Hyperbola GNU/Linux 0.4 - first look at the fully released version
I'm going to write up some of my thoughts in this thread latest fully released version of this amazing libre distro, which pulls in a lot of its underlying structures from the BSD's. For example, using xenocara instead of Xorg, using sndio instead of alsa or pulseaudio or pipewire, using doas instead of sudo, libressl instead of openssl.
It runs without systemd, without dbus, and without a lot of these base packages which were created by big tech monopolies such as IBM/RedHat over the years and pushed into most of the GNU/Linux distros. As a result, it runs amazingly fast and light, but has limited access to software packages. For example, the only available "major" web browser is a libre fork of Pale Moon which the Hyperbola devs have been having to build themselves, called iceweasel-uxp.
I am a member!
Hyperbola is the hardcore of the hardcore distros. It needs you to have focus, commitment and sheer f/ing will. But it is a proof that there is technology beyond the reach of corporations. A world without any ethical compromises in order to use your computer.
This comes with a cost, though. Many conveniences are missing. Most things need to be installed package by package. You need to config many things and although it is sometimes exhausting, it is a great learning experience. I am donating as much as I can to this project and I argue you to do the same. It needs, to grow, have more tools and a better wiki.
"Hyperbola is the hardcore of the hardcore distros. It needs you to have focus, commitment and sheer f/ing will. But it is a proof that there is technology beyond the reach of corporations. A world without any ethical compromises in order to use your computer.
This comes with a cost, though. Many conveniences are missing. Most things need to be installed package by package. You need to config many things and although it is sometimes exhausting, it is a great learning experience. I am donating as much as I can to this project and I argue you to do the same. It needs, to grow, have more tools and a better wiki."
I agree with pretty much all of your points. I have been unable to get Hyperbola installed in my various tries but I respect what they do and the fault lies with me not them. I don't donate as much to them as I do Trisquel but I do donate to them because they earn it and hopefully one day I can get it working for me.
>"I have been unable to get Hyperbola installed in my various tries"
I'm sorry to hear that, it's quite delightful once it's up and running! You did see my earlier walk-through on installing it, right? https://trisquel.info/en/forum/hyperbola-part-2-beginners-guide-installation-w-dwm-window-manager
I'll do a new walk-through of installing this latest fully released 0.4 edition as soon as I get a little bit of time. Let me know if there's a specific problem you run into, maybe we can solve it together.
I'm going to incorporate by reference the how-to install guide from my earlier Hyperbola thread: https://trisquel.info/en/forum/hyperbola-part-2-beginners-guide-installation-w-dwm-window-manager
[NOTE - all the "sudo" commands on that thread need to be changed to "doas" when installing Hyperbola 0.4, since Hyperbola changed to the openBSD "doas" system with 0.4]
However, after step "iii" (pacstrap /mnt base), it is important that you run this command in order to have wireless after install:
pacstrap /mnt wpa_supplicant
Also, I had to install some firmware files for my Atheros wireless card for it to work after installation this time, so after step "xv" (running the 'passwd' command), I would run this command before setting up grub:
pacman -S ath9k-htc-firmware carl9170-firmware
****
I'm going to leave a note here about getting a bash alias to run when logged in as root after running the "su" command as a regular user on hyperbola, because running bash aliases as root does not work by default. This is important (for me) because the wireless commands will not run on hyperbola as the regular user or by using doas, so having access to aliases makes this part tolerable. Someone please let me know if my steps here are incorrect or if they are somehow insecure:
1. create a .bash_profile for root (must be logged in as root):
cd /root/
nano .bash_profile
While editing the new root .bash_profile, add the following lines to the file with nano:
#
# ~/.bash_profile
#
[[ -f ~/.bashrc ]] && . ~/.bashrc
Save and exit nano with the ctrl-o and ctrl-x key combos.
2. create a .bashrc for root (still logged in as root, still in the /root/ directory):
nano .bashrc
While editing the new root .bashrc, add the following lines to the file with nano:
#
# ~root/.bashrc
#
alias [some-alias that you want here]='[some command that you want to run]'
Save and exit nano again with the ctrl-o and ctrl-x key combos.
Log out of the root user, and then log back into the root user, and try your new alias.
Also, a step that I am using and trying to see if it's going to make my life easier:
To change the default shell for root to bash (logged in as root):
chsh -s /bin/bash root
I'm no expert on aliases for root, correct me if I'm wrong on anything here.
Speaking of the Linux kernel what do you guys think of GNU/HURD is there a chance that we will see distros that will come with HURD. The only distro that comes to my mind is Debian and it is experimental.
GNU Guix System it's the closest to a GNU OS. It has Shepherd, Scheme everywhere.
You can even install Emacs itself as your window manager (EXWM).
But, for coherence, GUIX would need a GTK3+Guile control panel to add common desktop services such as OpenVPN and adding them to /etc/config.scm.
Trisquel does an easier job with meta-packages.
Any news on the OpenBSD based HyperbolaBSD fork? I can't wait to use a GNU-boosted pufferfish without the blobs (and better hardware support).