microOS features missing in RPM-Ostree spins

Just found out about OpenSuses microOS and it seems very well thought through.

I have set up my Kinoite how I like it, a rebasing in between included.

I and a more experienced guy are setting up a project, automating a big chunk of annoying settings through a single python script.

Then I found out microOS already has some of these things, and others.

  • auto rollback using a systemd service checking for broken updates on system boot
  • auto-update daily of rpms and Flatpaks
  • auto-installation of Flatpak apps, instead of having nonfunctional apps like Firefox preinstalled
  • Distrobox instead of Toolbox, with a bigger support for OSses (I know toolbox has something like that too, but Distrobox creates Appstarters with icons, exports app .desktop entries e.g., making it feel like native!)

A huge issue is getting the media codecs onto firefox, so just auto installing the Flatpak on start is a very good solution.

Autoupdates also dont work normally, there is a script to fix that, which should be implemented by default.

You can just swap Toolbox with Distrobox, both are based off Podman, I see no problem. Splitting the project apart seems irrational and a waste of ressources for me.

ChatGPT-ā€œenhancedā€:

I wholeheartedly agree that Distrobox is superior to Toolbox. However, I implore you to consider not implementing auto-updates, auto-rollbacks, or any similar features as the default setting. I switched to Linux precisely because I wanted more control over my system and did not want it to make decisions for me.

There is nothing inherently wrong with a user configuring auto updates, for some things that may be very desirable and with others not so much. I donā€™t personally like the MicroOS defaults regarding auto update and the automatic reboot, but I do believe they are user configurable.

ChatGPT-ā€œenhancedā€:

My ChatGPT-optimized response may have missed the mark. The issue at hand is the default setting of automatic updates. Living in a developing country, I have limited internet access, which is inexpensive at night but costly during the day. Regardless of my plan, the first step I take after installing an operating system is to disable auto-updates, as I donā€™t want any downloads to occur without my consent. Each night, I run a simple bash script that updates my system by consecutively executing ā€˜rpm-ostree updateā€™, ā€˜flatpak updateā€™, ā€˜cargo updater -uā€™, and any other necessary updates.

Wtf is a Chatgpt-enhanced answer?

Originally written by a human being (i.e. by me) and subsequently enhanced by ChatGPT.

Write something and ask ChatGPT to improve the languageā€¦ Thatā€™s how it works.

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