19

February
2013

Finaly! I'm ill! :-)

Some time ago I wrote that my wife and kids got flu, while I was miraculously immune. Well I guess my time has come, and I just noticed that I am infested infected too! :) Terrible experience, I must say.

By the way, kernel 3.8 has been released just yesterday, so as soon as I can, and as soon as aufs is available for this kernel, I will compile it and release new Slax version with KDE 4.10 :)

User comments
Jean-Marc Bouchez 2013-02-19 09:28

Two bugs in Slax 7

1/ Do not work in USB mode (No configuration file found)

2/ Do not work with keyboard Logitech Solar K750

Петр Т 2013-02-19 10:16

Get well, we're waiting for the next release

Why you do not make compability with xzm modules, i mean loading modules with .xzm suffix if they placed in /slax directory, you don't like Porteus ?

Oscar Sosa 2013-02-19 15:25

Hello friend, my question is if slax 7 has modules to read mini sd cards of mobile?. Another question, where I can read how to make modules?. thanks
pd. For influenza virus software there, just wait a week. patience

jcsoh 2013-02-19 18:01

@ Oscar Sosa

No special module is needed to read sd/micro sd card. So long as the filesystem on the sd card is recognised (usually fat filesystem) , then the card can be read. I haven't actually tried a microsd from a mobile (you mean hand phone) , but I have use slax with microsd from android tablet (the sd card is formatted as fat filesystem).

Jcsoh 2013-02-19 18:36

Петр Т

Porteus kde4 xzm are generally compatible with slax 7 . Just rename the extension to sb. That can't be hard.

But once their 32bits switchs to razorback etc and as time elapses , the gulf between slax and portus will get bigger , then we can expect the compatibility to reduces.

Slax is pegged to slackware so I think it will be hard for Tomas to look at more than one direction. Slax is also base only Tomas own linux livekit . I not to sure if Porteus is still basing on it .

But generally , I can see Porteus under going a great deal of customisation ,and unlike slax 32/64bits , Porteus 32/64bits is not /will not be the same.

Петр Т 2013-02-19 18:51

Jcsoh: It's obvious, but not comfortable, because I have few linux systems on same flash drive, on it I have directory with common modules, so to use these modules i must make duplicative modules with another suffix, so that waste free space on my flash drive with FAT FS, and please do not tell me about other FS with symlinks.

slax fan 2013-02-19 19:02

Петр Т: I would suggest you to do the opposite - go to porteus website and ask them to support .sb module extension. This way you can rename the modules to .sb and both Slax and Porteus will find them.

jcsoh 2013-02-19 19:38

"Петр Т: I would suggest you to do the opposite - go to porteus website and ask them to support .sb module extension." :)

This is what I actually wanted to say , but I didn't want to cause offense !
" so that waste free space on my flash drive with FAT FS," Maybe , but look at it from Tomas point of view , because you want to save space , he have to do more work, and assuming he make the change , the next time Porteus make changes ,, will they consider compatibility with slax or break the changes Tomas did .

Enjoy Porteus and slax compatibility while it last.

Bq 2013-02-19 20:23

Get well soon.

Thanks for slax

Mihai 2013-02-19 23:14

Get well soon!
Remember it takes about 1 week to get over a cold if you don't take medicine, but only 7 days if you do :)

Jcsoh 2013-02-19 23:59

Actually Tomas sound happy to finally get sick !.
I guess it's a case of get it over and done with ...

Shark 2013-02-20 00:03

hey i wanna ask around since: Still not notice these modules for 7th(version) generation of slax; are these modules gonna be made any time soon for new slax...
1. opera/chrome/firefox 2. flash/java/divx/silverlight support 3. gimp/Art of Illusion /blender/vlc/notepad like/eclipse editor... 4. games & other: second life client( someone has made this for an old version of slax...)... stellarium
5. directX, nvidia / intel etc and other drivers 6. wine or some emulator that will run any windows os program? 7. humm some security software would b nice also..
8. maybe some tool to decrpyt with ease ntlm hash / passwords. know how these work thou i dont know for any software that ll decrypt this offline...

i might have forgot on some modules id like to see in new slax, when i remember it i add them here next time :) kk this for now and i wish u too get well soon too!!

Shark 2013-02-20 00:08

opps winamp/winzip like ...in linux

Shark 2013-02-20 00:08

opps winamp/winzip like ...in linux

JuanCF 2013-02-20 01:49

Hope you feel better soon Tomas

jcsoh 2013-02-20 02:04

Opera 32bits
>> Opera 12.12 (i386)
http://www.mediafire.com/?2nlyid31jket4

Gimp 2.6.11 (32/64 bits)
http://www.slax.org/en/modules.php?detail=gimp-legacy&category=graphics

Smoris Trot 2013-02-20 02:40

So sorry to read you are not well. Get well soon - and get back to work on Slax :o) !!
Could you please please please fix two things which would make many people happy: WiFi support and PPTP VPN ? It was suggested to me that if I wanted that I should try Portues. Well, I have. And yes, both WiFi support and PPTP VPN work like a charm. But I like my KDE desktop with plasma, and Porteus only has that for 64k machines :o(
Thanks a bundle !

