Ark Linux
Encyclopedia
Ark Linux is a Linux distribution
maintained by a group of volunteers and aims to be easy to install and use. Its default desktop environment
is KDE
.
Ark Linux is available both as an installable CD and as a Live CD
, and is free software
.
Nothing else is included, for example server-centric applications and development tools are not part of the core system.
Many applications that are not included in the core system can be installed online using Advanced Packaging Tool
, and are available on add-on CDs.
Additionally, a separate online repository of unsupported software (this includes software that's free to use, but not open source
, such as Adobe Flash
) is available.
, a version of the APT
for the RPM
, with Kynaptic (a KDE port of Synaptic
) as the graphical frontend, to manage its packages. Future releases of Ark will use ZYpp
as a replacement, making Ark the first third-party distribution to use the native package manager of openSUSE
.
In addition to its releases, Ark Linux has 4 package trees:
A standard installation receives updates and extra packages from the Dockyard and Dockyard contrib trees.
For Ark Linux packagers, a number of small convenience tools are included, commonly known as the v* toolchain (even though not all the tools start with a v). They are designed to help generate patches and spec files for the RPM source packages.
There is no need to reinstall when a new release is made—since the Dockyard tree gets updated, a user automatically gets the new release by running an apt-get
dist-upgrade.
The first test release (1.0 alpha 1), basically a proof of concept that showed Linux could be installed in 3 mouse clicks, was made in August 2001.
Subsequent public releases include:
However, there is usually a Dockyard ISO available (see Package Management above), which sometimes will be updated further than the last release. For example, the Ark Linux 2007.1 release encountered some hardware support glitches, such as not detecting AHCI SATA controllers. A hot-fix ISO was released, which included this functionality, but the version number was not increased, as other known errors were yet to be fixed.
Linux distribution
A Linux distribution is a member of the family of Unix-like operating systems built on top of the Linux kernel. Such distributions are operating systems including a large collection of software applications such as word processors, spreadsheets, media players, and database applications...
maintained by a group of volunteers and aims to be easy to install and use. Its default desktop environment
Desktop environment
In graphical computing, a desktop environment commonly refers to a style of graphical user interface derived from the desktop metaphor that is seen on most modern personal computers. These GUIs help the user in easily accessing, configuring, and modifying many important and frequently accessed...
is KDE
KDE
KDE is an international free software community producing an integrated set of cross-platform applications designed to run on Linux, FreeBSD, Microsoft Windows, Solaris and Mac OS X systems...
.
Ark Linux is available both as an installable CD and as a Live CD
Live CD
A live CD, live DVD, or live disc is a CD or DVD containing a bootable computer operating system. Live CDs are unique in that they have the ability to run a complete, modern operating system on a computer lacking mutable secondary storage, such as a hard disk drive...
, and is free software
Free software
Free software, software libre or libre software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions that only ensure that further recipients can also do...
.
Principles
The primary goals of Ark Linux are:- Being easy to install and learn.
- Including all tools and applications a typical desktop user will need.
- Including only tools and applications a typical desktop user will need—avoid becoming "bloated".
- Making installation of additional software as easy and fast as possible.
- Being a technically sane development environment.
- Remaining 100% free softwareFree softwareFree software, software libre or libre software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions that only ensure that further recipients can also do...
- GPL where possible, otherwise other freeThe Free Software DefinitionThe Free Software Definition, written by Richard Stallman and published by Free Software Foundation , defines free software, as a matter of liberty, not price. The term "free" is used in the sense of "free speech," not of "free beer." The earliest known publication of the definition was in the...
and open sourceOpen Source DefinitionThe Open Source Definition is a document published by the Open Source Initiative, to determine whether or not a software license can be labeled with the open-source certification mark....
licences - Remain true to the Free Software StandardsThe Free Software DefinitionThe Free Software Definition, written by Richard Stallman and published by Free Software Foundation , defines free software, as a matter of liberty, not price. The term "free" is used in the sense of "free speech," not of "free beer." The earliest known publication of the definition was in the...
Content
The Ark Linux core system is made up of one CD that tries to provide what the typical new desktop user will need, such as an office suite, Internet access tools, instant messaging and filesharing clients.Nothing else is included, for example server-centric applications and development tools are not part of the core system.
