Were you about to install Obarun? Wait!!

There are new images available for March 2020

Links to March 2020 iso and docker images at the bottom of this message.

Both live images are capable of installing base, openbox, jwm, xfce4, or KDE-plasma, featuring the late 66 evolution 0.2.5.2-1 and the latest s6 suite of software.

66 0.2.5 features an additional modifier to the 66-tree functionality -S. With this option a bundle of services under a specific tree that is enabled will only start after another tree of services. (read https://wiki.obarun.org/doku.php?id=66-tree)

4MLinux M,M,M,M 32-64bit mini light distro with JWM

4m-linux.  Does it have systemd?  No.  Good enough excuse to try it.  What is its core?  In our case, a couple weeks old 64bit v29 server image (v30 beta is out now too).  A linux kernel (latest LTS 4.19 in this case).  Is it a rolling distro? No!  Is it true 64bit or a 64bit conversion of a 32bit distro?  Hard to tell.  Did we like it?  Yes!  Are we going to use it?  Most likely no.  We are sold out to that rolling cutting/bleeding edge stuff, today it works tomorrow is another day, model we have learned to depend on.  It makes life exciting.

Latest Obarun installation/live images released (base, JWM, KDE Plasma)

Since the Fall of 2018 Obarun has committed to publish a new base iso-image (Obarun_x86_64-2019-05.iso) every month. The current installer updates itself from the obarun git repository when it starts.   The installer allows you the ability to select desktops and software during installation or install a base system, boot and customize on your own.   2-3 times a year a new live-desktop image using JWM is also published.  This is the latest iso with JWM published mid-April (Obarun-JWM_x86_64-2019-04-2.iso).

Since the major new release and change of repositories in April 2019, along with the introduction of Obarun’s own 66 management system over Skarnet’s S6 init, there have been minor refinements reflected in the new iso.  So if you have last month’s images there is no need to download the newer one. 

There is also an unofficial community edition of KDE-Plasma produced by an Obarun-Developer.  https://repo.obarun.org/iso/2019-05-Plasma (see note below on the list of images)

Although I never liked anything KDE myself I tested it and it works flawlessly.  For those who want to install plasma, although possible with the installer from other isos, it might be helpful to have the live image handy to see how user services are employed and handled by 66 and required for plasma.

Older images (before mid-April 2019) may require some attention and manual intervention to incorporate the changes in repositories, although the installer may take care of the change.

Meet Obarun with s6 init & supervision

The goal of Obarun is to provide an alternative for people looking for more simplicity and transparency in maintaining their systems. Obarun is not designed with beginners to Linux in mind.

On other note, Obarun is neither a distribution of its own, nor is it pure Arch-linux, it’s a Build Concept. Obarun is based on Arch-linux, but incorporates several changes.

For the moment Obarun is only available for x86-64 architectures, but allows 32bit applications to run on 64bit systems.

Systemd replacement is made by S6 supervision suite as init and service manager.