Hi forum experts!

I'll start by saying I understand that running iStripper on Ubuntu with Wine is NOT supported, but I have it basically working, so I want to reach out to you about this issue in case you have some simple advice. Although desktop playback is glitchy, full screen playback is very good and that's all I need. I haven't tested audio because I don't really care about it.

I have 142 active cards and half of them play just fine; the other half don't. Every card released (or updated) in 2014 or later plays with no problem. Most, but not all, cards released in 2013 or earlier won't play. The success rate lessens the older the cards are. What's really strange is there are a few cards as far back as 2010 (and even one from 2008) that will play. Most of the ones of that age that will play are 1080p resolution. Most of the 720p cards will not play, but all 720p cards after 2013 will play. The one from 2008 that will play is 720p; that one is a0437.

Every time a clip fails to play, an entry appears in the log:

vhd: [CBaseAnimFile::sc_Open] WARNING["models:c0321/c0321_sc2_33502.vghd" animfile->Open() returned false.]

Of course, the referenced card number changes in the log entry based on which card failed to play.

Is there maybe just an older codec that I'm missing, or something simple like that? This is working well enough that I'm not going back to Windows, but I will really miss having those old favorite cards.

The above is copied and pasted from the ticket that I opened with support. They responded by asking for a screenshot and details of the error. I don't know how to give any more detail than I already have; I even listed for them every card number that won't play. And I don't know how to take a screenshot of something *not* happening.

So, I'm asking you wise gurus of the Forum--any thoughts? Thank you!

you can try two things.
Must know your Username and Password
If you Don't know it
you can reset it here
( Use Letters and Numbers Only, no Punctuation )

https://www.istripper.com/resetPassword


Go to Settings
Click Advance Check box
Click Register again

Fill in your Username and Password

Or

Quit iStripper
Use Taskmanager to make sure it's not still running the the background.

Go to you VGHD folder location
rename the BIN folder to something else

Reinstall iStripper from the main page
www.iStripper.com

Restart iStripper

Good thing Wyld animal is here. That seems like a real answer.

I was going to ask which half, the top half of the card or the bottom half?

Maybe we need a user poll... Which half of the cards would you rather watch: the top or bottom?

Good thing Wyld animal is here. That seems like a real answer.I was going to ask which half, the top half of the card or the bottom half?Maybe we need a user poll... Which half of the cards would you rather watch: the top or bottom?

@willyweekly - I love your sense of humour. You are definitely a "glass half full" kind of person - and yes, we know you like your......

Keep it coming.

😀😀😀

Greetings @sh42n81 :)

Very Nice, another Linux/Ubuntu User 😊

Although desktop playback is glitchy, full screen playback is very good and that's all I need.

I agree, see my Post here,

https://www.istripper.com/forum/thread/44718/1#post663189

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and here.

https://www.istripper.com/de/forum/thread/36697/1?post=671381

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I have 142 active cards and half of them play just fine

All my 720p Cards (in Total 71) won't also Play. And also all Cards from Kathy won't play
https://www.istripper.com/model/kathy
which are all in 1080p.

Couple Days ago i deleted and redownloaded all my 720p Cards,
and now some of them Play, some not. But still not the Cards of Kathy after redownload.

Is there maybe just an older codec that I'm missing, or something simple like that?

Yes i think this is a Codec Problem, but i didn't investigated that further so far.
Open up your Terminal and Execute this Command:

sudo apt install libxvidcore4 gstreamer1.0-plugins-base gstreamer1.0-plugins-good gstreamer1.0-plugins-ugly gstreamer1.0-plugins-bad gstreamer1.0-alsa gstreamer1.0-libav

Further here is this Site:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/EasyCodecInstallation
which is unfortunately Outdated (Last Change in 2008-08-06)

I don't know how to give any more detail than I already have

That is your Path of your Wine Installation, when you were using PlayonLinux,
which i can't see in your Post so far (USERNAME is your Name on your Local Machine).

