vman45/rolling-rhino

Convert Ubuntu into a rolling release

Rolling Rhino

Convert Ubuntu into a "rolling release" that tracks the devel series.

Rolling Rhino

Simple shell script to make Ubuntu track the `devel` series.

Made with 💝 for

Introduction

Rolling Rhino is a simple tool to convert Ubuntu Desktop, and the official desktop flavours, that has been installed from a daily image into a "rolling release" by opting into and tracking the devel series.

Rolling Rhino is intended for Ubuntu developers and experienced Ubuntu users who want to install Ubuntu once and the track all development updates with automatic tracking of subsequent series.

Caveats

If you use Rolling Rhino to opt-in to devel series you're assuming support of your system, including taking care of PPA migrations, cleaning obsolete/orphaned packages and actively participating in any issue resolution for problems you may encounter via Launchpad using tools such are apport and ubuntu-bug.

Origins of Rolling Rhino

Ubuntu Podcast had feedback about making Ubuntu a rolling release, something we discussed during the main segment of S13E12 - Red Sky in the Morning and then covered again based on listener feedback during S13E14 - Ace of Spades. During episode S13E14 guest presenter Stuart Langridge proposed "Ubuntu Rolling Rhino" as the name for a rolling Ubuntu release along with some ideas as to how it could be implemented. Sergio Schvezov then followed up via Twitter reminding us that the devel series exists in Ubuntu. This inspired me to create this rolling-rhino tool to somewhat implement Stuart's idea by taking advantage of the devel series.

Installation

Clone this repository:

git clone https://github.com/wimpysworld/rolling-rhino.git

Usage

• Install Ubuntu Desktop, or one of the desktop flavours, from a daily image.
  • Ubuntu Desktop Daily Build
  • Kubuntu Daily Build
  • Lubuntu Daily Build
  • Ubuntu Budgie Daily Build
  • Ubuntu Kylin Daily Build
  • Ubuntu MATE Daily Build
  • Ubuntu Studio Daily Build
  • Xubuntu Daily Build
• Use rolling-rhino to convert it to a rolling release.

./rolling-rhino

Which will output something like this:

tbc

All the options

Here are the full usage instructions:

tbc

Credits

• Thanks to Stuart Langridge for naming the project and proposing the idea.
• Thanks to Sergio Schvezov for reminding me the devel series exists in Ubuntu.
• Thanks to RickAndTired for answering the call for help and making the Rolling Rhino logo.

TODO

• Detect system is running an Ubuntu Development Branch.
• Detect desktop meta packages.
• Detect PPAs.
• Detect sources.list is not already tracking devel.
• Create clean sources.list that tracks devel.
• Use yad to create a UI