Editing COMP 3000 2011 Report: Zenwalk - Revision history

Mgizbert at 22:35, 19 December 2011

2011-12-19T22:35:33Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:35, 19 December 2011
Line 174:		Line 174:
	Inspecting <code>/etc/rc.d/rc.S</code> I was able to put together a mental picture of what Zenwalk does when the boots process is initiated. The system initialization script was written by Patrick J. Volkerding and modified by JP Guillemin.		Inspecting <code>/etc/rc.d/rc.S</code> I was able to put together a mental picture of what Zenwalk does when the boots process is initiated. The system initialization script was written by Patrick J. Volkerding and modified by JP Guillemin.

	~~:* Firstly,~~ the ~~PATH~~ environment ~~variable is~~ set ~~to make the following steps more codeable~~ and ~~readable.~~		The initial init scripts that are executed provide instructions for initializing and affirming the file system setup and structure. The environment variables are set, and the file system is mounted and checked for any potential faults. If it finds any faults, <code>fsck</code> is run. After the file system is mounted, any kernel modules (e.g. ethernet, sound, and other optional hardware drivers) are then loaded and their runtime parameters are configured.
	~~:* <code>/proc</code> is mounted right away.~~
	~~:* A splashscreen is displayed with a progress bar to inform~~ the ~~user of the boot sequence progress~~
	~~:* Next, the root~~ file system is mounted ~~using <code>/sbin/mount -v sysfs /sys -n -t sysfs</code>~~
	~~:* The root partition is then~~ checked ~~to ensure that it is READ-ONLY.~~
	~~:* A check is then performed to determine if a file system check (<code>fsck</code>) is required~~. If it is, ~~then~~ <code>fsck</code> is run on the ~~root~~ file system.
	~~:* Assuming no <code>fsck</code> was run~~, ~~the / partition is remounted <code>/sbin/mount -w -o remount /</code> to initialize <code>/etc/mtab</code>~~
	~~:* The system time is set using the motherboard CMOS timer~~
	~~:* Any~~ kernel modules ~~that are needed are loaded from the file <code>/etc/rc~~.~~d/rc.modules</code>~~. ~~These modules could be any number of things, including~~ ethernet, sound, and other optional hardware drivers.
	~~:* Runtime kernel~~ parameters are ~~configured from the file <code>/etc/sysctl.conf</code>~~
	~~:* Scheduler is~~ configured.
	~~:* Logical Volume Manager is initialized. This is not initialized unless LVM1 or LVM2 are found. To use LVM you must run <code>/sbin/vgscan</code> yourself the first time.~~
	~~:* Secondary file systems are mounted and checked if necessary~~
	~~:* Clean up temporary files~~

	~~=Part 3=~~		Once we reach the desktop, typing <code>ps -e</code> into a terminal prompt shows us the list of all processes running just after start-up. The majority of these processes are related to the kernel's lifestyle, separating the different kernel modules into their own processes. Xfce processes are also up and running so you get the nice GUI desktop display, notably dbus-daemon, which handles the inter-process communication interface.

			Thunar, the modern file manager from Xfce, is also running on start-up. Thunar has a number of features that make it more robust and versatile than other file managers out there. More information on Thunar can be found at their [http://thunar.xfce.org/ website].

			The network-related drivers are all up and running on start-up as well, with <code>wicd</code>, <code>avahi-daemon</code>, <code>inetd</code>, and <code>dhcpcd</code> all running and waiting to be used.

			A HAL Daemon is also running, which is used to support a "Plug-n-Play" dynamic for introducing new pieces of hardware when the system is still running (e.g. A USB Joystick, new USB mouse, etc).

