Author Topic: PCLinuxOS - Phoenix Edition: SERIOUS Installation Problem  (Read 2636 times)

Offline Neal ManBear

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Re: PCLinuxOS - Phoenix Edition: SERIOUS Installation Problem
« Reply #15 on: November 18, 2012, 03:47:22 AM »
Apparently you didn't understand me, so I'll try to clarify. We did not just "drop" the XFCE update into our repo. There was a period of testing first. It is regrettable that you had a problem with the upgrade, but there is no way that we could have known that would happen.     

We have a set policy concerning the creation and release of ISOs. Changing from a quarterly release schedule to a new release with every update of any given DE would put an unwarranted amount of work onto our maintainers.     

Did you get permission for that quote you used?     

Testy am I? :-\ I speak plainly. I talk straight. When it comes to our team and the work they do, I'm a brick wall. I've worked with them and know what they put into this OS. I will say so in any situation where someone says they are not doing enough / not doing it right / etc. If that is being testy, then I'm testy.     

Offline menotu

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Re: PCLinuxOS - Phoenix Edition: SERIOUS Installation Problem
« Reply #16 on: November 18, 2012, 07:03:31 AM »
I hope that ghostbunny can create a new (and hopefully more stable) version of the PCLOS Phoenix Edition .iso which I shall download and try on at least one of my computers. If it is, as I hope, satisfactory, I shall install it on two of the three computers we take with us when we travel (but I'll keep a 'buntu on one of them "just in case").
Lawrence

The release is stable, and as mentioned previously, it's the age of the 2012-02 ISO your using, thus leading to a high number of packages needed to do a full update which may then lead to problems. A fair number of applications may of jumped a few incremental release s during that time.

One of the things PCLinuxOS is known for is stability;  Reinforcing what's already been said a fair amount of testing  (as much as can be done with a small team) is done prior to releasing apps/ISO's

The mantra "when it's ready"  is well known on the forum   ;D

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Offline lhb1142

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Re: PCLinuxOS - Phoenix Edition: SERIOUS Installation Problem
« Reply #17 on: November 18, 2012, 08:46:33 AM »
Apparently you didn't understand me, so I'll try to clarify. We did not just "drop" the XFCE update into our repo. There was a period of testing first. It is regrettable that you had a problem with the upgrade, but there is no way that we could have known that would happen.   
We have a set policy concerning the creation and release of ISOs. Changing from a quarterly release schedule to a new release with every update of any given DE would put an unwarranted amount of work onto our maintainers.     

Did you get permission for that quote you used?     

Testy am I? :-\ I speak plainly. I talk straight. When it comes to our team and the work they do, I'm a brick wall. I've worked with them and know what they put into this OS. I will say so in any situation where someone says they are not doing enough / not doing it right / etc. If that is being testy, then I'm testy.     

Dear Neal ManBear,

Wow, how I've opened up a can of worms! That was not my intention.

First, to reply to your question "Did you get permission for that quote you used?", the answer is "no" and I received a gentle admonishment from the writer. I have apologized to the person. Frankly, it was just plain rude and thoughtless on my part to quote someone without asking permission first, especially when there is a slight "dig" at you (not mean-spirited though, I believe).

By the way, I personally don't think you are "testy" at all; at least you have not been to me. I believe that I have been unable to make myself clear to you.

Please let me repeat my suggestion and I hope that you and others will understand what I'm suggesting.

If you left major changes in the Testing Section until the new set-by-you .iso release schedule, this, in my opinion, would cause no disruption or difficulties on anyone's part.

As I said, those of us who are not as sophisticated as some others would just get along using the older programs until such time, determined by you and the other administrators, as that new .iso disc can be released. This schedule would be solely determined by you. I am advocating no changes at all to your disc release schedule.

Those who wish to try the new programs would merely access the Testing Section; they would have the benefit of the newer programs yet no new user would have any problems with installation, updating, etc.

When it is time for a new disc to be released, those programs formerly in the Testing Section, which have been determined to be good ones, could be incorporated into the disc and only then moved to the regular or Special section(s).

Thus, if someone were to have to reinstall the system (for whatever reason), he or she, having (hopefully) downloaded the new disc prior to doing the new install, would have some way to effect a clean re-installation of the system with no problems. Those persons would not have to use the older disc (as I did because it was all that was available).

