Author Topic: Question about upgrades, desktops and other stuff  (Read 3311 times)

James McCoy

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Question about upgrades, desktops and other stuff
« on: January 16, 2015, 09:24:56 PM »
I am trying to understand all the stuff on the forums and sorry to say... I still am a tad fuzzy about some things.

I am using a HP G60-535DX and Ubuntu 13.10 an a Acer Aspire One D250 with Windum XP (yuck),

First... if running WattOS R8 LDXE 64 bit on the Acer... and want to upgrade to WattOS R9 LDXE 64 bit - will I need to backup my data and do a clean install or is there a upgrade option?

Second... speaking of upgrades. With Ubuntu, if I want to install the latest stuff (example Evolution mail client or SeaMonkey) - I have to eventually upgrade Ubuntu because of something called dependencies. I seem unable to install apps for Uptoic on version 13. Since WattOS R8 and R9 are Debain based... can I use deb files/apps listed at "testing" instead of stable?

Third... Hearing the LDXE desktop is being phased out for something called LQxt/LxQt (or whatever) - will WattOS R9 64 bit be using LQxt desktop instead of LXDE desktop?

Fourth... if WattOS R9 is staying with with LXDE - would it hurt anything to install the LXDE metapackage with all its extras? If going to LQxt - would it hurt to install its metapackage with all the extras.

James
Indiana

cheiron

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Re: Question about upgrades, desktops and other stuff
« Reply #1 on: January 17, 2015, 07:58:00 AM »
hiya James


lets get some answers for you!


firstly on upgrades... you should never upgrade to a new version of wattos as each version is written specifically for the os it was on.. ie ubuntu 13.10. if you upgraded the 13.10 to say 14.04 you would definately break the os.


so on that note... wait for the new os to come out.. back up your files and clean install the new os.


I will leave the other questions to be be answered by Biff or Leenie :)

teejay

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Re: Question about upgrades, desktops and other stuff
« Reply #2 on: January 17, 2015, 09:58:32 AM »
Some responses to your questions, while Biff gets back to the keyboard.   

R8 LXDE 64-bit to R9 LXDE 64-bit : Biff has indicated elsewhere in the forums that the rolling-upgrade process has been imperfect in development.  Unless that has been resolved, you'd be taking a major risk with your data if you relied solely on an in-place upgrade.    You really need an explicit release note from Biff on that. 

The versions of applications in Ubuntu 14.10  repos might be upgrades of the underlying app and they might be different because of major changes in Ubuntu itself between your 13.10 and current 14.10.  If there's a list of dependencies, it doesn't sound trivial.  Are you brave enough to compile your own copy ?   Ubuntu forums are traditionally helpful places for such advice.   
As for Debian stable/testing, is this what you have in mind ?     https://we.riseup.net/debian/installing-testing-packages-on-stable   

Quote from blog on the LXDE website Nov2014: LXDE is still actively developed and maintained <cuts>  and as long as gtk+ 2 is in use, I believe that they’ll keep working on it. We even got some patches for gtk+ 3 recently. Yes, gtk+ 3. This does not mean that LXDE is going to use gkt+ 3, but it’s a clear indicator that LXDE is not dead.   End quote. 
As I understand it, some LXDE components haven't converted to LXQt (yet or ever ??); also LXDE has recently bumped its version number to 0.99 in anticipation of ver 1.0.  Whether LXQt is ready to roll is less clear.   Only Biff can tell you what decision he has made, but you could check the current news on the LXDE/LXQt websites and take a guess if you want.

biffster

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Re: Question about upgrades, desktops and other stuff
« Reply #3 on: January 20, 2015, 10:58:29 PM »
The next version of wattOS will be LXDE (not QT) - along with the other previously discussed and released variants.

Upgrade at this point is a clean install from R8 to R9

Using synaptic to install your other software and upgrades is likely the most sensible path as they are maintained and handle all the dependencies.

tks
biff