/home/USERNAME/.PlayOnLinux/wineprefix/vghd/drive_c/users/USERNAME/Local Settings/Application Data/vghd/data/

Otherwise you can use Locate,
http://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/bionic/man1/locate.findutils.1.html
to find the data Directory/the correct Path, which containing the vghd.log File,
but i think as far i could read it, you found that already.
And also keep an Eye on your Logfiles
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/LinuxLogFiles
here is a good Start.
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/LinuxLogFiles#Essential_Commands

All in all i Accepted the Fact with the unplayable Cards, and i'm Buying only
1080p Cards which are also available in 3K so far (Standard, Crystal Clear and Crystal Clear+)
And i Recommend you to prefer only Crystal Clear and Crystal Clear+ Cards.

And because of the Fullscreenmode you should read this Topic here.
The User @Carstrip @7171al71 and myself are Creating some really nice
Fullscreenscenes. And the Interesting Part is Starting here,

https://www.istripper.com/forum/thread/29408/36?post=667788

Всё о iStripper / Share your FullScreen - Member Created Scenes here

Hi guys and gals of iStripper! I've chosen 8 scenes from my ever growing collection to share. These fullscreen scenes all use the same program - sitting scenes - just the backgrounds have been changed...

and here are my Scenes, and i found some more Good Stuff 😉

https://www.istripper.com/forum/thread/29408/40?post=672027

Всё о iStripper / Share your FullScreen - Member Created Scenes here

Hello everyone :) After some Reorganisation and Rethinking i uploaded my Scenes again to my Drive Account. And i will be Honest, i was now to Lazy to make Preview Screenshots for the new Scenes. So se...

Works all like a Charm and Helps to avoid the Flickering in Desktop Mode.
More i can't do for you at the Moment, but when you want we can Help each other,
and/or Discuss further on this Topic.

https://www.istripper.com/de/forum/thread/36697/1

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Hopefully to make it possible for an native Linux Client from the Dev Team.
That would be a damn really nice Gift for ourselves as Linux User, even as a Minority.
Last but not least, when you are using the newest Client Version, please Read this also.

https://www.istripper.com/forum/thread/45211/1?post=671589

You are not allowed to see this topic or access data relative to this topic

Please keep in Mind that an Ncurses Window will appear inside your Terminal,
so use the TAB an ENTER Key to Confirm end Execute the Installation of the Package.

I know I am going to regret asking this, but......

If a large number of your cards are unplayable using Linux / Ubuntu, why do you guys stick with it? What does it give you that Windows 10 doesn't?

@Stanston - please keep your reply simple as I don't understand all the deep, techie stuff. I'm just curious

😊

@pickle1

If a large number of your cards are unplayable using Linux / Ubuntu

I would say from 1801 Cards in my Collection, and 71 + the 5 Kathy Cards
which are not playable, isn't really a large Number, don't you think 😉

why do you guys stick with it?

Because i decided before over 10 Years for myself to use Linux. Exactly you decided to use Windows,
or the Mac Users using Mac OS.

What does it give you that Windows 10 doesn't?

For several and sad Reasons, i always avoided such Discussions in the past.
And that was a very very good decision for myself.
So i won't Discuss that Fact with you or anyone else here 😉

OT

please keep your reply simple as I don't understand all the deep, techie stuff.

And wht about your blue-chip corporations past?

https://www.istripper.com/forum/thread/45090/8#post670328

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OT/

Fair enough @Stanston - I would not ask you to reveal that which is private to yourself.

As for me - I never really chose Windows. I like to keep things vanilla (that does come from my blue-chip corporation past) and Windows was what was there on my first PC so I just stuck with it. My background was only a year in programming before I shifted into systems analysis and onwards into project, system and quality/test management so my interests were more in identifying requirements and defining solutions rather than the intricate detail of programming.

😊

To not Clutter/Hijack the Topic is this my last Answer to you @pickle1 for your specific Comment

I would not ask you to reveal that which is private to yourself.

Because i don't want to be Disrespectful, but i won't reveal too much private Details anyway.
So to Respond to your Comment, please watch these two Videos first in Order.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnDhQo_M5pA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_7tuL0kbCE

And further the Comment under the second Video (incl. all Answers)
from the User firatealt which begins with:

This might only be me, but I find it much easier to google or research on my own than posting a question in a forum..

