Difference between revisions of "FAQ"

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; Will GalliumOS work on my Chromebook/Chromebox?
 
; Will GalliumOS work on my Chromebook/Chromebox?
 
: Yes, for most devices. See [[Hardware Compatibility]].
 
: Yes, for most devices. See [[Hardware Compatibility]].
: Haswell, Broadwell, and Bay Trail devices are best-tested. Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge devices are also tested.
+
: Models with Intel processors are generally well-supported.
: ARM devices are '''not supported''', and Atom/Pineview devices are '''not supported'''.
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: ARM devices are '''not supported'''.  
: There are a couple of significant open issues on Google Pixel models. Check the [https://github.com/GalliumOS/galliumos-disto/issues Issue Tracker] for updates.
 
  
 
; How do I install GalliumOS? And why would I want to?
 
; How do I install GalliumOS? And why would I want to?
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: [[Media keys and default keybindings]]
 
: [[Media keys and default keybindings]]
  
; Touchscreen support?
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; What about the touchpad? Sensitivity, palm rejection, etc?
: GalliumOS uses Xfce, but presently has no additional touchscreen capabilities. Got a loaner device? [mailto:contact@galliumos.org Let us know!] :)
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: [[FAQ/Touchpad]]
  
== Security Updates ==
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; If things don't work out, can I go back to ChromeOS?
'''GalliumOS 1.0 is based on Ubuntu 15.04, which is no longer receiving security updates. Will there be security updates?'''
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: Yes, of course. You might prefer to dual-boot (ChromeOS + GalliumOS) first, if you just want to test GalliumOS. See [[Installing]] and [[FAQ/Reverting to ChromeOS]] for details.
 
 
Yes, we are porting security updates from newer Ubuntu releases to GalliumOS 1.0. We will continue this until GalliumOS 2.0 is released, which will be based on Ubuntu 16.04 LTS.
 
  
 
== Software ==
 
== Software ==
 
; How do I update the OS and apps?
 
; How do I update the OS and apps?
: We are in the process of selecting a package manager/Software Center style app for GUI updates.
+
: GalliumOS includes '''GalliumOS Update''' in the Launcher menu. It is a simple wrapper around <code>apt</code> to update installed packages. You will be notified automatically when new software is available.
: You can update from the command line with <code>sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get dist-upgrade</code>.
 
: Beta releases will update to newer betas and to the 1.0 release as they become available.
 
  
 
; Does Minecraft work? Does Steam work?
 
; Does Minecraft work? Does Steam work?
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; How can I run Flash apps/videos (e.g. Twitch)?
 
; How can I run Flash apps/videos (e.g. Twitch)?
: Flash player is not installed by default. You have a few options, see [[Adobe Flash]].
+
: Flash player is not installed by default. You have a few options, see [[Additional Software]].
  
 
; Can I watch Netflix under GalliumOS?
 
; Can I watch Netflix under GalliumOS?
: Absolutely. You'll need Google Chrome. See [[Additional Software]].
+
: Absolutely. You'll need Google Chrome or Firefox. See [[Additional Software]].
  
 
; How do I install software package X?
 
; How do I install software package X?
 
: Some packages are available directly from Ubuntu repositories, and some require a few more steps. See [[Additional Software]].
 
: Some packages are available directly from Ubuntu repositories, and some require a few more steps. See [[Additional Software]].
 +
 +
; How can I beta test new packages before general release?
 +
: You can enable our special "testing" package repository. See [[Repositories]] for details. Thank you for helping us test!
  
 
== Performance ==
 
== Performance ==
; How does battery life compare between GalliumOS and ChromeOS?
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; How does GalliumOS affect battery life?
: TBD. Watch this space!
+
: Total run time will vary between models, but reports generally indicate battery life comparable to ChromeOS (within 10-15%, with GalliumOS sometimes exceeding ChromeOS, and sometimes the reverse).
: Initial tests show parity with other lightweight Linux distros, but the comparison against ChromeOS has not been performed yet.
 
  
 
; How much disk space will GalliumOS use?
 
