***Release Announcement***

Well, I've come to the conclusion that although there are a few cosmetic things I would have liked to have fixed I ought to let loose what I've got. If you're interested in trying DogseyOS out then PM me. I'll need to let you know where to send a blank CD or DVD depending on what you need. I can create a CD that will boot your computer into DogseyOS or I should be able to put the VirtualBox disk image on a DVD for you if you've got VirtualBox installed and want to try it out that way. The username and passwords for this little experiment are - user: dogsey password: dogsey1 password for root or 'administrator' user: dog5ey

Now for a few words of 'guidance'.
Although Azz has kindly let me/us use the dogsey name for DogseyOS, it is an unofficial community project. From that point of view, the understanding is it is for use by Dogsey members! The system it is based on, PCLinuxOS, is of course free for anyone to get hold of and use. So, apart from the understanding regarding community use as above, the underlying system is covered by the General Public License.

As I didn't create or modify any source code, if you want to exercise your right to see the source code you need to contact the appropriate developer/s through their usual channels.

If you request a CD or DVD, it is on the understanding that you do so at your own risk. If you are going to experiment with a computer that has got valuable data on it then PLEASE make sure you do regular backups!

So, I've put together a modest start. Over to you to try it out and suggest/make alterations and improvements. Feel free to ask questions in this thread or PM me if you want more info on anything. With Linux, the internet is definitely your friend with regard to finding information or getting support. Bearing in mind that I've only cosmetically altered PCLinuxOS ZenMini, if you need information the official website would be a good place to start. Linuxgator.org is the home of ZenMini and PCLinuxOS.com is the home of PCLinuxOS. LinuxQuestions.org is also a good, general Linux site. If you do ask for information on a forum other than this one, do point out that you are using a remaster of ZenMini.

To help get you going with a Live CD have a browse of the Wikipedia article about them to start with. If you actually want to install DogseyOS onto a computer to use from the hard disk, you'll either do a install onto a clean disk or set up a dual boot installing onto a blank partition. As I've mentioned in links I've already posted, once you get to this point you may well need to get someone to help or be very confident you know what you're doing! To do an install from our Live CD, you need to open a terminal as root and enter draklive-install. so, you shouldn't be able to do that by accident!

Anyway, enough of the epic post. If you do want to give it a go, I hope you have fun!

I almost forgot to add! Thanks to everyone who's work I've built on! Basically that's everyone involved with PCLinuxOS.

Hi, Cathy,s husband here, well done on your OS release and congratulations on your choice of base system (shared no1 with ubuntu in my book).
I will soon be building a OS for our local LUG so will be finding out how much hard work you have put in.
Happy computing , dont ever let M$ get you down.

Me neither Jen, what are we doing in here??????

off to look at some shoes!!!!

Good luck Rich, it sounds good, so good luck with it all, but count me out! Lol!

If you never try something a bit different, you'll never know what the choices are & what's possible. But that's a choice in itself, I guess.

@ Cathy's OH. Good luck with your project. Have a look at Linux Format #125. There's a pretty good article about remastering and suchlike in there.

Azz suggested I find somewhere to host the files for DogseyOS. So, I have! They're uploading now to BT Digitalvault.

To access the vault, PM or email me for further instructions. Once you've downloaded the files to your PC, here's how to check the file's integrity using the md5sum file and here's how to put the iso file on a CD to boot from.

OK, those files are there & ready. I'll also upload the Virtualbox file so anyone who wants to install VirtualBox can start using DogseyOS by importing the file like this. Same thing applies. PM or email me to get access to the files.

OK, it looks like I'll have to compress the VirtualBox file to fit it in the 5gb I've got available. I'll try to find a common format that should be unpackable by 7Zip, for example.

mine neither

OK, hit me with some specific questions.

I'm sure trying out an entirely new operating system seems daunting, but it really isn't. The more I think about it, the more I reckon the VirtualBox method is the way to go to give it a go without risking your existing system in any way. As long as you've got a PC with a reasonably powerful CPU and a good amount of memory, it should be easy. In point form, what you'd need to do is:

1. Install VirtualBox on your PC.
2. Download the DogseyOS.vdi.7z file from the DigitalVault link you'll need to request from me.
3. Install 7Zip if needed and unpack the vdi file.
4. Import the vdi file into VirtualBox and start the guest up!

All the above should be documented in relevant links I've posted already.

If your PC isn't that powerful, you can still run DogseyOS without touching your main installed system. All you need is a Live CD. Either by downloading the iso file from the DigitalVault account or by contacting me. Once you've got a Live CD, you just need to get your PC to boot from it.

Here's an article outlining the advantages and disadvantages of Linux based systems. Bear in mind it's 3 years old so a lot of progress has been made in the disadvantages points.

Someone on a Linux forum suggested Puppy. I like their style.

It looks like a very nice, very flexible distribution actually. I might have to have a go!

In fact, I'm installing it now on a pen drive. If you've got a computer that'll boot from a USB drive, all you need to do is download UNetbootin and then go through the process to install the distribution of your choice to a USB pen drive. Once it's installed, you reboot the PC with the pen drive inserted and away you go!

Well, that was an interesting experiment. I gained some technical know-how from messing about & also some evidence that small scale community themed spin-offs aren't worth it.

As far as I can make out, the major factor that puts you all off is the installation part. To that end, I've created a web page that lists companies in the UK or who will ship to the UK who supply PCs with Linux pre-installed.

I hope this little exercise has at least raised your awareness of the alternatives to the Microsoft based problems you all face from time to time. Someone recently compared it to back pain. You go to your GP who gives you strong pain killers. The alternative is to go to a specialist who, with a bit of massage etc. can fix the problem properly!

So, I think we'll draw at least a partial line under this. If anyone wants the disk I burned as a test or wants access to the files I uploaded then please do still either PM or email me.