From OESF

Revision as of 05:28, 9 October 2007

Overview of available software distributions from a user's point of view:

This article is aimed at explaining the different distributions in detail. Users new to the Zaurus community should take a look at Introduction to Alternative ROMs.

Terminology

Any operating system consists of a kernel (Linux in our case) and a file system with user space software (applications). Both are usually stored in the Zaurus internal NAND memory while the user space part can be on a memory card or the C3x00 hard drive as well. People call the combination of a kernel and a read-only file system a ROM for historic reasons. The procedure of installing a new ROM is called flashing.

A convenient way to install additional software are feeds, these are internet sites providing binary packages. Those will be installed to a read-write partition on any form of storage available (internal NAND/HDD, CF/SD, USB key, network).

We'll call the combination of ROM and feed a distribution in this document.

Software compatibility

Zaurus is a Linux PDA after all, so we can port any open source software and mix with whatever distribution we are running, right? Maybe. However (binary) interfaces differ a lot, so don't get too excited about mix and match: it won't match. If a program you want to use is not in your distribution (neither in the ROM nor in a suitable feed) and you want to install it, there's work ahead.

The major issue here is the different kinds of GUIs used. Unless you are a software developer with some free time on your hand you probably want to choose a distribution that suits your needs. This page is to help you with that decision.

pdaXrom, OZ/GPE, debian and pocketworkstation run on top of X. This is what all Linux desktop GUIs use which makes porting software (such as from GNOME) possible but not trivial. OZ/OPIE, Sharp/Qtopia and Cacko use qt/embedded. qt is a free (partly as in speech, partly as in beer) toolkit to write GUIs for windows and X desktops, qt/embedded however differs from regular desktop qt, which again makes porting software (such as from KDE) possible but not trivial.

All the Sharp Zaurus applications are binary compatible across distros, so as long as they don't require a GUI and are command line based, they should work, however, they have different library dependencies which is where the biggest compatability problem is. Sharp/Cacko and pdaXrom use GLIB 2.2.x whereas PocketWorkstation/Debian and OZ use GLIB 2.3.x. Applications that are not dependant on the latest GLIB features, usually can run on any Zaurus distro.

That said, the binaries may run, however, the package will not install because there are two different package formats for the IPK files as well. Sharp/Cacko and pdaXrom use an older IPK format that is in essence a tgz file containing tgz files. Debian and OZ use a newer format which the ipkg commands in the other distros cannot read and extract. There are tools around to convert between the package formats.

Hardware compatibility

If the distribution does not say it supports your Zaurus model it probably won't work. The hardware differs under the skin.

Common distributions

Sharp retail ROM

Sharp ships Zaurii with Japanese/English software based on Trolltech's Qtopia. The software differs from model to model. It's generally considered stable but lacks features found in other distributions. Due to Qtopia's commercial license it's not open enough for a true linux PDA.

• uses qt/embedded 1.5
• optimized for Zaurus screen resolution (PDA like environment)
• feeds with additional software are available

Cacko

Cacko is an improved version of Sharp's ROM put together mainly by Anton Maslovsky. Cako means "Jewel" in Russian.

Cacko provides two ROMs, full or light, plus feed. Both offer the same applications if you take the feed into account.

• supports most clamshell models: SL-C7x0/C860/C1000/C3100
• 100% English
• uses qt/embedded 1.5 just like Sharp
• optimized for Zaurus screen resolution (PDA like environment)
• Tetsu special kernel
• Based on kernel 2.4.18, Anton back ported many updates and drivers from the later 2.4 kernel
• Many device drivers are included for hardware such as CF bluetooth & wifi, CF usb host, etc
• supports wifi networking very well, including WPA (if using a card with hostap drivers)

Cacko uses a compressed file system to store the main file system, and thus is quite space efficient; the downside is there are quite a few symbolic links in the read-write file system into the loopback-mounted cramfs file system in order to allow patching and changes.

