119 lines
7.5 KiB
HTML
119 lines
7.5 KiB
HTML
<!--#set var="title" value="About" -->
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<!--#set var="description" value="A general description of the openmamba GNU/Linux development project." -->
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<!--#set var="keywords" value="about,faq,contact,information" -->
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<!--#include virtual="/header.html" -->
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<table width="100%"><tr><td>
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<tr><td valign="middle">
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<table align="center"><tr>
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<td><img src="images/info_gr.png" alt="email address"></td>
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<td class="toptitle">Basic information (questions and answers)</td>
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</tr></table>
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<br>
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</td></tr>
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<tr><td>
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<b>What is openmamba?</b>
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<br>Started on January 2007, openmamba is a project aimed at creating a community for the development of open source software
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with the design guidelines of an up-to-date GNU/Linux system in mind. Development covers low-level parts like the Linux kernel,
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the GNU compiler, base tools and libraries up to the high-level parts like graphical desktop interface and a wide range of
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application from office to multimedia to games.
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<p><b>Is it a GNU/Linux distribution?</b>
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<img align="right" src="/distribution/screenshots/openmamba-desktop.png" alt="openmamba distribution">
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<br>Yes, openmamba is also the name of a fully featured GNU/Linux distribution for desktop and servers.
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<p><b>Which distribution is it based on?</b>
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<br>openmamba has its root in QiLinux repository and took the form of an autonomous
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distribution in early 2007 when QiLinux public updates availability stopped.
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<p><b>Can I install it on my computer?</b>
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<br>Yes! If you have a PC compatibile computer (32 bit Intel i686 and compatible architectures),
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or an Intel based Mac you can install it from the <a href="/distribution/media/livecd.html">livecd</a>.
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See the <a href="/distribution/install.html">install</a> page for instructions.
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<p><b>I have a PC with a 64 bit AMD processor, can I install and use openmamba on it?</b>
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<br>Yes, altough a 64 bit optimized distribution of openmamba does not exist yet, you
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can install and use it without pain in 32 bit mode.
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<p><b>Is it possible to upgrade from QiLinux to openmamba?</b>
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<br>Not any more. The upgrade was introduced in the beginning because openmamba didn't
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have it's own installation yet. Upgrading now is not supported and generates a lot of
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errors, so use the <a href="/distribution/media/livecd.html">livecd</a> instead to perform
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a full native installation.
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<p><b>What kind of software packaging is the distribution based on?</b>
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<br>openmamba uses RPM as the package manager and apt for packages installation and upgrades from repositories.
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Synaptic tool is available for installations and upgrades from the graphical desktop.
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<p><b>Can I install RPMs packaged for other distributions?</b>
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<br>It is not convenient for open source software, the best thing is to repackage it for openmamba. On the contrary,
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commercial software packaged for other RPM based distributions (RedHat, Suse, Mandriva) mostly works, thus
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compared with other distributions there are no limitations on the quantity of software you can run on openmamba.
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<p><b>What is the desktop based on?</b>
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<br>The desktop is based on a recent release of KDE on top of Xorg. The modern and popular
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compiz tool for 3D desktop effects is enabled when supported by graphic hardware and driver.
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Proprietary video drivers (NVIDIA and ATI) are supported as well as open source drivers as a choice.
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<p><b>What is the audio management based on?</b>
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<br>openmamba uses the JACK (Jack Audio Connection Kit) low-latency audio server with
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the Linux kernel real-time capabilities thus producing a high quality sound that is
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suitable for professional purposes like music production and live performances.
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<p><b>Is it a commercial project?</b>
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<br>No, altough the openmamba GNU/Linux system was created and is sponsored by <a href="http://www.mambasoft.it">mambaSoft</a>, it is
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entirely an open project. This means that any of its components, including the scripts used to create the distribution
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media and maintain the repositories, are released under an open source license.
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mambaSoft reserves the possibility to use the openmamba related web sites for commercial
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advertising of itself or third parties with the purpose of financing this project.
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<p><b>Can I have professional support?</b>
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<br>Yes, <a href="http://www.mambasoft.it">mambaSoft</a> provides the support you might need to install and use openmamba for
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your own business or the business of your company. For more details on professional support see <a href="http://www.mambasoft.it/support/#openmamba" target="_new">the open source support</a> page.
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<p><b>I'm a developer and would like to work on this project...</b>
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<br>Fine, we are activating a series of facilities for developers such as:
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<ul>
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<li>a private repository hosted at our central servers to let you develop your own branch of the openmamba distribution applying any changes you like
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<li>a mailing list for your own repository
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<li>an e-mail redirection address in the openmamba domain (such as your-name at openmamba dot org)
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<li>a web FTP area where you can put your own homepage at openmamba.org and host your open source projects
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</ul>
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You'll get all this for free as soon as an automated registration form will be available on this site.
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<i>Your own sub-distribution</i> will be publically available just like the openmamba head distribution.
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<p><b>I can't wait, can I start participating to the project right now?</b>
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<br>Yes, we appreciate your help and collaboration at this early stage! Just write us at <a href="mailto:info@openmamba.org">info@openmamba.org</a>
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and we'll provide you what you need to develop.
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<p><b>This is not a project of mine, so why should I spend my time working on it?</b>
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<br>You can install openmamba plus your branch on your computers to have with no cost <i>your own</i> customized distribution,
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mostly maintained upstream and available to anybody in the internet. Also if you contribute to the head of the distribution
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that work will always be available to you and the whole community. So you first get benefit from your own contributions.
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<p><b>I'm not a developer but I like the project, can I be of any help anyway?</b>
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<br>Sure, GNU/Linux development covers also many non technical fields. Work on graphic art, documentation, translations, administration
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and more is needed. Just write us at <a href="mailto:info@openmamba.org">info@openmamba.org</a> telling
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(if you know) what you would like to do to contribute to the growth of this project.
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<p><b>How are openmamba packages organized?</b>
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<br>openmamba packages are currently grouped into the following repositories:
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<ul>
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<li>the <a href="/pub/openmamba/distromatic/index.html?tag=devel&pkg=_index">devel</a> trunk repository contains the whole main distribution
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<li><a href="/pub/openmamba/distromatic/index.html?tag=devel-contrib&pkg=_index">devel-contrib</a> is a branch of the devel repository with updates and additions coming from contributors
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<li>the personal developers repositories, where any developer can make it's own modifications and fixes to openmamba
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</ul>
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<p><b>How is openmamba spelled and what is the font used in the logo?</b>
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<br>It is a single word (no spaces) with all letters in lower case. Like in the logo it is possible
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to write "open" in green and "mamba" in black (e.g. <b><font color="green">open</font>mamba</b>).
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The font face used is <i>free mono</i> with little modifications.
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<p><b>I have a question on openmamba but I haven't found an answer on this page, what can I do?</b>
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<br><a href="mailto:info@openmamba.org">Write us</a>, we will gladly consider your questions and give you feedback.
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<br><br>
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</td></tr>
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</table>
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<!--#include virtual="/footer.html" -->
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