MX Linux Forum

Posted: **Thu Jan 09, 2025 7:22 pm**

From Distrowatch:

iDeal OS is a Linux distribution which is based on MX Linux. The project provides a respin of MX Linux with additional security and parental controls. iDeal OS also offers a commercial edition with more developer tools and utilities for content creation.

The commercial edition seems a little iffy. A "donation" of 59€ for the Diamond edition.

https://ideal-os.xyz/welcome

Posted: **Thu Jan 09, 2025 7:34 pm**

LMAO. They go from touting a freedns service anybody can use on any pc to "protecting the children" filters as if mentioning 2 ridiculous items somehow makes them special much less 'secure' anymore than MX, or any other linux os for that matter, already is oob. They are literally stealing The MXLinux name and the official iso and trying to sell it by simply rebranding it as if they did anything to it at all except change the way it looks slightly. First I thought it flattering. Now it's just offensive tbqh. But hey if someone wants to give them money 'cause they say so I won't hold em back.

Posted: **Thu Jan 09, 2025 7:54 pm**

Their logo is almost of copy of Manjaro...

Posted: **Thu Jan 09, 2025 8:13 pm**

I hope they are contributing something upstream to MX if they are selling their version... A commercial edition for content creation...? I didn't know the FOSS content creation apps cost more than regular FOSS apps, Dang! I must have missed the memo on that one!

Posted: **Thu Jan 09, 2025 11:42 pm**

davidy wrote: Thu Jan 09, 2025 7:34 pm They are literally stealing The MXLinux name and the official iso and trying to sell it by simply rebranding it as if they did anything to it at all except change the way it looks slightly.

How to make some money:

Move the Xfce panel from the left to the right and put the menu button on the top instead of the bottom. Spend 10 minutes making a logo. Change the wallpaper slightly and call it "XW Linux: Linux Turned Upside-Down!".
Run XW Snapshot and charge people €59 for it.
Profit!

Posted: **Fri Jan 10, 2025 1:25 am**

And as a special added attraction,
I have this bridge at a new improved price...

Posted: **Fri Jan 10, 2025 1:40 am**

They took MX-23.4 KDE and bundled extra software at a cost aka the Diamond Edition. https://ideal-os.xyz/comparison
Sourceforge page

