Difference between revisions of "XiniX"

Revision as of 15:30, 17 November 2016

The distro that's poised to usher in the year of the Linux desktop, XiniX has finally been released as a beta! Hitting the market just weeks after the two power houses release their latest versions, Windows 10 on July 29 and iOS on September 16, XiniX, the little-known underdog, has entered the arena and is ready for battle!

So what is XiniX? First, XiniX is an operating system (OS) just like Microsoft Windows and Apple's iOS, but is based on Linux akin to Google's Android. XiniX represents the world's next generation of OS and is currently available for use on conventional computers such as desktop or laptops, with mobile platforms coming in the future. Built to act more as a firmware among devices, one of its primary goals is to remain small and efficient - just enough to get the device into an environment where the (users') work takes center stage!

Unlike any of the companies mentioned above, our OS is not based on fixed releases (e.g. Windows 8, Windows 10), but instead, is distributed as a continuing (or rolling) release as updates are made available. What's also different, is that our OS comes with just enough software to get you basic device operations and then lets you take over and personalize by installing any of the software or services located in our 'Software Shoppe'. In the sections that follow, we will not only cover some of the unique aspects of the amazing operating system, but we will also compare it with others to help users better understand if they would like to make the switch!

License

There are various projects that make up the XiniX core operating system. Each will be listed below with their respective license:

• Linux GPLv2
• grub GPLv3
• busybox GPLv2
• Xfbdev
• alsa-config
• socat
• nmap
• harfbuzz
• imlib2-bin
• libXau
• libXdmcp
• libfontenc
• libXt
• libXext
• libXrender
• Xorg-fonts
• Xprogs
• fonts-mscore
• imlib2
• libXfont
• libXi
• libXmu
• libXpm
• libXrandr
• libffi
• libjpeg-turbo
• libpng
• libxcb
• Xlibs
• file
• clapi CPLv2
• web.de CPLv2
• web.ui CPLv2
• fxwm CPLv2

More information about the CPLv2 licenses can be found under the "Our Licenses" link of our homepage.

Features

What makes a software title desired by the masses? Its features of course! While XiniX is still in its infancy, there are some features that we would like to point out and provide details on. While the below list may not include all the current features, and does list some that are in development, it does provide you with some indication of what can be done with the current version of our OS. Take the time to try it and you'll learn why we say "Achieve zen with XiniX!"

• Can run from any storage media

Since XiniX was designed to be lightweight and efficient from day 1, we can install it to a wide variety of media. This includes hard drives, optical discs, flash drives, SD cards, and more! What's more is that since the OS, by default, loads to RAM, once the OS has been loaded, you can even remove the bootable media itself!* In an upcoming release, the OS can even be loaded over the network via PXE.

• Clean separation of OS from data and apps

Since our OS works as a common firmware among devices and is designed to get you in an environment to perform your work, once it is loaded, it gets out of your way! From that point forward, the only interaction the user has will be with their data and applications on a local or network resource.

• Clear separation of GUI from engine

Simply put, this will allow any user (GUI) to control any device (engine). So, for example, you may have a computer connected to your living room TV that can be controlled with your smart phone or tablet - natively! No additional software to install and configure! And while you can't currently install XiniX on a smart phone or tablet, you can still connect and control the XiniX-based device using the web browser already installed on either of those devices.

• Easy built-in local and remote access

Like many of the existing mainstream operating systems, XiniX can also handle local and remote access for users. Where we differ from the other OS's is the fact that this interaction only requires a web browser and not a separate piece of software or other elaborate infrastructure to route requests properly. Once two devices are paired, it doesn't matter the physical location of either!**

• Useful for headed or headless devices

Can you imagine Microsoft Windows running on a router? Neither can we. Our operating system on the other hand, it quite capable of accomplishing this goal. Due to its small size, and by utilizing the aforementioned benefit, you can control that device no matter its design or function.

• Works with older hardware

Since the firmware is small and efficient, it should work with the old computer you've stored in the closet over the last 5 years. This can turn an old, obsolete computer into a working tool for young children, or even act as a gateway into network resources in a variety of situations and environments.

• No installation media

Ever wanted to install that latest version of your favorite OS, but can't find a blank DVD or flash drive to create the installation media just to install on another media for actual use? Well, we've skipped that intermediary step and combined both into one. You can also not only obtain XiniX from our website, but you can create a copy from within the software itself!

