Pre-installed XBMC/Squeezeplay on Ubuntu ?

[BuZz]

What do you think ? I like them preinstalled on "jolios", but perhaps it would be better to keep ubuntu and linux mint vanilla.
I could of course build two sets of ubuntu if that was needed. Thoughts ?

[DunkB]

I guess the biggest factor would be the which is easier,

Installing and configuring them on a vanilla install.

or

Un-Installing them if you don't want them on your joggler.

I've never tried to install either package from scratch as I'm a linux newbie and still trying to decide what I what/need my Joggler to do. However un-installing takes little or no skill (well you have to un-install the right stuff, but still hardly difficult).

If you start down the line of multiple versions of image with different packages installed where do you stop? I want an image with package A & B but not C or an image with A & C but not B.

Just my two cents worth, but someone will always what a package that isn't installed and not what one that is.

Dunk

[BuZz]

You make some good points. im already managing a fair number of images, so keeping it simple gives me more free time. I guess it would be cool to have a "joggler kitchen" but not realistic with my free time. For now I'll go with keeping them preinstalled, and will keep an eye on this thread. Natty 1.0 is being "built" now on the server, ill try and stay up to make it live. I actually released it a day or two ago, but didn't write the news up, so im replacing it with one with xbmc etc. I guess I could also include a script with later builds or some simple instructions on removing xbmc/squeezeplay if people want.

[gegs]

In my opinion it's XBMC and Squeezeplay that make the Joggler worth owning. No other application gets even a fraction of the time I spend on both of them.

[Quinten]

My opinion is that a distribution should be just that, a distribution. No apps, no suites. Let the end user install whatever they might have a use for...

[BuZz]

My opinion is that a distribution should be just that, a distribution. No apps, no suites. Let the end user install whatever they might have a use for...

wikipedia defines it as:

A Linux distribution is a member of the family of Unix-like operating systems built on top of the Linux kernel. Such distributions (often called distros for short) are Operating systems including a large collection of software applications such as word processors, spreadsheets, media players, and database applications.

personally I wouldnt mind if less stuff was generally shipped with a distro, but I guess most people want the apps, otherwise they wouldnt ship with em ?

The "ship xbmc and squeezeplay" votes have it, so for now I will continue to ship with these apps (but perhaps switching out my squeezeplay build for roobarbs in the near future)

[acesabe]

My take (although I voted for both XBMC & Squeezeplay) is that it very much depends on the size of USB drive you are using. Anything less than an 8gig drive (well we have to be talking about 4gig+ as the minimum possible for install), struggles with disk space. So the real question could be "What size drive are you using"? If most people only have a 4gig, then less is more, otherwise there should be sufficient space for whatever packages we fancy. Of course, Ubuntu is not a distribution designed to run on tablets with minimal disk space, in the first space. I'd rather have XBMC/Squeezeplay on my Joggler than Libra/OpenOffice any day!!

[BuZz]

My take (although I voted for both XBMC & Squeezeplay) is that it very much depends on the size of USB drive you are using. Anything less than an 8gig drive (well we have to be talking about 4gig+ as the minimum possible for install), struggles with disk space. So the real question could be "What size drive are you using"? If most people only have a 4gig, then less is more, otherwise there should be sufficient space for whatever packages we fancy. Of course, Ubuntu is not a distribution designed to run on tablets with minimal disk space, in the first space. I'd rather have XBMC/Squeezeplay on my Joggler than Libra/OpenOffice any day!!

I can see the point regarding not having office etc. My thoughts behind this, is once i start taking bits out of ubuntu etc, where should it stop?
I'm inclined perhaps just to leave a script in the homedir that "strips" it down if you need.
I actually have used openoffice on my joggler, including printing out stuff from it

USB sticks are so cheap, if people are worried about space, then they should get a larger stick I guess. I use 8gb sticks - they were £15 each - you can get em much cheaper too. In terms of my time vs someone buying a bigger stick, then I'll go for the buying a bigger stick

[snze]

I'm a big fan of crunchbang linux which has a terrific post-install script to add/remove all-sorts... something equivalent to that would be superb.

To really dream, some of the things I'd love to have automated by scripts would be: removal of open office & evolution; expansion of partitions to take available space on USB stick; adjustment of temp throttle threshold; installation of openbox/conky/easystroke with tailored configurations; installation of minitube; installation of xbmc and touch-friendly skin...