Code: Select all

Snapshot created on: 20241227_0827
System:
  Kernel: 6.1.0-28-amd64 [6.1.119-1] arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 12.2.0
    parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/antiX/vmlinuz lang=en_US kbd=us tz=America/Los_Angeles hwclock=local
  Desktop: KDE Plasma v: 5.27.5 wm: kwin_x11 vt: 7 dm: SDDM Distro: MX-23.4_x64 Libretto
    December 15 2024 base: Debian GNU/Linux 12 (bookworm)
Machine:
  Type: Desktop Mobo: Micro-Star model: B550-A PRO (MS-7C56) v: 2.0 serial: <superuser required>
    UEFI: American Megatrends LLC. v: A.F0 date: 10/11/2023
CPU:
  Info: model: AMD Ryzen 9 5950X bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: Zen 3+ gen: 4 level: v3 note: check
    built: 2022 process: TSMC n6 (7nm) family: 0x19 (25) model-id: 0x21 (33) stepping: 2
    microcode: 0xA20120E
  Topology: cpus: 1x cores: 16 tpc: 2 threads: 32 smt: enabled cache: L1: 1024 KiB desc: d-16x32
    KiB; i-16x32 KiB L2: 8 MiB desc: 16x512 KiB L3: 64 MiB desc: 2x32 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 2200 min/max: 2200/5083 boost: disabled scaling: driver: acpi-cpufreq
    governor: ondemand cores: 1: 2200 2: 2200 3: 2200 4: 2200 5: 2200 6: 2200 7: 2200 8: 2200 9: 2200
    10: 2200 11: 2200 12: 2200 13: 2200 14: 2200 15: 2200 16: 2200 17: 2200 18: 2200 19: 2200
    20: 2200 21: 2200 22: 2200 23: 2200 24: 2200 25: 2200 26: 2200 27: 2200 28: 2200 29: 2200
    30: 2200 31: 2200 32: 2200 bogomips: 217596
  Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 sse4a ssse3 svm
  Vulnerabilities:
  Type: gather_data_sampling status: Not affected
  Type: itlb_multihit status: Not affected
  Type: l1tf status: Not affected
  Type: mds status: Not affected
  Type: meltdown status: Not affected
  Type: mmio_stale_data status: Not affected
  Type: reg_file_data_sampling status: Not affected
  Type: retbleed status: Not affected
  Type: spec_rstack_overflow mitigation: safe RET
  Type: spec_store_bypass mitigation: Speculative Store Bypass disabled via prctl
  Type: spectre_v1 mitigation: usercopy/swapgs barriers and __user pointer sanitization
  Type: spectre_v2 mitigation: Retpolines; IBPB: conditional; IBRS_FW; STIBP: always-on; RSB
    filling; PBRSB-eIBRS: Not affected; BHI: Not affected
  Type: srbds status: Not affected
  Type: tsx_async_abort status: Not affected
Graphics:
  Device-1: AMD Navi 22 [Radeon RX 6700/6700 XT/6750 XT / 6800M/6850M XT] vendor: Tul / PowerColor
    driver: amdgpu v: kernel arch: RDNA-2 code: Navi-2x process: TSMC n7 (7nm) built: 2020-22 pcie:
    gen: 4 speed: 16 GT/s lanes: 16 ports: active: DP-1 empty: DP-2,DP-3,HDMI-A-1 bus-ID: 0b:00.0
    chip-ID: 1002:73df class-ID: 0300
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 1.21.1.7 with: Xwayland v: 22.1.9 compositor: kwin_x11 driver: X:
    loaded: amdgpu unloaded: fbdev,modesetting,radeon,vesa dri: radeonsi gpu: amdgpu display-ID: :0
    screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 2560x1440 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 677x381mm (26.65x15.00") s-diag: 777mm (30.58")
  Monitor-1: DP-1 mapped: DisplayPort-0 model: HP X27q serial: <filter> built: 2021
    res: 2560x1440 hz: 165 dpi: 109 gamma: 1.2 size: 597x336mm (23.5x13.23") diag: 685mm (27")
    ratio: 16:9 modes: max: 2560x1440 min: 720x400
  API: OpenGL v: 4.6 Mesa 24.2.2-1~mx23ahs renderer: AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT (radeonsi navi22 LLVM
    15.0.6 DRM 3.49 6.1.0-28-amd64) direct-render: Yes
Audio:
  Device-1: AMD Navi 21/23 HDMI/DP Audio driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel pcie: gen: 4
    speed: 16 GT/s lanes: 16 bus-ID: 0b:00.1 chip-ID: 1002:ab28 class-ID: 0403
  Device-2: AMD Starship/Matisse HD Audio vendor: Micro-Star MSI driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel
    pcie: gen: 4 speed: 16 GT/s lanes: 16 bus-ID: 14:00.4 chip-ID: 1022:1487 class-ID: 0403
  API: ALSA v: k6.1.0-28-amd64 status: kernel-api tools: alsamixer,amixer
  Server-1: PipeWire v: 1.0.0 status: active with: 1: pipewire-pulse status: active
    2: wireplumber status: active 3: pipewire-alsa type: plugin 4: pw-jack type: plugin
    tools: pactl,pw-cat,pw-cli,wpctl
Network:
  Message: No PCI device data found.
  Device-1: NetGear Wireless_Device type: USB driver: N/A bus-ID: 4-1:3 chip-ID: 0846:9060
    class-ID: 0000 serial: <filter>
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 8.87 TiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%)
  SMART Message: Unable to run smartctl. Root privileges required.
  ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 maj-min: 259:2 vendor: Western Digital model: WDS500G1X0E-00AFY0
    size: 465.76 GiB block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 63.2 Gb/s lanes: 4 type: SSD
    serial: <filter> rev: 613000WD temp: 36.9 C scheme: GPT
  ID-2: /dev/nvme1n1 maj-min: 259:0 vendor: Western Digital model: WDS500G3XHC-00SJG0
    size: 465.76 GiB block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 31.6 Gb/s lanes: 4 type: SSD
    serial: <filter> rev: 102000WD temp: 32.9 C scheme: GPT
  ID-3: /dev/sda maj-min: 8:0 vendor: Samsung model: SSD 870 EVO 500GB size: 465.76 GiB
    block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 6.0 Gb/s type: SSD serial: <filter> rev: 1B6Q
    scheme: GPT
  ID-4: /dev/sdb maj-min: 8:16 vendor: SanDisk model: ST8000DM004-2CX188 size: 7.28 TiB
    block-size: physical: 4096 B logical: 512 B speed: 6.0 Gb/s type: HDD rpm: 5425 serial: <filter>
    rev: 0001 scheme: GPT
  ID-5: /dev/sdc maj-min: 8:32 type: USB vendor: Samsung model: SSD 970 EVO size: 232.89 GiB
    block-size: physical: 4096 B logical: 512 B type: SSD serial: <filter> rev: 5102 scheme: MBR
Partition:
  Message: No partition data found.
Swap:
  Kernel: swappiness: 15 (default 60) cache-pressure: 100 (default)
  ID-1: swap-1 type: partition size: 64 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) priority: -2 dev: /dev/sda2
    maj-min: 8:2
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 29.9 C mobo: N/A gpu: amdgpu temp: 52.0 C mem: 54.0 C
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A gpu: amdgpu fan: 0
Repos:
  Packages: pm: dpkg pkgs: 2528 libs: 1344 tools: apt,apt-get,aptitude,nala,synaptic pm: rpm
    pkgs: 0 pm: flatpak pkgs: 0
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian-stable-updates.list
    1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-updates main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian.list
    1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
    2: deb http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mx.list
    1: deb http://la.mxrepo.com/mx/repo/ bookworm main non-free
    2: deb http://la.mxrepo.com/mx/repo/ bookworm ahs
Info:
  Processes: 464 Uptime: 1m wakeups: 2 Memory: 31.26 GiB used: 1.8 GiB (5.8%) Init: SysVinit
  v: 3.06 runlevel: 5 default: graphical tool: systemctl Compilers: gcc: 12.2.0 alt: 12
  Client: shell wrapper v: 5.2.15-release inxi: 3.3.26
Boot Mode: UEFI

