Run a Social Media Mini-Series "Week of the Beasties"

[callmetango]

Describe the idea

We should run a mini series on social media mentioning the various ways to run XLibre on BSD distributions resp. variants.

We should include this teaser image to kick-off the series:

It should be done because

So far we have focused a lot on Linux, which is good, but not all of FOSS.

In the last months we have also accomplished some quite good things on the BSD side of life, such as the XLibre FreeBSD ports, some builds on other BSDs and have gotten support from a FreeBSD variant and other BSD community members. Therefore, we should let the world know about it.

What are the alternatives?

Ignore the beasties. But why?

Additional context

@X11Libre/wranglers CC

Extra fields

• I have checked the existing New Ideas, RFCs Of The Core Team, Ideas Soon To Be Addressed and Someday Ideas
• I have read the Contributing Guidelines
• I'd like to work on this idea

[callmetango]

The teaser has already been published:

• XLibre on X: "As much as we like #Linux, we also care for #BSD s. That's why the next week will be all about them. https://t.co/n99jjJ8PQq" / X
• XLibre: "As much as we like #Linux, we also care for #BSD s. That's why the next week will be all about them." — Bluesky
• XLibre: "As much as we like #Linux, we …" - Mastodon

But there is still room for, er, content. Planned or considered so far:

• Fixed on Monday because time critical: Eric Turgeon on X: "#Xlibre is now in the @ghostbsdproject stable packages repository. Users can now test it, and we should soon have an unstable build available." / X and a big thank you to GhostBSD and @b-aaz
• b-aaz/xlibre-ports: An effort for porting X11libre to FreeBSD. and maybe mentioning Porting X11Libre to FreeBSD. | The FreeBSD Forums
  • maybe mention our CI builds on FreeBSD
• all Liberated Screens · X11Libre · Discussion #211 that are related to any BSD, maybe including the Gershwin desktop one by @probonopd
• Mention with teaser and link: Running XLibre on OpenBSD manually · X11Libre · Discussion #346
• Mention with teaser and link: Making XLibre to compile and run on NetBSD · X11Libre · Discussion #339

It would be very nice to have a DragonflyBSD build too, but that maybe also to much to ask for.

If there should be more, less, or something else please tell.

[callmetango]

If @fredvs succeeds: Making XLibre to compile and run on DragonFly BSD · X11Libre · Discussion #350

[fredvs]

If @fredvs succeeds: Making XLibre to compile and run on DragonFly BSD · X11Libre · Discussion #350

@cepelinas9000 did it, he is of an extraterrestrial level, impossible to beat him.

[callmetango]

I think it was good to add some thank you message and a screenshot when quoting Eric Turgeon on X: "#Xlibre is now in the @ghostbsdproject stable packages repository. Users can now test it, and we should soon have an unstable build available." / X. We could use the one of the Gershwin Desktop provided by @probonopd in https://github.com/orgs/X11Libre/discussions/211#discussioncomment-13970233 or maybe something more recent.

@probonopd What do you think? Is the Gershwin desktop screenshot representative or could/would you make another one? Maybe not with the default wallpaper as in e.g. https://x.com/linuxiarze/status/1960274649431830622 ?

[probonopd]

The Gershwin default wallpaper is just plain grey. This is a recent screenshot:

It should be mentioned that the whole thing is still in its very early days, essentially for developers only at this point. A lot will change in terms of look and feel, as well as functionality. Right now we are busy bringing GNUstep from the NeXTstep/OPENstep era into the Rhapsody era. And like Rhapsody itself, it is currently still a wild mix of the old and the new.

[callmetango]

Thank you very much! I will do so. Btw. The default desktop environment of GhostBSD is still Mate, right?

[metux]

New HBO miniseries ... installing Xlibre on a toaster ;-)

[metux]

10k views ... wow!

[metux]

Been talking about those toasters:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3f/BSG_-_Cylon_Centurion_%282004_series%29.jpg

[metux]

and of course Bear McCreary has to create the title music ;-)

[callmetango]

10k views ... wow!

Yes, it is. And 10K+ without a pushing repost of the The Journalist Who Must Not Be Named. 😉

[smj-cc]

Yes, it is. And 10K+ without a pushing repost of the The Journalist Who Must Not Be Named. 😉

yet

[callmetango]

@b-aaz Would you mind to create a new screenshot for FreeBSD so it could be used for tomorrows announcement of the already longer availability of third-party support for XLibre on FreeBSD? Other than what the people already know from the README.

[callmetango]

@b-aaz Honor where honor is due: vermaden: "Thanks! Added that into to the next Valuable News issue." — Bluesky

Besides the other "big thank you"s. 😉

[b-aaz]

Sorry, I was (am) kinda busy during these days (real life ...), If you still need one I can do it!
Also if you want anything included in the screenshot please say.