And yes both Guys from the Videos are right. Because your Passion for Help is getting Lost
when you are getting offended or/and insulted for your Help.

This is the Reason why i didn't participated on the mentioned Discussions Windows vs. Linux.
And further yes some Users in some Linux Community are getting Toxic, and it makes myself sad.
Or they Think they knows better, or are the Experts Good Lord i ***** this so much.
Like i was saying on the other Topic,

I'm not an Linux Expert myself, more an advanced Linux User.
In my Opionion none of us is an Expert, we grow with our challenges,
and we Learn from our Experiences.

And Trust me, or not when i'm be able to provide my Knowledge, i will do that for sure.
But for the Reasons, which were mentioned in both Videos, i went back from that
Toxic Community/People and stick on my own like the User firatealt from the Comments.

Because some People forget about one very Important Fact, Appreciation.

Then my Opinion is, you can Learn everything you want either Windows, MacOS or Linux.
The only thing you need to do is, You have to want it, nothing more nothing less.
Otherwise you will Fail for sure.
And yes it is possible, from my own Experience to solve your Problems almost to 90% for yourself.
For that are the Wikis, the Documentations and Google.

Hope that Answers your Questuion.

Sorry @sh42n81 for Cluttering the Topic, but like as I mentioned, we can Help/Discuss
each other in the other Topic.

@sh42n81
I forgot one Package in the Codeclist.

sudo apt install gstreamer1.0-vaapi

@Wyldanimal: Thank you for your feedback. I already tried re-reregister. I'll try renaming the bin folder and re-installing.

@willyweekly: I prefer the bottom half if ***** to choose. 😀

@Stanston: Thank you! There's a lot to work with here. I'll let you know how it goes. And thanks for pointing me in the direction of more Scenes, I will enjoy exploring those. It would be really nice if I could find some that use the "Top" clips of the models on the swing.

I think I'm also going to look into installing a package of standard Windows codecs. I'm using PlayOnLinux. Not sure if that can be done, or not. But if I can make that happen, it should answer whether the older clips are using an older codec that just isn't installed by default with PlayOnLinux.

@pickle1: I also agree that it's probably best not to get into a Windows vs. Linux debate here, but in my case, I just wanted to see if I can do it. I have 20 years experience as a Windows admin and I'm trying to expand my knowledge. I have dabbled with Linux over the years, but the only way for me to really focus on working with it is to ***** the issue by making the switch on the computers that I actually use.

There are other reasons, too, but that's the main one. The reason I will stick with it is that all the newer cards work, so I'm not worried that future purchases won't work. I have also seen that some of the older cards that have been updated also work. So I am holding out hope that, even if I don't fix this issue, Totem will eventually update my favorite cards from Chiara, Lorena, Natali Blond, Suzie Q, and Jewel. If not... 💔

@sh42n81

It would be really nice if I could find some that use the "Top" clips of the models on the swing.

I was trying something with my .scene Files but i have to Ask @Carstrip for that, but one after the other :)
At least on my Fullscreenscenes you can Play the whole Show, except for the

behindtable, cage and top Clips.

But i think there is Hopefully a Solution for the Swing Clips, i will get in touch with @Carstrip 😉

I think I'm also going to look into installing a package of standard Windows codecs. I'm using PlayOnLinux. Not sure if that can be done, or not.

I didn't try that so far myself, because im a friend of an not so overbloated Installation, but

But if I can make that happen

would it be nice to give me Response, but a native Client for iStripper would be much Appreciated.
And again i'm really glad that i found other Linux Users here 😊

Hi @Stanston and @sh42n81

The request for "swing clip" scenes has been heard and challenge accepted hahaha

Will be posting a couple in the "share your fullscreen" thread soon 😉

Just an update: I used PlayOnLinux to install WMP9 and the WMP codecs. No change. I'll report back after I try some your suggestions. Thanks for taking an interest in my problem.

@Carstrip: Awesome! I look forward to checking them out!

Hi @sh42n81

Just an update: I used PlayOnLinux to install WMP9 and the WMP codecs. No change.

