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diff --git a/blog/2022-12-23-alpine-desktop.org b/blog/2022-12-23-alpine-desktop.org index 66a5938..8967da7 100644 --- a/blog/2022-12-23-alpine-desktop.org +++ b/blog/2022-12-23-alpine-desktop.org @@ -1,89 +1,95 @@ -+++ -date = 2022-12-23 -title = "Alpine Linux as a Desktop OS" -description = "Documenting my steps to a useable Alpine Linux desktop experience." -+++ - -## Isn't Alpine Linux for Servers? - -This is a question I see a lot when people are presented with an example of -Alpine Linux running as a desktop OS. - -While Alpine is small, fast, and minimal, that doesn't stop it from functioning -at a productive level for desktop users. - -This post is documentation of how I installed and modified Alpine Linux to -become my daily desktop OS. - -## Installation - -Note that I cover the installation of Alpine Linux in my other post, so I -won't repeat it here: [Alpine Linux: My New Server OS](/blog/alpine-linux/). - -Basically, get a bootable USB or whatever you prefer with Alpine on it, boot the -ISO, and run the setup script. - -```sh +#+title: Alpine Linux as a Desktop OS +#+date: 2022-12-23 + +** Isn't Alpine Linux for Servers? +:PROPERTIES: +:CUSTOM_ID: isnt-alpine-linux-for-servers +:END: +This is a question I see a lot when people are presented with an example +of Alpine Linux running as a desktop OS. + +While Alpine is small, fast, and minimal, that doesn't stop it from +functioning at a productive level for desktop users. + +This post is documentation of how I installed and modified Alpine Linux +to become my daily desktop OS. + +** Installation +:PROPERTIES: +:CUSTOM_ID: installation +:END: +Note that I cover the installation of Alpine Linux in my other post, so +I won't repeat it here: [[/blog/alpine-linux/][Alpine Linux: My New +Server OS]]. + +Basically, get a bootable USB or whatever you prefer with Alpine on it, +boot the ISO, and run the setup script. + +#+begin_src sh setup-alpine -``` +#+end_src -Once you have gone through all the options and installer finishes without -errors, reboot. +Once you have gone through all the options and installer finishes +without errors, reboot. -```sh +#+begin_src sh reboot -``` - -## Initial Setup - -Once Alpine is installed and the machine has rebooted, login is as root -initially or `su` to root once you log in as your user. -From here, you should start by updating and upgrading the system in case the -ISO was not fully up-to-date. - -```sh +#+end_src + +** Initial Setup +:PROPERTIES: +:CUSTOM_ID: initial-setup +:END: +Once Alpine is installed and the machine has rebooted, login is as root +initially or =su= to root once you log in as your user. From here, you +should start by updating and upgrading the system in case the ISO was +not fully up-to-date. + +#+begin_src sh # Update and upgrade system apk -U update && apk -U upgrade # Add an editor so we can enable the community repository apk add nano -``` +#+end_src -You need to uncomment the `community` repository for your version of Alpine -Linux. +You need to uncomment the =community= repository for your version of +Alpine Linux. -For v3.17, the `repositories` file should look like this: +For v3.17, the =repositories= file should look like this: -```sh +#+begin_src sh nano /etc/apk/repositories -``` +#+end_src -```conf +#+begin_src conf #/media/sda/apks http://mirrors.gigenet.com/alpinelinux/v3.17/main http://mirrors.gigenet.com/alpinelinux/v3.17/community #http://mirrors.gigenet.com/alpinelinux/edge/main #http://mirrors.gigenet.com/alpinelinux/edge/community #http://mirrors.gigenet.com/alpinelinux/edge/testing -``` +#+end_src -```sh +#+begin_src sh # Add the rest of your packages apk add linux-firmware iwd doas git curl wget # Add yourself to the wheel group so you can use the doas command adduser $USER wheel -``` - -## Window Manager (Desktop) +#+end_src -The [Sway installation guide](https://wiki.alpinelinux.org/wiki/Sway) has -everything you need to get Sway working on Alpine. +** Window Manager (Desktop) +:PROPERTIES: +:CUSTOM_ID: window-manager-desktop +:END: +The [[https://wiki.alpinelinux.org/wiki/Sway][Sway installation guide]] +has everything you need to get Sway working on Alpine. -However, I'll include a brief list of the commands I ran and their purpose for -posterity here. +However, I'll include a brief list of the commands I ran and their +purpose for posterity here. -```sh +#+begin_src sh # Add eudev and set it up apk add eudev setup-devd udev @@ -120,21 +126,21 @@ apk add \ # Install optional dependencies: swaylock swaylockd \ # lockscreen tool swaybg \ # wallpaper daemon swayidle # idle management (DPMS) daemon -``` +#+end_src -Once you have the packages installed and set-up, you need to export the -`XDG_RUNTIME_DIR` upon login. To do this, edit your `.profile` file. +Once you have the packages installed and set-up, you need to export the +=XDG_RUNTIME_DIR= upon login. To do this, edit your =.profile= file. -If you use another shell, such as `zsh`, you need to edit that shell's profile -(e.g., `~/.zprofile`)! +If you use another shell, such as =zsh=, you need to edit that shell's +profile (e.g., =~/.zprofile=)! -```sh +#+begin_src sh nano ~/.profile -``` +#+end_src Within the file, paste this: -```sh +#+begin_src sh if test -z "${XDG_RUNTIME_DIR}"; then export XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/tmp/$(id -u)-runtime-dir if ! test -d "${XDG_RUNTIME_DIR}"; then @@ -142,19 +148,22 @@ if test -z "${XDG_RUNTIME_DIR}"; then chmod 0700 "${XDG_RUNTIME_DIR}" fi fi -``` +#+end_src Once that's complete, you can launch Sway manually. -```sh +#+begin_src sh dbus-run-session -- sway -``` - -## Personal Touches +#+end_src -I also added the following packages, per my personal preferences and situation. +** Personal Touches +:PROPERTIES: +:CUSTOM_ID: personal-touches +:END: +I also added the following packages, per my personal preferences and +situation. -```sh +#+begin_src sh doas apk add brightnessctl \ # Brightness controller zsh \ # Shell firefox \ # Browser @@ -164,91 +173,98 @@ doas apk add brightnessctl \ # Brightness controller neomutt \ # CLI email client thunderbird \ # GUI email client gnupg # GPG key manager -``` - -From here, I use my Syncthing storage to pull all the configuration files I -stored from prior desktops, such as [my -dotfiles](https://git.sr.ht/~cmc/dotfiles). - -## Resolving Issues - -### WiFi Issues - -I initially tried to set up my Wi-Fi the standard way with `iwd`, but it didn't -work. - -Here is what I initially tried (I did all of this as `root`): - -```sh +#+end_src + +From here, I use my Syncthing storage to pull all the configuration +files I stored from prior desktops, such as +[[https://git.sr.ht/~cmc/dotfiles][my dotfiles]]. + +** Resolving Issues +:PROPERTIES: +:CUSTOM_ID: resolving-issues +:END: +*** WiFi Issues +:PROPERTIES: +:CUSTOM_ID: wifi-issues +:END: +I initially tried to set up my Wi-Fi the standard way with =iwd=, but it +didn't work. + +Here is what I initially tried (I did all of this as =root=): + +#+begin_src sh apk add iwd rc-service iwd start iwctl station wlan0 connect <SSID> # This will prompt for the password rc-update add iwd boot && rc-update add dbus boot -``` +#+end_src -Then, I added the Wi-Fi entry to the bottom of the networking interface file: +Then, I added the Wi-Fi entry to the bottom of the networking interface +file: -```sh +#+begin_src sh nano /etc/network/interfaces -``` +#+end_src -```conf +#+begin_src conf auto wlan0 iface wlan0 inet dhcp -``` +#+end_src Finally, restart the networking service: -```sh +#+begin_src sh rc-service networking restart -``` +#+end_src -My Wi-Fi interface would receive an IP address from the router, but it could -not ping anything in the network. -To solve the Wi-Fi issues, I originally upgraded to Alpine's `edge` -repositories, which was unnecessary. +My Wi-Fi interface would receive an IP address from the router, but it +could not ping anything in the network. To solve the Wi-Fi issues, I +originally upgraded to Alpine's =edge= repositories, which was +unnecessary. -Really, the solution was to enable the `NameResolvingService=resolvconf` in -`/etc/iwd/main.conf`. +Really, the solution was to enable the =NameResolvingService=resolvconf= +in =/etc/iwd/main.conf=. -```sh +#+begin_src sh doas nano /etc/iwd/main.conf -``` +#+end_src -```conf +#+begin_src conf [Network] NameResolvingService=resolvconf -``` +#+end_src Once I finished this process, my Wi-Fi is working flawlessly. -### Sound Issues - -Same as with the Wi-Fi, I had no sound and could not control the mute/unmute or -volume buttons on my laptop. +*** Sound Issues +:PROPERTIES: +:CUSTOM_ID: sound-issues +:END: +Same as with the Wi-Fi, I had no sound and could not control the +mute/unmute or volume buttons on my laptop. -To resolve this, I installed -[pipewire](https://wiki.alpinelinux.org/wiki/PipeWire). +To resolve this, I installed +[[https://wiki.alpinelinux.org/wiki/PipeWire][pipewire]]. -```sh +#+begin_src sh # Add your user to the following groups addgroup $USER audio addgroup $USER video # Install pipewire and other useful packages apk add pipewire wireplumber pipewire-pulse pipewire-jack pipewire-alsa -``` +#+end_src -Finally, I needed to add `/usr/libexec/pipewire-launcher` to my -`.config/sway/config` file so that Pipewire would run every time I launched -sway. +Finally, I needed to add =/usr/libexec/pipewire-launcher= to my +=.config/sway/config= file so that Pipewire would run every time I +launched sway. -```sh +#+begin_src sh nano ~/.config/sway/config -``` +#+end_src -```conf +#+begin_src conf # Run pipewire audio server exec /usr/libexec/pipewire-launcher @@ -257,10 +273,10 @@ bindsym XF86AudioRaiseVolume exec --no-startup-id pactl set-sink-volume @DEFAULT bindsym XF86AudioLowerVolume exec --no-startup-id pactl set-sink-volume @DEFAULT_SINK@ -5% bindsym XF86AudioMute exec --no-startup-id pactl set-sink-mute @DEFAULT_SINK@ toggle bindsym XF86AudioMicMute exec --no-startup-id pactl set-source-mute @DEFAULT_SOURCE@ toggle -``` +#+end_src -Note that I do not use bluetooth or screen sharing, so I won't cover those -options in this post. +Note that I do not use bluetooth or screen sharing, so I won't cover +those options in this post. -Other than these issues, I have a working Alpine desktop. No other complaints -thus far! +Other than these issues, I have a working Alpine desktop. No other +complaints thus far! |