Posted: **Fri Jan 10, 2025 2:57 am**

siamhie wrote: Fri Jan 10, 2025 1:40 am They took MX-23.4 KDE and bundled extra software at a cost aka the Diamond Edition.

I'm not inherently opposed to the idea of charging for software, and I'm even willing to bend a little on charging for software in free and open source projects. Things like the grsec kernel hardening project would be something useful, and there's certainly a market for people who want enhanced security from their offerings, but I decline to pay for grsec patches because they never seem to get around to upstreaming any of their work to the mainline kernel. This makes them good at taking things and bad at giving things back, and if you want me to consider you not a terrible person, you need to figure out how to strike a balance between those two things.

If the iDealOS folks have an app or three that are just gobsmackingly good, I can see charging €59. And I can see bundling it with an OS for convenience much like how low-level disk repair or disk formatting tools are usually bundled into a little minimal version of a bootable FreeDOS ISO or something. I was happy to pay something like €60 every six months for new OpenBSD install discs I never used[0], because it was a project I'd used for years and it was a way to contribute back to those developers who helped build all my firewalls and mail servers.

I have no idea what the extra software is or why it might be worth €59, but that's for individual users to decide. Personally, I'm content staying amazed at how much the MX team has managed to accomplish building a project they provide at no cost. How can they do so much when they give away their software for free? Volume!

