.
EXE GNU/LINUX (Debian Squeeze with Trinity Desktop)
Exe GNU/Linux is a Debian GNU/Linux system with preconfigured defaults for desktop use, based on Debian Squeeze. It will run as a Live CD and may be optionally installed to hard disk or usb stick.
Exe GNU/Linux originates from Exmouth in South West England. It was first made for local use but now includes Spanish support since some of the development was done in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria.
Exe GNU/Linux is built from debootstrap and custom scripts and is not a remaster of any other distribution. GPLsoftware from Debian, Trinity Desktop and others is included here. However, use of Exe is not supported by any mainstream project.
A minimal (to save space) Trinity Desktop (KDE 3.5.13) is preinstalled. In mainstream Debian, KDE 3.5 has been replaced by the very different KDE 4. Trinity has since forked KDE 3.5, however Trinity has no mainstream Debian support. That is the main reason for this Live CD.
Trinity Desktop is for those who find alternative desktops post-Lenny to be lacking in functionality or overly resource-intensive, or simply prefer the style of KDE 3.5. KDE 4 may not run well on older machines. Tests have shown Trinity desktop to be stable and efficient on a Debian system.
The lightweight LXDE desktop is preinstalled as an alternative. LXDE may be selected at the login screen and set as default if required. Applications of one desktop can be used in another's session. Other desktops, including KDE 4, may be installed in addition to Trinty.
Administration and general use of this system is no different from standard Debian. Installation of new software should be done from only Debian Squeeze sources (except Trinity packages) using apt-get or aptitude in a terminal, or the gui package manager Synaptic. It is recommended to use apt-get, that's how the system was built.
Some extra scripts have been packaged (debianized) and added for increased functionality, with the intention of deviating from standard Debian as little as possible.
.
DIFFERENCES FROM MAINSTREAM DEBIAN:
Exe GNU/Linux default runlevel is 5 (Debian default is 2)
The following non-mainstream-Debian packages are installed:
ceni (network setup and configuration CLI utility)
exegnu2usb (pendrive installer script)
exegnu-scripts (miscellaneous custom scripts)
exegnu-trinity-theme (custom Trinity desktop theme)
exegnu-userdefaults-trinity (custom Trinity menu and style user defaults)
inxi (system and hardware data utility, from smxi devs)
live-config-trinity (live-config extra scripts, for live-cd and snapshot only)
exegnu-snapshot (remaster utility and installer)
Post-installation, none of the above are system-critical and may be purged (at the expense of their useful functionality).
.
OTHER NON-DEBIAN PACKAGES
grub-gfxboot: May be replaced by grub-pc or grub-legacy (grub-pc is the standard Squeeze default bootloader)
gfxboot-theme-exegnu (is dependent on grub-gfxboot): May be purged or replaced
Trinity Desktop Environment packages
Everything else is pure Debian Squeeze, except:
smxi and sgfxi (system administration scripts)
gnomad2 (Creative Zen jukebox utility), ported from Debian Lenny
.
Exe GNU/Linux is free software made available underGPLconditions. Use at your own risk, there are no guarantees. Please also note this documentation is (mostly) correct only at the time of writing.
Thank you for testing Exe GNU/Linux.
David Hare, February 2011
