Live data from Hacker News

Chimera Linux works toward a simplified desktop

lwn.net

91–100 of 128 posts

Re: Chimera Linux works toward a simplified desktop

#91
post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The screenshot you're asking for will be indistinguishable from any GNOME desktop screenshot you find on GNOME's website. Before giving advice it would be worth understanding the subject matter. It's a new OS, not a new desktop shell.

The title statement "works toward a simplified desktop" makes the authors' focus pretty clear, so it's just fair to look for screenshots. It would be disappointing if it was just the same as GNOME.

Probably meant as "Desktop OS" not "Desktop UI".

A Linux distribution meant for desktop use as opposed to server use.

Re: Chimera Linux works toward a simplified desktop

#92

It's the userland that always sends me back to Linux. I've tried BSD a few times, but there are enough gnu flags in my muscle memory for command line utilities that it's painful.

This is an honest question. Do you have any examples?

I have always been a GNU user but have been using Chimera Linux. I ran into differences with ‘sed’ and read about a regex difference with “find’. Really curious what flags other people are using.

Re: Chimera Linux works toward a simplified desktop

#93
post #91
post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The title statement "works toward a simplified desktop" makes the authors' focus pretty clear, so it's just fair to look for screenshots. It would be disappointing if it was just the same as GNOME.

Probably meant as "Desktop OS" not "Desktop UI". A Linux distribution meant for desktop use as opposed to server use.

To quote G.B. Shaw: "The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place"

Re: Chimera Linux works toward a simplified desktop

#94
post #75

“Simplified desktop”…go to their website, literally no pictures of the desktop interface (at least on mobile). Everyone who makes software, always follow this formula on your homepage: clearly state what problem exists without your software, show your software, clearly state what problems go away with your software, then describe its actual features

Towards a “simplified desktop Linux distribution”, not a “simplified Desktop Environment”. The screenshot could be GNOME, KDE, or something else. It would not help you understand what Chimera Linux is trying to achieve.

Apparently the article doesn't help either.

Re: Chimera Linux works toward a simplified desktop

#95
post #36

Desktops shouldn't be simple. They should work reliably and predictably like every good procduct. Everyone wants something simple until they want to do something that's not supported because it's not a simple use case. So unless you are a very simple person who always only does very simple things and lead a uniquely simple life (i envy you), a simple desktop is not for you.

Simple and reliable are engineering friends.

Simple does not have to mean basic.

Take Systemd for example. Chimera Linux was to implement the same functionality and be full featured. It wants to do this with a simpler, more modular, more understandable, and more maintainable design.

Re: Chimera Linux works toward a simplified desktop

#96
post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For gaming, absolutely. But macOS and Apple devices aren't tailored towards that, and their mice are oddballs anyway: one button, and heavily tailored towards gestures. They're a mouse and touchpad in one. I quit using it when I got RSI. Now I use a vertical mouse (by Logitech). Now that is one of a kind (but it does not do gestures well).

Not just for gaming. Mice are better for everything. > Now I use a vertical mouse (by Logitech). Ugh I tried that when I had RSI. Absolutely awful. The fundamental flaw is that you click sideways which always moves the pointer a little unless you strain to avoid it, which kind of defeats the point. Get a better chair and desk. That solved the RSI for me - no weird ergonomic input devices made any difference.

For me, a couple of years ago a vertical mouse almost instantly solved my RSI which I only once had severe before in 40+ years of computer usage (that was due to physical work, though they attempted to gaslight me into being a heavy computer user). Using a mouse, trackpad or trackpad meant trouble. Slowly, it healed, and I can once again use a trackpad. But nowadays I do not use normal mice anymore for any prolonged tasks. Only my vertical one. I had a different one before the Logitech one. Some cheap ass brand. It worked well for a couple of months of heavy usage and then it had hardware malfunctioning. I went with the Logitech and years later still goes strong, with a couple of weeks of battery life.

You're wrong regarding mice being always superior. Mice have their place, and I am not the only person who has benefited from vertical mice (there is a learning curve, btw). Mice have a severe drawback: they need more physical, flat, clean space than the other pointer solutions. Try a mouse with a cyberdeck and tell me how that worked out. I've done pentesting tasks with a small laptop the size of two mice. I would not be able to do that outside on the go with a mouse. I also had situations where back in the days I had no space for a mouse, so I used my trackpoint.

Re: Chimera Linux works toward a simplified desktop

#97
post #2

never heard of it, but interesting setup. FreeBSD user land with Linux and Gnome/Wayland. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chimera_Linux

Another interesting, currently ongoing, mixture of Linux world and FreeBSD is NixBSD. A NixOS fork with a FreeBSD kernel. https://github.com/nixos-bsd/nixbsd I came across it earlier today.

It’s not mentioned in the readme, but from a quick peruse it looks like that project also has some support for OpenBSD which is very neat.

Re: Chimera Linux works toward a simplified desktop

#99
post #66
post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe it seems a stupid question, but it's an honest one: why openbsd rather than freebsd? I tried freebsd when Debian integrated systemd. Being neither savvy or intelligent, I had trouble with the ports system and installations were taking hours for small applications. I gave up. I've always had a nagging desire to try again, but poor health has discouraged me from those kinds of learning curves. I recently left Deb…

> I recently left Debian again and use Void, with Opensuse on a separate drive [...], I gave serious consideration to Chimera before settling on Void [...] Have you tried to write down your goals/expectations? It seems like you're throwing distros at the wall to just see what sticks. I don't care for apt vs xbps or systemd vs openrc. My own goals are simple: - I want a "UNIX workstation", overall decent for software…

Hell of a reply. I'd definitely buy you a coffee for it.

Thanks for all the considerations.

PS: regarding throwing distros at the wall; I used the same installation of Debian for 10 years. It was my workstation and everything else. But its direction isn't mine anymore, and I gave quite a bit of thought to my choice, ie Void. FreeBSD would be in addition, not a replacement. Also, my primary needs are far more primitive than yours or what you mentioned. I mostly need something I can trust, that doesn't change for the sake of change. That and for it to be able to do basics, eg python without dependency hell, video editing, office, music/editing, caveman AI, and such. Hardly more. Oh, and freedom. That's really important.

Re: Chimera Linux works toward a simplified desktop

#100
post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe it seems a stupid question, but it's an honest one: why openbsd rather than freebsd? I tried freebsd when Debian integrated systemd. Being neither savvy or intelligent, I had trouble with the ports system and installations were taking hours for small applications. I gave up. I've always had a nagging desire to try again, but poor health has discouraged me from those kinds of learning curves. I recently left Deb…

You don't have to use ports, FreeBSD has supported pre-compiled binary packages since 2014. https://klarasystems.com/articles/a-quick-look-at-the-histor...

Thanks for the info. Time flies.
Post reply on HN