Mocabilly 2013-02-20 05:58

Get well soon Tomas

OrionRed 2013-02-20 08:11

I love how the general pattern of comments is: Get well...make this huge change!

Петр Т 2013-02-20 09:43

to: slax fan 2013-02-19 19:02

Why I should ask Porteus make support modules with .sb suffix ? They use almost same suffixes from slax 6 (lzm -> xzm), so Porteus keep this tradition, why Thomas M change it, without legacy support, I do not understand, xzm it's nice module suffix

jcsoh 2013-02-20 12:20

so Porteus keep this tradition,

Please stick to fact . When porteus name it to xzm . they didn't consult anyone (perhaps only their own users only). They coined up xzm just as Tomas coined up sb.

If you are talking about "tradition" , then Tomas slax /linux live script (renamed to linux live kit" is the tradional /original "modular "live linux distro. It was Tomas that introduce the concept of live linux distro with small modle to add applications.

It's no diferent than slackware changing from tgz to txz. If you want to use their package then you have to work out your own work around and not the other way expecting them to change to suit you.

As I mention Porteus 32bits is rapidly diverging from slax by being using trinity and now qtrazor.

Ps Porteus 2 is out.

Петр Т 2013-02-20 13:42

to jcsoh: what facts ? you don't understand why modules was renamed to xzm ? Ask your self what difference between lzm and xzm!

tony 2013-02-20 16:44

I hope that you get better soon!

My laptop is working to perfection...wireless, printer and sound...they all working fine!

Shakil Shahadat 2013-02-20 20:34

Hope you will get well soon Tomas!

While trying to install Slax on Win 7 it gives the following error
"Directory C:\slax\boot\ seems to be on the same physical disk as your Windows.
Installing bootloader would harm your Windows and thus is disabled.
Please put Slax to a different drive and try again.

Press any key..."

I want to multi boot my PC. Can anyone give a easy way to install slax on win 7? Thanks in advance.

jcsoh 2013-02-20 21:48

Shakil

Unofficial Slax 7 gui installer for window:-
http://old.slax.org/forum.php?action=view&parentID=83007&highlight=slax%207%20installer

jcsoh 2013-02-20 21:59

what facts ?

Your claim that Porteus so Porteus keep this tradition,
What tradition ? <This is what I am asking you

why Thomas M change it, without legacy support. Legacy support to slax means support for slax 6 which is not possible ads slax 6 and 7 uses a different compression. The same reason Portues can't use slax remix lzm.

So both slax 6 and porteus do not have legacy support, which leaves us with the question , why is Porteus naming their module xzm is deemed traditional and as you impy "correct" /"good"

And why is slax 7 "choice" (just as Porteus choose) to name it "sb" is some how untraditional and "wrong".

Again I reiterate in what way is slax suppose to "follow" Porteus or "consult them even in the naming " of bundle /module. Using the same basis , then we should be telling Tomas off for calling the new module "bundle " i instead of the traditional "module".

The bottom line as I said , Porteus and slax is diverginging fast especially on the 32 bits . And both are now separate distros , you have to accept and RESPECT choices made on both sides . Good or bad.

diego contreras 2013-02-21 03:39

Hello,
I want to ask
Can you charge changes.dat file but not write more about it?
ie, I have a setup that I like, and is in the file changes.dat. I would like to load this configuration, but not write more.
What command used to load the file changes.dat?
thx

jcsohdon 2013-02-21 03:48

@ diego

If you want to make use of changes.dat but don't save /write anymore new settings to changes.dat , then
(a) Boot up slax with changes.dat ie used the perch (persistance change cheatcode)
(b) go to /mnt/live/mangesemory/changes
(c) Turn the /mnt/live/mangesemory/changes into a module using dir2sb
(d) Put the module in /modules.
(e) Boot up slax without chnages.dat ie don't use the perch (persistance change cheatcode)

This way the changes.dat won't be used , but the setting saved is used from the module created in (c).

jcsoh 2013-02-21 03:49

The command used to load the changes dat is the lini that includes

slax.flag=perch

See syslinux.cfg

Shakil Shahadat 2013-02-21 06:27

jcsoh: Thanks a lot. Hope the app gets official very soon and will add more features.

