.  The Links say the Host needs to have Xwindows but doesn't say how you can go about getting Xwindows on the Host Linux distro.  I Googled this Xwindows thing on Mint19 and did not see any mention of it.

Yes, MXLinux does disconnect the usb pendrive from the Host Linux and tries to install it on the Guest MXLinux but that operation fails and the usb pendrive does not appear on the MXLinux Host, on the Tool Bar. Complains about something wrong with the network device driver or something along those lines.
Title: Re: MX Linux Classified as 'Major' Distribution on DistroWatch
Post by: buster on March 14, 2020, 09:55:55 AM
A)  " I am surprised that VMware Player cannot drag and drop or copy/paste large files."

Typically I drag and drop movie files of 1.5 gig from Kubuntu in virtual to win10 host. Seems like a large file. (Some of the things in that list of restrictions seems outdated or wrong.) HOWEVER, since VMWare was probably created to be run on a Windows machine, maybe the rules are different with a Linux host.

B) " there is a problem with a usb pendrive not being recognised by the MXLinux Host." Should that be Mint Host, or MXLinux Guest?

When usb sticks are involved, I always wait til both host and guest are running quietly, and then insert the usb stick into the machine. I consistently get a message tha asks, "Do you want to open XLFUSB in host or guest?" I've never tried to find a usb from a guest that is already engaged by the host.

C) The sound problem with my MXLinux may have been my fault, not the distros.

D) It's good to see some interest in VMs. I don't feel quite so lonely.

E) "Dragging images is not supported for Linux hosts or guests. " (From the VMWare page.) This is 100% unadulterated crap. Just tested it minutes ago with Kubuntu guest.

Title: Re: MX Linux Classified as 'Major' Distribution on DistroWatch
Post by: ssfc72 on March 14, 2020, 10:36:43 AM
Thanks Buster, for the info.

B) yes, you are correct, I have edited my post to state, MXLinux Guest , instead of Host.
Title: Re: MX Linux Classified as 'Major' Distribution on DistroWatch
Post by: BusterE on March 16, 2020, 05:54:38 PM
To add to earlier posts - just moved a 6.0 gig folder from guest Linux Mint to host Win10 with drag and drop. No problems.