Well, its not that hard to do.
I would just log in as root on the console at the server then:
apt install task-gnome-desktop
Then about 2GB of install later. you can just start the gnome desktop with the startx command. Then log out to return to the console.
Webmin would be something to put on if you didn’t need the desktop so you can look at and manipulate files, restart the computer, update and restart services. Plus a web based SSH terminal.
I understand its easy. Its just showing to an average user it can be done. Plus for Umbrel Home user who have found the HDMI port, you can use it like a Desktop. I use lightdm and xfce4 because its lightweight.
What I haven’t understand yet here is this is just a debain with moby running a customized docker sets. Granted I know some things but what does puzzle me is I posted a way of securing this system because its generalized like a raspberry pi. With everyone having the same SSH keys and passwords. Which they held that from posting. I installed UFW so that computer only forwards what I wanted like port 80 to the console. But I don’t know if ts any better than just running a lightweight desktop with Apache Guacamole which you can turn any OS into a web based desktop instead of running a docker desktop that is missing basic features like changing the password or adding new accounts that are not part of the Debain OS running.
Their appliance looks like some sort of raspberry pi derivative you can get off of alibaba for $50
I run Umbrel on a PC. I wanted to still use my PC and run a server in the background. I know you can install Umbrel over an exkisting debian install but i like the ease of installing umbrel using the iso. Also i have multiple drives in the system and thanks to the desktop environment i can access them. The only dumb thing is they only partision the boot system to rufly 10GB but thats ok. I get that this Project was designed to be a server and i had seen people complaining on why they didnt disclose the HDMI port on the Umbrel Home and they wer wondering what they can use it for. Im not an expert or anything but i was surprised no one did a video on a desktop environment over it. So i thought i would do a video on it. Would i would like to know is if they are going to add multiuser support on the web interface? I made multiple users on the base system but not available for ther server side. I want to give limitted access to the dashboard as a regular user.
I don’t know some one should pitch it. But I was curious of how docker ran and what they set up as bit coin and what little things they did with the iptables and nftables. But if I was going to run smething like this as a web gui solution I would just use a regular lightweight desktop like LUbuntu 24.04 LTS and run Apache Guacamole. Since its not anything special. But I am observing their main sell which is their crypto and if they are committing an international crime with it too.
Other things I noticed is bitcoind panel reporting tor connections even though I have all that blocked and disabled. So I’m looking at the other tor computer shennaigins.
BTW I loaded it on a macpro 3,1.
Thats pretty dumb. I dont use the crypto side but that is the main selling point of umbrel. I like there other services they have but if there main apps dont work then they are folse advertising. My main consern is using non secure local connections to the server. Using TLS SSL would of ben better aspecialy if you have a comprimiced device on the network that can easily listen to the coms between the server and client. Other OSes like KASM and PVE do this by defult. Since you mentioned crypto this can be a securoty concern
its one of the reasons why I’m analyzing it. Since docker can be ran in a SSL fashion.
I know ngnx proxy manager can do it but just wondering why its not done by defult. Im lucky im the only techy in my house but if this is designed for tthe average non tech user, what are the implications and security risks of hacker comprimicing it? I do love the simplicity of 1 click server installs but the non encrypted http access with username and password? hmm. Hope they can fix in a future update