Btw, feeling the lack of a forum where people can discuss their problems and share their experiences. How about making a facebook group?

jcsoh 2013-02-21 07:13

" Hope the app gets official very soon and will add more features."
Sorry , it will never be official. Tomas do not agree with having a gui installer.
http://old.slax.org/forum.php?action=view&parentID=83007&highlight=slax%207%20installer

You can alway post and request for new feature at the link.

I hope you are aware there is a forum for slax 6 where slax 7 is discuss as well
http://old.slax.org/forum.php

Mocabilly 2013-02-21 08:55

Shakil Shahadat

> Btw, feeling the lack of a forum where people can discuss their > problems and share their experiences. How about making a
> facebook group?

Why on earth a facebook group? (I really can not understand why everyone likes to throw his/her privacy on the street, let every content they post on such so called social media be the property of a company.)

In a couple of weeks (I hope so, Tomas, can you fill us in on the time-line for this) I expect, that Tomas puts up some kind of slax-forum..
and, lets cross our fingers it will -not- require one or the other privacy invading soc. med. sign-in.
Keep the internet the internet - Don't let F.B. be "the internet".

Sorry for being a bit of topic at some points..

parrothead 2013-02-21 09:09

For what it's worth, I won't be participating in any forums if it requires FB, twitter, etc. login for exactly the reasons Mocabilly enumerates. I don't have any of these accounts.

Jan Berky 2013-02-21 20:01

Hi
it would be possible to choose in the future in the booting MENU items (just put enter in MENU)? :

1 - Copy Slax to RAM (only clean system - no changes)
2 - Copy Slax to RAM (with all previous changes in Slax - all modules and previous changes)

maybe it is not possible in principle, is not it?

pirraste 2013-02-22 01:46

@Jan Berky: actually it works in that way. When you're booting, if you press ESC, you can choose "Copy to ram", "persistent changes", and other options.

@tomas: "They said on Linux there aren't viruses! You can't be ill! ;). Take care!!"

Fritz Friedrichs 2013-02-22 20:23

Get well soon.
By the way, why is it possible to install Slax OS on a USB-Stick, however, not on a SD Card?

Thanks

Fritz

jcsoh 2013-02-22 22:09

@ Fritz Friedrichs 201atr3-02-22 20:23

It is possible to install slax on sd/ Ok I haven't tried with slax 7 , but in slax 6 a sd is treated the same as a usb thumdrive or external hard disk so long as your bios can boot from the sd.

Петр Т 2013-02-23 00:50

jcsoh: Do not prevaricate !!, I ask what difference between lzm and xzm ? you started to cling to another

jcsoh 2013-02-23 01:01

prevaricate =evasive
I had to check up online dictionary :)
Evasive for what ?
I am not the one asking for another distro (downline not main stream) to be make compatible without having to rename the file extension .

The difference in Porteus xzm and earlier slax lzm , I believe is:-
(a) Compression method (which is why slax 6 lzm no longer can be use)
(b) Block size
Both slax 7 and porteus 1 (and 2 I think) use same compression method which is why renaming the extension works.
The block size choosen is different . I don't know the detail , but the block size used are choosen as a compromise between size after compression and ram usage.

Петр Т 2013-02-23 01:09

So you can not understand why modules suffix was renamed to xzm ?

Петр Т 2013-02-23 01:13

To jcsoh: It's obvious module suffix after slax 6, you can't see it ?

jcsoh 2013-02-23 01:31

A module is rename with a diferent extension to let users know it is different so they don't get confuse when they try it and it doesn't work . This is common sense.

Whether Porteus choose xzm because "x" comes after "l" , the question is what does it have to do with slax ? . This is the question you are not answering ? . As mentioned because you want to save space and refuse to just rename the module extension from sb to xzm , you expect Tomas to change his codes to make slax module from sb extension to xzm.

And if he does that , then you expect all existing slax 7 users to rename all the modules they are using from sb to xzm ?

I mean if you are Linux or Patrick or Stallman , maybe Tomas will consider and accomodate (out of respect) !

The same thing when the next time Porteus need to rename their module if the choose yzm , that is their perogative.

fanthom is free to choose , so why not Tomas ?.

jcsohdon 2013-02-23 01:43

If you want to use sla x , you have to learn to put up with Tomas's vagaries !.
To some extend , I can understand why you would like slax 7 module to be named with xzm extension (on the basis that "x" comes after "y" , but sometime (infact often) Tomas like to "change".

Someone had sugested , there was no necessity to reinvent the wheel , for eg why make a new webpage for slax 7 when slax 6 webpage is adequate . The time and energy would have been better spend of slax 7 itself .

But then we don't know what motivate Tomas ?. Without "changes" maybe he not motivated to work on slax 7 . He needs to btry new things ? . We shouldn't judge or have a grudge against that , because don't forget he have been working on slax since 2003 ? (I don't know if there was earlier versions but that's the olderst record on Distrowatch).

