Linux Format - UK (2020-03)

http://www.techradar.com/pro/linux March 2020 LXF260 21

Distribution REVIEWS

An experimental

project from the

creator of the

popular Puppy

Linux series of

distros. The new

project mixes

some of the

best things

about Puppy

with new tech,

in particular

containers to

add new

capabilities

without

additional

complexities

or computing

overheads.

CPU: Any 64-bit

processor

MEM: 4GB

HDD: 8GB

BUILD: AMD64

and AArch64

IN BRIEF

SPECS

VERDICT

the RAM. When running in this mode, the distro stays

clear of any connected drives. In addition, the distro

invokes the kernel’s lockdown module in this mode to

further enhance security.

The best thing about EasyOS is that you can still use it

as a regular desktop distro, its new-fangled containerised

tech notwithstanding. EasyOS, like Puppy Linux, takes the

kitchen sink approach and includes an app or two for

virtually all possible use cases. Most of these are home-

brewed Puppy variants, though there are several

mainstream ones as well, including LibreOffice, GIMP and

Gnome MPV. The latest release is built from Debian 10

and has access to its huge repository of packages, which

you can access via its PETget package manager.

EasyOS doesn’t try to hide the fact that it’s an outlet

for its developers’ experiments with containers. That said,

the container-specific enhancements are mostly behind

the scenes and stay out of the way of anyone not

interested in tinkering with them. In essence, the

experimental features don’t prevent you from enjoying

EasyOS as a fast and lightweight alternative to your

regular desktop installation.

t first glance EasyOS looks

and feels like yet-another

variant of Puppy Linux. It’s

got the same JWM-ROX-powered

retro-looking desktop, and the same

unconventional applications menu

that houses a slew of Puppy’s custom

apps for all desktop tasks. Even

behind the scenes the distro uses

Puppy’s SFS-layered filesystem and

continues with the distro’s infamous

run-as-root philosophy.

But despite the similarities,

EasyOS isn’t another fork of Puppy.

The project is an experiment in using

container technology to create a

secure yet easy-to-use and manage

distro. Its developer doesn’t claim to

be an expert in security or containers but wanted to

apply the concepts to the distro he knows well. Also,

while EasyOS does security by containerised isolation, it

doesn’t use any of the existing container technologies like

LXC and Docker. Instead, it uses its own home-brewed

solution to isolate apps and even complete distros without

a load of computing overhead.

EasyOS’s workflow is a little different compared to

Puppy derivatives thanks to its reimagined design. The

entire OS resides in a single file that unfurls during

bootup, and includes a working partition that can be

optionally encrypted. Besides the normal apps, the

containerised ones have a padlock and are placed on the

desktop, and you can fire them up just like any other app.

The container-specific advancements reside inside

the Filesystem menu in the familiar-looking desktop.

While the distro ships with some containers (the icons

with the padlock symbol) you can use the Easy Container

Management app to isolate any of the other installed apps

inside a container. The interface of the app isn’t the

prettiest, but is a lot better than messing around the CLI.

You can also containerise entire distros, as long as

they’ve been packaged according to the distro’s

specifications. To that end, you can use the SFS package

manager to download two Puppy derivatives, Racy Puppy

and XenialPup, which you can then run inside containers.

Best of breed

Another interesting feature of the distro is its advanced

version-management capabilities. By using this you can

roll-back and roll-forward to another snapshot of the

installation. Here too the distro ships with the custom

graphical app called Easy Version Control to create and

jump to snapshots of your installation.

As it strives to be a secure distro, another use case it

offers is executed using the Copy Session To RAM boot

option that runs an instance of the distro exclusively from

EasyOS 2.2

Lazing into his chair with a hot toddy, Mayank Sharma mulls over

the age‑old question: can an old dog learn new tricks?

A

It’s tagged as an experiment, but it’s a stable showcase for a

secure installation that’s easy to use and manage.

FEATURES 8/10

PERFORMANCE 9/10

EASE OF USE 8/10

DOCUMENTATION 8/10

Rating 8/10

DEVELOPER: Barry Kauler

WEB: https://easyos.org

LICENCE: GPL v3

All of the custom components include built-in snippets of documentation that will help you find

your way around the interface.

MMMarch 20102ahLzin2Ligtosw March 2020 LXF260 21

Distribution REVIEWS

Anexperimental
projectfromthe
creatorofthe
popularPuppy
Linuxseriesof
distros.Thenew
projectmixes
someofthe
bestthings
aboutPuppy
withnewtech,
inparticular
containersto
addnew
capabilities
without
additional
complexities
orcomputing
overheads.

