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Stardate: 20190409.2042 | |
Location: Home office | |
Input Device: Gemini PDA | |
Software: Userland + LXTerminal + nano | |
Audio: Household sounds, wind | |
Visual: Mostly cleaned up desk area. | |
Energy: 40% | |
Mental: 40% | |
Emotional: Tired, content. | |
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I had written previously about using UserLAnd (Use | |
Linux Anywhere)[1]...probably on Mastodon...I can't seem to | |
find it on my phlog. Anyhow, I had installed Userland from | |
F-Droid instead of multibooting the Gemini PDA since I use my | |
device everyday and don't have time to explore. So UserLAnd | |
seemed like a good alternative. You can basically run linux | |
distributions from Android without rooting your device. I | |
think it puts the distro in a jail of some sort. I first | |
learned about this from Linux Journal and various articles on | |
the Intarwebz. | |
So far, my experience with it seems pretty good, although I | |
haven't done too much with it. I did install Debian, lxde, | |
and Firefox ESR. I can also access it via ssh, vnc, or | |
remote X session, but it is usually via USB over ethernet to | |
my laptop or workstation. Full desktop is too small on the | |
Gemini's built in display, but could be usable if connected | |
to a larger monitor. I should try connecting it to my | |
wireless monitor some time. It's kinda neat having a | |
portable debian desktop environment again. I had previously | |
done that with the N900, but it was a bit slow so I mostly | |
connected to it via ssh over USB over ethernet. Nice thing | |
about USB over ethernet is that I charge my battery while | |
it is tethered to my workstation. | |
Awhile ago, I got this 5th gen Fire tablet for cheap. I | |
mostly used it for media consumption and thought that was all | |
it was good for. Over the weekend, I was reading a comic on | |
the device and wondered if I could put UserLAnd on | |
it...success! I was able to install F-Droid, UserLAnd, and | |
then Debian + lxde. Now I can do something with more | |
better fun on Fire, w00t! Maybe I'll try Kali next since | |
they have that distro available, as well as Ubuntu, | |
Archlinux, and Alpine. If I go the Kali route, maybe I | |
should put it in one of those kid-proof bumper cases. Hax0r | |
dar pl4n3+z, w0rd! | |
It's really nice to have an option like UserLAnd, along with | |
the ease of installation without having to wipe out my | |
device. I have spent much time in the past doing stuff like | |
flashing custom firmware or trying to root various devices | |
(not just android.) I learned quite a bit in doing those | |
things. It just amazes me how far things have come along and | |
how developers have made doing things like this so accessible | |
to end users like me. I don't have as much time to do deep | |
dives with devices like I did before, especially with my job, | |
my family, my commitments. Tools like this just make it so | |
much easier to get going. So far very promising! | |
[1] UserLAnd home page | |
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