how to fork a linux os?

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arunarmstrong

how to fork a linux os?

Post by arunarmstrong »

does any one know how to fork a linux os?
sorry for the typeo
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 2 times in total.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
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xenopeek
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Re: how to folk a linux os?

Post by xenopeek »

"to folk"? I don't understand what you mean with folk used as a verb.
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Flemur
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Re: how to folk a linux os?

Post by Flemur »

"To folk" means "to advertise xsog.freesm..."
Please edit your original post title to include [SOLVED] if/when it is solved!
Your data and OS are backed up....right?
DrHu

Re: how to folk a linux os?

Post by DrHu »

Some of the history of forking..
http://mako.cc/writing/to_fork_or_not_to_fork.html

Often people fork (make a derivative) of a current Linux distribution: like Debian: what Ubuntu and Mint have done; and many others , and making it available for people to download
--whether or not you think it is different enough or offers any special features or functions you wish your Linux OS had, is entirely up to you
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DistroWatch
--a site that offers those forked versions and other news

People also sometimes are more constrained and offer theme for the various desktops instead of making a complete Linux OS derivative..
http://gnome-look.org/
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xenopeek
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Re: how to fork a linux os?

Post by xenopeek »

Right, "fork"... Moved to chat about Linux as this isn't a Linux Mint support question.

Depends on what you mean to do. Linux Mint builds on top of the Ubuntu package base, so using repositories of that distro and adding its own repositories for the Linux Mint provided packages. BTW, agreements are in place with Canonical for this use of the Ubuntu package base. Ubuntu in turn builds on top of Debian, but not using the Debian repositories themselves but importing majority of its packages from Debian repositories (so you get the packages from the Ubuntu repositories, but they ultimately originate from Debian). There are also distros with a complete fork, where there is no further link between the distros after the fork (so, the new distro builds all its packages and uses only its own repositories). Can't immediately think of a Linux example, but OpenBSD is a complete fork of NetBSD.

Usually the name, logo, artwork, and other branding of a distro is trademarked and copyrighted. So forking a distro means coming up with your own name, logo, artwork, and other branding; and replacing all that in your fork. You can't use somebody else their name for a work your created or customized. That's for example why Debian doesn't have Firefox, but IceWeasel (because Debian modifies Firefox source code, so it is no longer the work created by Mozilla).

So back to the question, it all depends on what you mean to do with "fork a linux os". There are many gradients of forking :wink:
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Pierre
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Re: how to fork a linux os?

Post by Pierre »

'fork it' as in "that's works well - are you going to fork it?".

- a common English language expression .. ..

ie: how to use some software to modify the original ISO into something that you, the end user would like.
http://www.littlesvr.ca/isomaster/

this point has been raised before on this forum:
- it's okay to do that with LinuxMint, but - you may not be able to re-use the Mint logo, brand-name, etc
as they belong to the LinuxMint rights holder ( Clem ).

- so do what others do - fork the Ubuntu O/S series. ..
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Please edit your original post title to include [SOLVED] - when your problem is solved!
and DO LOOK at those Unanswered Topics - - you may be able to answer some!.
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xenopeek
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Re: how to fork a linux os?

Post by xenopeek »

Pierre wrote:- it's okay to do that with LinuxMint, but - you may not be able to re-use the Mint logo, brand-name, etc
as they belong to the LinuxMint rights holder ( Clem ).
Exactly. We wish you the best with your new distro, and you can continue to use Linux Mint developed technology, but you'll have to come up with your own name, logo, artwork, and other branding and you can't misrepresent your distro as being associated with Linux Mint. You'll have to build your own community and provide support for the users of your distro and can't use the Linux Mint support channels for that.

I'm not a distro maintainer, but tackling all the bugs that come up through development and testing can be a bit of a slog at times. Finally shipping a release is also a release in the other meaning of the word :)
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arunarmstrong

Re: how to fork a linux os?

Post by arunarmstrong »

thanks guys i just want to fork a linux os for personal use so when i have friends round i can brag about the fact i have my own os.
kind of like what mint did with ubuntu but on a much, much smaller scale
richyrich

Re: how to fork a linux os?

Post by richyrich »

If you really want to impress your friends, and learn lots too - Linux From Scratch
arunarmstrong

Re: how to fork a linux os?

Post by arunarmstrong »

richyrich wrote:If you really want to impress your friends, and learn lots too - Linux From Scratch
thanks
Nilla Wafer

Re: how to fork a linux os?

Post by Nilla Wafer »

xsog wrote:thanks guys i just want to fork a linux os for personal use so when i have friends round i can brag about the fact i have my own os.
If that's all, then just use GIMP to create special wallpaper, login screen, and menu icon with a cool "Xsog's Super Cool Custom Linux" logo and use it on whatever distro you like!

But this is GNU/Linux. In a way you already have "your own" OS.

As for the bragging stuff, I don't really get that because Linux is a gift - freely offered at no charge. I think it's silly to brag about something that was given to me as a gift. If my own hard work produces something beautiful, then I have something to brag about. But a gift? Not so much. But I can "brag" about the wonderful people that make my OS so easy to use and then give it away! I can brag about the generosity and creativity of the wonderful people who create and maintain Linux Mint, and all those upstream who give us Ubuntu, Debian, the Linux kernel, the amazing multiple desktop choices, the free office software, utilities, games, browsers, drivers, etc. Why not brag on them? I know how encouraging and motivating that can be, when people express gratitude and admiration for a job well done. Alot of wonderful anonymous people work really hard with no expectation of reward to give us this fantastic free operating system. Better in my opinion to thank them, even though imitation is the greatest flattery.
arunarmstrong

Re: how to fork a linux os?

Post by arunarmstrong »

Nilla Wafer wrote:
xsog wrote:thanks guys i just want to fork a linux os for personal use so when i have friends round i can brag about the fact i have my own os.
If that's all, then just use GIMP to create special wallpaper, login screen, and menu icon with a cool "Xsog's Super Cool Custom Linux" logo and use it on whatever distro you like!

But this is GNU/Linux. In a way you already have "your own" OS.

As for the bragging stuff, I don't really get that because Linux is a gift - freely offered at no charge. I think it's silly to brag about something that was given to me as a gift. If my own hard work produces something beautiful, then I have something to brag about. But a gift? Not so much. But I can "brag" about the wonderful people that make my OS so easy to use and then give it away! I can brag about the generosity and creativity of the wonderful people who create and maintain Linux Mint, and all those upstream who give us Ubuntu, Debian, the Linux kernel, the amazing multiple desktop choices, the free office software, utilities, games, browsers, drivers, etc. Why not brag on them? I know how encouraging and motivating that can be, when people express gratitude and admiration for a job well done. Alot of wonderful anonymous people work really hard with no expectation of reward to give us this fantastic free operating system. Better in my opinion to thank them, even though imitation is the greatest flattery.
I want the name to be changed as well so it really looks like i did it.
arunarmstrong

Re: how to fork a linux os?

Post by arunarmstrong »

Any one know any code for forking a linux os?
richyrich

Re: how to fork a linux os?

Post by richyrich »

Take a look at this one, the Ultimate Editions are built by it . .

http://www.os-builder.com/
arunarmstrong

Re: how to fork a linux os?

Post by arunarmstrong »

thanks i will take a look in to it when i get the chance
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