[0] I used the operating system, just not the discs.

Posted: **Fri Jan 10, 2025 6:38 am**

Code: Select all

Distro: MX-23.4_x64 Libretto

If that's the QSI from it, they literally didn't even bother to change its ID?

Posted: **Fri Jan 10, 2025 8:53 am**

Not that I'm equating the two projects (MX is the KIng!) but many years ago in my Remastersys days somebody did a similar thing with AVL, some guy literally just changed the wallpaper and was distributing it on SourceForge as 'Demon Linux'.. Of course it normally didn't matter in the FOSS world but I had proprietary apps that I was bundling with permission from their developers so this person was violating their redistribution licenses but that's another thing... At least this project is making it clear that it is based on MX, the commercial version seems a bit dubious but TBH I haven't read the fine print..

*Essentially with the exception of VS Code AVL is shipping everything in the Diamond edition and then some (full version of Ardour, Reaper, Mixbus and Commercial Plugin demos).. It should be noted OcenAudio has not been maintained for many years as far as I know and has been far surpassed by Audacity now..

Posted: **Fri Jan 10, 2025 8:59 am**

Let me clarify something, I have absolutely no problem if I give something for free if somebody takes it and makes money on it (if I wasn't fine with that I would use different licenses than GPL and MIT which both allow that)

I don't think it's OK to use our MX name, we have absolutely no control on that and they can add malware and spyware for what we know (BTW, that's valid for any distro and especially respins, don't go around trying respins from people you don't trust -- not worth the risk), and even if they don't do anything nefarious, we have no control on the quality of the product and if people have problems with it and see "MX" and our logo will associate whatever crap is released with us...

Posted: **Fri Jan 10, 2025 9:17 am**

I think this person has -- on the surface of his "product" and website -- followed our rules about making clear that his respin is not an official respin or release of MX. He has his own logo, which unfortunately seems to copy the 2 shades of green that Manjaro uses for its logo.

However, as Stevo has pointed out, he obviously hasn't gone deep enough to replace the MX ID with his own.

As for the merits of his respin, I don't think I need to add anything more than what has already been stated.

Posted: **Fri Jan 10, 2025 9:28 am**

I have conflicting thoughts.

I look at it one way and think it's "OK".

Then again, I think it's an abomination and a ripoff. Making money off the hard work of the MX Developers and Community. Just doesn't seem ethical.

Posted: **Fri Jan 10, 2025 9:31 am**

Agreed on compliance with our stated policy.

Posted: **Fri Jan 10, 2025 9:37 am**

Agreed, it does comply with the policy. It just leaves a bad taste in my mouth...

Posted: **Fri Jan 10, 2025 10:46 am**

Stevo wrote: Fri Jan 10, 2025 6:38 am
Code: Select all
Distro: MX-23.4_x64 Libretto
If that's the QSI from it, they literally didn't even bother to change its ID?

But wait, there's more.

Code: Select all

Snapshot created on: 20241227_0827

Posted: **Fri Jan 10, 2025 10:49 am**

DukeComposed wrote: Fri Jan 10, 2025 2:57 am I have no idea what the extra software is or why it might be worth €59, but that's for individual users to decide.

I posted a link to that.

Posted: **Fri Jan 10, 2025 10:50 am**

@siamhie

Haha, that's just cheating! You have to at least learn build-iso-mx to charge money...

Posted: **Fri Jan 10, 2025 10:52 am**

But wait, there's more.
Code: Select all
Snapshot created on: 20241227_0827

Posted: **Fri Jan 10, 2025 10:54 am**

AVLinux wrote: Fri Jan 10, 2025 8:53 am
*Essentially with the exception of VS Code AVL is shipping everything in the Diamond edition and then some (full version of Ardour, Reaper, Mixbus and Commercial Plugin demos).. It should be noted OcenAudio has not been maintained for many years as far as I know and has been far surpassed by Audacity now..

