NEWS 200119 about exGENT (Gentoo) 64 bit
I’ve made a new version of exGENT with only a few necessary packages pre-installed. It uses LXQt 0.14.1 as Desktop environment and kernel 5.3.7-aufs-exgent. The ISO file is of 1720 MB. Despite this exGENT version 200119 runs surprisingly fast from DVD or USB. Even in VirtualBox and VMware. Faster than most other Linux live systems. I call my new version exGENT 2020 LXQt Live DVD/USB. It replaces version 180414, 170407 and 170412. Those versions were too old for upgrading. I had to start over and build version 200119 from “scratch”. All installed packages in exGENT have been updated to the latest available version by 200119. Study the full package list.
What’s new in exGENT Build 200119?
The boot loader Grub Legacy has been replaced by Grub2. In exGENT versions before 170309 the file system wasn’t writable when running exGENT live (from DVD). Now you can emerge (install) new programs/packages even while running the system from a DVD or USB stick. If you do that and later decide to install exGENT to hard drive all your changes will follow! (That is if you use the install scripts in /root/install). Furthermore you can install/transfer exGENT to a USB stick with the dd command in Linux or use Rufus or Etcher in Windows. Such installations were impossible before. NOTE: I have not installed Google Chrome. It’s not needed anymore, since Netflix nowadays runs very well in Firefox. About the LXQt Desktop environment: LXQt is a lightweight Qt desktop environment. It will not get in your way. It will not hang or slow down your system. It is focused on being a classic desktop with a modern look and feel. MOST IMPORTANT: Now you can install exGENT to hard drive in two ways. You can still use the install scrips in /root/install. That is the best way to install exGENT on non UEFI computers for example VirtualBox and VMware. The second way is to use Calamares Installer- see below.
Calamares Installer
In exGENT Build 200119 I’ve also included the Calamares Installer version 3.2.17.1 (latest). Use it preferably if you need to install Grub on UEFI computers. You can, however, also use Calamares in VirtualBox and VMware. See a slideshow below when I have used Calamares on a UEFI computer to install exGENT on a USB stick.
If you can’t watch the slideshow in your browser watch this animated GIF.
exGENT Build 200119 is a non Systemd system
exGENT uses OpenRC 0.42.1 init system instead of Systemd. Comparison of different init systems: Read this article.
exGENT Build 200119 unique?
If you have a look at Gentoo’s download site you will notice that the latest Gentoo live system is from 20160704 (!?). Furthermore there are only a few other distros based on Gentoo. The most well-known are Funtoo Linux and Sabayon Linux. Funtoo isn’t a live system. Sabayon is a live system distributed with different Desktops variants. (Not with LXQt though). I have tried some of them on the computers I have access to. None of Sabayon’s variants could run live. Not even in VirtualBox and VMware. My guess is that exGENT has better hardware recognition than Sabayon.
WHO IS exGENT/Gentoo FOR?
Experienced Linux users or those who really want to learn Linux. (Perhaps also for people who are bored with mainstream distributions like Ubuntu).
Screenshots
1. exGENT Build 200119 – root’s Desktop
2. exGENT running Spotify
3. exGENT running Calamares in VirtualBox
4. exGENT running in VirtualBox
5. exGENT running in VMware
6. exGENT Build 200119 – live’s Desktop
andex.exton.net – latest is AndEX 10 (with GAPPS) and AndEX Pie 9.0 (also with GAPPS)!
and
about my Pie, Oreo, Nougat, Marshmallow and Lollipop versions for Raspberry Pi 3/2 at
raspex.exton.se – latest is RaspAnd Pie 9.0 (without GAPPS) and RaspAnd Oreo 8.1 (with GAPPS)!
Article 200130 about exGENT Build 290119 at 9to5Linux by Marius Nestor (previously at Softpedia.com)
“Arne Exton’s exGENT GNU/Linux distribution aims to continue the tradition of Gentoo-based live distros with a new release that puts the latest LXQt 0.14.1 desktop environment in the spotlight.
We all know by now that Gentoo is one of the hardest Linux-based operating systems to install due to packages needing to be compiled from sources locally. But the good thing about Gentoo is that it doesn’t uses a one-size fits all approach, which mens that it can be fully optimized for specific hardware.
Newcomers who want to try Gentoo Linux on their personal computer have a hard time due to the lack of Gentoo-based live distributions. Here’s where exGENT Linux comes into play, promising to offer users an up-to-date Gentoo-based live system that can be installed in a few minutes.
The latest release, entitled exGENT 2020 LXQt Live DVD/USB, features the lightweight LXQt 0.14.1 as default desktop environment, Calamares as default graphical installer, OpenRC as default init system, and Linux kernel 5.3.7 with AUFS patches. It even runs well in virtual machines like VirtualBox or VMware.
exGENT Linux can be installed in up to 20 minutes
Highlights of the exGENT 2020 release include GRUB2 as default boot loader instead of GRUB Legacy, the ability to install new packages while running the live system, the ability to install/transfer exGENT to a USB flash drive, and two new installation methods, using the install scrips in /root/install or the Calamares installer.
“exGENT Linux can be installed to hard drive in 2 – 20 min. (Depending on computer type). This means that all of you who might hesitate to perform a normal Gentoo installation – which can take up to a couple of days – now have the chance to get this great Linux system (Gentoo) installed on your computers very easy,” said Arne Exton””
READ MORE: https://9to5linux.com/exgent-2020-linux-distro-makes-gentoo-fun-to-use-with-the-lxqt-desktop