Crunchbang Mint?

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globetrotterdk

Crunchbang Mint?

Post by globetrotterdk »

I have the latest Crunchbang Linux Waldorf (testing) system installed on my Acer Aspire One 725 laptop. I like the minimal Openbox system, but I detest the look and would also prefer to have Firefox and Thunderbird (among other things) installed. Is there a way that I can give my Crunchbang system some minty "freshness"?
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zerozero

Re: Crunchbang Mint?

Post by zerozero »

[moved here]
i have zero experience with crunchbang so take this info with a grain of salt :lol:
this is the mint-debian specific repo http://packages.linuxmint.com/list.php?release=Debian
see what works and what doesn't.
or you could add the repo

Code: Select all

deb http://packages.linuxmint.com/ debian main upstream import backport romeo
caerolle

Re: Crunchbang Mint?

Post by caerolle »

Why not build a 'CrunchBang' LMDE for yourself? I think LDME uses testing, isn't that what Waldorf is anyway? Or is Waldorf unstable?

I don't have much experience with LMDE, but I would think you could get Openbox and a panel, and the light apps should be available, too. You can tie it all together with Openbox, and just choose Openbox (with no DE in parenthesis) from the session manager in your display manager as you log in. That way you have the same basic system, just use different parts at different times, or never use parts of it all, it you don't want. The Gnome or Xfce parts you never use just take up a bit of disk space, I don't think they will load and use memory past the DM if you don't choose them in a session.

I would think you could get Firefox and Thunderbird from the LMDE repo, too, those are so widely used (or from the ones that CrunchBang points to, for that matter).

caerolle :)
caerolle

Re: Crunchbang Mint?

Post by caerolle »

CrunchBang Waldorf *is* testing, according to their website. And the default browser is Iceweasel, which is essentially Firefox.
rhodry
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Re: Crunchbang Mint?

Post by rhodry »

globetrotterdk wrote:I have the latest Crunchbang Linux Waldorf (testing) system installed on my Acer Aspire One 725 laptop. I like the minimal Openbox system, but I detest the look and would also prefer to have Firefox and Thunderbird (among other things) installed. Is there a way that I can give my Crunchbang system some minty "freshness"?
It is possible and I have done it before. There is a how-to on the Crunchbang forums that takes you through the process.

You can use the Linuxmint Debian repo, BUT, there is no guarantee that current package level compatibility will be retained! Bear in mind that Crunchbang Waldorf is based on Wheezy not Testing! I know they are currently the same thing BUT when Wheezy becomes the new Stable; so will Crunchbang. It will follow Wheezy to Stable- not stay as Testing. LMDE will stay as a snapshot of Testing - so, they will diverge early next year.

If you want a "Mintified" Openbox setup; I would think you would be better off installing LMDE Xfce (as it shares apps with Openbox), install Openbox using apt/synaptic and configure Openbox to your hearts content. Likewise Conky is in the repos, so is Tint2 and there are numerous setup examples in the Crunchbang forums. No cross-distro pollination to worry about.

The age of the LMDE iso is a REAL problem with that strategy just at the moment due to the shear number of updates, but, when/if a new snapshot iso is ever deemed worthwhile, that's how I would go.

cheers,
rhodry.
Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...
it's about learning to dance in the rain.
globetrotterdk

Re: Crunchbang Mint?

Post by globetrotterdk »

Thanks for all of the replies so far. I can see the problem with using Crunchbang as a base with LMDE bits installed. I am tempted to try LMDE, but as was mentioned, there are probably a massive amount of updates to install.
  • I seem to remember that there was an initiative to provide a version of LMDE with monthly updates from a different server to make sure that LMDE was more stable and the end user experienced fewer breakages. Is that still on?
  • One of the main problems that I have with LMDE is that there is no minimal system install or at the very least the possibility of installing a lightweight LXDE system. I always end up sitting on the fence between using Crunchbang and LMDE these days.
  • Maybe with time there will be a minimal install for "roll your own" fans or an LXDE version of LMDE?
Installing LMDE Xfce and then uninstalling the unecessary bits will leave a bunch of cruft behind wouldn't it?
caerolle

Re: Crunchbang Mint?

Post by caerolle »

One other suggestion: If you *like* any of the CrunchBang looks, such as how Conky looks, or the panel (tint2), or the Openbox menu/key bindings, you can just copy the configuration files to a USB drive (I would rename them!), them copy-and-paste things you like from those into the configuration files that come with the app when you apt-get them. They will need a lot of work anyway, so that is a good starting point. The Openbox autostart would be good to get, too, as it should have entries for starting Conky, tint2, and the wallpaper app (though CrunchBang may put them somewhere different, I dunno).

Also, I think you can steal menu items from the Xfce menu (sorry, am not in my Mint Xfce, can't check, and I just do them from scratch--using a 'CrunchBang' Arch I built atm). Or, there is a program that will generate them for you, and yet another that lets you edit in something considered more user-friendly than XML (though in my one time using it, it didn't do a good job, so I just edit the XML directly). As far as wallpaper, you can use nitrogen or feh, and pick you a nice minty one! ;)

A couple of things about editing. First, convenient things: In my experience, you can edit conky live; just make a change and hit save, and it will refresh. Also, assuming LMDE Xfce uses gedit, it highlights code, making it easier to edit XML code (I am sure there are dedicated editors for XML out there, too).

Downsides: Getting things the way you like will almost certainly take a lot of fiddling, at best. At worst, you can mess up one of the Openbox config files (either for menu or general configuration, the rc.conf file) even very slightly and Openbox will lock up. Then you have to find a way to get out of the X window so you can edit the offending file (I usually use the power button, but there is probably a gentler way). Having Xfce makes it much easier to fix than on my setup, as you can log into Xfce and edit the file with a graphical interface (I have to edit using a text editor, as I only have Openbox).

So, getting there manually would be a fair amount of work, but you would learn a lot, and have a system that was the way you wanted. Plus, you would be using a Mint distro as your basic setup, so would have the Mint folks managing the updates/upgrades, and perhaps have a more stable system than using Crunchbang Waldorf, while having a real rolling distro, instead of having to reimage with a new testing when Wheezy moves from testing to stable (great point by rhodry!).

Hope this helps in some way!

caerolle :)
globetrotterdk

Re: Crunchbang Mint?

Post by globetrotterdk »

Thanks caerolle. I think I will do as you suggest and save copies of the files - to my Dropbox account. Then I can try installing LMDE and test how the system works with my hardware - my Acer 725 was produced in June :wink:
caerolle

Re: Crunchbang Mint?

Post by caerolle »

Good luck! If you have any questions, PM me and I'll see if I can help. Hopefully a new iso will be out for LDME soon so you don't have to get the 1400 updates...that seems to be causing a fair amount of trouble for some people.

caerolle :)
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