Okay, I wanted a browser OS, and saw that chromium OS was "huge".
So, i decided to try to strip puppy to have only a browser.
Basically I want something that boots directly into a browser. No desktop, icons,etc. the only thing on the screen is a browser.
We should be able to open multiple browser windows, and nothing else. I was planning to do this with chromium/seamonkey . (note: i would prefer if no wm is used)
It should have basic funtionalities of a browser, flash, etc.
Premium Puppy for browsing, that hopefully boots much faster, and is much lighter.
I just wanted some help on what all may be required for such an OS.
How to strip Puppy down to just a browser?
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ken geometrics
- Posts: 76
- Joined: Fri 23 Jan 2009, 14:59
- Location: California
Re: Strip Puppy to have browser only
It is a fairly simple matter to take all the icons except for the browser off the desktop and to disable the menu. This will give you what you want, I think.AJK101 wrote:Okay, I wanted a browser OS, and saw that chromium OS was "huge".
So, i decided to try to strip puppy to have only a browser.
Basically I want something that boots directly into a browser. No desktop, icons,etc. the only thing on the screen is a browser.
We should be able to open multiple browser windows, and nothing else. I was planning to do this with chromium/seamonkey . (note: i would prefer if no wm is used)
It should have basic funtionalities of a browser, flash, etc.
Premium Puppy for browsing, that hopefully boots much faster, and is much lighter.
I just wanted some help on what all may be required for such an OS.
you are looking for pupNgo. look in the puppy derivatives section of the forum or just search for pupNgo. be warned though it is very basic. you will need a good bit of knowledge of linux to get the browser FULLY functional. "goingnuts" is very helpful though and I'm sure will try to help with what he/she can. good luck.
Answers
To Ken geometrics : Not exactly what I wanted, what i wanted was to remove everything else also, and no jwm, text editor, abiword, rox, music player, and other daemons that come built into puppy, just a browser.
To runtt21 : Browserlinux has a text editor, pdf reader and other stuff, i find that those apps are kind of useless (as this is not meant to be all purpose).
To sinc : pupNgo is kinda cool! it would be a basic requirement, but im not very good with linux and well, what i can do depends on that, so I am going to tinker around with it, and see what I can do.
Just a note, what i want to is basically a simple browser, something that boots in seconds and opens directly into a browser, ready to be used. (Something like a lightweight version of ChromiumOS, but without applications)
To runtt21 : Browserlinux has a text editor, pdf reader and other stuff, i find that those apps are kind of useless (as this is not meant to be all purpose).
To sinc : pupNgo is kinda cool! it would be a basic requirement, but im not very good with linux and well, what i can do depends on that, so I am going to tinker around with it, and see what I can do.
Just a note, what i want to is basically a simple browser, something that boots in seconds and opens directly into a browser, ready to be used. (Something like a lightweight version of ChromiumOS, but without applications)
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Bruce B
It seems to me you can take what you get and use it as you received it
OR you can take what you get and modify it OR find something that
already is what you want.
Considering the fact that you can modify it, if you knew how to do it, you
wouldn't need to ask.
I conclude at this point, what you need is the know how of others.
If one were to help, the first thing they'd need to know is exactly what
you want. For example:
* would Firefox do?
* on the lighter side would be Links in graphic mode
* how about elinks in text mode?
System Rescue CD had a version which would lend itself to almost exactly
what you seem to want. I went to their site and didn't see where they
offered old versions.
Currently, RIPLinux would lend itself perfectly, if a text only browser
would suit. (filename: RIPLinux-11.4-non-X.iso)
~
OR you can take what you get and modify it OR find something that
already is what you want.
Considering the fact that you can modify it, if you knew how to do it, you
wouldn't need to ask.
I conclude at this point, what you need is the know how of others.
If one were to help, the first thing they'd need to know is exactly what
you want. For example:
* would Firefox do?
* on the lighter side would be Links in graphic mode
* how about elinks in text mode?
System Rescue CD had a version which would lend itself to almost exactly
what you seem to want. I went to their site and didn't see where they
offered old versions.
Currently, RIPLinux would lend itself perfectly, if a text only browser
would suit. (filename: RIPLinux-11.4-non-X.iso)
~
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moronic_kaos
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Sun 28 Nov 2010, 15:36
A contradiction!We should be able to open multiple browser windows, and nothing else. I was planning to do this with chromium/seamonkey . (note: i would prefer if no wm is used)
In order to open multiple browser windows, obviously you'll need a window manager. To strip down an existing one (which sounds like what you're trying to do), you're going to have to learn some programming skills.
Even if you didn't need multiple windows, you're still going to need some sort of WM because modern browsers were designed to run in a windowed environment. Most of their programming depends on it. Think about it: you can't just close your WM down and go into the command shell and type:
Code: Select all
# firefox-
Bruce B
AJK101 you write that it should make it faster.
That depends on how much memory the RAM has. A small Puppy would require less RAM.
Are you the only person that will use it? Or is this for an internet cafe you set up or what?
Like others have pointed out. The more one know of the internal way a OS does operate the more insight one have in possibilities and obstacles to do what you suggest.
You could compare small versions of Linux and test all of them doing CD or DVD or USB installs or do frugal installs and compare how they behave.
I tested TinyCore that have no browser by default but despite being only 10 or 11 MB big it does have a GUI coming up with choices and even have a text editor in it too. File browser and other things. But you have to manually download the Firefox or other browser and then do a backup if you want it to be remembered to next time. Then you have a OS with almost only the browser.
pUpnGo can do very similar things if one know how to. I was not that bright though but maybe you are
That depends on how much memory the RAM has. A small Puppy would require less RAM.
