ThinkOS
Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 7:21 am
Edited.
Interesting thing came into my mind... During the last days I'm playing with ArchLinux quiet often. I've managed to build the complete desktop just from Arch's post installation state (command line) so I assume it is not so hard to build my own GNU/Linux distribution.
It is possible to build an unified Linux distribution, which will be designed ONLY for ThinkPad computers and will include all the currently available capabilities from the Linux world. I would name it simply 'ThinkOS' and it would have following features:
- Linux kernel
- in the pre-installation phase it will determine machine type (i.e. 2668-G1U) and according to this information it will collect neccesary drivers and tools for the installation -> unneccesary things from others models will not be installed (we have ThinkWiki + Lenovo support as a good source for built-in HW catalog). What can be such tools? Well it can be: HD APS daemon, tpb to provide ThinkPad buttons OSD functionality, TP SMAPI to provide ACPI features etc...
- installation process will refuse installing if the computer is not an supported ThinkPad (this restriction can be skipped by changing source code, but it is very useful in cases of solving various compatibility issues - software designed specially for narrow range of laptops is a good variant in the supporting point of view - an example can be a Mac computer + Mac OS X)
- packaging system: more and more I prefer pacman for its very good job in ArchLinux and thanks to the tools like deb2tgz, the ThinkOS could have a very good compatibility with most common DEB or RPM packages
- startup screen & desktop manager theme: ThinkPad theme (artists on the forums are appreciated )
- login screen: 'slim', is the lightweight login manager and could be easily branded to the ThinkPad theme/colours
- desktop manager: I want to cover all ThinkPads probably from T2x/X2x series (legacy ThinkPads such 570, 600 etc. are welcome to be considered) to the as newest as possible models so I assume the XFCE environment would be a best choice for the ThinkPad range from the performance point of view OR the environment will be optional and considered by a users during the installation process
Included software list:
- Office suite: as we are ThinkPadders it would be a sin to use something else than IBM Lotus Symphony (according to the latest news, source code will be released soon from IBM)
- Mail application: IBM Lotus Notes? Well I'm not sure if the EULA allows that but ThinkOS will not be a commercial distribution so why not to bundle it
- Internet browser: optional, considerable by a users in the installation process (Firefox or Opera or Chrome are the best alternatives)
- Media apps: considerable, let's vote. I prefer VLC Media Player, Brasero (source can be tuned for 100% compatibility with ThinkPad burners)
- Backup: Deja Dup, source code is available
- another open source software for business, communication and engineering - let's vote about the list
ThinkOS distribution targets:
- everything MUST work out of the box after installation on the specified range of ThinkPads - no excuses. There mustn't be a need for users to set up anything. Everything must be prepared for work immediately after the installation (specific daemons like tpb, hdapsd etc. included) - out of the box like on Macs
- source code must be a public
- minimalistic compilation: i.e. T43 after installation must not contain packages, which are used only in T400 series etc.
- compilation itself must be distributed free of any charges
- community around the compilation must have volition to continue improving the compilation
Question at the end? Are we able to build this project in our free time? And who wants to help?
Interesting thing came into my mind... During the last days I'm playing with ArchLinux quiet often. I've managed to build the complete desktop just from Arch's post installation state (command line) so I assume it is not so hard to build my own GNU/Linux distribution.
It is possible to build an unified Linux distribution, which will be designed ONLY for ThinkPad computers and will include all the currently available capabilities from the Linux world. I would name it simply 'ThinkOS' and it would have following features:
- Linux kernel
- in the pre-installation phase it will determine machine type (i.e. 2668-G1U) and according to this information it will collect neccesary drivers and tools for the installation -> unneccesary things from others models will not be installed (we have ThinkWiki + Lenovo support as a good source for built-in HW catalog). What can be such tools? Well it can be: HD APS daemon, tpb to provide ThinkPad buttons OSD functionality, TP SMAPI to provide ACPI features etc...
- installation process will refuse installing if the computer is not an supported ThinkPad (this restriction can be skipped by changing source code, but it is very useful in cases of solving various compatibility issues - software designed specially for narrow range of laptops is a good variant in the supporting point of view - an example can be a Mac computer + Mac OS X)
- packaging system: more and more I prefer pacman for its very good job in ArchLinux and thanks to the tools like deb2tgz, the ThinkOS could have a very good compatibility with most common DEB or RPM packages
- startup screen & desktop manager theme: ThinkPad theme (artists on the forums are appreciated )
- login screen: 'slim', is the lightweight login manager and could be easily branded to the ThinkPad theme/colours
- desktop manager: I want to cover all ThinkPads probably from T2x/X2x series (legacy ThinkPads such 570, 600 etc. are welcome to be considered) to the as newest as possible models so I assume the XFCE environment would be a best choice for the ThinkPad range from the performance point of view OR the environment will be optional and considered by a users during the installation process
Included software list:
- Office suite: as we are ThinkPadders it would be a sin to use something else than IBM Lotus Symphony (according to the latest news, source code will be released soon from IBM)
- Mail application: IBM Lotus Notes? Well I'm not sure if the EULA allows that but ThinkOS will not be a commercial distribution so why not to bundle it
- Internet browser: optional, considerable by a users in the installation process (Firefox or Opera or Chrome are the best alternatives)
- Media apps: considerable, let's vote. I prefer VLC Media Player, Brasero (source can be tuned for 100% compatibility with ThinkPad burners)
- Backup: Deja Dup, source code is available
- another open source software for business, communication and engineering - let's vote about the list
ThinkOS distribution targets:
- everything MUST work out of the box after installation on the specified range of ThinkPads - no excuses. There mustn't be a need for users to set up anything. Everything must be prepared for work immediately after the installation (specific daemons like tpb, hdapsd etc. included) - out of the box like on Macs
- source code must be a public
- minimalistic compilation: i.e. T43 after installation must not contain packages, which are used only in T400 series etc.
- compilation itself must be distributed free of any charges
- community around the compilation must have volition to continue improving the compilation
Question at the end? Are we able to build this project in our free time? And who wants to help?