If someone had to use an older disc prior to a new one being released (this would, of course, be the latest disc available, the one still offered on the main site), well, that would be all right too because the newer programs would still be in the Testing Section. These programs would not be moved out until a new disc is released on your normal schedule.

Do you see what I'm suggesting?

(If someone used an older disc after a new one has been released, well, that's their problem!)

I feel badly about some poor devil who, say a couple of days ago, decided to try PCLOS Phoenix. He downloaded the disc, effected the updates (as is recommended), and then found that his system was unusable. What do you think such a person (if any) would think of PCLOS? That's basically the gist of my discussion.

While I was not a new user, it happened to me.

Fortunately, I know how good PCLOS is - that's why I reported this situation here. (Of course when I started this discussion, I had no idea as to the cause.)

Had the new (in this case) Xfce 4.10 remained in the Testing Section until a new disc could be produced (on your schedule), this would not have occurred.

Those who wanted it could easily access it; those whose computer abilities are not so good could continue to use the older version (which, by the way, was fully satisfactory to me).

I fully realize that the fault was no one's. It is totally impossible to anticipate or test for every possible scenario.

I am offering just one suggestion such that this particular problem will not recur.

Sorry for the repetition but that's all I'm asking.

Lawrence
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Offline lhb1142

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Re: PCLinuxOS - Phoenix Edition: SERIOUS Installation Problem
« Reply #18 on: November 18, 2012, 08:56:48 AM »
I hope that ghostbunny can create a new (and hopefully more stable) version of the PCLOS Phoenix Edition .iso which I shall download and try on at least one of my computers. If it is, as I hope, satisfactory, I shall install it on two of the three computers we take with us when we travel (but I'll keep a 'buntu on one of them "just in case").
Lawrence

The release is stable, and as mentioned previously, it's the age of the 2012-02 ISO your using, thus leading to a high number of packages needed to do a full update which may then lead to problems. A fair number of applications may of jumped a few incremental release s during that time.

One of the things PCLinuxOS is known for is stability;  Reinforcing what's already been said a fair amount of testing  (as much as can be done with a small team) is done prior to releasing apps/ISO's

The mantra "when it's ready"  is well known on the forum   ;D

Whichever route you take may the wind blow fairly

Dear menotu,

I hope you will read my previous post (reply to Neal ManBear). I try to clarify my suggestion within it.

Basically, I suggest that anything new and major (such as a new desktop environment or anything that might interfere with a re-installation) should be left in the Testing Section until such time as a new disc is released. The disc release schedule should remain as it is.

This would allow anyone to reinstall the system (should the need occur) with the latest disc (even if it is several months old), and have the installation and upgrading proceed normally. If that person had formerly been using something from the Testing Section (such as that new desktop environment), he or she could merely reinstall that.

This would make no change in the testing situation nor in the disc release schedule. It would affect only the moving of Testing Section programs into the main section which would be delayed until the new disc is released. This, in my opinion, would be of no problem to anyone.

Thank you for writing to me.

Lawrence
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Offline Nippur

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Re: PCLinuxOS - Phoenix Edition: SERIOUS Installation Problem
« Reply #19 on: November 19, 2012, 01:57:15 AM »
ouch! I've been left with a laptop and a desktop unusable.I understand that the only wal around is installing with another .iso?
Thx.

Online ghostbunny

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Re: PCLinuxOS - Phoenix Edition: SERIOUS Installation Problem
« Reply #20 on: November 19, 2012, 02:47:21 AM »
it's not the only way but probably the easiest. the alternative is installing the used packages in text mode (without gui).

Don't forget to backup your home directory before installing ;)
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Offline ppiklapp

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Re: PCLinuxOS - Phoenix Edition: SERIOUS Installation Problem
« Reply #21 on: November 19, 2012, 02:57:06 AM »
I have sat back and watched this flame up and down.  I am running Phoenix at the moment and recently updated with no problems.  I am sorry to hear that someone is having trouble, but you have to update you OS every so often.  Since my version came out later, I have had no problems with it.  Maybe the next time he does a clean reinstall, he should check for updated iso. 

