Yes, GNOME Boxes and virt-manager are available on Fedora atomic desktops.
And even virtualbox is easier to add.
But… Windows VMs graphics [basic things like translucency, etc…] only work with VMware, so do many other conveniences.
Similar post on reddit for reference
Kernel modules
https://rpmfusion.org/Packaging/KernelModules/Kmods2
https://rpmfusion.org/Packaging/KernelModules/Akmods
The above links have instructions to ship a kernel module pre-compiled or source.
Following such standards [or/and akmods], is it possible to ship VMware kernel modules for immutable distros?
Either just for specific fedora kernels or a dkms-like all-kernel approach, for all kernels. I know that this has already been done for nvidia, etc…
And how is the depmod
ing managed? IDK
But IK that nvidia is used in a similar way.
Also, the modules need to be patched to work with newer kernels, something which needs to be done in the package itself for immutable distros [You can’t compile the modules except at the package, or pre-compiled].
The patches
Plz… some help… I will help to provide the compiled binary files, as well as a specfile to the best of my capabilities.
[The kernel part needs to be rpm
’d, to simplify VMware installation and usage on atomic desktops. I am talking of those newcommers from windows etc… who will not know how to run the commandline.
However, the userspace part can easily be installed into /usr/local
(in kinoite /var/usrlocal
), but it is still not what an average basic person would want to do. Plz discuss and provide opinions and suggestions on packaging the userspace part, whether alongwith or separately the kernel modules (solving version mismatches), or not at all.]
Userspace applications
The vmware install script installs a mini-distribution into /usr/lib/vmware
, and some binaries hooked into it, in the system’s /usr/bin
.
It is possible to change the install prefix by passing --eulas-agreed --custom
to the install script [I choose /usr/local
], but then it asks for a suitable /etc/rc?.d
folder, failing to accept any folder I pass it. [passing it empty works, but IDK what goes on]
[Am not writing about manual installation since nothing is there to discuss]
However in Kinoite, if it is rpm
’d, it needn’t [infact shouldn’t] install to /usr/local
, but just /usr
. But /opt/vmware
is also an option, if you think that the mess is not to be put in /usr
.
To be rpm
’d with or without the modules [1 package or separate]?
Also, if the rpm, plz suggest on what to do for the CEIP [which sends a small amount of anonymous data]? Select no
, sure, but plz tell if you think otherwise.
VMware in Toolbox
Yes, the userspace applications can be installed. Will they run fine? [In /usr/lib/vmware
it has it’s own versions of many common libs like pango, glib, libX11 etc… which fail with the dynamic linker error on gentoo, will soon update with what happens in toolbox]
What about the kernel modules? Can you load them through a toolbox? Mostly not. But if they are packaged as per the 1st section of this post, programs in toolbox will mostly work.
OR should they just be packaged into an rpm?
OR flatpak [mostly not possible]?
If RPM, mostly it will end up in RPMFusion.
Plz give suggestions and opinions, as well as experiences.
The important part is the kernel modules, rest can be done later, or just ignored for now.
NOTE: The building, testing etc… will be done in a toolbox before applying on the system.