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Everything Else => Zaurus Distro Support and Discussion => Distros, Development, and Model Specific Forums => Archived Forums => Angstrom & OpenZaurus => Topic started by: jrktiger on October 11, 2004, 03:22:21 pm

Title: differences between opie and gpe
Post by: jrktiger on October 11, 2004, 03:22:21 pm

This may have been covered before but what are the advantages/disadvantages of opie compared to gpe?  Specifically, I am interested in performance, applications, and stability.

Thanks

Title: differences between opie and gpe
Post by: VeeDubb on October 11, 2004, 09:19:39 pm

If that's what you're intersted in, you need to run Opie, period.

GPE actualy runs a variation of the X windows System that Linux on the desktop.

This is nice in the sense that it's pretty, and can run some more powerful apps if you put the work into it.  However, it takes a lot more CPU power to  crank it over.  Also, at the moment, the GPE version is VERY broken IMHO.

So, if you want a super cool AND super geeky interface with lot's of potential but you're also willing to put in lot's of work, GPE is cool.

If you want a basicaly finished and pollished interface with lot's of apps that a monkey can install to make a useful and user friendly tool at the same time, use the Opie interface.

Title: differences between opie and gpe
Post by: jrktiger on October 11, 2004, 10:08:42 pm

Thanks, since the GPE version will not log out and back in, I am going to use the OPIE version.

Title: differences between opie and gpe
Post by: Bundabrg on October 12, 2004, 08:09:34 pm

I've looked at GPE briefly, and I think it has very good potential.

Anyone tried to get it to run with a pdaXrom? I'm wondering if its worth setting up a development environment and trying?

 - Bundabrg

Title: differences between opie and gpe
Post by: VeeDubb on October 15, 2004, 11:19:33 pm

I agree that it has huge potential, it's just not right for casual users, "yet."   The pdaXrom dev kit should NOT work.  pdaX uses a different gcc whic will break it all by itself, plus the other differences are too numerous to count.

Title: differences between opie and gpe
Post by: lardman on October 16, 2004, 06:35:14 am

Quote

pdaX uses a different gcc whic will break it all by itself

Yes, but it may still work. I actually think they use GCC 3.x anyway.

Quote

I'm wondering if its worth setting up a development environment and trying?

Er, OE.....?

Quote

Anyone tried to get it to run with a pdaXrom?

This doesn't actually make sense (to me at least ;-)).

OZ+GPE is largely equivalent to pdaXrom, except that pdaXrom uses an old libc (or have they changed at last?), I'm fairly sure that they use GCC 3.xx, and they have a crappy version of ipkg.

I understand what you're trying to say - about trying to get the good features of pdaXrom on OZ+GPE, but I think it would be easier to just work on OZ+GPE.


Si

Title: differences between opie and gpe
Post by: dansawyer on October 17, 2004, 10:32:54 am

Is there a place to read about the different stacks?

For example, what is the OZ layer that is the equivilent to X11??

Thanks,
Dan

Title: differences between opie and gpe
Post by: Mickeyl on October 17, 2004, 03:51:45 pm

From memory it's like that:

GPE-Image:

Linux fb --> Xfb --> Xlib --> GTK --> GPE

Opie-Image:

Linux fb --> ----Qt/Embedded ---- --> Opie

Title: differences between opie and gpe
Post by: dansawyer on October 17, 2004, 06:56:09 pm

Thanks,

That is very helpful. The link below points to a page that seems to refer to both qpe and opie in the same context. The first image shows a qpe app running in an opie background.

http://qpegps.sourceforge.net/shots.html (http://qpegps.sourceforge.net/shots.html)

Is this likely a qpe app? Is this really opie?

Does porting this qpegps app to 3.5.1 intail all the issues mentioned above?

Thanks,
Dan

Title: differences between opie and gpe
Post by: zenyatta on October 18, 2004, 04:32:11 am

dansawyer: I'm afraid you are confusing GPE (GPE Palmtop Environment) with QPE (Qt Palmtop Environment, a.k.a. Qtopia (Opie's ancestor)). qpegps is therefore a Qtopia/Opie application, not having anything to do with GPE.

z.

Title: differences between opie and gpe
Post by: dansawyer on October 18, 2004, 10:12:56 am

Thank you, you are correct. I was.

That said should a qpe app run on 3.5.1? The question assumes oz-compat is loaded.

Thanks,
Dan

Title: differences between opie and gpe
Post by: zenyatta on October 18, 2004, 06:19:17 pm

I don't think there's a problem if you get oz-compat working. I vaguely remember there was some hassle with setting it up (back under 3.3.6) and the interface for configuring a legacy app is quite cumbersome. I did run the Hancom suite with oz-compat but after I flashed 3.3.6 for the third time or so I gave up on it. YMMV.

z.