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ribcage

Member

Registered: 2020-11-10

Posts: 7  

Devuan doesn't have graphical user management

There was a topic called "Devuan: Existential issues." where a person had legitimate issues but was met with unfriendly responses. I had similar issues back when I tried Devuan and found some solutions, so maybe this will help someone.

I installed devuan_chimaera_4.0.0_amd64_desktop.iso, XFCE desktop environment, which was probably the default, I have no clue about all the different desktop environments.

I was surprised there is no way to change your password or add and remove new users and groups. Anyway, one solution is to install gnome-system-tools which seems to work quite well. After installing, the program will be found in Applications > System > Users and Groups.

So install it from the terminal with the command below or use the Synaptic package manager.

sudo apt-get install gnome-system-tools

The "Users and Groups" program has a setting called "Don't ask for password on login" but it's not functional. To make it work, go to Manage Groups and add a group called "nopasswdlogin". Then, in /etc/pam.d/slim, add the following line above @include common-auth:

auth sufficient pam_succeed_if.so user ingroup nopasswdlogin

The package gnome-system-tools is inside the .iso, so you can install it from there, but I had issues with package managers accepting the .iso as a source for packages. Anyway, what I did is modify /etc/apt/sources.list like this:

deb [ allow-insecure=yes ] file:/some/path/devuan_iso chimaera contrib main non-free

The entire path (/some/path/devuan_iso) needs to have no spaces in it. From the .iso, I copied the folder "Devuan 4.01" into the folder devuan_iso, or maybe I copied the contents of "Devuan 4.01" into it, forgot which it is.

Last edited by ribcage (2023-03-25 14:08:50)

boughtonp

Member

From: UK

Registered: 2023-01-19

Posts: 212  

Website

Re: Devuan doesn't have graphical user management

There was a topic called "Devuan: Existential issues." where a person had legitimate issues but was met with unfriendly responses.

It looks like they raised legitimate issues in XFCE, but blamed Devuan for those issues, and had a generally poor attitude.
 ­ ­ 

I was surprised there is no way to change your password or add and remove new users and groups.

You should report this at https://bugzilla.xfce.org
 ­­ 

The "Users and Groups" program has a setting called "Don't ask for password on login" but it's not functional.

The place to report this one would be https://github.com/LStranger/gnome-system-tools
 ­­ 

I had issues with package managers accepting the .iso as a source for packages.

Did you try mounting it first?

mount -o loop,ro -t iso9660 '/some/path/devuan_chimaera_4.0.0_amd64_desktop.iso' /media/cdrom

After that, you probably just need to uncomment the existing "cdrom" entry in sources.list (or add one if it doesn't exist), including the allow-insecure option, something like:

deb [ allow-insecure=yes ] cdrom:[Devuan GNU/Linux 4.0 chimaera amd64 - desktop 20211012]/ chimaera main

No need to extract files from the ISO or worry about filenames (usual shell quoting rules apply for the mount command).

Last edited by boughtonp (2023-03-25 16:16:35)

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Altoid

Member

Registered: 2017-05-07

Posts: 1,581  

Re: Devuan doesn't have graphical user management

Hello:

... raised legitimate issues in XFCE, but blamed Devuan for those issues, and had a generally poor attitude.

Just to add: I have experienced exactly that type of thing when reporting issues related to windows crashing in XFCE.
As a result, I decided to be rid of XFCE as soon as I can get together my Chimaera/Openbox act.

Best,

A.

Camtaf

Member

Registered: 2019-11-19

Posts: 436  

Re: Devuan doesn't have graphical user management

I was surprised there is no way to change your password or add and remove new users and groups.

Most people just use the command line, as we always have, the programs are there already.

thierrybo

Member

Registered: 2017-11-11

Posts: 107  

Re: Devuan doesn't have graphical user management

Also as far as I know Devuan goal is not to be a real distribution of its own and provide custom solutions to common problems. It is just Debian without systemd, they will not add "goodies" to be a full featured distribution, it is just plain Debian. I believe this is what many old Debian users are awaiting from this distribution, but it may surprise newcomers that are not fully aware of that.

Altoid

Member

Registered: 2017-05-07

Posts: 1,581  

Re: Devuan doesn't have graphical user management

Hello:

... just Debian without systemd ...
... what many old Debian users are awaiting ...

No small feat by any means, an endless task.
Devuan survives today thanks to a small but very dedicated cast of knowlegeable individuals who devote their time and effort to keep it running.

Unfortunately, as systemd and other assorted crap (eg.: zeigeist) advance and dig their tentacles into the workings of Debian, that task becomes more and more difficult.

That is what newcomers are not fully aware of. 

Best,

A.

golinux

Administrator

Registered: 2016-11-25

Posts: 3,317  

Re: Devuan doesn't have graphical user management

@ribcage . . . Thank you for sharing your solutions and reminding me that I should install gnome-system-tools. Haven't had a need but good to have it there if/when the need arises . . .

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