; How much disk space will GalliumOS use?
: A clean new installation of GalliumOS will use somewhere around 3GB on your SSD or HDD. Obviously, it will expand as you install more software and store your personal data.
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: A fresh installation of GalliumOS 2.1 requires 2.9GB. This will increase as you install additional software and add personal data.
  
 
== Wiki ==
 
== Wiki ==
  
; How can I contribute?
+
'''How can I contribute?'''
: Drop into #galliumos so we can create a wiki user account for you.
+
 
 +
We need editors of this wiki. Drop into IRC Freenode [https://galliumos.org/irc #galliumos] and say hello so we can create a wiki user account for you.
 +
 
 +
You can join us on our Github page. [https://github.com/GalliumOS https://github.com/GalliumOS]
 +
 
 +
Found a bug? Issues are tracked on [https://github.com/GalliumOS/galliumos-distro/issues Github] too.
 +
 
 +
Spare some change? Of course you can! How about a monthly donation? You are generous! [https://galliumos.org/donate Donate here]
 +
 
 +
Donate your old laptop to us to test on. [mailto:info@galliumos.org Email us what you got and we'll get back to you.]
 +
 
 +
Get a dozen stickers from [https://wiki.galliumos.org/News/2016_Annual_Report_and_Announcement#Stickers_and_T-Shirts this online sticker store] and pass them out at your next Free/Open Source expo.
 +
 
 +
Spread the word about us on social media. [http://reddit.com/r/GalliumOS reddit] & [http://twitter.com/GalliumOS twitter]

Revision as of 23:28, 27 March 2018

Compatibility and Installation

Will GalliumOS work on my Chromebook/Chromebox?
Yes, for most devices. See Hardware Compatibility.
Models with Intel processors are generally well-supported.
ARM devices are not supported.
How do I install GalliumOS? And why would I want to?
Installing GalliumOS
Why GalliumOS?
Keyboard mappings? How do I ...
Media keys and default keybindings
What about the touchpad? Sensitivity, palm rejection, etc?
FAQ/Touchpad
If things don't work out, can I go back to ChromeOS?
Yes, of course. You might prefer to dual-boot (ChromeOS + GalliumOS) first, if you just want to test GalliumOS. See Installing and FAQ/Reverting to ChromeOS for details.

Software

How do I update the OS and apps?
GalliumOS includes GalliumOS Update in the Launcher menu. It is a simple wrapper around apt to update installed packages. You will be notified automatically when new software is available.
Does Minecraft work? Does Steam work?
Yes and yes. Remember that in most cases, this is not powerful hardware. Minecraft is playable at 30fps on an Acer C720 (2GB Celeron 2955U 1.4GHz), and many Steam titles are playable on the same hardware. A faster processor and additional RAM will improve the experience, as usual.
See Games and Additional Software for more info and installation recommendations.
How can I run Flash apps/videos (e.g. Twitch)?
Flash player is not installed by default. You have a few options, see Additional Software.
Can I watch Netflix under GalliumOS?
Absolutely. You'll need Google Chrome or Firefox. See Additional Software.
How do I install software package X?
Some packages are available directly from Ubuntu repositories, and some require a few more steps. See Additional Software.
How can I beta test new packages before general release?
You can enable our special "testing" package repository. See Repositories for details. Thank you for helping us test!

Performance

How does GalliumOS affect battery life?
Total run time will vary between models, but reports generally indicate battery life comparable to ChromeOS (within 10-15%, with GalliumOS sometimes exceeding ChromeOS, and sometimes the reverse).
How much disk space will GalliumOS use?
A fresh installation of GalliumOS 2.1 requires 2.9GB. This will increase as you install additional software and add personal data.

Wiki

How can I contribute?

We need editors of this wiki. Drop into IRC Freenode #galliumos and say hello so we can create a wiki user account for you.

You can join us on our Github page. https://github.com/GalliumOS

Found a bug? Issues are tracked on Github too.

Spare some change? Of course you can! How about a monthly donation? You are generous! Donate here

Donate your old laptop to us to test on. Email us what you got and we'll get back to you.

Get a dozen stickers from this online sticker store and pass them out at your next Free/Open Source expo.

Spread the word about us on social media. reddit & twitter