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diff --git a/content/blog/2022-12-23-alpine-desktop.md b/content/blog/2022-12-23-alpine-desktop.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..52538b5 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/blog/2022-12-23-alpine-desktop.md @@ -0,0 +1,273 @@ ++++ +date = 2022-12-23 +title = "Alpine Linux as a Desktop OS" +description = "" +draft = false ++++ + + +# 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](../alpine-linux/). + +Basically, get a bootable USB or whatever you prefer with Alpine on it, +boot the ISO, and run the setup script. + +```sh +setup-alpine +``` + +Once you have gone through all the options and installer finishes +without errors, reboot. + +```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 +# Update and upgrade system +apk -U update && apk -U upgrade + +# Add an editor so we can enable the community repository +apk add nano +``` + +You need to uncomment the `community` repository for your +version of Alpine Linux. + +For v3.17, the `repositories` file should look like this: + +```sh +nano /etc/apk/repositories +``` + +``` 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 +``` + +```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) + +The [Sway installation guide](https://wiki.alpinelinux.org/wiki/Sway) +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. + +```sh +# Add eudev and set it up +apk add eudev +setup-devd udev + +# Since I have Radeon graphics, I need the following packages +apk add mesa-dri-gallium mesa-va-gallium + +# Add user to applicable groups +adduser $USER input +adduser $USER video + +# Add a font package +apk add ttf-dejavu + +# Add the seatd daemon +apk add seatd +rc-update add seatd +rc-service seatd start + +# Add user to seat group +adduser $USER seat + +# Add elogind +apk add elogind polkit-elogind +rc-update add elogind +rc-service elogind start + +# Finally, add sway and dependencies +apk add sway sway-doc +apk add \ # Install optional dependencies: + xwayland \ # recommended for compatibility reasons + foot \ # default terminal emulator + bemenu \ # wayland menu + swaylock swaylockd \ # lockscreen tool + swaybg \ # wallpaper daemon + swayidle # idle management (DPMS) daemon +``` + +Once you have the packages installed and set-up, you need to export the +`XDG_RUNTIME_DIR` upon login. To do this, edit your +`.profile` file. + +If you use another shell, such as `zsh`, you need to edit +that shell\'s profile (e.g., `~/.zprofile`)! + +```sh +nano ~/.profile +``` + +Within the file, paste this: + +```sh +if test -z "${XDG_RUNTIME_DIR}"; then + export XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/tmp/$(id -u)-runtime-dir + if ! test -d "${XDG_RUNTIME_DIR}"; then + mkdir "${XDG_RUNTIME_DIR}" + chmod 0700 "${XDG_RUNTIME_DIR}" + fi +fi +``` + +Once that\'s complete, you can launch Sway manually. + +```sh +dbus-run-session -- sway +``` + +## Personal Touches + +I also added the following packages, per my personal preferences and +situation. + +```sh +doas apk add brightnessctl \ # Brightness controller + zsh \ # Shell + firefox \ # Browser + syncthing \ # File sync service + wireguard-tools \ # Wireguard VPN + gomuks \ # CLI Matrix client + 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 +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 +``` + +Then, I added the Wi-Fi entry to the bottom of the networking interface +file: + +```sh +nano /etc/network/interfaces +``` + +``` conf +auto wlan0 +iface wlan0 inet dhcp +``` + +Finally, restart the networking service: + +```sh +rc-service networking restart +``` + +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`. + +```sh +doas nano /etc/iwd/main.conf +``` + +``` conf +[Network] + +NameResolvingService=resolvconf +``` + +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. + +To resolve this, I installed +[pipewire](https://wiki.alpinelinux.org/wiki/PipeWire). + +```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 +``` + +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 +nano ~/.config/sway/config +``` + +``` conf +# Run pipewire audio server +exec /usr/libexec/pipewire-launcher + +# Example audio button controls +bindsym XF86AudioRaiseVolume exec --no-startup-id pactl set-sink-volume @DEFAULT_SINK@ +5% +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 +``` + +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! |