	=References=		=References=

	<references/>		<references/>

Mgizbert: /* Major Package Versions */

2011-11-16T06:09:43Z

Major Package Versions

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:09, 16 November 2011
Line 158:		Line 158:
	\| [http://www.perl.org/ Perl] \|\| 5.10.1 \|\| 2.6.11		\| [http://www.perl.org/ Perl] \|\| 5.10.1 \|\| 2.6.11
	\|-		\|-
	\| [http://www.python.org Python] \|\| 2.6.4\|\| 2.7.2 or 3.2.2		\| [http://www.python.org Python] \|\| 2.6.4 \|\| 2.7.2 or 3.2.2
	\|-		\|-
	\| [http://www.xfce.org Xfce] \|\| 4.8\|\| 4.8		\| [http://www.xfce.org Xfce] \|\| 4.8 \|\| 4.8
			\|-
			\| [http://packages.zenwalk.org/?p=netpkg-4.7.2-i486-70.1.txz&zversion=current netpkg] \|\| 4.6.5 \|\| 4.7.2
	\|}		\|}
	<small>Latest Releases correspond with Latest Stable Release unless otherwise noted.</small>		<small>Latest Releases correspond with Latest Stable Release unless otherwise noted.</small>

Mgizbert: /* System Initialization */

2011-11-16T05:22:45Z

System Initialization

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:22, 16 November 2011
Line 182:		Line 182:
	:* Any kernel modules that are needed are loaded from the file <code>/etc/rc.d/rc.modules</code>. These modules could be any number of things, including ethernet, sound, and other optional hardware drivers.		:* Any kernel modules that are needed are loaded from the file <code>/etc/rc.d/rc.modules</code>. These modules could be any number of things, including ethernet, sound, and other optional hardware drivers.
	:* Runtime kernel parameters are configured from the file <code>/etc/sysctl.conf</code>		:* Runtime kernel parameters are configured from the file <code>/etc/sysctl.conf</code>
	~~:** RUNTIME KERNEL PARAMETERS WALKTHROUGH HERE~~
	:* Scheduler is configured.		:* Scheduler is configured.
	:* Logical Volume Manager is initialized. This is not initialized unless LVM1 or LVM2 are found. To use LVM you must run <code>/sbin/vgscan</code> yourself the first time.		:* Logical Volume Manager is initialized. This is not initialized unless LVM1 or LVM2 are found. To use LVM you must run <code>/sbin/vgscan</code> yourself the first time.

Mgizbert: /* System Initialization */

2011-11-16T05:21:41Z

System Initialization

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:21, 16 November 2011
Line 181:		Line 181:
	:* The system time is set using the motherboard CMOS timer		:* The system time is set using the motherboard CMOS timer
	:* Any kernel modules that are needed are loaded from the file <code>/etc/rc.d/rc.modules</code>. These modules could be any number of things, including ethernet, sound, and other optional hardware drivers.		:* Any kernel modules that are needed are loaded from the file <code>/etc/rc.d/rc.modules</code>. These modules could be any number of things, including ethernet, sound, and other optional hardware drivers.
	~~:** KERNEL MODULE WALKTHROUGH HERE~~
	:* Runtime kernel parameters are configured from the file <code>/etc/sysctl.conf</code>		:* Runtime kernel parameters are configured from the file <code>/etc/sysctl.conf</code>
	:** RUNTIME KERNEL PARAMETERS WALKTHROUGH HERE		:** RUNTIME KERNEL PARAMETERS WALKTHROUGH HERE

Mgizbert: /* System Initialization */

2011-11-16T05:18:56Z

System Initialization

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:18, 16 November 2011
Line 171:		Line 171:

	Inspecting <code>/etc/rc.d/rc.S</code> I was able to put together a mental picture of what Zenwalk does when the boots process is initiated. The system initialization script was written by Patrick J. Volkerding and modified by JP Guillemin.		Inspecting <code>/etc/rc.d/rc.S</code> I was able to put together a mental picture of what Zenwalk does when the boots process is initiated. The system initialization script was written by Patrick J. Volkerding and modified by JP Guillemin.

