ArcoLinux -D -B 20.2

ArcoLinux iso – select more software inside Calamares or install later – developers iso / flagship iso

ArcoLinuxD iso – bare iso – no remnants of Xfce4 delivery system – select more software inside Calamares or install later

ArcoLinuxB iso – no more full iso – we start with minimal iso – select more software inside Calamares or install later

ArcoLinux – Xfce, OPenbox and i3wm

ArcoLinux is still our flagship. It will contain our 3 browsers, gimp, inkscape, … to be able to develop ArcoLinux. If you do not select any additional software you will get the same iso as last month. You can not remove software (unless you build the iso). If you want less software we have ArcoLinuxD and ArcoLinuxB.

Our flagship becomes a cruiseship

Internet connection is required

With the latest version of Calamares you have the freedom to choose what packages to install on the fly. Internet connection is required.

You can select if you want a different kernel or decide to install nvidia packages.

You can decide to install the microcode.

You select any of the additional software from the list.

We have created an arcolinux-meta-steam package to install steam the efficient way.

We have created an arcolinux-meta-fun package to install all the packages from our “fun” script.

Choose either Libre Office Fresh or Libre Office Still.

Choose either Virtualbox for linux or linux-lts kernel.

Libreoffice improvement

If you change the language in Calamares, you will also change the language of Libre Office.

If you select your native language in the first screen of Calamares you will have the desktop and libreoffice in your native tongue.

$LOCALE will be replace with your language choice and will install additional

1. language packages for libre-office
2. spelling correction packages

ArcoLinuxD

“ArcoLinuxD is the most minimal iso.

If you do not install any packages, it is the most bare version we have. It will give you the Arch Linux look and feel.

You can install any of our desktops via the scripts of our ArcoLinuxD githubs or you install them via Calamares.

With the latest version of Calamares you have the freedom to choose what packages to install on the fly. Internet connection is required.

You can select if you want a different kernel or decide to install nvidia packages.

You can decide to install the microcode.

You decide if you want support for

• bluetooth
• laptop
• network
• printing
• samba
• sound

You can also choose between 4 available display managers

1. lightdm
2. sddm
3. gdm
4. lxdm

After reboot you end up in a black screen and you enable the one you selected with a command.

sudo systemctl enable lightdm

sudo systemctl enable sddm

sudo systemctl enable gdm

sudo systemctl enable lxdm

skel

Skel is essential for Tiling Window Managers as the code for the desktop is still in /etc/skel.

then you reboot and you will boot into a graphical environment.

sudo reboot

You select any of the additional software from the list.

We have created an arcolinux-meta-steam package to install steam the efficient way.

We have created an arcolinux-meta-fun package to install all the packages from our “fun” script.

Choose either Libre Office Fresh or Libre Office Still.

Choose either Virtualbox for linux or linux-lts kernel.

If you change the language in Calamares, you will also change the language of Libre Office

Internet connection is required

ArcoLinuxB

ArcoLinuxB is the iso that you are supposed to build. You can download it too.

You can edit the package list, build the iso and make a personal edition of any of our desktops.

You can choose between 15 desktops at the moment.

We do not talk about full isos and minimal isos anymore

All ArcoLinuxB isos are minimal isos

However we did not cut down on ‘comfort’ applications like bluetooth, printers, sound and video.

Furthermore we require 3 tools on all isos for development reasons :

1. Firefox
2. Sublime-Text-Dev
3. Meld

Option 1 : download

During installation you select any of the additional packages to install. Internet connection is required.

You can select if you want a different kernel or decide to install nvidia packages.

You can decide to install the microcode.

You select any of the additional software from the list.

We have created an arcolinux-meta-steam package to install steam the efficient way.

We have created an arcolinux-meta-fun package to install all the packages from our “fun” script.

Choose either Libre Office Fresh or Libre Office Still.

Choose either Virtualbox for linux or linux-lts kernel.

If you change the language in Calamares, you will also change the language of Libre Office

Option 2 : build

If you intend to build, then any package can be added or removed from the package list file. Anything is possible. You can combine different desktops on one iso for example.

The bulk of the applications in Calamares is the same on all ArcoLinuxB isos. There are always exceptions. Openbox will contain Geany by default because the menu is using Geany to open your Openbox configuration files. So Geany will NOT show up in the list in Calamares. It is already installed.