Are you the only person that will use it? Or is this for an internet cafe you set up or what?
Like others have pointed out. The more one know of the internal way a OS does operate the more insight one have in possibilities and obstacles to do what you suggest.
You could compare small versions of Linux and test all of them doing CD or DVD or USB installs or do frugal installs and compare how they behave.
I tested TinyCore that have no browser by default but despite being only 10 or 11 MB big it does have a GUI coming up with choices and even have a text editor in it too. File browser and other things. But you have to manually download the Firefox or other browser and then do a backup if you want it to be remembered to next time. Then you have a OS with almost only the browser.
pUpnGo can do very similar things if one know how to. I was not that bright though but maybe you are
I use Google Search on Puppy Forum
not an ideal solution though
not an ideal solution though
It seems to me there are 2 possible approaches to a browser only OS.
One is Chrome OS,which is intended to be an OS for the Cloud. Load and run your apps in the cloud (remotely) and store the data there as well.
The other is Splashtop, which is intended to be a very quick way to get up and running on the internet if that is all you want to do.
http://www.splashtop.com
I have a feeling that AJK101 is looking for the Splashtop approach.
Splashtop was originally installed in firmware on certain laptops that gave you the option on switching on to quickly boot Splashtop or go into Windows as normal. At the time there were some competitor products and it was touted as the way forward for all machines - but it died a death.
Personally, I think it is a good idea. Splashtop recently released a beta to allow more general computer users to try it out. I had a look at their web site and found it hard to find info.
The download is a 2MB .exe file which apparently is an installer. When you run it, it downloads a 200MB(!) package and then needs 1.2 GB of disk space and 1GB of RAM!!! It automatically creates a menu for dual booting. There is no explanation of what the installation did so I would not go any further. I like to know what files are being added and how an automatic dual boot system will react to my already created dual boot system!
Those storage requirements are mind boggling. It seems to me that Puppy could outperform Splashtop easily.
The concept is good so a Puppy built to boot to a browser (in say 5-10secs) that will play all the multimedia stuff is a good project for someone!
One is Chrome OS,which is intended to be an OS for the Cloud. Load and run your apps in the cloud (remotely) and store the data there as well.
The other is Splashtop, which is intended to be a very quick way to get up and running on the internet if that is all you want to do.
http://www.splashtop.com
I have a feeling that AJK101 is looking for the Splashtop approach.
Splashtop was originally installed in firmware on certain laptops that gave you the option on switching on to quickly boot Splashtop or go into Windows as normal. At the time there were some competitor products and it was touted as the way forward for all machines - but it died a death.
Personally, I think it is a good idea. Splashtop recently released a beta to allow more general computer users to try it out. I had a look at their web site and found it hard to find info.
The download is a 2MB .exe file which apparently is an installer. When you run it, it downloads a 200MB(!) package and then needs 1.2 GB of disk space and 1GB of RAM!!! It automatically creates a menu for dual booting. There is no explanation of what the installation did so I would not go any further. I like to know what files are being added and how an automatic dual boot system will react to my already created dual boot system!
Those storage requirements are mind boggling. It seems to me that Puppy could outperform Splashtop easily.
The concept is good so a Puppy built to boot to a browser (in say 5-10secs) that will play all the multimedia stuff is a good project for someone!
Bruce B : I mentioned that seamonkey/chromium would be ideal, but any browser would do. I would like something lighter, but it should be quite well known, and have a huge bunch of applications, as basically only browser will be present. I'd prefer modifying an already made OS, as i am not good enough to build from scratch, and ready made things have never been completely comfortable to me.
moronic_kaos : Though BruceB has given a reply, i honestly didn't know whether a wm would be required or not! (hence the "i would prefer no wm")
nooby : This is why i think it would be faster, Much smaller than normal puppy, save file won't have anything (it has a browser only.. not much you can save onto it).
ICPUG : Splashtop would be something like what I want, but it is windows oriented... and those requirements are crazy
I'd rather try out doing this on my own, but had no idea where to start, that was the reason I made this thread. I have been tinkering with puppies and other linux (i tried tinycore too) when i get some free time, and if I do it, this is mainly a learning experience for me, hence in the beginners section.
(note this was never intended for cloud, and neither for anything like an internet cafe, just for fun )
moronic_kaos : Though BruceB has given a reply, i honestly didn't know whether a wm would be required or not! (hence the "i would prefer no wm")
nooby : This is why i think it would be faster, Much smaller than normal puppy, save file won't have anything (it has a browser only.. not much you can save onto it).
ICPUG : Splashtop would be something like what I want, but it is windows oriented... and those requirements are crazy
I'd rather try out doing this on my own, but had no idea where to start, that was the reason I made this thread. I have been tinkering with puppies and other linux (i tried tinycore too) when i get some free time, and if I do it, this is mainly a learning experience for me, hence in the beginners section.
(note this was never intended for cloud, and neither for anything like an internet cafe, just for fun
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Lobster
- Official Crustacean
- Posts: 15522
- Joined: Wed 04 May 2005, 06:06
- Location: Paradox Realm
- Contact:
Fun Eh . . . ?just for fun
You are going have to learn to strip
something like
http://www.browserlinux.com/
or you could have fun learning the t2 system
used to build some puppys
http://www.t2-project.org/developer/people.html
or Barrys Woof build system using t2 packages
http://bkhome.org/woof/
hope that helps