When I looked at the Diamond line-up of software, the first thing I honestly thought was they lifted software from your project.

Posted: **Fri Jan 10, 2025 11:39 am**

siamhie wrote: Fri Jan 10, 2025 10:49 am I posted a link to that.

Following that link would demand a minimal level of interest in this project I simply do not have.

However, it appears from the provided chart that the value-add of 59 Euros to their repainted MX desktop is only several third-party applications that have been pre-installed. I see Audacity, OBS Studio, Etcher, and VS Code.

So you can pay €59 for their Diamond Edition, or you can spend 15 minutes downloading things already available in existing package repos. I'm sure someone, somewhere would find that a worthwhile use of their cash. That person is not me.

Some people really like building their own home labs. Some folks like to design and build a custom media machine and hook it up to their television so they can watch movies or play games. And other folks just want to shell out some money to buy a box they can plug in and not have to think about it. I have to assume these folks would place a premium on convenience, and the "iDeal OD Emerald Edition" [sic] folks are betting that the convenience fee folks will pay for a bunch of pre-installed freeware is about €59.

Posted: **Fri Jan 10, 2025 11:41 am**

We've got a saying here: wat een gek ervoor geeft.

"what a fool is willing to pay for"

Basically, those who are willing to pay money for it will do so, no matter how stupid it may seem.

Posted: **Fri Jan 10, 2025 11:54 am**

Eadwine Rose wrote: Fri Jan 10, 2025 11:41 am We've got a saying here: wat een gek ervoor geeft.

"what a fool is willing to pay for"

Basically, those who are willing to pay money for it will do so, no matter how stupid it may seem.

Love those Dutch sayings... my former in-laws were Dutch immigrants and their home was full of them... I always liked "oost west thuis best" (roughly East West home is best) but every culture has tons of them, the Dutch ones are often inarguably pragmatic and that's what I love about them..

OK, with that back to our iDeal programming...

Posted: **Fri Jan 10, 2025 12:11 pm**

We have to be flattered that they snapshotted MX instead of Mint!

But maybe it's harder to remaster Mint.

Posted: **Fri Jan 10, 2025 12:44 pm**

Eadwine Rose wrote: Fri Jan 10, 2025 11:41 am We've got a saying here: wat een gek ervoor geeft.

"what a fool is willing to pay for"

Basically, those who are willing to pay money for it will do so, no matter how stupid it may seem.

Just realized that "geek" comes from Dutch.

Posted: **Fri Jan 10, 2025 2:38 pm**

Adrian wrote: Fri Jan 10, 2025 12:44 pm
Eadwine Rose wrote: Fri Jan 10, 2025 11:41 am We've got a saying here: wat een gek ervoor geeft.

"what a fool is willing to pay for"

Basically, those who are willing to pay money for it will do so, no matter how stupid it may seem.
Just realized that "geek" comes from Dutch.

That's good to know where "geek" came from :)

MX Linux Forum

iDeal OS (MX based)

iDeal OS (MX based)

Re: iDeal OS (MX based)

Re: iDeal OS (MX based)

Re: iDeal OS (MX based)

Re: iDeal OS (MX based)

Re: iDeal OS (MX based)

Re: iDeal OS (MX based)

Re: iDeal OS (MX based)

Re: iDeal OS (MX based)

Re: iDeal OS (MX based)

Re: iDeal OS (MX based)

Re: iDeal OS (MX based)

Re: iDeal OS (MX based)

Re: iDeal OS (MX based)

Re: iDeal OS (MX based)

Re: iDeal OS (MX based)

Re: iDeal OS (MX based)

Re: iDeal OS (MX based)

Re: iDeal OS (MX based)

Re: iDeal OS (MX based)

Re: iDeal OS (MX based)

Re: iDeal OS (MX based)

Re: iDeal OS (MX based)

Re: iDeal OS (MX based)

Re: iDeal OS (MX based)

Re: iDeal OS (MX based)