Many applications that are not included in the core system can be installed online using Advanced Packaging Tool
Advanced Packaging Tool
The Advanced Packaging Tool, or APT, is a free user interface that works with core libraries to handle the installation and removal of software on the Debian GNU/Linux distribution and its variants...
, and are available on add-on CDs.
Additionally, a separate online repository of unsupported software (this includes software that's free to use, but not open source
Open source
The term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...
, such as Adobe Flash
Adobe Flash
Adobe Flash is a multimedia platform used to add animation, video, and interactivity to web pages. Flash is frequently used for advertisements, games and flash animations for broadcast...
) is available.
Package management
Ark Linux uses APT-RPMApt-rpm
APT-RPM is a version of the Advanced Packaging Tool modified to work with the RPM Package Manager. It was originally ported to RPM by Alfredo Kojima and then further developed and improved by Gustavo Niemeyer, both working for the Conectiva Linux distribution at the time.In March 2005 the...
, a version of the APT
Advanced Packaging Tool
The Advanced Packaging Tool, or APT, is a free user interface that works with core libraries to handle the installation and removal of software on the Debian GNU/Linux distribution and its variants...
for the RPM
RPM Package Manager
RPM Package Manager is a package management system. The name RPM variously refers to the .rpm file format, files in this format, software packaged in such files, and the package manager itself...
, with Kynaptic (a KDE port of Synaptic
Synaptic Package Manager
Synaptic is a computer program which is a GTK+ graphical user interface front-end to the Advanced Packaging Tool for the Debian package management system. Synaptic is usually used on systems based on deb packages but can also be used on systems based on RPM packages...
) as the graphical frontend, to manage its packages. Future releases of Ark will use ZYpp
ZYpp
ZYpp is a package management engine that powers Linux applications like YaST, Zypper and the openSUSE/SUSE Linux Enterprise implementation of PackageKit. Unlike other common package managers, it provides a powerful satisfiability solver to compute package dependencies and a convenient package...
as a replacement, making Ark the first third-party distribution to use the native package manager of openSUSE
OpenSUSE
openSUSE is a general purpose operating system built on top of the Linux kernel, developed by the community-supported openSUSE Project and sponsored by SUSE...
.
In addition to its releases, Ark Linux has 4 package trees:
- Dockyard: Tested packages belonging to the core system.
- Dockyard contrib: Tested packages that are not part of the core system, e.g. due to licensing restrictions
- Dockyard-devel: Development tree (core system). Normally usable, but may break at times. After testing, packages are moved from Dockyard-devel to Dockyard.
- Dockyard-devel contrib: Development tree (not part of core system).
A standard installation receives updates and extra packages from the Dockyard and Dockyard contrib trees.
For Ark Linux packagers, a number of small convenience tools are included, commonly known as the v* toolchain (even though not all the tools start with a v). They are designed to help generate patches and spec files for the RPM source packages.
Release history
All releases are tested snapshots of the Dockyard tree (see Package Management above) - a default installation will update from the Dockyard and Dockyard contrib trees.There is no need to reinstall when a new release is made—since the Dockyard tree gets updated, a user automatically gets the new release by running an apt-get
Advanced Packaging Tool
The Advanced Packaging Tool, or APT, is a free user interface that works with core libraries to handle the installation and removal of software on the Debian GNU/Linux distribution and its variants...
dist-upgrade.
The first test release (1.0 alpha 1), basically a proof of concept that showed Linux could be installed in 3 mouse clicks, was made in August 2001.
Subsequent public releases include:
- 19 March 2005 - Ark Linux 2005.1
- 31 March 2005 - Ark Linux 2005.1-SR1
- 10 December 2005 - Ark Linux 2005.2
- 2 August 2006 - Ark Linux 2006.1, Ark Linux Live 2006.1
- 17 August 2007 - Ark Linux 2007.1, Ark Linux Live 2007.1
- 14 May 2008 - Ark Linux 2008.1—Last KDE 3.x based release
However, there is usually a Dockyard ISO available (see Package Management above), which sometimes will be updated further than the last release. For example, the Ark Linux 2007.1 release encountered some hardware support glitches, such as not detecting AHCI SATA controllers. A hot-fix ISO was released, which included this functionality, but the version number was not increased, as other known errors were yet to be fixed.
External links
- Ark Linux official website (Note that DistroWatch shows all software included on any of the add-on CDs in addition to the software in the core OS; it doesn't show software included in the contrib repository though)