Want to run a PI OS on your pc/mac?

[#1]

Well now you can

Offical link

the register take

[#2]

Works in Hyper-V

[#3]

I believe that Raspbian (basically a cut down Debian) came out in June 2014 - not sure what Pixel does - is it a desktop emulator that runs on a PC?

You can run Raspbian on a Pi headless with ssh or run it remotely as a GUI, using VNC.

[#4]

PIXEL is basically Debian with a light DE. It will run on minimal hardware (like a pi or a pc with 512Mb ram)
It was written for the PI, this basically means you can write and try out apps on your desktop without having to install on the pi.

[#5]

It's actually a slightly unusual version of Debian.

It doesn't install on disk - but it just loads as a "live" boot (at least as a VirtualBox).

So, since it doesn't offer an install, data doesn't "persist".

I would have to keep any new stuff in a shared folder.

Surely an install option could be offered?

[#6]

If you run it off USB stick it provides persistence by default like many Linux live images do. Perhaps as it's still a prototype/experimental they don't want to make it installable just yet.

"Persistence

If you are running from DVD, any files you create, or modifications you make to the system, will of course be lost when you power off the machine. If you are running from a USB stick, the system will by default use any spare space on the device to create a persistence partition, which allows files to persist between sessions. The boot menu provides options to run with or without persistence, or to erase any persistence partition that has been created, allowing you to roll back to a clean install at any time."

[#7]

It seems I'm more or less forced to use a USB boot - although a VM would be much more convenient, since I could use both the host machine and a raspberry at the same time.

I've got a couple of small laptops which aren't doing anything useful. So I'll use one of those.

[#8]

If you look in the comments here

https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/pixel-pc-mac/

People have installed it on HDD and in VMs and there's instructions

[#9]

After a couple of hours of trying, (that's persistence!) I have finally managed to achieve persistence!

What seems to happen, is that Pixel creates a ext4 partition in the free space on the USB key and writes multi-megabyte amounts of data to your USB key. Since USB keys are usually USB2 on old machines, this is a very bad idea.

Also it takes much longer to boot on a oldish physical machine - typically 5 minutes, compared with 5 seconds for a VM on my desktop. I'd use it if it came with an install option.

It does have some minor uses - but why have mucked up the screen so that it looks like Windows 3.1?

What's wrong with vanilla LXDE as a Window Manager?

[#10]

Because that is what people are used to seeing on the pi. remember it is aimed at schools mainly, where they will be using pi's to learn to "program" and control things. If they can see the same layout on the pc as the pi, then there is less hassle for them.
It is NOT aimed at seasoned users like you and me with custom screens.

[#11]

Good luck when they go looking for their 'C' drive, then.

[#12]

Instead of mocking them you should be congratulating them on moving to a REALLY FREE OS, maybe after using it they will move to another distro. But at the moment it is aimed at the pi "developer" so they can have consistency between machines. Remember these are the people who will be growing up and buying new pc's in the future, so if they get a Linux injection early they may keep using it. Rather than being bombarded by M$ everywhere.

Also remember this is the first release, it is still in development. I personally haven't used it as I use my pi's in a shell environment, no GUI. I just ssh into them. But for new users a GUI is what they are used to.
They are talking about a 64bit release and making it installable on the next release. But for now something you could just plug in and get the same GUI you are used to using is a bonus for loads of users (mostly young)

[#13]

Well, I had big difficulties in booting from USB on laptops from 2006, 2013 but was worked on a 2011 laptop.

The first two would only boot from DVD - but then I don't get persistence.

Actually, I can boot into my Pi and run VNC from my desktop to get a GUI on the Pi rather faster.

But good luck to the kids - they are not always best served by what the government prescribes what the teachers must  teach...

[#14]

I have always had issues booting from usb on older lappy's anyway. But I don't think the base it is aimed at is using older lappy's.
Booting a pi and running VNC is great when you HAVE a pi and associated required bits on you, but this is aimed at homework types, where no pi will be available. If they can write and check a program on a familiar desktop, it is easier than on say a Win 10 pc without the required software. (no issues with cr/lf translations etc)

But as always horses for courses, you choose your own preferred OS, no one is forcing anyone to use this or any Linux distro unless they want to.

[#15]

Good point.