Just an option and opinion.  All those working on updated versions, keep up the good work!
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Offline Neal ManBear

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Re: PCLinuxOS - Phoenix Edition: SERIOUS Installation Problem
« Reply #22 on: November 19, 2012, 08:30:54 AM »
lhb1142,     
I understood you perfectly well. I responded not just with a "no" but with an explanation. Restating your desire that a policy change be made in multiple posts will not change anything. The answer remains "No!" BTW, I did not set the policy. I follow it.     

The problem with older ISOs is as menotu said. Reread his post.     

When they are ready, apps are moved out of testing. I will not hold apps in testing until a new ISO is ready for release. I think you have no idea what is involved here.     

Post no more arguments. Accept that repetitiously stating that you want us to change is getting you nowhere. If you want to be in charge and set policy, you are free to start your own distro, where you can be in charge and have things done your way.     

Offline Wildman

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Re: PCLinuxOS - Phoenix Edition: SERIOUS Installation Problem
« Reply #23 on: November 19, 2012, 12:55:27 PM »
I sure miss O-P...I can just see the colors he'd post!  ;)   (Ok, I retreat to my corner)  ;D ;D
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Online Bald Brick

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Re: PCLinuxOS - Phoenix Edition: SERIOUS Installation Problem
« Reply #24 on: November 19, 2012, 01:45:53 PM »
I think that Laurence just doesn't understand the concept of a rolling (or dynamic) Linux distro. He seems to think that a new .iso means a new release. Of course it doesn't. An .iso is just a tested snapshot of what an up-to-date system might look like at a certain moment in time.

And if you keep rolling, that is if you keep updating your system weekly, your setup will be more up-to-date than any .iso. It will probably work too. Nothing is moved from testing before it has been tested.

That said, when you reinstall from the latest .iso you've been able to find, you should naturally be able to update and keep updating your new installation. And here I think that Phoenix is a bit of a special case. Since its maintainer doesn't maintain it anymore (but has created his own xfce fork of PCLinuxOS) the dynamic continuity may have been slightly broken -- at least if you reinstall an all too old version of Phoenix and expect to be able to upgrade it.

I don't think you'd have that many problems if you'd just kept rolling, and a forum search would certainly have found answers to all your questions and solutions to some of them.
« Last Edit: November 20, 2012, 03:39:29 PM by Bald Brick »
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Offline lhb1142

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Re: PCLinuxOS - Phoenix Edition: SERIOUS Installation Problem
« Reply #25 on: November 20, 2012, 01:44:30 PM »
Evidently I didn't completely understand the rolling-release concept. What happened to me was that I installed several programs (PCLinux Tweak was one [I believe that's the name or something close to it] as well as a few Gtk programs which looked interesting.

Unfortunately, when I restarted the computer, instead of my Xfce desktop, I was presented with a Gnome desktop which I didn't want.

"No problem" I thought; I'll just reinstall the entire system as I had done several times previously.

Well, you know what happened.

I am using another distribution on the computer which formerly ran PCLOS. Especially now that the various 'buntus can play Netflix streaming, I am going to concentrate on them. (And, by the way, Netflix streaming works perfectly on a 'buntu OS computer. It's about time! Is it coming to PCLOS?)

Perhaps when the new Xfce .iso disc is released, I'll try PCLOS Phoenix again - and this time I'll make sure just to install the programs I really want and need. No more experimenting for me!

Thanks for all the information and help from everyone.

Lawrence
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Offline pags

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Re: PCLinuxOS - Phoenix Edition: SERIOUS Installation Problem
« Reply #26 on: November 20, 2012, 07:51:12 PM »
Evidently I didn't completely understand the rolling-release concept. What happened to me was that I installed several programs (PCLinux Tweak was one [I believe that's the name or something close to it] as well as a few Gtk programs which looked interesting.

Unfortunately, when I restarted the computer, instead of my Xfce desktop, I was presented with a Gnome desktop which I didn't want.

"No problem" I thought; I'll just reinstall the entire system as I had done several times previously.

Well, you know what happened.

I am using another distribution on the computer which formerly ran PCLOS. Especially now that the various 'buntus can play Netflix streaming, I am going to concentrate on them. (And, by the way, Netflix streaming works perfectly on a 'buntu OS computer. It's about time! Is it coming to PCLOS?)

Perhaps when the new Xfce .iso disc is released, I'll try PCLOS Phoenix again - and this time I'll make sure just to install the programs I really want and need. No more experimenting for me!