CPU:Any64-bit
processor
MEM:4GB
HDD:8GB
BUILD:AMD64
andAArch64

INBRIEF

SPECS

VERDICT

theRAM.Whenrunninginthismode,thedistrostays

clearofanyconnecteddrives.Inaddition,thedistro

invokesthekernel’slockdownmoduleinthismodeto

furtherenhancesecurity.

ThebestthingaboutEasyOSisthatyoucanstilluseit

asaregulardesktopdistro,itsnew-fangledcontainerised

technotwithstanding.EasyOS,likePuppyLinux,takesthe

kitchensinkapproachandincludesanapportwofor

virtuallyallpossibleusecases.Mostofthesearehome-

brewedPuppyvariants,thoughthereareseveral

mainstreamonesaswell,includingLibreOffice,GIMPand

GnomeMPV.ThelatestreleaseisbuiltfromDebian 10

andhasaccesstoitshugerepositoryofpackages,which

youcanaccessviaitsPETgetpackagemanager.

EasyOSdoesn’ttrytohidethefactthatit’sanoutlet

foritsdevelopers’experimentswithcontainers.Thatsaid,

thecontainer-specificenhancementsaremostlybehind

thescenesandstayoutofthewayofanyonenot

interestedintinkeringwiththem.Inessence,the

experimentalfeaturesdon’tpreventyoufromenjoying

EasyOSasafastandlightweightalternativetoyour

regulardesktopinstallation.

tfirstglanceEasyOSlooks

andfeelslikeyet-another

variantofPuppyLinux.It’s

gotthesameJWM-ROX-powered

retro-lookingdesktop,andthesame

unconventionalapplicationsmenu

thathousesaslewofPuppy’scustom

appsforalldesktoptasks.Even

behindthescenesthedistrouses

Puppy’sSFS-layeredfilesystemand

continueswiththedistro’sinfamous

run-as-rootphilosophy.

Butdespitethesimilarities,

EasyOSisn’tanotherforkofPuppy.

Theprojectisanexperimentinusing

containertechnologytocreatea

secureyeteasy-to-useandmanage

distro.Itsdeveloperdoesn’tclaimto

beanexpertinsecurityorcontainersbutwantedto

applytheconceptstothedistroheknowswell.Also,

whileEasyOSdoessecuritybycontainerisedisolation,it

doesn’tuseanyoftheexistingcontainertechnologieslike

LXCandDocker.Instead,itusesitsownhome-brewed

solutiontoisolateappsandevencompletedistroswithout

aloadofcomputingoverhead.

EasyOS’sworkflowisalittledifferentcomparedto

Puppyderivativesthankstoitsreimagineddesign.The

entireOSresidesinasinglefilethatunfurlsduring

bootup,andincludesaworkingpartitionthatcanbe

optionallyencrypted.Besidesthenormalapps,the

containerisedoneshaveapadlockandareplacedonthe

desktop,andyoucanfirethemupjustlikeanyotherapp.

Thecontainer-specificadvancementsresideinside

theFilesystemmenuinthefamiliar-lookingdesktop.

Whilethedistroshipswithsomecontainers(theicons

withthepadlocksymbol)youcanusetheEasyContainer

Managementapptoisolateanyoftheotherinstalledapps

insideacontainer.Theinterfaceoftheappisn’tthe

prettiest,butisalotbetterthanmessingaroundtheCLI.

Youcanalsocontaineriseentiredistros,aslongas

they’vebeenpackagedaccordingtothedistro’s

specifications.Tothatend,youcanusetheSFSpackage

managertodownloadtwoPuppyderivatives,RacyPuppy

andXenialPup,whichyoucanthenruninsidecontainers.

Bestofbreed

Anotherinterestingfeatureofthedistroisitsadvanced

version-managementcapabilities.Byusingthisyoucan

roll-backandroll-forwardtoanothersnapshotofthe

installation.Heretoothedistroshipswiththecustom

graphicalappcalledEasyVersionControltocreateand

jumptosnapshotsofyourinstallation.

Asitstrivestobeasecuredistro,anotherusecaseit

offersisexecutedusingtheCopySessionToRAMboot

option that runs an instance of the distro exclusively from

EasyOS 2.2

Lazing into his chair with a hot toddy, Mayank Sharma mulls over

the age‑old question: can an old dog learn new tricks?

A

It’staggedasanexperiment,butit’sa stableshowcasefora

secureinstallationthat’seasytouseandmanage.

FEATURES 8/10

PERFORMANCE 9/10

EASEOFUSE 8/10

DOCUMENTATION 8/10

Rating 8/10

DEVELOPER: Barry Kauler

WEB: https://easyos.org

LICENCE: GPL v3

All of the custom components include built-in snippets of documentation that will help you find

your way around the interface.