Tech Forum

Let's take a step back here and examine our priorities.

Here's what it sounds like we want:
• An operating system for desktop computers.
• An operating system that the Church can do whatever it wants with, forever, without having to pay for it every few years per computer.
• An operating system that has a bunch of specific applications on it.
• An operating system that is convenient to use for our purposes.
• An operating system that people with slow Internet connections can use conveniently.
• Self-reliance and independence.

So, are you really sure it's an operating system that will best fit those needs in and of itself? Of course, you need one, but I'm thinking thousands of free ones already exist, and many with similar goals. Why make another one? You could do these things instead (and it would be much easier):

• Select one or more (no need to pick just one) good, stable, very-usable, well-supported Linux distributions. I recommend Xubuntu, personally (but your views may differ).
• Make an install script that will automatically install all the apps you want (provided you know what they are, this should only take a few minutes, although you'll have to update the script with distribution updates). The programs are already maintained by the distro's community, and/or the developers. Of course, in the long run you might want to maintain them yourself, but in the short-term, that's a lot of work.
• Instead of worrying about the size of the OS, why not just ship out DVDs with all the software to individuals who request them? It would be a lot less time and effort, and require little expertise by comparison. If you disagree with that, I have my doubts that you realize how much work is involved in making an operating system.
• Most Linux distributions already give the Church (and everyone else) license to do pretty much whatever they want with them. Maintaining the software for the package manager might be your only real software concern as far as self-reliance and independence goes. Of course, there are hardware concerns, but that's not the topic I wish to introduce right now.

Really, when you take the OS size out of the equation, I don't see any short-term need for another Linux distribution. Long-term, yes, I think that would be great (and I think it'll happen, whether or not anyone else thinks so), but in the short-term, all you really need to do is to set up a custom installation of one or more Linux distributions, make an install script, get some DVDs, get stamps/envelopes, and donate a few dollars for postage here and there (or else have the person ordering them pay postage). One person could do that (granted, more might be better, especially if lots of people ordered DVDs), but they wouldn't need to be super awesome programmers or anything.

In the long-term, there are other things we can do (and other hurdles to worry about), but what I just outlined is pretty easy and simple, short-term, and could be done right away without even owning a server. Any number of people could do the same thing.

mark_h_dewey wrote:Let's take a step back here and examine our priorities.

I Agree 100%.
We don't need to reinvent the wheel, just to blow it up.
Now I'm retired so I can do some work on it. Hope have soon some news.
Thanks a lot.

Given that this thread was dormant for 5+ years, it might be wise to check the interest level first.

I'd think the ability to run (what I'd assume to be the Android version of) LDS Tools and Gospel Library would make it attractive.

I started this thread, but my priorities have changed. We each need to be focused on our families and our Church assignments, worshiping in the temple and finding names that we can take. The operating system world has settled down. For phones and tablets we have Android and iOS. For computers we have Mac OS and Windows. The software companies willing to port their software to Linux keeps shrinking. The idea of open source software has been turned on its head. What was once free, now requires you to purchase. The first example that comes to mind is Filezilla. The body of open source developers has shrunk. So many projects that were, no longer are.

In short, developing a customized install of Linux is a pipe dream. Don't waste your time.

Yes, I am interested, there is need for system security for LDS through Linux. Here is my email for contacting. otuotu020@gmail.com

Thanks,

Otu Otu

Wow I have spent some time looking at the many post and wonder why stop at Linux.... if we go tunnel lock down we can create a sub-net that services the good people that want to stay away from the internet. The Linux distribution you want can by choice lock out the world and make every home computer the same as the church NET. As a note I have installed Linux a multitude of times for people who tired of MS. Free is good and won't go away. But then I also think stakes should have servers that branches and wards go through to distribute the loads. The world is at a level of automation that can bring a lot of distributed services to the members lets turn the internet into a "secure pipe" instead of the "free for all" it is. Creating an intranet the members will get used to fast.

richardsontb wrote:Anyone interested in forming a community to develop an LDS Linux?

Todd

I want to join you in that project, both as Linux enthusiast and as a strong friend of Jesús Christ , lets form a group in the forum, add me as your friend

it has been 3 years since this updated, if anyone is still working on this, please add me in since i am a linux developing enthusiast, and it would be nice being part of the team )

Hello Trajano388:

I started this thread some time ago. At the time I was active in a micro distribution called Puppy Linux. Linux has become less than it once was. Now, it seems to have been relegated to being a server side platform. This may be because most vendors give the operating system away as part of buying the device. Fuchsia is Google's latest operating system. It seems more for embedded devices. Windows has been using NT at least since the nineties. iOS works for Apple, as does it's desktop os. When I was introduced to Linux, in the nineties, it was amazing because it was free. The last I checked, SUSE is gone, Slackware hasn't been updated. Most of the active Linux distributions are simply customizations of Ubuntu, which in turn is based on Debian. Xandros was a big up and comer, but it was bought out and disappeared. Corel Linux was fabulous, but got killed by it's developers. Fedora is simply a way for RedHat to get free labor. Oracle has a Linux. Lets see, RPM is Red Hat's package manager, DEB is the format that Debian uses, and then Slackware used tar.gz and others like it. Debian seems to be the lone survivor of truly open Linux operating systems. For us, us being a religious group, it is impossible to field what is necessary to create anything that is not simply just a flavor taken from one of the other flavors of Linux out there.

Hi RichardsonTB,

I appreciate your initiative in starting this thread. I agree that creating an independent distribution would be more work than we would likely be able to muster. However, just my personal opinion, but I see a lot of non-server use of Linux. Our numbers aren't huge, but there are some who continue to use Linux as our main home computing platform. Then, there are more of those who use small machines like the Raspberry Pi for hobby or around-the-house purposes. For myself, I use Raspberry Pi machines for watching remote sacrament meeting each week. For several months of job search, I used the same Raspberry Pi with a webcam for video interviewing, including live coding. While it's not very visible, if I am informed correctly, Linux is at least part of the stack in multiple cell phone operating systems, including KaiOS.