[1]

pdaXrom

pdaXrom current (r121 and later)

• supports Zaurus SL-C7x0/7500/860, SL-6000, SL-C1000/C3100/C3200, C3000 (experimental), x86 PCs, PhyCORE-PXA270
• 100% open source, GNU GPL
• Linux 2.6.x kernel
• X windows, GTK - use openbox as default window manager but can also use other window managers like xfce, kde, etc...
• crosscompiled desktop applications, not all optimized for Zaurus screen resolution (notebook like environment)
• Many device drivers are included for hardware such as CF cards (bluetooth, wifi, usb host, modems, gps etc), SD cards, IR, and USB host/client

[2], pdaXrom

pdaXrom beta1/beta3

• supports Zaurus SL-5000D/5500, SL-C7x0/7500/860, SL-6000, SL-C1000/C3100/C3200, SL-C3000 (experimental), x86 PCs, PhyCORE-PXA270
• 100% open source, GNU GPL
• Linux 2.4.x kernel
• X windows, GTK - use openbox as default window manager but can also use other window managers like xfce, kde, etc...
• crosscompiled desktop applications, not all optimized for Zaurus screen resolution (notebook like environment)
• Many device drivers are included for hardware such as CF cards (bluetooth, wifi, usb host, modems, gps etc), SD cards, IR, and USB host/client

[3], pdaXrom

pdaXii13

• supports Zaurus SL-C3000, SL-C1000/C3100/C3200, SL-C7x0/7500/860 (in a limited fashion)
• based on pdaXrom beta1/beta3
• X windows, GTK - use openbox as default window manager and can be easily switched to fluxbox and icewe
• customised desktop applications optimized for Zaurus screen resolution (notebook like environment)
• custom keyboard mappings for both Zaurus keyboard and USB keyboard
• many bug fixes for beta1/beta3

[4], pdaXii13

pdaXiiNG

• supports Zaurus SL-C3000, SL-C1000/C3100/C3200 (later)
• based on pdaXrom latest rxxx with 2.6.x kernel
• X windows, GTK - use icewm as default window manager
• customised desktop applications optimized for Zaurus screen resolution (notebook like environment)
• custom keyboard mappings for both Zaurus keyboard and USB keyboard

[5], pdaXiiNG

OpenEmbedded/OpenZaurus

OpenEmbedded is a not a distribution, it's a build system used by developers.

OpenZaurus supports all Zaurus models (except SL-A300 which is very rare device). It's the only one distribution with 2.6 kernel for some models.

Many device drivers are included for hardware such as CF cards (bluetooth, wifi, usb host, modems, gps etc). Supports wifi networking very well, including WPA (if using a card with hostap drivers and OZ 3.5.4).

Distribution comes in flavours:

[6]

OZ/Bootstrap

• 100% open source
• only console - no GUI at all

OZ/OPIE

• 100% open source replacement for qtopia
• uses qt/embedded
• optimized for Zaurus screen resolution (PDA like environment)

OZ/GPE

• 100% open source
• uses X windows, GTK
• optimized for Zaurus screen resolution (notebook/PDA like environment)

Ångström

• spelled Angstrom with °A=Å und "o=ö
• future of OpenZaurus

Hentges

• based on OpenZaurus and maintained by Matthias Hentges
• Uses the OpenZaurus feeds
• installs and preconfigures many of the most popular applications
• Hentges website

Applications

What matters to a user most is what applications are available and how good they run? This is a obviously a tough question and everyone holds an opinion about what's needed and what's good. Let's make a comparision table: (This needs work from people familiar with the distributions.)

Get even more

X/qt

• Using this X server running on top of qt/embedded you can use any X application provided it is compatible (ie. glibc compatible)
• Sharp, Cacko, Crow? and OZ/OPIE ROMs

[7]

PocketWorkstation

• Run Debian in a chroot environment
• Any debian ARM packages is available without porting.

[8]

Sharp-compat

• librariers are available to support applications build for the Sharp ROM on other ROMs.