Customizing Debian Benjamin Mako Hill mako@canonical.com - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

http://mako.yukidoke.org Benjamin Mako Hill Barcelona LUG: Customizing Debian

Customizing Debian

Benjamin Mako Hill

mako@canonical.com mako@debian.org http://mako.yukidoke.org Ubuntu Debian GNU/Linux Project Based on a talk given at: New York Linux Use Group – 2004-11-17

http://mako.yukidoke.org Benjamin Mako Hill Barcelona LUG: Customizing Debian

The World of Debian Customizers

There are 115 distributions derived from Debian.

AbulÉdu • Adamantix • AGNULA GNU/Linux Audio Distribution • ANTEMIUM Linux • Arabbix • ARMA aka Omoikane GNU/Linux • ASLinux • Auditor Security Linux • Augustux • B2D Linux • BEERnix • Biadix • BIG LINUX • Bioknoppix • BlackRhino • Bluewall GNU/Linux • Bonzai Linux • BrlSpeak • Càtix • CensorNet • Clusterix • ClusterKNOPPIX • Condorux • Damn Small Linux • Danix • DebXPde • eduKnoppix • ERPOSS • ESware • Euronode • FAMELIX • Feather Linux • Flonix • Vital Data Forensic or Rescue Kit (FoRK) • Freeduc-cd • GEOLivre Linux • Gibraltar Firewall

• GNIX-Vivo • Gnoppix Linux • gnuLinEx • GNU/Linux Kinneret • GNUstep Live CD • grml • Guadalinex • Helix •

Hiweed Linux • Impi Linux • Julex • K-DEMar • Kaella • Knoppix Linux Azur • Kalango Linux • KANOTIX • KlusTriX • knopILS • Knoppel • Knoppix • Knoppix 64 • Knoppix STD • KnoppiXMAME • KnoppMyth • Kurumin Linux • LAMPPIX

• Libranet GNU/Linux • LIIS Linux • LinEspa • Linspire • Linux Live Game Project • Linux Loco • LinuxDefender Live!

CD • Linuxin • LiVux • Local Area Security Linux (L.A.S.) • Luinux • Luit Linux • MAX: Madrid_Linux • Mediainlinux • MEPIS Linux • Metadistro-Pequelin • MIKO GNYO/Linux • Morphix • Munjoy Linux • Nature's Linux • NordisKnoppix • OGo Knoppix • Oralux • Overclockix • Quantian • Penguin Sleuth • PHLAK • PilotLinux • Progeny Debian • Rays Linux • ROSLIMS Live CD • Salvare • Santa Fe Linux • Shabdix GNU/Linux • Skolelinux • Slavix • Slix • Slo-Tech Linux • Soyombo Mongolian Linux • SULIX • Tablix on Morphix • Tilix Linux • TupiServer Linux • Ubuntu Linux • UserLinux • WHoppiX • X-evian • Xfld • Xandros Desktop OS • Xarnoppix • ZoneCD • Zopix

http://mako.yukidoke.org Benjamin Mako Hill Barcelona LUG: Customizing Debian

The World of Debian Customizers

The most recognizable include:

• Knoppix
• Linspire/Lindows
• MEPIS
• Ubuntu
• UserLinux
• Xandros

http://mako.yukidoke.org Benjamin Mako Hill Barcelona LUG: Customizing Debian

Debian: Ultra Quick Facts

• Debian contains what is 15,000+ packages

(and adding 5 each day);

• Debian consists of 1,000 official volunteers;
• Debian includes the work of many

companies and organizations;

• Debian is 100% free software;
• Debian has very good package

management;

http://mako.yukidoke.org Benjamin Mako Hill Barcelona LUG: Customizing Debian

One Size Does Not Fit All

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To Fork or Not To Fork

http://mako.yukidoke.org Benjamin Mako Hill Barcelona LUG: Customizing Debian

Goals of Customizers Overview

The goals and problems of customizers include:

• Custom software selection
• Custom software configuration
• Software replacement
• Custom installers/environments

Plus:

