A bunch of random questions

[Majin Zero]

Alrighty; I'll be short and sweet, here's a list of questions I have for you knowledgable peoples, you.

1.) How does one acquire additional themes and what not? I like customizing.

2.) How does one set up WINE on puppy 4.0?

2.) Is there a better package manager then the one included? One more like Synaptec in Ubuntu?

3.) Speaking of packages, I got the thing that allows debian packages to be installed - is there no package manager + repository for that?

4.) I have puppy installed on a laptop, is there any sort of power management? I'd like to set up power schemes for with and with out AC power. I'd also like to make it go into standby when I close the lid.

5.) I don't like running as root. what's the most painless way to make a new user account and switch over to the new non-root account?

Many thanks in advance, my fellows.

[disciple]

1. I imagine the easiest way is to get the EZpup .sfs, otherwise search the forum. e.g. in the "additional software" section there is a sticky (that means it is always at the top) thread for JWM themes.
2. The easiest way is to search the forum. Someone maintains a thread with .pets of the latest stable and testing versions.
2. No - even if there were other package managers, petget is the best
If by "better" you really mean "with more packages", then you do have a point. If you want something, first search the forum, as it is Puppy's real package manager. If you can't find it, you can try installing a package from Slackware or Debian or something, and it might work . Or you can compile it or ask if someone else can.
People do use Gslapt in Puppy 3.x (which is Slackware "compatible") - I don't know if they try in 4.x, but most things people want have been packaged and are on the forum somewhere.
3. You mean undeb? No. We aren't debian, so which version of debian would it be set to look at anyway?
4. Search the forum. That particular information can be hard to find, but it is there. I think a lot of people seem to report that their laptops go into standby when they close the lid with an out-of-the box puppy though. Maybe that is with older puppies...
5. Install a multi-user distro e.g. Grafpup. I think Puppy can be kind of made multi-user, but it is a lot of work and not worth the bother.

[Majin Zero]

Alrighty I found the topic on themes and a topic on installing WINE

http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=23260

http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 21&t=26717


However, I could not find anything on power management or running as a normal user(not root),

[Billwho?]

Check Setting up multiple users in Puppy I think it is the only thread that actually has the answer to you question. It was originally started by Nathan F but there were a lot of scripts created by Farwater in the later part of it that will help to create a multiuser environment.

[Majin Zero]

Thanks for that link, however, seems to be a bit over my head. I'm knowledgeable, but not a linux guru yet.

I guess I'll try to satisfy my concerns another way. Is there anyway to encrypt the whole HDD? At very least I'd like to have a password needed to access the computer.

[Xovan]

This security how to seems a bit out of date but I hope it might help some.

http://www.puppylinux.org/wiki/how-tos/general/security

[steve_s]

Majin Zero: it might help to give a slight clarification regarding Puppy, at least it helped me in understanding it.

I had come from other distro's and came across Puppy and, although I'm still a relative newbie compared to some, I seem to grasp the basic concept of Puppy. Of course, any of you veterans correct me if I'm wrong.

Puppy is a built-from-the-ground-up version of Linux. It is not based on another distro. It has it's own way of viewing things. It is essentially designed to be a small version of Linux that can run on anything (many puplets/version of Puppy now have adapted and expanded that concept, either remaining small or growing in size).

To add files, Puppy uses .pet files and the occasional .pup file. These are throughout the forum and I have been hard pressed to NOT be able to find whatever bit of software I want already conveniently prepackaged. Pet files are amazingly simple to work with.

Puppy runs better (at least in its original conception) as a livecd or what is called a frugal install, although I've run it great on a hard drive install also. Puppy is phenomenally portable; with a livecd and a flash drive you can have an operating system that you can save and take with you.

Above all else, the Puppy community is awesomely helpful. I have used the Ubuntu forum, PCLOS forums, Gentoo forums, etc. and Puppy has helped me the most thoroughly (PCLOS a close second).

Sorry, that may not directly answer your questions, but I hope it helps some.

Oh, and the JWM themes exchange is great for JWM themes, assuming you are using the original desktop manager (Joe's Window Manager) in Puppy 4.0.

[disciple]

Is there anyway to encrypt the whole HDD?

It should be, but I don't know how easy it would be. It might be very easy - it's just not something people want to do with Puppy much. You might have to Google it.

At very least I'd like to have a password needed to access the computer.

What exactly is the security for? It might be fairly straightforward to add a login password. But then someone could still Ctrl-Alt-Backspace to a root terminal. If you use Grafpup they couldn't, although I guess they could still boot with pfix=ram. But even if you use another distro without that option they could boot with any old LiveCD unless you put a password on the Bios.

[erikson]

I guess I'll try to satisfy my concerns another way. Is there anyway to encrypt the whole HDD? At very least I'd like to have a password needed to access the computer.

The easiest way, IMHO, is to run Puppy off usb pendrive, keep all your Puppy data on there, and take the stick with you when you leave the computer.