Anything installed by default is not in the Calamares list.

ArcoLinuxB Plasma undergoes a big change.

ArcoLinuxB Plasma measures only 1.7 GB.

Previous full version of Plasma was 2.7 GB and minimal was 2 GB.

During installation you can add more meta packages to your installation or you build the iso the way you want it.

Only kdeadmin-meta and kdebase-meta are installed on the iso. These will not be listed on the Calamares installer since they are installed by default.

Changes to all ArcoLinuxB isos

All ArcoLinuxB isos will have the following things in common at start up

• no plank application and no plank configuration from ArcoLinux
• meld installed
• sublime-text-dev installed
• firefox installed
• lshw installed
• tmux installed
• dmenu installed
• hwinfo installed
• zsh installed on all isos including extra packages
• volumeicon is installed on all tiling window managers
• geany only installed on Openbox and Xtended by default
• thunar and its packages installed
• gnome-disk-utility installed – just not on plasma

We start with a minimal ArcoLinuxB iso and we install our extra software with the help of Calamares.

Encryption is now possible

Calamares gives you several standard choices in a dropdown

• No swap
• Swap (no hibernate)
• Swap (with hibernate)

You can also encrypt these default choices which gives you now 6 choices by default or make a manual partitioning.

We are using kpmcore-git rather than kpmcore.

Calamares 3.2.17.1 is used as installer. More info here.

ArcoLinux Tweak Tool

The ArcoLinux Tweak Tool is created to have easy access to features that now require manual editing.

We will update this article every time we release a new version of the tool.

Because of the ArcoLinux Tweak Tool some of our packages got an update:

• arcolinux-termite-themes – arcolinux-default theme + arcolinux-passion-dark-trans theme
• arcolinux-grub-theme-vimix-git – more wallpapers to choose from + update from github

ArcoLinux Welcome App

The ArcoLinux Welcome App is created to guide ArcoLinux users during the installation procedure. The advice is to first erase any partition and formatting with Gparted and then proceed with the Calamares installer.

After installation the app is still available to link to important webpages for ArcoLinux and also link to the ArcoLinux Tweak Tool.

PLASMA KSERVICES

A new package was created to provide the kservices of Dolphin  i.e. arcolinux-plasma-kservices-git.

Certain services (right mouse click or context menu) will be made available to the user that way:

• change png to jpg
• compare with meld
• set as wallpaper on a jpg/png image

PLASMA dolphin

Dolphin got some practical shortcuts on the toolbar;

• up arrow to navigate
• create a folder
• open a terminal in current folder

Plasma sddm display manager

SDDM is installed by default facilitating an easy switch from lightdm to sddm if the user likes to change. Standard we will use lightdm on all our desktops.

sudo systemctl enable -f sddm.service

PLASMA default menu

We have tried to make the Plasma menu as small as possible by default.

We have added separate files to check the isos against md5, sha1, sha256 and sig.

Fun script added

deepin

Network Manager applet is now available in live session and will be removed by Calamares in order not to have two network manager tray icons.

Users can select their wifi via the Network Manager applet.

Herbstluftwm – assign applications

It is now possible to assign applications to workspaces. We have used the same logic in all our tiling window managers. It is initially not enabled.

workspace 1 – browsers
workspace 2 – editors
…

There is also a new menu you can use at  your convenience.

Qtile – assign applications

It is now possible to assign applications to workspaces. We have used the same logic in all our tiling window managers. It is standard not active.

workspace 1 – browsers
workspace 2 – editors
…

Xmonad – recompile xmonad automatically

Xmonad is actually an application that is running. When updates come in, you are sometimes stuck at the lightdm login screen because you forgot to recompile Xmonad before rebooting. Solution to this issue is described here.

With our solution we hope this issue is in the past.

A pacman hook is going to recompile xmonad when an update occurs.

Xmonad – volumeicon

Added volumeicon to startup – easy access to volume level and Pulse Audio Volume Control or pavucontrol.

Both config for polybar and xmobar have been adapted.

arcolinux-root-git – .bashrc-latest is no more

Pkgbuild for this package was upgraded. We do not need .bashrc-latest anymore to overcome building issues.