So I think he is entited to name slax module sb (special bundle ?).
It's his choice . Take it or leave it.

rikkai 2013-02-23 01:58

Get well Tomas!!! and don't feel bad, I'd never get sick if it wasn't for my 4yr son.
Freakin' walking petri dishes!
And my setup rocks!

jcsoh 2013-02-23 02:02

"Freakin' walking petri dishes!"
Don't forget penicillin was discovered from a petri dish.
So you don't kn ow what great wonders the "walking petri dishes" will produce in the future !.

Fritz Friedrichs 2013-02-23 03:17

@jcsoh
Thank you for your reply. My bad. I tried installing Slax OS 7.0.5. on a SD card, but it didn't work. It works no problem on USB-Stick.
Tomas mentioned changing the filesystem to ext4 if one uses larger than 4GB USB sticks, but how do you install Slax 7.0.5. if Windows doesn't recognize ext4 filesystem (asks you to format ext4 to fat32)?
Thank you,

Fritz

jcsoh 2013-02-23 03:33

I didn't install slax 7 to sd , but I did it with slax 6 and slax remix .I have no reason to believe slax 7 behave any different. The method is exactly the same as with usb thumbdrive . However , I never use slax installer script or bat . I used either grub or grub4dos.

As mentioned I think not all computers can boot up from the sd . Among my 2 laptops and netbook , 1 laptop cannot boot up from the sd card.

slax grub4dos (using window xp BOOTloader)
http://www.slax.org/forum.php?action=view&parentID=20462

slax grub (not depending on window xp)
http://www.slax.org/forum.php?action=view&parentID=37269&highlight=hard%20disk%20install%20jcsoh

slax grub4dos (not depending on window xp)
http://www.slax.org/forum.php?action=view&parentID=43410&anchorid=43480#postid43480

Wizard57M 2013-02-23 04:57

@Tomas
Hope you are feeling better. I've managed to avoid
the bug, which is pretty widespread in my area, but
it is rare that I catch them. I work in healthcare and
see numerous patients daily, so I guess my immune
system is still "healthy". Best advice I have (as a
pharmacist) is plenty of fluids, rest as much as possible,
and appropriate medications for symptoms (such as
acetaminophen for fever/aches, antihistamines for
runny nose, maybe decongestant for sinus pressure,
and expectorant (guiafenisen) for chest congestion)

@everyone else...
With the announcement from Opera ASA that they
are changing to webkit for the browser engine of
new Opera versions, I'm holding off any work on a
module for Opera. I will keep my present Opera 11.64
module, as I'm still not convinced any of the 12.xx
versions are as good. Presently I only have 32 bit
module made, since I don't have a 64 bit system for
testing. The 32 bit Opera 11.64 module has been
working well on my machines without any issues
other than the user manually making additions to the
Kicker menu...I could include my "opera.desktop"
configuration if asked though. I don't think I'll add
the buildscript in the module section, mainly because
of the 64 bit not being able to test. I also haven't
decided to post the ready to go module online yet,
not sure if anyone is interested? If you are, just leave
a reply here and I'll see what I can do.

I'm undecided about Opera with webkit, as I can
understand the developers' viewpoint. But as a
very long-time user it disappoints me to lose what
I consider the best part of Opera, the engine itself.
If I wanted a webkit browser, there are already a number
to pick from. Anyway, sorry for the long rant!
Wiz <{;-)

Fritz Friedrichs 2013-02-23 23:52

My computer can boot from SD card (tried Linux Mint, Porteus OS, and a few others), but like I mentioned Slax 7 doesn't somehow.

Jcsoh 2013-02-24 01:42

@ Fritz

Can you modified what ever bootloader or config file the other distro used to include slax.?. In my case I have been using the same grub for years . I just modify grub menu.lst to include new versions of slax or porteus.

rikkai 2013-02-24 02:38

@jcsoh

Good point my friend, Sometimes it's hard to see the good in something when you are knee deep in it.

Ahau 2013-02-25 09:08

Porteus changed the naming convention of its modules to 'xzm' when we migrated to lzma2 compression, also knowin as 'xz', hence 'xzm' is short for 'xz module', whereas 'sb' is short for 'slax bundle'.

Given that both Slax and Porteus are based on Slackware (latest stable) and lzma2 is in the mainline kernel, xzm modules and sb modules should remain compatible (other than the suffix) for the forseeable future.

Changing from Trinity to Razor in 32-bit also does not reduce compatility. In fact, it increases it because both Razor and KDE4 are based on QT4. Trinity was based on QT3, so all qt-dependent apps had to be compiled against that.

HTH

Manuel Ruiz 2016-12-07 21:58

Slax sux
Adding scim modules just get u a black screen to configure scim.
No way to input japanese.
No comic program.
Nice Linux unable to fulfill any objectives...