OSE Linux

OSE Linux 2025

Installation Notes

FreeCAD is not available in the built-in package manager for Ubuntu 24.04-like systems (of which Linux Mint 22.1 is one). We have four options: AppImage, Flatpak, Snap Store, and build from source. In the spirit of simplicity, building from source is unattractive. However, we are looking for the ability to customize FreeCAD Add-ons on the command line in the official manner. FreeCAD does support this in general, but unfortunately only with the Snap Store version for our use case. The recommended AppImage will not run at all, from either command line or GUI interface, and the Flatpak version does not support the command line interface. So, we will use the Snap Store version, which supports both GUI and command line, for this app alone. Linux Mint has it disabled by default because it is a proprietary, closed source service offered by Canonical (makers of Ubuntu) but this narrow use of it to install one open source software application is very unlikely to be problematic.

Cura LE is installed as an AppImage. The most familiar way of simply managing AppImages, AppImageLauncher, is not currently compatible with Ubuntu 24.04-like systems. However, a newer tool called Gear Lever is available, but a bug fix is required before we can use it. Fix submitted; waiting on the maintainer as of 2025-08-19.

This shows one of the many advantages of working with open source software: we ourselves are empowered to help fix bugs and add features as needed for our use cases.

Also note: Arduino IDE and potentially Cura LE require users to be in the `dialout` group, so we modify default groups accordingly.

OSE Linux 2025 Install Scripts

OSE Linux 2025 is based on Linux Mint 22.1 LTS. Using Cubic, the OSE software suite in installed with the following script:

# PPA's
apt-add-repository -y ppa:cubic-wizard/release
add-apt-repository -y ppa:ubuntuhandbook1/gimp-3
add-apt-repository -y ppa:obsproject/obs-studio

# OSE package dependencies

apt update && apt upgrade -y && apt install -y apt-transport-https curl extrepo gnupg libcups2-dev libgegl-0.4-0t64 libbabl-0.1-0 lsb-release magic-wormhole ngspice python3-pip python3-pyqt5 python3-setuptools python3-pyqt5.qtsvg pipx software-properties-common vim wget 

# OSE software suite base
apt install -y arduino audacity blender cubic dxf2gcode extrepo fritzing gmsh gimp handbrake inkscape kdenlive keepassxc kicad librecad meshlab obs-studio openscad qgis simplescreenrecorder sweethome3d transmission virtualbox vokoscreen

# GPG-based installs

curl https://packages.osrfoundation.org/gazebo.gpg --output /usr/share/keyrings/pkgs-osrf-archive-keyring.gpg && echo "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/pkgs-osrf-archive-keyring.gpg] http://packages.osrfoundation.org/gazebo/ubuntu-stable noble main" | tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/gazebo-stable.list > /dev/null && apt update && apt install -y gz-harmonic

echo 'deb http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/ra3xdh/xUbuntu_24.04/ /' | tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/home:ra3xdh.list && curl -fsSL https://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:ra3xdh/xUbuntu_24.04/Release.key | gpg --dearmor | tee /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/home_ra3xdh.gpg > /dev/null && apt update && apt install -y qucs-s

wget -qO- https://packages.microsoft.com/keys/microsoft.asc | gpg --dearmor > packages.microsoft.gpg && install -D -o root -g root -m 644 packages.microsoft.gpg /etc/apt/keyrings/packages.microsoft.gpg && sh -c 'echo "deb [arch=amd64 signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/packages.microsoft.gpg] https://packages.microsoft.com/repos/code stable main" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/vscode.list' && apt update && apt install -y code

# VS Code extensions: visit https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/VSCode and get official name of each extension, then add via command line

mkdir -p ~/.config && code --install-extension ms-python.python --no-sandbox --user-data-dir ~/.config/Code && code --install-extension LittleFoxTeam.vscode-python-test-adapter --no-sandbox --user-data-dir ~/.config/Code && code --install-extension njpwerner.autodocstring --no-sandbox --user-data-dir ~/.config/Code

# replace firefox with librewolf

apt remove -y firefox && extrepo enable librewolf

# install FreeCAD

flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo && flatpak install flathub org.freecadweb.FreeCAD -y

# Cura LE - note: see https://askubuntu.com/questions/1328196/how-can-i-create-a-desktop-entry-for-an-appimage

cd /usr/local/bin && wget https://software.lulzbot.com/Cura_LulzBot_Edition/Linux/4.13.17/Cura_LulzBot_Edition-4.13.17.AppImage && chmod +x Cura_LulzBot_Edition-4.13.17.AppImage && Cura_LulzBot_Edition-4.13.17.AppImage --appimage-extract && cp squashfs-root/cura-lulzbot.desktop ~/.local/share/applications && rm -rf squashfs-root

# inkcut extension for inkscape

pipx install inkcut && pipx ensurepath

# /etc/skel setup

cp -r .config /etc/skel && cp -r .local /etc/skel && cp -r .vscode /etc/skel

# final update

apt update && apt upgrade -y

Links

• OSE Linux - 2.0 version from 2020