The hosts explore Rhino Linux, a unique rolling Ubuntu distribution with AUR-like powers. They discuss the benefits of Rhino's package manager, Pacstall, and share their experiences using a specific system and getting involved in the project. They also discuss the pros and cons of stable long-lived systems versus rolling releases in Linux. Additionally, they touch on a customized OS, privacy tools, and a 3D printed love coin.
Rhino Linux is a rolling release distribution based on Ubuntu with its own unique features and tools.
Rhino Linux includes Pac-Stoll, an AUR-like package manager for Ubuntu, and Rhino package, a meta package manager that combines app, Pac-Stoll, flatpak, and snap into one unified interface.
Rhino Linux offers a modern and visually appealing desktop environment called the unicorn desktop, which combines the look and feel of GNOME with an XFCE base.
Deep dives
Rhino Linux: Reinventing the Ubuntu Experience
Rhino Linux is a new rolling release distribution based on Ubuntu with its own unique features and tools. It aims to provide a stable desktop environment and offers Pac-Stoll, an AUR-like package manager for Ubuntu. Rhino Linux also includes Rhino package, a meta package manager that combines app, Pac-Stoll, flatpak, and snap into one unified interface for searching, installing, uninstalling, and upgrading packages. The distribution supports various ARM and x86 devices and offers a modern and visually appealing desktop environment called the unicorn desktop, which combines the look and feel of GNOME with an XFCE base.
Exploring Rhino Linux's Tools
Rhino Linux includes Pac-Stoll, which allows users to easily install packages from various sources, including GitHub repositories and legacy .deb packages. Users can also choose between binary downloads, git app images, or building packages from source. Additionally, Rhino package brings together app, Pac-Stoll, flatpak, and snap into one package manager, enabling users to manage installations from different sources with ease. Overall, Rhino Linux offers a comprehensive suite of tools for package management and customization on top of Ubuntu's rolling release base.
Concerns and Future Potential
While Rhino Linux shows promise, there are some concerns and areas for improvement. The encryption setup during installation may not work as expected, and the bug reporting process could be more streamlined. The project's small team size also poses challenges in terms of maintenance and support. However, if Rhino Linux gains traction and overcomes these obstacles, it has the potential to become a popular choice for Ubuntu users looking for a stable, rolling release with additional tools and customization options.
Tumbleweed as a Rolling Release
Using openSUSE Tumbleweed as a rolling release distribution has been a year-long experience for the speaker. While there were some initial setup challenges, such as getting media to work reliably, once everything was set up, the rolling release aspect became almost unnoticeable. Updates bring in more packages compared to point-based systems, but no issues or breakages have been encountered. The speaker also highlights that butter FS snapshots have been used as a stability measure, although they haven't been necessary so far.
NixOS Meetup at Sea Base
The speaker recently attended a NixOS meetup at Sea Base in Berlin and had a great experience. They met various people and found the environment to be friendly and supportive. The meetup provided an opportunity to ask questions, seek advice, and discuss topics related to NixOS and Linux in general. One attendee showcased a customized launcher tool they developed for their operating system, which allows for efficient use of screen space and easy access to various features. The speaker also mentions the interesting conversations and tours of the Sea Base facility, which added to the overall experience.
Rhino Linux — Rhino Linux re-invents the Ubuntu experience as a rolling release distribution atop a stable Desktop Environment.
Rhino Linux 2023.1, how we made the distro. — Rhino Linux has now officially moved out of Beta! We have released Rhino Linux 2023.1 on x86_64, ARM, Pine64 and Raspberry Pi devices.
Pacstall — Pacstall uses the stable base of Ubuntu but allows you to use bleeding edge software with little to no compromises, so you don't have to worry about security patches or new features.
Nala: a front-end for libapt-pkg — We aim to solve this by not showing some redundant messages, formatting the packages better, and using color to show specifically what will happen with a package during install, removal, or an upgrade.
Nextcloud Conference 2023 — Annually bringing the global Nextcloud Contributor Community together for a week of coding, design, discussion, talks & fun!
SearXNG — A free internet metasearch engine which aggregates results from more than 70 search services.
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