The alias “cb” has been changed to a shorter version.

When you “update” your system and you did a “skel”, logout to apply the new bashrc with the new “cb”.

arcolinux-local-applications-git

This package is a desktop trick for Xfce only. We add or remove applications from the menu and the xfce settings with it.

These solutions are no longer necessary and have been deleted.

• elinks
• cmake-gui
• electron

Lxqt packages list

We added the following packages to the iso

• lximage-qt
• trojita
• qpdfview
• obconqt

We remove the following packages from the iso

• evolution

ZSH SUPPORTED  and OH-MY-ZSH-GIT SUPPORTED

Several packages were added and/or created to support the zsh shell.

All the information is in this article.

Users can easily switch between zsh and bash with two aliases

• tozsh
• tobash

Logout and login and you will have switched shells.

If you build your own isos we recommend you switch to bash.

Budgie Wallpaper

Budgie will start with the standard wallpaper of ArcoLinux.

Budgie  Super + X

The keyboard shortcut to shutdown the desktop was missing in Budgie.

Deepin Wallpaper

Deepin will start with the standard wallpaper of ArcoLinux.

VARIETY HAS BEEN UPDATED TO 0.8.2-1

We have changed our configuration to follow the new release.

Variety is started at boot.

Variety will NOT change your wallpaper. Not on start and not after x minutes.

Only /usr/share/backgrounds is there as the source for wallpapers.

Desktoppr is back as source. We leave it up to the user to activate it.

We have added several issues on the github of variety. We have asked for support for these desktops to change the desktop without using our ArcoLinux solutions.

1. awesome
2. jwm
3. herbstluftwm
4. qtile
5. xmonad

As a result the next variety release will support them out of the box.

F12 will launch xfce4-terminal in Herbstluftwm

We want all our desktops to have some kind of drop down terminal. We use a native application when present.

F12 will launch guake on Budgie

We want all our desktops to have some kind of drop down terminal. We use a native application when present.

F12 will launch guake on Gnome

We want all our desktops to have some kind of drop down terminal. We use a native application when present.

F12 will launch guake on Gnome

We want all our desktops to have some kind of drop down terminal. We use a native application when present.

General changes to ArcoLinux iso

Variety installed on your system will NOT start automatically. You can quickly change to the next wallpaper with Alt + n  and variety will load and change the wallpaper. The user decides whether to set variety to autostart next time or not. That results in setting the wallpaper with nitrogen in Openbox and with feh in i3. Packages have been updated.

Plank and its themes are installed on your system but will not autostart at boot on Xfce. The users decides whether they want to start it up at boot. Plank is started on Openbox. The user decides this in the openbox config. i3 does not require Plank. Dmenu is our default menu.

The arcolinux-config-git is back on the iso. By omitting the package from the iso of 20.2.5 we decided we can live without plank and variety autostarting. The autostart files have been deleted from this package.

GENERAL IMPROVEMENTS

Packages added to the iso

• archiso
• arcolinux-zsh-git
• oh-my-zsh-git
• breeze (cursor)
• breeze-icons

Packages removed from the iso

• xcursor-breeze
• oxygen neo

Let us try to get a new article/video/step out every month.
In a few months time we will have made progress.

We have dedicated an article to this particular topic since it is probably FAQ number 1.

How to update any ArcoLinux or how to stay rolling

After a clean installation we will install more software like Spotify, Dropbox, Insync, etc…

Installing Nemesis on any ArcoLinux

After a clean installation we will install more software like Spotify, Dropbox, Insync, etc…
Re-use our get ready script.

The url to this script is ALWAYS pinned on discord in the official channel at the top in discord.
#official-news

Up and running in 15 minutes after a clean install

Aliases are created for improved functionality and for convenience.

See that you know and understand the consequences of the most important ones regarding updates –
update,
skel,
backupskel,
cb,
upall

The full package list of the latest isos can always be found on github at this address :

ArcoLinux : https://github.com/arcolinux/arcolinux-iso/blob/master/archiso/packages.x86_64

ArcoLinuxD : https://github.com/arcolinux/arcolinuxd-iso/blob/master/archiso/packages.x86_64

ArcoLinuxB : https://github.com/arcolinux/arcolinuxb