PDP-8
This is FANTASTIC! Some things off the top of my head:
Pre-configure HTOP so that the cpufreq and temp monitor are active. New users may not know this is available or how to activate it. Now you can see not only the fact that ALL the cpu cores are up and running, they can verify governing and scaling is working and not just maxxed out 100% when idle. If their hardware is lucky enough to for libsensors to detect temperatures, so much the better.
CLI or Graphical?
I suppose many of these tools would easily carry over into a simple CORE stick. Then again, maybe pare back BASE, and stick to only ONE window manager, such as IceWM? Or do we go with say a simple Openbox (hi melodie!), or perhaps the MATE DE? Considerations here are not specifically for daily-drivers, just for the ease of incorporating and using these upcoming tools.
From the cli version standpoint alone, (aka CORE) I suppose one could “work their way up” by ensuring things like alsamixer are working, and if they have internet access, the *awesome* PMRP streaming music application already on it could provide tunes to verify connectivity, and something to make sure that speakers/headphones work. Of course there are gui versions in the WM antiX versions.. For audio testing offline, perhaps include an actual music file of some sort, so one could test audio offline without having to go online or transfer audio files from other systems.
EXPLANATIONS: Perhaps these tools could also provide a little explanation as to what they find, so the user isn’t just “bench racing specs”, and possibly disregarding a good older piece of gear that doesn’t go to eleven. 🙂
FIREWALL: One won’t know what environment this testing will take place in, especially if it is a portable stick. I would suggest a simplest installation of UFW, with only two rules: default deny incoming and default allow outgoing. This is mostly from a performance testing standpoint, not so much ultimate security, to keep any weird stuff someone might hook into whilst traveling around to those who may have stuff already plugged into a network for demo / purchasing purposes. I suppose for a gui version, the the simple gufw could be considered, ALREADY set to be active.
Network Manager: standardize on this whether cli or gui. As much as I like ceni and connman (I use them in puppy too), I also use Network Manager when using pclinuxos (which is also system AND elogind-free). So it can be done. The question is always this: are we thinking solely of the OG’s already familiar with antiX, or can we move slightly ahead without severely breaking ideals? Different topic. 🙂
Awesome topic!
- This reply was modified 1 year ago by PDP-8. Reason: Update and typos
- This reply was modified 1 year ago by PDP-8. Reason: added network manager
- This reply was modified 1 year ago by PDP-8.