Bedrock Linux Discussion

@artytux , @najkarika , @daniel.m.tripp, @shamu, @pdecker

I am moving this discussion from

to a new topic.
Please refer to replies 67 to71 under the previous topic

There is currently featured in distrowatch a review of an amazing product called ‘Bedrock Linux’ which allows one to merge two or more linux distros into one functioning system

I asked @artytux for some nuts and bolts details of how Bedrock merges two Linuxes.
He referred me to the above review.
All it says is that it does not use VM and that it does use things called ‘strata’

Thats not a full enough answer for me. I want to know what a strata (stratum) is.
Giving it a name does not explain it.

The impression I get reading the review is that Bedrock is like a ‘poor mans Gentoo’ .
Gentoo allows one to build any combination of apps into ones own special linux version. Bedrock seems to offer a shortcut to that by offering to combine groups of apps from different distros.
I like the idea, but I want to see the details.

Please shift any Bedrock replies to here

From the Distrowatch bedrock review

To really make use of Bedrock we need to fetch new distributions (I call them secondary operating systems) and glue their parts onto Bedrock. We can do this with the “brl fetch” command.

:point_right: Each new distribution is referred to as a layer or “strata” by Bedrock.

We can see available strata that Bedrock knows how to install by running “brl fetch --list”. For example, to install Arch Linux on top of Bedrock we can run “brl fetch arch”.

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Bit more :disguised_face:

and

http://tuxmachines.org/node/153045

:yawning_face:

And a few reddits in here if you want to go there.

:smiley:

The Bedrock web page

https://bedrocklinux.org/index.html
Reading that leads me to believe it only runs one kernel, and it has to be a linux kernel… ie not BSD or whatever. It does not explicitely say so, but it seems the kernel of the primary distro runs the whole thing, and is utilised by a process called ‘HIJACK’ to support apps from other secondary distros which are segregated into areas called ‘strata’

So its a bit like implanting a virus in your distro, which partially takes over and adds some additional functions.

All one can say at this stage is its a brilliant new idea and it may be useful.

Seems to, run only on Linux early days though.

I guess the basics yeah but calling it similar to a virus, that is funny,
Takes over in a good way.

Just an opinion
Brilliant ideas like this if supported with more work could take a big step towards unifying all those separated distros.

There are beneficial viruses. They change dna, and some of the changes get passed on genetically, so viruses provide genetic diversity for evolution to work on.

:+1: I though we were doing Distros not dna :grin:

sorry but that is :rofl: evolution

Distros evolve too.
Remember Richard Dawkins “The Selfish Gene”
well someday someone will write the Linux version
Maybe Bedrock is the start of “The selfish distro”… consumes everything else.

Didn’t read books, was not allowed, Deprived childhood. Very True !

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Never too late…2

This Github site has explicit install instructions for Bedrock

and also contains thd Bedrock source code.

I am having trouble finding a use for Bedrock.
Can anyone come up with an example case where they would want/need to install Distro A and then use some apps from Distro B in a Bedrock Strata(Stratum) latched onto Distro A?

Just one example would convince me that Bedrock does something useful.

Have not tried although will be later in year (finances)

Install Debian (or a spin Spiral or MX Linux)
now Debian does not have support some particular (lib) for Gmusicbrowser to work I have read that the Arch family distros still did a while back have Gmusicbrowser, so for that install an Arch (or family) on top of Debian + Bedrock to get Gmu would be one instance.

Another would be the same install processes Debian (family) + Bedrock + Arch (family)
install and run the latest Gimp (since it’s advancing quickly)
so to learn the latest features that Gimp has to offer in graphics software.

The same would be for LibreOffice Writer software the latest feature include easier to use GUI and some of the keyboard shortcuts actually work (insert auto-complete of words scroll with the TAB key) properly in the later versions.

I am looking forward to trying it out later in the year near Dec.

Thats great, we needed real examples.
I can see 2 cases

  • old software that is only available in some distro that you do not want to run… your Gmusicbrowser example
  • very new releases that are only available in bleeding edge distros … your Gimp example

Lets see how you go with those. We can be patient, Bedrock may improve in the meantime.