[callmetango]

(real life ...)

Yes, this happens. 😉 and my request was made at short notice. No problem. I already published your older screenshot. See XLibre on X: "#XLibre third-party packages for #FreeBSD..." / X

[callmetango]

The task will be tracked in Run a Social Media Mini-Series "Week of the Beasties" · Issue #351 · X11Libre/misc.

[darkhog]

How about expanding it to all UNIX/UNIX-like variants, including Linux distros that have yet to get official or third-party support (such as openSuSE Tumbleweed)?

[callmetango]

@darkhog That's an idea. What do you think the main storyline should be?

[darkhog]

Basically expanding the original concept to all UNIX-es (not just BSD) and Linux distro with no first-party or third party support. It could focus on how to build xlibre yourself on these unixes/distros and how to create custom packages for those who would be willing to maintain it as a third-party package.

[callmetango]

Understood. The idea of this BSDs mini series is to show that XLibre is more than Linux only. Ok, actually we already knew it also builds on FreeBSD, MacOS and MS Windows, but some parts of the world didn't. This current series is also focused on the somewhat different BSD technology stack in comparison to Linux. Think no Linuxy systemd, maybe other device manager than udev, kernel interfaces, graphics stacks, ... And really lately, namely last week, a lot of solutions appeared for the BSDs so it was about due.

Regarding the Linux distributions without first or third party support: I am not sure whether we should create a series about every (?) distribution out there. What would be the benefit? Our approach so far has been a "wait and see" one. Just give it some time until someone comes around and presents a solution for his distribution of choice. This worked exceptionally well up until now.

What I would like us to do is to further improve the Building XLibre · X11Libre/xserver Wiki page, resolve Add directions on how to switch to XLibre · Issue #210 · X11Libre/xserver, Easy-to-understand installation manual · Issue #280 · X11Libre/xserver, Improve documentation of pull request handling in CONTRIBUTING.md · Issue #222 · X11Libre/misc, Improve the build instructions for the XLibre drivers · Issue #318 · X11Libre/misc and then post about it one time on our social media channels.

We could also create a support page for first- and third-party package maintainers as well as soon to become ones. Where we list all the support we have to offer to them. This could be "advertised" in our README and on social media as well.

The next idea would be to encourage people to build and maybe as well package XLibre on the Illumos - Wikipedia family of operating systems. Once there are enough solutions available this could be a good mini series as well.

[callmetango]

@metux Given your comment https://github.com/orgs/X11Libre/discussions/339#discussioncomment-14225468

If anybody could add NetBSD to our CI, that would be really great.

and the recent developments in Making XLibre to compile and run on DragonFly BSD · X11Libre · Discussion #350 and Running XLibre on OpenBSD manually · X11Libre · Discussion #346:

What do you think about adding DragonFly BSD and OpenBSD to our CI too? If yes, I would like to talk about this, er, in public.

[callmetango]

@metux PING! 😉

[metux]

yes, of course. feel free to do so.

[callmetango]

Thank you. I have created the following tasks:

• Add DragonFly BSD to the Xserver CI build pipeline · Issue #945 · X11Libre/xserver
• Add OpenBSD to the Xserver CI build pipeline · Issue #946 · X11Libre/xserver

[callmetango]

@b-aaz I would like to forward an x.com question to you (Source):

Is there any formal effort underway yet to have an official FreeBSD port created for XLibre?

I don't, but do you know of any?

[b-aaz]

Short answer is no, not soon.

Long answer:
It is a large change in the ports tree that effects multiple ports, I do not think such change will be done anytime soon.
But if the GhostBSD guys continue to succeed with XLibre that would be a impressive track record that could make the FreeBSD port team more acceptable of such a change.
Also since the GhostBSD ports tree is nearly identical to the FreeBSD ports tree it would not be that hard to integrate the changes to FreeBSD.
There also are still some problems with NVIDIA hardware too that are not yet resolved, it is hard to resolve them because I do not have direct access to NVIDIA hardware.

[callmetango]

Thank you! And answered in https://x.com/XLibreDev/status/1963619629861146908.

[probonopd]

https://x.com/Ericbsd/status/1963924827028263258

[callmetango]

Thanks! Already reposted... and really nice to see the progress. Fits perfectly with the miniseries. 👍

[callmetango]

Quoting the final post of the series at XLibre on X: "We've reached the end of ..." / X:

We've reached the end of the #XLibre Week of the #BSD s. It was great to witness your enthusiasm. To underscore our commitment, we'll add DragonFly BSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD to our CI pipeline. If you like to help with XLibre on any BSD, you are welcome. Thank you all! #XLibreBSDsWeek

[callmetango]

Resolved by resolving Run a Social Media Mini-Series "Week of the Beasties" · Issue #351 · X11Libre/misc.