LINA is a Login Manager or Display Manager, an alternative to
KDM, GDM, LIGHTDM etc. In that sense it is not an ordinary
application like other Kulina Graphics applications, 'lina'
can affect the system. It has to do an important action,
authenticate the user and set users environment properly.
It comes before your Window Manager and Desktop Environment.
In that sense it is slightly different from other graphics application,
it not talking to any window manager but directly to the X server.
So it is a good example for development of such applications using
Kulina Graphics System.
Since there are many applications available why do you really
want to create a new login manager ? One simple answer is just
for the fun, but it is actually more than that. You have a different
aesthetic view, you need some extra things etc. While these are
reasons, I had another reason also. I build my Linux from
scratch with the help of LFS/BLFS. (I had used LFS to build
the OS for SAGA Super Computer, and now SAGA is more than five
years old). While building Linux OS, you need at least one
Desktop Environment. GNOME was out because of its dependency
on 'Systemd' ( and other never ending dependencies). So the
next option is KDE. I was a fan of KDE for many many years.
But I feel latest KDE, in my view, is far from satisfactory.
After using it for some time, I felt I need a different
DE, so I opted for XFCE( as it is more complete than LXDE).
So, if it is needed to do away with KDE, then I will not have KDM
also ( any case I do not like kdm). So I was looking for a
different Display Manager, nothing was satisfactory and I
ended up developing 'lina'.
'lina' installs 4 programs:
1. lina : Kulina Login/Display Manger
2. configlina : configuration tool for lina, you need Super User
permissions to execute 'configlina'. Configlina has option
to enable/disable 'lina', but use it your own risk.
3. SetPhoto : tool for users to select their login photo. Photo of
any size can be selected. LINA will select and resize the center portion
of the photo.
4. wireless : indepndent tool to connect to wireless lan.
Now it can be used to bring up wireless lan.
'wireless -C ' can connect to best SSID avaitable.
One can consider adding it to a startup script.
LINA has options for selection of user and session type. It has a button
for setting up wireless connection; it can manage simple wireless
connections. However in case the distribution has a network manager
which can setup the wireless connection, one may opt for that.
LINA has an on screen keyboard.
HOW TO ENABLE/DISABLE LINA
'configlina' has a button for enable/disable 'lina'. However
there are many many distributions (including my own 'Kulina Linux')
with its own methods for setting up 'login/display manager'.
In general setting up of login manager is as follows:
For system that use 'init' scheme it is fairly simple by setting
up the entry in /etc/inittab for run level 5. For such systems
'configlina' can be used safely for setting up lina.
For systems that use 'systemd' there are variations in methods.
Some systems set the 'default target' graphical. Some systems
also use the script in /etc/init.d (eg. Debian)
Debian also sets the file /etc/X11/default-display-manager
/etc/X11/default-display-manager will have information about
the actual program to execute. (If you modify it, please remember
to back it up.).
If your system has a file/link by name 'display-manager.service' in /etc/systemd/system, then
that link has to be modified to link to /lib/systemd/system/lina.service.
'configlina' tries to do all these. But no guaranty, and it is at your
own risk.
'Lina' was not working properly for the default DE of 'UBUNTU'. It was
fine for Debian and CentOS. It worked fine with Ubuntu-Unity and
Cinnamon.
So if you are daring you can give a try for LINA. If you are an Ubuntu user be bit careful.
Any case remember to 'run configlina' with super user powers.
'configlina' is installed in /usr/sbin, which may not be in the PATH
list of ordinay users. So one may have to try
'sudo /usr/sbin/configlina'.
Added as on 1stMar 18
In Ver 1.2 a have fixed bug in setting the shell environment
variable. Actually it was left to default, now it changed to
the one specified in /etc/passwd, just over looked it.
I appreciate your feedback.
