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Technical Reference

Deep details for contributors and advanced users.

Design principles

  1. Less is more. Remove apps that don't add value. Fewer surprises = faster adoption.
  2. Lightweight. Must run well on old hardware.
  3. Windows-like. Most recipients know Windows. Match that mental model.

Why Linux Mint?

Criteria Windows Ubuntu Linux Mint
Open source No Yes Yes
Lightweight No Yes Yes
Windows-like UI Yes No Yes

Linux Mint with Cinnamon is the closest to Windows without being Windows.

Apps removed

  • Firefox → replaced by Chrome
  • LibreOffice → replaced by OnlyOffice
  • Thunderbird, HexChat, Mint Chat, Warpinator, Webapp Manager
  • Transmission, Seahorse, Hypnotix

Apps installed

  • Chrome — default browser
  • OnlyOffice — handles .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, .pptx, .odt, .ods, .odp
  • Flathub — added to Software Manager

Desktop customization

Setting Value
Theme Mint-Y-Blue (light)
Cursor DMZ-White
Wallpaper AUCOOP branded
Panel Chrome, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Software Manager
Menu search "app store", "download" → Software Manager

Office launchers use familiar names: Word, Excel, PowerPoint.

First-boot tasks (AUCOOP Welcome)

These run after provisioning, on first login:

  • System updates
  • Multimedia codecs
  • Hardware drivers (ubuntu-drivers autoinstall)
  • Optional: Kiwix, local AI
  • Optional: Workbench device registration

AUCOOP Welcome removes its autostart entry after completing essential setup.

Deployment workflows

Single machine

  1. Install Linux Mint 22.x Cinnamon
  2. Run boot.sh
  3. Log in, let AUCOOP Welcome finish
  4. Reboot

Batch deployment (Clonezilla)

  1. Prepare one reference machine with AUCOOP Mint
  2. Capture Clonezilla image
  3. Deploy to target machines via USB or PXE

Recovery ISO

sudo apt install squashfs-tools xorriso syslinux-common isolinux clonezilla drbl partclone

sudo ./build-iso.sh \
    /path/to/clonezilla-image \
    /path/to/debian-live-for-ocs.iso \
    /path/to/output.iso

PXE deployment

For deploying over network to many machines. See: Community Network Handbook

Base image specs

  • Linux Mint 22.3 "Xia" (Cinnamon)
  • Default user: aucoop / aucoop
  • Disk usage: ~12GB
  • Compressed image: ~3.6GB

License

Scripts and configuration: MIT License.

Linux Mint and bundled software retain their original licenses.