I expected that :(
Also i made another small Test today, when i'm removing this Package,

gstreamer1.0-vaapi

then the Flickering effect in Desktop Mode gets more worse, as with it installed.
Also i forgot about my Excitement i met you here (Shame on me) these two Packages to mention.

ffmpeg libavcodec-extra

But this here is now finally the complete Codec List.

sudo apt install libxvidcore4 gstreamer1.0-plugins-base gstreamer1.0-plugins-good gstreamer1.0-plugins-ugly gstreamer1.0-plugins-bad gstreamer1.0-alsa gstreamer1.0-libav gstreamer1.0-vaapi ffmpeg libavcodec-extra

Also when you have an Nvidia GPU open up your Nvidia Settings:
Go to Display Configuration > Click on Advanced and make a Hook in both Boxes on the bottom.
Click after that Save to X Coniguration File.
Otherwise you need to Set this again after every Reboot.
With that Option you can get rid of that Transparent Horizontal Line
in Fullscreen Mode, shown on the Picture on Wikipedia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screen_tearing

Last but not least the not pre Installed Fonts for the X Server, please Install them too.

sudo apt install xfonts-100dpi xfonts-100dpi-transcoded xfonts-75dpi xfonts-75dpi-transcoded xfonts-cyrillic

So far so good :)

Another update: I real feel that I'm on the right track with the codecs. From my other machine, which is still running Windows, I dowloaded and ran Process Explorer. All of my cards play fine on this machine, of course.

Watching all the threads associated with vghd.exe in process explorer, I alterantely played some newer cards that play fine on the Linux machine, and some older cards that don't. Guess what? There is a dll that appears when playing all the older cards that does not appear with the newer ones: wmvdecod.dll.

This HAS TO be my problem. I'll bet Windows Media Video Decoder is missing from my Linux PC or not compatible. If I can fix that, I might be in luck.

@Stanston Thanks for the additional insights, more later...

@Stanston Thanks for the all the codec info. I have installed them all and the older clips still don't work. I'm certain that they won't until either it becomes possible to install Windows Media Player 11 on Wine or Totem updates those cards. Neither scenario is very likely, so like you, I will have to accept the fact that those older cards won't play.

Which means now I can turn my attention to exploring all of those wonderful scenes you and @Carstrip have been working on!

@sh42n81

Thanks for the all the codec info.

No Problem :)

I have installed them all and the older clips still don't work.

The last thing you could try, Delete them all and Download them again.
On this way, a few of my older 720p Cards are playing now, but i'm hiding them anyway through the Filters.
So i don't care about them anymore, because there are so many other good/excellent 1080p/3K Cards.

I will have to accept the fact that those older cards won't play.

I have done this also by myself for some Time ago, after i raised aTicket because of those Cards,
and i closed it by myself again. And yes sometimes it's better to Accept a Fact,
instead of ramming your Head against a Wall 😀

Which means now I can turn my attention to exploring all of those wonderful scenes you and @Carstrip have been working on!

This is the Reason why i created them to give myself an Opportunity to enjoy my Shows,
regardless the Flickering Effect. And to Share them was no Question for myself, so please Enjoy them
i'm doing it the same way 😊

Ha.
Hahaha.
Hahahahaha!
HahahahaHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

I fixed it. Damn right.

I know I said I was going to accept the fact that those older cards won't play on my Linux PC, but I ***** to admit defeat--especially when it means saying goodbye to my beloved Chiara. So I kept after it like Captain Ahab. And I WON! lol

I finally found something that would install WMVDECOD.DLL without validating a Windows license. The Windows Media Format Runtime, available at Softpedia. https://www.softpedia.com/get/Multimedia/Video/Codec-Packs-Video-Codecs/Windows-Media-Format-Runtime-11.shtml

The installation is a bit tricky: I had to set the Windows version to XP in the Wine prefix because the runtime won't install on anything later. But, when it's set that way, then I can't choose a new directory for my model files because the file browser doesn't work right. Fortunately, I could set it back to Win7 after installing the runtime and the decoder still works fine.

After confirming that it works, I ended up blowing up the virtual drive completely and doing a fresh install of iStripper and the WMF Runtime, because I had screwed around with everything so much that it got kind of messy. Now, everything's clean and ALL my cards play!