• First actual cloud-based OS

You may be thinking "I can already use the cloud with a web browser and software like dropbox", but that doesn't quite define a cloud-based operating system. First, browsing the Internet with a web browser does not fall within this scope. And second, the use of 3rd party software means that the OS is incapable of cloud interaction natively. XiniX can seamlessly connect with services such as Amazon's AWS, web hosting servers, and other XiniX devices natively. Files can be copied back and forth just as you would if it were local, and more!

• Unique p2p networking

XiniX uses its own type of networking using a peer-2-peer method among devices. This means that setting up a network of devices involves nothing more than pairing the desired devices with one another in a simple process that even grandma could understand!

* This can be achieved if working without a DATA partition or if the DATA partition is on other media or a network resource.

** This is currently in development, seamless LAN access is currently only available.

Architectures

Currently the beta is only being released as 64bit for the Intel/AMD processors, but we will also being introducing other CPU architectures in the versions to come. At the very least, we will ultimately cover Intel and ARM, both 32 and 64-bit. If our users have enough interest, we will also expand to MIPS and PowerPC.

Installation

There are currently three ways to obtain XiniX - sourceforge.net, our website, or from within the OS itself. All methods will be covered below. While we are working on an installation wizard to reduce this complexity in Linux, Microsoft Windows users should have a fairly straight forward process. As a result, only someone with the proper knowledge should attempt these steps in a Linux environment as any wrong values can actually erase your hard drive!

Download

No matter what operating system you are using, this part of the process is easy to complete. To begin, simply click on either of the first two links offered above. If you have selected sourceforge.net to obtain the image, you should be presented with the latest version to download by using the green 'Download' button located towards the top of the webpage. Keep in mind this will be for the iso 32bit version of the Vanilla Edition (VE) which is made for desktops and laptops using optical media such as CD's and DVD's. If you are interested in different CPU architectures, editions, or installation media, click the 'Files' option right below the header on that webpage and select which file you would like to download. Keep in mind that scrolling further down the page will present you with information to guide you in downloading the desired file.

If you choose to obtain XiniX from our website, you will need to scroll down to the bottom of the page to find it since the listing is in alphabetical order. Once you have found the XiniX operating system, you can read the description to determine which edition is right for you. Once you have determined that, clicking the 'Download' listbox will expose all the available images for download. The layout for each entry is as follows:

[State] [Edition] Target CPU Bit

You will need to find the list item belonging to your running OS, or the 'ISO' that can be used to create XiniX boot media regardless of the operating system you are currently using (e.g. Apple, Linux, Windows). Clicking that entry from the list will download the image to your computer.

Linux

As mentioned above, we are working on installation wizards for those not comfortable with the command prompt, so if you fall under this category, check back frequently to see if the proper modifications have been made for you! For those of you still with us, once you have downloaded the desired image, there are a few steps required to get the OS on your desired media. For the sake of these examples, we will assume that the image currently resides in the '/tmp' directory with a filename of XiniX_VE_2016.12.01.0_32bit.{img|iso}.tgz.

Drive Image (img)

If you have obtained a drive image (img), then the below instructions need to be run. These directions apply to all Linux distros and require you to first get to a command prompt to execute the following steps in order to install XiniX. In this example, we will be using the /dev/sdb device to write the image too. WARNING: these steps will ERASE all the data on that device before installing XiniX!!!

$ tar zxf /tmp/XiniX_VE_2016.12.01.0_32bit.img.tgz
$ dd if=/tmp/XiniX_VE_2016.12.01.0_32bit.img of=/dev/sdb

Issuing the last command above should present you with output similar to the following, upon having a successful installation:

1250000+0 records in
1250000+0 records out
640000000 bytes (640 MB) copied, 119.708 s, 5.3 MB/s

Optical Image (iso)

fill in

Windows

For Microsoft Windows users, you will need to uncompress all of the .zip file contents somewhere on your system. In this example, we are going to extract everything to the Desktop. Once the decompression has completed, navigate inside the 'Windows Installer' folder and double click the file named 'setup' (it may have an optional '.exe' appended). From there, click the folder icon and locate the XiniX image file named in the format xinix_YYYY.MM.DD.State.img (e.g. xinix_2015.11.06.0.img). Next select the media to install XiniX to from the following listbox. BEWARE: XiniX can NOT be installed along side another OS at the moment and will erase the contents of the selected media! Once you have those values in place, click the 'Write' button and wait for the installation to complete. If you would like to get and compare the MD5 hash's, simply check the 'MD5 Hash' checkbox.

No matter what method you had to use above, simply reboot your device using the media that you just installed XiniX to and enjoy your journey!