Thanks for all the information and help from everyone.

Lawrence


Is this what you're referring to?
http://www.thevarguy.com/2012/11/19/linux-gains-netflix-support-unofficially/

Using Wine, I'm sure it will make its way through PCLOS and other distros, as well...

Offline lhb1142

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Re: PCLinuxOS - Phoenix Edition: SERIOUS Installation Problem
« Reply #27 on: November 20, 2012, 08:30:48 PM »

Is this what you're referring to?
http://www.thevarguy.com/2012/11/19/linux-gains-netflix-support-unofficially/

Using Wine, I'm sure it will make its way through PCLOS and other distros, as well...


Of course. But here is a better link with more information < http://www.iheartubuntu.com/2012/11/ppa-for-netflix-desktop-app.html > and which contains full instructions for setting up the PPA (for a 'buntu OS). As you can see, it is very easy to do. And while it uses Wine, Wine is transparent to the user. It actually uses an older, modified, version of a Windows version of Mozilla Firefox (14.0.1, though the version doesn't actually matter) plus a modified (I believe) version of Silverlight. all in conjunction with Wine. Very clever.

Imagine one guy beating Netflix. I have spoken to several representatives about this issue over the past couple of years and the funny thing is, three of those representatives themselves use Linux (two using Linux Mint, the third U----u) and they all wanted Netflix to play on their computers but were frustrated by "corporate."

I wonder how "corporate" is feeling now ...

Lawrence
« Last Edit: November 21, 2012, 02:17:30 PM by lhb1142 »
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Offline ppiklapp

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Re: PCLinuxOS - Phoenix Edition: SERIOUS Installation Problem
« Reply #28 on: November 20, 2012, 10:54:20 PM »

Is this what you're referring to?
http://www.thevarguy.com/2012/11/19/linux-gains-netflix-support-unofficially/

Using Wine, I'm sure it will make its way through PCLOS and other distros, as well...


Of course. But here is a better link with more information < http://www.iheartubuntu.com/2012/11/ppa-for-netflix-desktop-app.html > and which contains full instructions for setting up the PPA (for a 'buntu OS). As you can see, it is very easy to do. And while it uses Wine, Wine is transparent to the user. It actually uses an older, modified, version of a Windows version of Mozilla Firefox (14.0.1, though the version doesn't actually matter) in conjunction with Wine. Very clever.

Imagine one guy beating Netflix. I have spoken to several representatives about this issue over the past couple of years and the funny thing is, three of those representatives themselves use Linux (two using Linux Mint, the third U----u) and they all wanted Netflix to play on their computers but were frustrated by "corporate."

I wonder how "corporate" is feeling now ...

Lawrence


Probably no different than they did before.  They are fat, happy, and ignorant of what is reality.  As for whether to use Netflix or not, NOT!!!!  If I want to watch something, I will find it elsewhere and not jump on the screw-yourself bandwagon. 

Has Netflips paid restitution for the individuals that they admitted to screwing over or are they still saying we won't pay even though we screwed with our customers? 
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Offline Neal ManBear

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Re: PCLinuxOS - Phoenix Edition: SERIOUS Installation Problem
« Reply #29 on: November 20, 2012, 11:19:20 PM »
Evidently I didn't completely understand the rolling-release concept. What happened to me was that I installed several programs (PCLinux Tweak was one [I believe that's the name or something close to it] as well as a few Gtk programs which looked interesting.

Unfortunately, when I restarted the computer, instead of my Xfce desktop, I was presented with a Gnome desktop which I didn't want.
     
So, you installed the Gnome desktop and PCLinuxOS Tweak (a utility to tweak the Gnome desktop for PCLinuxOS) and were surprised that you were logged into Gnome?     

Quote
"No problem" I thought; I'll just reinstall the entire system as I had done several times previously.

Lawrence
     
A reinstall should never be your first choice as a fix.     
In this case, the best choice would have been to log out and choose xfce from the sessions menu. The sessions menu lists the DEs available to be logged into. It makes switching between DEs at login easy. When you switch between DEs and log in, you will be asked if you want to make the new session the default. Choosing yes will make that DE the default. - This is more complicated to describe than to do.     

We do not discuss other distros here. Please stop.