After I came to terms with the current state of Python app development I clicked my heels together three times and returned to the wonderful world of Linux Virtual Machines.
I was able to build a Kivy test app in a Lubuntu VM, which seemed a lot less painful this time. Maybe the fourth VM is a charm? Ultimately, it was still no-go because I needed to debug an app and I couldn’t get the VM to register my USB device. I decided to set up a dual boot Windows 8.1/Linux system and end this tomfoolery once and for all.
Trying Debian first was a mistake. I picked it because I’d heard it recommended for security but I kept hitting snags and generally didn’t know what I was doing, and I got mad and flailed around when I realized I couldn’t use programs like gedit in a shared VM folder. So it goes.
Ubuntu was very user friendly and intuitive. It had some weird additions like an Amazon button, but it was slick and easy to use. It seemed kind of top-heavy, however. Lubuntu is smaller and appears to get the job done, but the interface felt a little bare.
I thought I’d check out the different distributions available and… wow, I had no idea. I recognize a handful of names in the top 100 ranking (Mint, Fedora, CentOS, Gentoo) but there are so many Linux distributions I’ve never heard of. It sounds like Gentoo is mostly written in Python but is difficult to install. That might be one to work towards. I chose Xubuntu as a mid-point between Ubuntu and Lubuntu.
It took numberous attempts to boot from a USB. There is a lot of information out there, but there are a lot of variables and a lot of things didn’t work for me. If I distill it all, I think it boils down to:
- Create a bootable USB with Rufus and a 64-bit .iso.
- Use MobaLiveCD to verify the USB is bootable.
- Use EasyBCD to change your boot order.
- ????
- PROFIT
I have my dual boot system now. I was able to build and deploy my Kivy app. I am happy.