Interface

This method assumes that you are working with an already running installation of XiniX. Using the default theme, locate the "i" button in the top left-hand corner of the screen and click it. From there you will be presented with a popup that explains the values required from you in order to install the operating system to your desired media or device. Use this method if you are creating an installation disk for a friend or if you want to install XiniX on an internal hard drive.

No matter which option from above was chosen, you are now ready to boot into your own copy of XiniX! Simply boot to the newly formatted media in the device of choice and enjoy!

Usage

Errors

Although the default configuration should broadly work with most devices, in some instances, depending on the hardware, you may find that the graphical interface fails to work properly. Until a better solution can be found, a separate boot option has been included to help install the proper display drivers so that you will be able to get into the operating system. If you fall under this condition, simply reboot your device and select the second option labelled "Install drivers to fix failed bootup". After the boot process completes, simply select the manufacturer of your graphics card and the proper drivers should be installed and the device rebooted into a properly working environment.

GUI

Covering the user interface is outside the scope of this document, but click here to be redirected to the proper location that will explain the interface in detail. However, we do want to mention that a XiniX device can be controlled locally (X11) and/or remotely (browser). To change this behavior navigate to the 'Access > Device > Settings > web.de' popup and change the 'Access' values to your desired configuration and click the 'Ok' button. More information about the GUI and access to it can be found in the first link above.

Administration

The first account created during the installation routines will be granted an additional privilege over all the other accounts. By default the root account (aka administrator in Linux) can not be used to log into any device for security reasons. This also means that the root account can not be switched to in order to perform administrative tasks due to not having a password. As a way to enable the usage of the root account, the first created user account will receive the ability to switch to the root account in the event that you require that type of access. In order to make this switch, perform the following steps with the afore mentioned account:

sudo su root

NOTE: Performing the above steps should be rare, if at all. If you find yourself using the root account regularly, you should instead adjust the /etc/sudoers file to grant the appropriate privileges as a regular user. Using the root account presents additional security risks!

Editions

XiniX will ultimately be distributed in multiple editions to best serve its user base. Each will be covered below:

• Vanilla (VE) As the name suggests, this edition qualifies as a clean, small, and efficient distribution of the operating system meant for personal devices such as desktops and laptops with goals to later expand into mobile devices. There are no applications bundled aside from the ones necessary for system manipulation found under the 'Access > Device' screen. This not only reduces security concerns by not having unused or unwanted software installed with potential exploits, but also allows the user to personalize their device to their individual liking. By default, it is shipped with a lightweight graphical system (framebuffer) for 2D rendering, but if more powerful acceleration is required (Xorg), it can be installed using just a few clicks of the mouse.

• Client (CE) Building off of the Vanilla Edition foundation, this distribution targets the SOHO and medium-sized business market. Like its base, it maintains a small, efficient footprint, but incorporates additional user account properties and authentication mechanisms (via LDAP) for robustness. Since this edition is meant for use on higher-end hardware, the more powerful graphical system (Xorg) is installed by default. Also offered in the version will be the ability to use a traditional server and client network model with its own set of unique properties to help businesses in several ways.

• Server (SE) Servers have stringent requirements, one of them is that is must remain up and running as long as possible. Since XiniX can expose its graphical user interface (GUI) locally or remotely, as mentioned in the 'Features' section of this document, this edition, by default, provides that capability through the web browser of any authorized device and with local access being in the form of the command line interface (CLI). Employees should never use a server as a work station, so there is no need to eat up resources on powering something that will never be used. This reduces overhead (and security risks) for the server so that those CPU cycles can be spent handling requests for clients - the main job of the server. Of course, a local GUI can be installed if one is desired.

• Embedded (EE) Like the Server Edition, this version comes without a local GUI by default and will target embedded devices such as routers and set-top boxes. Although the default option is to install a remotely accessible GUI, a locally available GUI can be installed as well (up to Xorg), should the device require it. XiniX should maintain the smallest footprint possible with the OEM adding only what is necessary for their device to function as designed.

Comparison

Competition is always good for the market place, especially when there are only a few power players in the industry. Currently there are only three large operating system vendors - Microsoft, Apple, and Google. The make matters even worse, one of them dominates on mobile and another one dominates the desktop market. As a new competitor, XiniX can only compete in the desktop market so that will be reflected in the table below. Also, the below information will be based on the 64-bit, 'Home' or personal-use edition of each respective OS.

* Cost is based on the purchase of the equipment required to run the OS
** The filename must be in a specific format - automated mated renaming efforts are under development
*** Based on their centralization of (more easily hackable) customers data versus our decentralized approach
**** Based on the well know erosion of Google's privacy policy with the users of their products
***** Based on the revelations of excessive, unstoppable communication with Microsoft's Windows 10