Kwort Linux 3.2 - Quick install and review

Kwort Linux 3.2 rc1

http://kwort.org

• CRUX-derived, advanced user-oriented, 32 bits distro
• Recent kernel and packages (LibreOffice, Firefox, Chromium…)
• Installs X.Org, Openbox, Chromium (flash plugin from adobe included) and some lightweight desktop apps by default
• No need to compile your own kernel
• Improved package system ( http://kwort.org/?n=Main.PackageSystem )

Installation

NOTE : this review was done in a VirtualBox 4.x virtual machine.

Straightforward, if you have installed CRUX, Slackware or Arch in the past, it will be a piece of cake.

Post-installation

http://kwort.org/?n=Main.ConfiguringTheSystem

Configure your rc.conf :

# vi /etc/rc.conf

You can add sshd in the SERVICES array, so that you can login using ssh to be able to copy/paste the commands if you’re running Kwort in a VirtualBox VM like me.

BUG : sshd does not run (missing libwrap.so.0 library from default install!)
SOLUTION : install the tcp_wrappers package, see below!

Configure network :

# vi /etc/rc.d/network

uncomment the needed lines.

Eventually reboot, or restart the network :
# /etc/rc.d/net restart

Import the package database :

# cd
# wget http://europa.fapyd.unr.edu.ar/pub/kwort/3.2/europa.kdb
# mkdir -p /var/packages/{mirrors,downloads}
# kpkg instkdb /root/europa.kdb

then update :

# kpkg update

After that, you can search for packages.
Example for searching packages (installed or available) containing the term “xorg”
# kpkg search xorg

(Note that wildcard ‘*’ are not used)

To list all the packages :

# kpkg search /all

TIP!
# man kpkg

Currently (at the writing of this), the repository contains only few packages (pycairo, pygtk, …)
(Thanks to David Cortarello, the project leader, for enlightening me!)

But some more packages are available on the ISO, which are not installed by default

# mkdir /mnt/cdrom
# mount /dev/hdc /mnt/cdrom
# cd /mnt/cdrom
# find . -name *.xz |more

So you’re able to install Firefox, LibreOffice and the Java JDK for example

# kpkg install more/xapps/firefox*
# kpkg install more/xapps/libreoffice*
# kpkg install more/development/jdk*

Install the tcp_wrappers library so sshd can be started :

# kpkg install more/libs/tcp_wrappers*

# /etc/rc.d/sshd start

Create a regular user :

# useradd -m -g users -G audio,video,cdrom,floppy,dialout,wheel -s /bin/bash newuser
# passwd newuser

Login as newuser, then start X :

$ startx

(There is no graphical login manager available in the default installation)

If you’d like to autologin into X at boot, you can do so that way for instance :

# vi /etc/rc.d/init/rc.local

add the lines :

su – newuser -c startx
exit 0

and reboot!

Update : xdm is now in the online repo!

# kpkg update && kpkg install xorg-xdm

then
# vi /etc/rc.conf
and add “xdm” in last position in your SERVICES array.

No sound? Configure your soundcard :

Open a terminal, su to root, then run :
# alsaconf

(NOTE : if you don’t have the right keymap in X, you have to configure it – see https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Xorg#Keyboard_settings – or use the setxkbmap command)

Then you must add the alsa daemon in /etc/rc.conf, in the SERVICES array. If not, the volume settings are not restored when rebooting.

Now you can explore the installed apps with the Openbox menu.

You will need to manually edit openbox’s menu to add your new entries
# vi /usr/etc/xdg/openbox/menu.xml

Notice PCManFM is in the menu, but is not installed in the system.

Conclusion

This distro is a strange beast! There biggest drawback I see currently is the lack of packages in the online repository.
You’ll have to make your own packages (see the guide at http://kwort.org/?n=Main.PackageSystem )

Update : David Cortarello added some packages in the repo (obconf, xdm, …). Thanks!

But if you need a quick, optimized lightweight distro to install rapidly on an older computer (Kwort can boot with as low as 32 Megs of RAM!), you might want to try it! (Would be perfect for a secondary web browsing machine).

Mandatory screenshot :

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