• Gain from others work
• Share your work

http://mako.yukidoke.org Benjamin Mako Hill Barcelona LUG: Customizing Debian

Selecting Packages

• Task packages
• Metapackages
• Debtags

http://mako.yukidoke.org Benjamin Mako Hill Barcelona LUG: Customizing Debian

Package Selection Details

• Meta-Packages

S o u r c e : u s e r l i n u x - e m t e r p r i s e - d e s k t o p

S e c t i o n : u s e r l i n u x P r i o r i t y : o p t i o n a l M a i n t a i n e r : B r u c e P e r e n s < b r u c e @ p e r e n s . c o m > S t a n d a r d s - V e r s i o n : 3 . 5 . 8 P a c k a g e : u s e r l i n u x - d e s k t o p A r c h i t e c t u r e : a l l D e p e n d s : b a s h , c u p s y s , c u p s y s - c l i e n t , e c l i p s e - s d k , e p i p h a n y , e v o l u t i o n , g a i m , g f a x , g h f a x v i e w e r , g i m p , g i m p - d a t a - e x t r a s , g i m p - m a n u a l , g i m p - p e r l , g i m p - p y t h o n , g i m p p r i n t - d o c , g i m p p r i n t - l o c a l e s , g n o m e , g n o m e - c o n t r o l - c e n t e r , g n o m e - c o r e , g n o m e - c u p s - m a n a g e r , g n o m e - g a m e s , g n o m e - m e d i a , g n o m e - s y s t e m - m o n i t o r , g n o m e - s y s t e m - t o o l s , g n o m e - t e r m i n a l , g n o m e - u t i l s , g t h u m b , h y l a f a x - c l i e n t , h y l a f a x - d o c , h y l a f a x - s e r v e r , k e r n e l - i m a g e - 2 . 6 - 3 8 6 , m o z i l l a , m y s p e l l - d i c t i o n a r y , o o q s t a r t - g n o m e , o p e n o f f i c e . o r g ,

• p e n o f f i c e . o r g - h e l p , o p e n o f f i c e . o r g - h y p h e n a t i o n , o p e n o f f i c e . o r g - m i m e l n k ,
• p e n o f f i c e . o r g - t h e s a u r u s , p a n , p l a n n e r , r h y t h m b o x , s a m b a , s m b c l i e n t , s m b f s , t o m c a t 4 ,

t o t e m , u s e r m i n - p o s t g r e s q l , w i n e , w i n e - d o c , w i n e - u t i l s , w i n e s e t u p t k , x - t t c i d f o n t - c o n f , x c h a t D e s c r i p t i o n : I n s t a l l s t h e U s e r L i n u x d e s k t o p s o f t w a r e p a c k a g e s . U s e r L i n u x i s a l o g i c a l s u b s e t o f t h e D e b i a n s y s t e m . I n s t a l l i n g t h i s p a c k a g e w i l l c a u s e a l l o f t h e s o f t w a r e p a c k a g e s t h a t a r e a s t a n d a r d p a r t o f t h e U s e r L i n u x d e s k t o p s y s t e m t o b e i n s t a l l e d .

Debtags

http://mako.yukidoke.org Benjamin Mako Hill Barcelona LUG: Customizing Debian

Configuring Packages

• Debconf preseeding
• Low-priority (or unasked) Debconf

Questions

• cfengine tweaks

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Debconf Examples

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cfengine Tweaks

e d i t f i l e s : { $ ( f t p ) / e t c / p a s s w d A u t o C r e a t e E m p t y E n t i r e F i l e P l e a s e A p p e n d I f N o S u c h L i n e " f t p : x : $ ( u i d ) : $ ( g i d ) : A n o n y m o u s F T P : $ ( f t p ) : / b i n / s y n c " } { $ ( f t p ) / e t c / g r o u p A u t o C r e a t e E m p t y E n t i r e F i l e P l e a s e A p p e n d I f N o S u c h L i n e " f t p : : $ ( g i d ) : " } { $ ( f t p ) / e t c / s h a d o w A u t o C r e a t e E m p t y E n t i r e F i l e P l e a s e A p p e n d I f N o S u c h L i n e " f t p : N P : 6 4 4 5 : : : : : : " }

http://mako.yukidoke.org Benjamin Mako Hill Barcelona LUG: Customizing Debian

Replacing Packages

• Shared package repositories
• Version Control Magic

http://mako.yukidoke.org Benjamin Mako Hill Barcelona LUG: Customizing Debian

Creating Custom Installers/Environments

Examples:

• Progeny uses Anaconda, the Redhat

installer, to install their Debian based system.

• Knoppix, Morphix, etc. are "Live"

distributions meant to be run off a CD.

http://mako.yukidoke.org Benjamin Mako Hill Barcelona LUG: Customizing Debian

Summary

• Problem: Debian is great -- But can't be

everything everyone wants it to be at once.

• Answer: Balance the global and local in

creating infrastructure to:

• Select software
• Configure software
• Replace software
• Install and run software in different ways
• Result:
• A complex and varied set of approaches.
• A single united goal of inter-project and

inter-distribution collaboration and Total World Domination.