Just had a brainstorm.

If I use the Minimal CD version of Ubuntu (https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/MinimalCD) I could make distribution a breeze. Probably less to tinker with as well.

I’ll have to take a poke at the ISO someday and see how it works. It may be the way to go.

Although, it’s been around for a few weeks, I’m finally able to post about it. Ubuntu Karmic has been released and I can finally begin tweaking things with confidence.

I do have plans to offer GNUmed as the default PMS since it is so actively developed and has lots of integration with other programs. The fact that many of these programs are KDE-based and LFC uses Gnome may present a few problems. These problems will be resolved in time, of course, but it will be fun nailing all of those bugs.

Plans now are to install Karmic a second time on my system so I won’t break my main system or have interference with other packages. I’m going to see what I can remove, as well as what I need to change. I will also need to know what packages I’ll have to make myself since I’ll need to remix some for my own uses, and not just the ones that change the theme.

At least remaking the disk image from scratch was easy enough.

I want to get started on the xsplash theme for the next release but can’t seem to find the details on how to do so.

I don’t want the release to be Ubuntu with a different package setup. Gotta brand it.

Hopefully the massive problems that befell Alpha 5 today will be fixed in Alpha 6.

Beginning to think I should practice remastering Jaunty because an unstable alpha just isn’t fun to tinker with

Slow download speed today, even on a torrent…

I’ll install Alpha 5, and if it works I’ll remaster the image. I want to make sure I can get Karmic to work on my system so if something doesn’t work (no internet on the last alpha – see my previous post) I’ll be confident that it was likely something I did in the remastering process.

Hopefully, Jaunty’s remastering tools will work on Karmic’s alpha (I’ll be working on a Jaunty system and not Karmic). If Alpha 5 doesn’t want to cooperate then I’m going to break down and remaster a Jaunty image. What I learn from that, I’ll take to use on Karmic since the remastering process should not be that different between the two releases.

This remaster will not be an LFC release but just a test for personal use. I’m pretty sure the alpha repositories will not have many medically-themed packages at this juncture. I’ll install what’s needed and remove what isn’t, that’s about it.

After I can confirm that I can remaster successfully, I’ll see if I can do any customisations with the CD image itself, like it’s preseed files and so forth. Apparently there’s a lot of tweaking that can be done.

I cannot connect to the internet with Karmic Alpha 4.  No testing repositories or updating until that bug is squashed in the next alpha.

However, this will not stop me from doing a remaster test later on this week with the current alpha.   I won’t change much from the original, just remove and add some packages enough so I can tell whether it worked or not.  If my efforts fail, I’ll try using Jaunty which will be more reliable.

As usual, there are lots of changes scheduled for the next Ubuntu release (Karmic Koala) and I’m going to have to change a lot of things than originally planned.

Here are some examples of stuff I’ll be facing and I’ll probably see more in the weeks and months ahead.

• The new GDM.  I’ll research how it behaves and attempt to make a theme for it.  It shouldn’t be more difficult than the old GDM method but I’m certain themes are incompatible between versions.
• Pidgin to Empathy for the Instant Messenger.  Empathy on Jaunty wants access to my keyring every time it starts up for some reason.  Not sure if this is a good or bad.  It may be a bug created when I tried to import my account info from Pidgin (which was a nifty feature).
• GNUmed’s use of KDE software.  I’m not sure yet on how this will effect a Karmic system using the latest Gnome.  It will install a buttload of KDE packages, but that’s also the case on Jaunty.
• GRUB2, hal depreciation, ext4 by default and new intel drivers should make the rest interesting but they shouldn’t have a major effect on the user level (as long as it is able to boot).

As for old tricks:

• I included a customized version of the low-resource desktop IceWM so admins can get a bit more performance from their systems.  However, with the GDM changing, I have no idea how switching desktops will behave yet.  I think I should make IceWM both available on the LiveCD and as the default boot option on an installed system.  I don’t think I can make it the default option unless I alter the installer, which I will not do.
• Compiz.  Eye candy that’s worthless to…everyone.  Requires hardware accelleration that many workstation just wont have so I originally uninstalled it to make room for more useful stuff.  However, removing it created problems so it may be smart to leave it in this time since the Ubuntu devs don’t want to handle that bug: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-session/+bug/132772
• Image size.  With GNUmed being installed by default I’m worried that I won’be able to keep the ISO image to under 700MB.  We shall soon see.

Will think up more if I can.  Hopefully, not TOO many more

In our next (and likely subsequent) releases, the practice management suite GNUmed will be installed by default.

Our previous philosophy was to not include any suites by default and instead let the user decide and set it up themselves. In the end, we thought it best to provide the most flexible and well-supported option right out of the box.

Of course, this doesn’t mean an organization can’t use a PHP-based solution which only requires a web browser as the client.

Either path requires an administrator to confure and create their own databases. PHP-based solutions can create their own databases but GNUmed requires a server package be installed, which we will likely include along with the client. It will be up to administrators to read the instructions and configure things properly.

We will not provide a server version of ‘Linux For Clinics’ (at least not any time soon).

If you simply choose not to use GNUmed, then just do not run it. It is harmless to leave it as-is and can even be uninstalled if you desire.

Added a bunch of info to the wiki but there’s much more to do and add. Expect more down the road.

Most notably are the reorganized ‘Software’ and ‘Links’ tabs on our main page as well as a Quicklist of various software of interest to LFC.

Have a look: http://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawiki/linuxforclinics/index.php?title=Software_Quicklist

TweetMeme uses JavaScript. NoScript blocks JavaScript unless you OK the source of the script.

Once I cleared tweetmeme.com all was good. I saw the retweet icon.

Here I am fretting of it not being there when it was always there and I was the only one who couldn’t see it.

I feel stupid.  So stupid, only ice cream can cure it.  I have no ice cream