What do you prefer...

[Zazz]

Bonus question:
We are currently talking about replacing all the \"built-in\" prefs/settings programs with python+pygtk - how do you feel about that?

Didn\'t note that one before. Anything other than storing prefs/settings in editable plain ascii text files is pure evil and leads to disaster (windows registry anyone?). Any GUI tools to changes these settings must be optional. I will not install python on my Z, and I would hate to have to fork if it became a required component.

[ScottYelich]

I agree.  I will test the normal on my 700... and the expert on my 760.  of course, I really want to use the 760 -- with the expert.
but this gives people the choice of using the rom that they feel they want... this way you don\'t have to keep ripping things or
keeping things out of the rom like busybox and man pages!

Scott

[whit]

We are currently talking about replacing all the \"built-in\" prefs/settings programs with python+pygtk - how do you feel about that?

I have no special use for python except for the TreeLine outliner which runs under PyQt, and to a lesser extent rpCalc from the same guy. Both of these are well-designed, the sorts of things that should be on a PDA, but I\'m not sure how much overhead PyQt would introduce - and I\'m guessing y\'all are more in the gtk than Qt camp  :wink:

Another option would be to set the preferences through Apache/PHP (although you\'d have to run Apache as root - not so good). Or to somehow abstract out the setting definitions (XML?) so that it\'s easy to script frontends in PyGTK, PyQt, PHP, bash, whatever. However it\'s done, it would be good if notes were kept on the actual text configuration files altered, both as a guide for folks who want to configure by hand, and as a guide for fixing stuff that whatever the frontend is will bollux - and I\'ve rarely seen one that\'s good for more than a first rough-approximation of a well-tuned system (linuxconf, the X11 config scripts ... stuff that\'s seen a lot of work go into it and still doesn\'t quite do the job).

[Laze]

All lot of input - i will try to answer all of the questions and ideas.

We will use matchbox for the \"normal\" ROM with a another theme - more light and modern. Anyone willing to make one or suggest one?

We have been working on making the ROM less root-specific and hope to have all it all fixed and working - but no guarantees.

Release date is unknown but currently the basic kernel is 100% stable and working like a charm - im running it on my C760 together with ROX just testing it.

There will be new power and backlighting program. There will probally also be a applet for changing backlighting fast and easy + function to turn off backlighting for long MP3 playback.

We are working on getting an onscreen keyboard working.

Most of the prefs/settings will be in Python. Most of the Python prefs are just calling system commands with parameters - so all things can still be edited in text editors or using the normal system tools - but just as an example for normal end user we don\'t think running xset dpms 10 10 10 and setfl 5 - just to set the power settings and backlighting is a good solution. So therefore we think a python tool is better and easy to fix.

We have discussed making everything in webpages, like PHP (I could make the programs very quick in PHP) - but we don\'t think installing a webserver and php is a good idea in order to solve such a small \"problem\". The python \"libs\" and needed stuff takes about 4 MB uncompressed space, while libqt (which is currently used) need about 6.5 MB uncompressed space.

All settings will be stored in XML files so one can make other programs to write and reading settings file.

[pgas]

well, there are alternatives to apache+php, like mini-httpd and using shell scripts for the cgi,
It will take less space on the rom.

But developement and maintenance of the scripts can be tricky...

Also a web interface will be more difficult to use on the Z and less clean than a qt UI.

[pmf]

well, there are alternatives to apache+php, like mini-httpd and using shell scripts for the cgi,
It will take less space on the rom.

Plus: if Python is already installed, why use PHP at all when you can achieve exactly the same with Python-CGI?

If you manage the configuration with PyGTK or PyQt scripts, it would be consistent to make the scripts for the web-interface use Python, too.

[jgraves]

Laze,

It all sounds great!!! Looking forward to the new rom.

-John

[Zumi]

We have been working on making the ROM less root-specific and hope to have all it all fixed and working - but no guarantees.

I\'ve created a normal user, made some apps SUID root and now I can use the system with it. You can use sudo for some apps, for example qpkg, that need root.
It is really not \"cool\" to use a Linux system as root :shock:, I hope the default system will be set up for a normal user instead.

Zumi

[CoreyC]

Laze:  I know you didn\'t say anything about switching the window managers, but maybe you should look into pekwm.  It uses less memory than openbox (4.4mb compared to 5.4, not a ton but every little bit saved adds up after a while), and it has a startup script that can open programs *after* itself and rox has completely loaded (I couldn\'t find a way to do this with openbox, adding the .xinitrc attempts to open the programs while the wm is running).  You can also resize/move windows using the keypad.  Pmf alread has it available in his feed.

There are also allot of apps in /usr/X11R6/bin that probably could be removed to save space. For example, who here plays texteroids?  Many people wouldn\'t even know that it was preinstalled into pdaX, and those that do know that it doesn\'t work

I\'m happy with the matchbox setup you have now... it\'s very fast, but I do not use it.  The option to uninstall it sounds very good.

[alan]

Jusy in case you woulld not have enough work to do with this new rom :wink: , i would like my favrite rom to be just as easilly internationalisable as any qt rom : different keyboard layouts easilly accessible via ipk would be appreciated for exemple.

I know vi can help anyone doing this, but  i  don\'t feel faire this rom to be \"geek english speaker only\".

And i really like the idea to have different Expert/Normal user rom available.

[lardman]

How long are we thinking here before the release?

I\'ve just knackered my current OZ install. If we\'re talking a week or so I\'ll just put my Z on one side and wait until the new pdaXrom comes out so I can try it, if it\'s going to be more like a month then I\'ll reflash OZ and start using it again.


Si

[Laze]

We are working hard on fixing a buglist with 15-20 items.. We are roughly fixing 1-2 bug a day - so in 2 weeks it would probally be ready. But we might need some time for testing and if any bugs are found it might be delayed a bit longer - but soon now™.

[lardman]

Cool, thanks for the reply.


Si

[piotr]

It would be great to have localizations - mainly keyboards layout (for me polish one would be wonderfull ;-))

It would be also fantastic to have ability to compile various software sources on zaurus itself.
I am complete linux-newbee but I am highly interested to give something from me to zaurus community but in that case I would be capable , probably after many mistakes to compile programs for zaurus.
piotr

[lardman]

It would be also fantastic to have ability to compile various software sources on zaurus itself.

This is already possible afaik. There\'s a native sdk which you can get on the pdaXrom website.


Si