			:* Firstly, the PATH environment variable is set to make the following steps more codeable and readable.
			:* <code>/proc</code> is mounted right away.
			:* A splashscreen is displayed with a progress bar to inform the user of the boot sequence progress
			:* Next, the root file system is mounted using <code>/sbin/mount -v sysfs /sys -n -t sysfs</code>
			:* The root partition is then checked to ensure that it is READ-ONLY.
			:* A check is then performed to determine if a file system check (<code>fsck</code>) is required. If it is, then <code>fsck</code> is run on the root file system.
			:* Assuming no <code>fsck</code> was run, the / partition is remounted <code>/sbin/mount -w -o remount /</code> to initialize <code>/etc/mtab</code>
			:* The system time is set using the motherboard CMOS timer
			:* Any kernel modules that are needed are loaded from the file <code>/etc/rc.d/rc.modules</code>. These modules could be any number of things, including ethernet, sound, and other optional hardware drivers.
			:** KERNEL MODULE WALKTHROUGH HERE
			:* Runtime kernel parameters are configured from the file <code>/etc/sysctl.conf</code>
			:** RUNTIME KERNEL PARAMETERS WALKTHROUGH HERE
			:* Scheduler is configured.
			:* Logical Volume Manager is initialized. This is not initialized unless LVM1 or LVM2 are found. To use LVM you must run <code>/sbin/vgscan</code> yourself the first time.
			:* Secondary file systems are mounted and checked if necessary
			:* Clean up temporary files

	=Part 3=		=Part 3=

Mgizbert: /* Major Package Versions */

2011-11-16T05:06:07Z

Major Package Versions

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:06, 16 November 2011
Line 162:		Line 162:
	\| [http://www.xfce.org Xfce] \|\| 4.8\|\| 4.8		\| [http://www.xfce.org Xfce] \|\| 4.8\|\| 4.8
	\|}		\|}
			<small>Latest Releases correspond with Latest Stable Release unless otherwise noted.</small>
	Latest Releases correspond with Latest Stable Release unless otherwise noted.

	Reasons for discrepancies between the included versions of some of the major packages and their current latest release versions can, in most cases, be attributed to the date and time that this version of Zenwalk was released. In the case of the Linux Kernel, the discrepancy can most likely be attributed to stability. Since the Zenwalk team is not particularly large, they likely traded a newer major release version of the Linux Kernel for stability on top of the kernel already installed.		Reasons for discrepancies between the included versions of some of the major packages and their current latest release versions can, in most cases, be attributed to the date and time that this version of Zenwalk was released. In the case of the Linux Kernel, the discrepancy can most likely be attributed to stability. Since the Zenwalk team is not particularly large, they likely traded a newer major release version of the Linux Kernel for stability on top of the kernel already installed.

Mgizbert: /* Usage Evaluation */

2011-11-16T04:57:58Z

Usage Evaluation

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:57, 16 November 2011
Line 73:		Line 73:
	==Usage Evaluation==		==Usage Evaluation==

	Zenwalk uses the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X_Window_System X-Window System] with ~~GNOME~~ to provide a window managing solution for the OS GUI. X Window Manager Config ('''xwmconfig''') is the basic window manager configuration tool for X-Window. It is adopted from the Slackware distribution and adapted to fit into the Zenwalk implementation. This configuration tool will only be used by those users that wish to start X-Window in a different way. In this sense, it is appreciated that the configuration tool is included in the install package, but it was not tested in this scenario.		Zenwalk uses the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X_Window_System X-Window System] with Xfce to provide a window managing solution for the OS GUI. X Window Manager Config ('''xwmconfig''') is the basic window manager configuration tool for X-Window. It is adopted from the Slackware distribution and adapted to fit into the Zenwalk implementation. This configuration tool will only be used by those users that wish to start X-Window in a different way. In this sense, it is appreciated that the configuration tool is included in the install package, but it was not tested in this scenario.

