How is this different from traditional embedded Linux system? Most firmwares have a read-only rootfs.
Applying those tools to desktop systems, where users make decisions about what's on the system.
What is Silverblue?
111–120 of 140 posts
Re: What is Silverblue?
#112How is that fixing the issue of incompatible configuration changes? This is typically the reason why I see boot or start problems, i.e. I have made some changes to some configuration and the format, or some option changed with a package upgrade and I suddenly can't boot into the gui anymore. In contrast I can't remember when I updated a system and something stopped working because 2 libraries were incompatible. To me this is really solving a non-issue.
Re: What is Silverblue?
#113How is that fixing the issue of incompatible configuration changes? This is typically the reason why I see boot or start problems, i.e. I have made some changes to some configuration and the format, or some option changed with a package upgrade and I suddenly can't boot into the gui anymore. In contrast I can't remember when I updated a system and something stopped working because 2 libraries were incompatible. To me…
The contents of /etc is rolled back when you boot into the previous deployment.
Re: What is Silverblue?
#114Basically : the OS is itself a layered read-only "container", on top of which flatpak is the recommended way to install applications. I wish someone built an OS based on k8s as a service and application orchestrator. We wouldn't have to reinvent all the config files, the command line tools and we could reuse knowledge between cluster and single-machine administration. Plus k8s already voluntary abstracted the underly…
You've basically described Qubes OS, with K8S a less OS-y choice than Xen.
Re: What is Silverblue?
#115I have been working on a similar idea (well ok the concept of an immutable desktop - the tech is completely different) - https://github.com/mikadosoftware/workstation/tree/master/bi... The article is completely right about this being the future of user OS's - even my half-broke me-ware above has changed how I think about using my laptop - just knowing exactly what is under me is exactly what I have set is ... reassur…
Have you looked at nixos or guix?
Re: What is Silverblue?
#116I have been working on a similar idea (well ok the concept of an immutable desktop - the tech is completely different) - https://github.com/mikadosoftware/workstation/tree/master/bi... The article is completely right about this being the future of user OS's - even my half-broke me-ware above has changed how I think about using my laptop - just knowing exactly what is under me is exactly what I have set is ... reassur…
> Being able to know I can try things out and a reboot gets me back to my last known good point is
This is exactly with I do with Darch.
It supports Ubuntu/Debian/Arch/VoidLinux.
Here are my recipes: https://github.com/pauldotknopf/darch-recipes
I push my images to Docker Hub, pull them on each of my machines and boot them bare-metal. The same exact bits.
Re: What is Silverblue?
#117I'd like to share a similar project/tool that I developed.
Darch. https://godarch.com/
I essentially use Dockerfiles to build my operating systems. I push them to Docker Hub so that each of my machines have access to them. I can boot them bare-metal, read-only, with a tmpfs overlay. I can apt-get install/remove anything, completely break my system, then reboot and everything is fixed!
Here are my recipes: https://github.com/pauldotknopf/darch-recipes
You can easily get it a test-run with a pre-made VM: https://pknopf.com/post/2018-11-09-give-ubuntu-darch-a-quick...
I'd love to hear some feed back. I've been using it personally for the past few years. I wouldn't do it any other way.
Re: What is Silverblue?
#118It's worth a moment to give credit to the long defunct Stateless Linux project: https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/StatelessLinux This was imagined a decade ago, but the technology and the market weren't ready then. I am really excited to see it as an actual product.
I'm guessing there are embedded Linux deployments that went this direction even earlier. Read-only rootfs is generally a good idea if you can swing it. You gain the ability to sign the rootfs which is good for security.
I work on embedded Linux systems, which inspired me to write Darch with the same technology I was using for my embedded systems.
https://pknopf.com/post/2018-11-09-give-ubuntu-darch-a-quick...
Re: What is Silverblue?
#119It's worth a moment to give credit to the long defunct Stateless Linux project: https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/StatelessLinux This was imagined a decade ago, but the technology and the market weren't ready then. I am really excited to see it as an actual product.
I'm guessing there are embedded Linux deployments that went this direction even earlier. Read-only rootfs is generally a good idea if you can swing it. You gain the ability to sign the rootfs which is good for security.
Both Linux live CDs and OpenWRT have done this for over a decade with union mounts.
Re: What is Silverblue?
#120Earlier quoted context omitted.
...where? No joke. I seriously don't see desktops running rich applications around anywhere, except the mini-computer / workstation use case. Generally people are running a glorified thin terminal with a browser or putty connection to a dosbox app. People who actually do things on their own computers generally run laptops now. The exceptions are people who do demanding work loads, and they run workstations that can h…
Laptops run desktop operating systems, and that's what pcr910303 was talking about. Plus "putty connection to a dosbox app"? I have never heard of anyone doing that, and don't understand why they would. Or maybe you don't mean "dosbox" [1], but "console"/"terminal"? [1] https://www.dosbox.com
I mean dosbox. Look behind the counter next time you're with a human bank teller or checking in at the airport. You'll find a screen running telnet connected to an instance of dosbox running on some central server.