I wrestled that badboy TO THE GROUND! 😎 (Please forgive my exuberance. I needed to flex, hope you understand.)

@sh42n81

👍

now you and @Stanston should write a full Linux tutorial
And post it in a Linux Thread.

Could even be a complete Package that can be Installed
and then Just Install iStripper.

Hi @sh42n81

Congrats to your Success. It is the same great Feeling which i had here,

https://www.istripper.com/forum/thread/45211/1?post=671589

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including the Typo 😀

Please forgive my exuberance.

No Problem :)

@Wyldanimal

now you and @Stanston should write a full Linux tutorial And post it in a Linux Thread.

It's possible, but all in all the Situation with iStripper and Playonlinux is not that great overall.
And i think @sh42n81 would confirm that.
A native iStripper Client in the Future would be really great.
So that we Linux Users can make us Independent from this, Sorry stupid Playonlinux/Wine Construct.
And Yes this thing is a ***** in the Butt.
Then i still have an open Ticket about the Situation, which i opened up in the middle of April this Year,
(at least it says before 3 Months) and which is hopefully not forgotten by the Team,
and it is still not closed from the Team, so i will not loose my Hope.

And regardless how many Tutorials @sh42n81 or myself can write, believe me @Wyldanimal
that native Linux Client is my biggest Wish 💚 to the Dev Team so far.

@sh42n81 👍now you and @Stanston should write a full Linux tutorialAnd post it in a Linux Thread.Could even be a complete Package that can be Installedand then Just Install iStripper.

@Wyldanimal That's an excellent idea. The step-by-step is now quite simple after I found the resolution. My Linux skill level is slightly-more-than-beginner; building a package is beyond my ability at this point. But writing tutorials is a part of my day job; that I can handle. I'll work on it, with @Stanston's input.

Also, if I'm a good netizen, it would behoove me to document my experience at WineHQ. Note to self.

It is the same great Feeling which i had here,

@Stanston Congratulations on that and thank you for sharing it. It has helped me, too.

all in all the Situation with iStripper and Playonlinux is not that great overall.And i think @sh42n81 would confirm that.

Yes and no. It's good enough for me and I would even say great, because it now does what I want for my specific use case and I don't mind the little quirks. I want to run the Full Screen scenes all the time on my living room TV and I don't need to have the models interacting with my Desktop. The wide variety of user-made scenes makes this use much more exciting and better than Desktop mode, in my opinion.

But I agree that an official version designed to run natively in Linux would likely be better. Some of the quirks of running with Wine include the well-documented glitchy playback in Desktop mode, which will be a deal-breaker for many people, some issues with the UI not drawing properly when restored from the system tray (this may be resolved by one of the packages suggested by @Stanston; I need to try this again after my fresh install), and Full Screen mode crashes or hangs when music is enabled if there are any .mp3 or .wma files in the Musics folder (I haven't tried uncompressed music files, and I haven't tried music in Desktop mode).

I do have to give kudos to Totem about this, though: I would not have been surprised if iStripper would have crashed every time it tried to play one of those older clips and found that it could not access WMVDECOD.DLL. Instead, it simply skips the clip and moves on to another one. It would be nice if the log entry was more descriptive, but at least there was an entry present for each incident so I had something to go on.

@sh42n81

building a package is beyond my ability at this point.

It's the same with me, Package Building can be tricky, because you never know which
Package dependencies in Future Updates working with your modified Package Version.
In the worst case APT will be broken or strikes as long you are not solving
all other dependencies for yourself .... Nope, Thank you :)
And also many/some Packages from the Debian Repo were dropped (for example Python2)
and we don't have as a User access to the Infrastructure of Canonical,
to the main and restricted Repos.

But writing tutorials is a part of my day job; that I can handle.

I will prepare a PM for you.

some issues with the UI not drawing properly when restored from the system tray

I don't have that Issue any more since the Windowtitlebar was backported in the .264 Client Version.
But XFCE is using Xfwm4 as Windowmanager and Budgie is a modified Gnome3
which i using Mutter as Window Manager.
I'm not sure how different the Impact is with Wine.