	When first opening the internet browser (in this case, the Firefox skin IceCat) be sure to update any out of date plugins. With modern-day anti-virus software and browsers like Firefox and Google Chrome providing increased security blankets to the user, loopholes in the internet security mesh have been reduced drastically. However, there are still places that malware and spyware can inject code into a user's desktop machine without having to pass through as many security features as others. One such place is in audio and video codecs, such as DivX and Flash ('''Always update your Flash!! (two exclamation marks!!)'''). It is understandable that with the frequency Adobe puts out updates for Flash that both the Live CD and Standard installations of Zenwalk have an out-of-date Flash plugin. In any case, before you do any browsing, please be sure to first go to Tools -> Add-ons -> Plugins tab -> Find Updates and update any plugins that are out of date.		When first opening the internet browser (in this case, the Firefox skin IceCat) be sure to update any out of date plugins. With modern-day anti-virus software and browsers like Firefox and Google Chrome providing increased security blankets to the user, loopholes in the internet security mesh have been reduced drastically. However, there are still places that malware and spyware can inject code into a user's desktop machine without having to pass through as many security features as others. One such place is in audio and video codecs, such as DivX and Flash ('''Always update your Flash!! (two exclamation marks!!)'''). It is understandable that with the frequency Adobe puts out updates for Flash that both the Live CD and Standard installations of Zenwalk have an out-of-date Flash plugin. In any case, before you do any browsing, please be sure to first go to Tools -> Add-ons -> Plugins tab -> Find Updates and update any plugins that are out of date.

Mgizbert: /* Part 2 */

2011-11-16T04:57:25Z

Part 2

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:57, 16 November 2011
Line 166:		Line 166:

	Reasons for discrepancies between the included versions of some of the major packages and their current latest release versions can, in most cases, be attributed to the date and time that this version of Zenwalk was released. In the case of the Linux Kernel, the discrepancy can most likely be attributed to stability. Since the Zenwalk team is not particularly large, they likely traded a newer major release version of the Linux Kernel for stability on top of the kernel already installed.		Reasons for discrepancies between the included versions of some of the major packages and their current latest release versions can, in most cases, be attributed to the date and time that this version of Zenwalk was released. In the case of the Linux Kernel, the discrepancy can most likely be attributed to stability. Since the Zenwalk team is not particularly large, they likely traded a newer major release version of the Linux Kernel for stability on top of the kernel already installed.

			==System Initialization==

			After inspecting <code>/etc/inittab</code> I found that the System Initialization script that runs when the system boots is located at <code>/etc/rc.d/rc.S</code>.

			Inspecting <code>/etc/rc.d/rc.S</code> I was able to put together a mental picture of what Zenwalk does when the boots process is initiated. The system initialization script was written by Patrick J. Volkerding and modified by JP Guillemin.

	=Part 3=		=Part 3=

Mgizbert: /* Major Package Versions */

2011-11-16T04:36:01Z

Major Package Versions

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:36, 16 November 2011
Line 164:		Line 164:

	Latest Releases correspond with Latest Stable Release unless otherwise noted.		Latest Releases correspond with Latest Stable Release unless otherwise noted.

			Reasons for discrepancies between the included versions of some of the major packages and their current latest release versions can, in most cases, be attributed to the date and time that this version of Zenwalk was released. In the case of the Linux Kernel, the discrepancy can most likely be attributed to stability. Since the Zenwalk team is not particularly large, they likely traded a newer major release version of the Linux Kernel for stability on top of the kernel already installed.

	=Part 3=		=Part 3=

Mgizbert: /* Major Package Versions */

2011-11-16T04:32:14Z

Major Package Versions

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:32, 16 November 2011
Line 159:		Line 159:
	\|-		\|-
	\| [http://www.python.org Python] \|\| 2.6.4\|\| 2.7.2 or 3.2.2		\| [http://www.python.org Python] \|\| 2.6.4\|\| 2.7.2 or 3.2.2
			\|-
			\| [http://www.xfce.org Xfce] \|\| 4.8\|\| 4.8
	\|}		\|}