I have been browsing this forum a lot the last few weeks and I do not feel like I’m getting wiser about what to do.
So is there a guide and starting from a fresh install and what to install and or configure?
Also is there a comparison between the different OS installs or distro’s? What is the difference between kali, bookworm and others? Can you start from a base normal raspberry pi os install and then add what you need or want or is there something better about these other builds?
I know lots to research but wow I feel like I’m just treading water and not getting anywhere. Sorry for all the questions
You need a uconsole specific image because the screen requires special drivers that aren’t in standard pi images.
You can definitely start with debian trixie and then install what you need, this is often a better approach anyway, the more specialized distros like kali are more likely to occasionally break on updates.
Bookworm and Trixie are Debian version codenames. Trixie is the most recent one.
Thank you. I would prefer to install my own apps as I go and learn that way. Then I can test each one and make sure it did not break something. Thanks again.
Use claude code to help out with building the system. Saves a lot of time, unless you like tinkering. I got my unit a few days ago, claude code helped with all the issues and drivers. I have a fully operational unit with nixos installed and it’s working perfectly for my use case.
Kali Linux is used by teenagers to pretend they’re “super hackers”; it does have a great suite of pre-installed tools to use if you’re actually cracking a network, but most actual hackers use anything else due to Kali’s aforementioned reputation.
RetroPie will give you a polished interface for playing video games.
Trying some of the lesser known Linux distributions is a great way to dip your feet into the diverse seas of UNIX communities, but you’d want to have a specific reason for using them as your daily OSes.
I use my uConsole as my primary computer, so what it’s not good for is recent games, processing large (100GB+) amounts of data, big local LLMs, and other high-performance computing applications. Today I read some blog posts, sent messages to my friends, watched a movie, and listened to music while showering, and my uConsole worked for all of that.
I ordered from OpenSourceLabs on March 16 and it was delivered on March 26. I still have an open order with ClockWorkPi from late November. Have not decided if I will keep that order going or cancel it.
Thanks, OpenSourceLabs is looking very appealing after waiting since December 2025. They also offer the unit with a CM4 for an extra $95. I plan to upgrade to a CM5 at a later date, once the prices stabilize (hopefully).
That’s where I ordered from. I originally ordered from clockwork, waited a month, cancelled, ordered from OSL and it arrived in two weeks. Cancel your order, waiting since Dec is brutal.
also, splurge on the cm5, it’s worth it, but, it also depends on what you need to get out of the unit.