I need to try this again after my fresh install),and Full Screen mode crashes or hangs when music is enabled
if there are any .mp3 or .wma files in the Musics folder
(I haven't tried uncompressed music files, and I haven't tried music in Desktop mode).

Here is my recommendation to use an external Audio Player (Audacious in my case),
as long you can't Fix it for yourself. But Music Files (i only tested .mp3)
never worked inside the Client on my side too. I can add them of course,
i can see the Waveform is moving, but i can't hear the Music.
It's the same with the deafult iStripper Song.
But i feel more comfortable with this Solution, and i have more/better Control which Song i will Start
for the next Show.

Hi @sh42n81

Just in case you are reading still here :)
Do you know those Moments where you have this AHAA! Effect?

One possibility which i didn't think about yet is SNAP > https://snapcraft.io/store

Inside of Ubuntu you can use the Snap Service beside the APT Package Manager too.
Snap's are acting as a Container, which are containing all dependencies for that specific Package.
I don't like Snap at all, just like Wine but maybe this could be a possibility ... maybe,
for iStripper for Linux. And Snap is maintained by Canonical.

But i think Canonical will not allow Adult Content in the Snap Store, like Google and Apple.

But there is also the Flatpak Service > https://flatpak.org/
And Flatpak is in the official Ubuntu Repo > https://packages.ubuntu.com/focal/flatpak

Flatpak is indipendent from Canonical, and an Community only Project.
Otherwise i'm not sure about the Future about those Container based Formats like Docker for example.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Docker_(software)

I'm not sure about my Idea but maybe it's worth to share this Information.

I'm not sure what you're suggesting. Is is that those could be distrubtion methods if Totem ever makes and official Linux version of iStripper?

As for the future of containters, I think it's pretty solid. Much of the Cloud runs in containers now, and I don't see that changing until something even more efficient is invented.

@sh42n81

Is is that those could be distrubtion methods if Totem ever makes and official Linux version of iStripper?

Exactly, because you can't install a .deb Package from Debian or Ubuntu in Fedora.
Or for example an Arch Package in Ubuntu or Debian or Fedora.
But a Container as an pre Build Linux Application can Run on every Linux Distribution.
Because all dependencies are included in this Container, you only need to install the Snap or Flatpak Service.
So as i mentioned Snap and Flatpak is available in Ubuntu.

Also in Arch Linux:
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Snap
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Flatpak

Also in Debian
https://packages.debian.org/buster/snap
https://packages.debian.org/buster/flatpak

So i'm not that familiar with Container based Installations because i didn't use them before.
And i always ditched the Snap Service after an fresh Install of Ubuntu 18.04 and 20.04.
But the Wiki-Article on Ubuntuusers > https://wiki.ubuntuusers.de/snap/
is for myself 100% understandable and it are only a couple of Commands in the Terminal to use it.
So nothing crazy :)

But don't get me wrong, it's not about pushing something, but it was hitting me yesterday like a Lightning Strike.
And yes maybe this could be an possibility for an official Linux Version for iStripper.

As for the future of containters, I think it's pretty solid. Much of the Cloud runs in containers now,
and I don't see that changing until something even more efficient is invented.

That they are solid, that is no Question of course there i'm with you, but i remember on an
Message from an German IT-News Portal Heise Online, which was this one.

https://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/Docker-verkauft-Enterprise-Geschaeft-und-bekommt-neuen-CEO-4585658.html

and her in an Article in your native Language :)

https://containerjournal.com/topics/container-ecosystems/restructured-docker-inc-sells-platform-business-to-mirantis/

And also about the Future of Containers, you should know Red Hat Linux Enterprise.
The only one Commercial Linux Distribution (and CentOS as the Free and Open Source Variant from it),
and they are using also the Container Technology.

https://www.redhat.com/en/topics/containers/what-is-docker

Further Red Hat is a BIG Player in the Linux World. They are contributing a lot of Code to the Linux Kernel,
and in my Opinion without them, Linux wouldn't be on this Point where it is today.

Even Microsoft loves Linux > https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/windowsserver/2015/05/06/microsoft-loves-linux/

But i don't trust Microsoft and this Message, but it's my personal Opinion.

So yes a Container based Solution for iStripper on Linux could be indeed an opportunity 😊