Messages

1

Zaurus - pdaXrom / Keep Pdaxrom Alive

« on: August 18, 2005, 08:27:32 am »

I don't post often but this thread really made me feel the need.

If you don't care for the direction theproject is moving, or what the guys are working on, or that your particular model lacks support for something - start your own project.

The only reason to donate to pdaXrom is because you like the product and want the guys to be able to dedicate time to it. The software is free, you're not buying it. You're not buying stock in a public company you're allowing FOSS developers to continue to do what they love and you're reaping the benefits of their labor. If you can't understand this then you really don't get what Free Software is all about and it would probably be better if you didn't donate at all.

If they spend all the money on beer but continue to do the same great work, who's to argue?

If you see the need for this project to go in a different direction then form your committee, grab the source, and just go ahead and do it. I'm sure you can find developers who would be willing to join and work under your guidlines. Who knows? You might wind up as another Linus. Of course you could also wind up as another BillG.

Perhaps the steering committee should go on sabbatical for twelve to eighteen months to work out all of the details of what needs to be accomplished and get a firm business plan in place. Then they can return and be amazed at what has been accomplished in their absence, and without their interference.

Don't mess with success. The reason the rom is so good is because of the guys that did it. And yes, I donate to the project with no stipulations. If progress stops then so do I, but as long as they're forging ahead I'll keep donating what I can free of any strings.

2

Zaurus - pdaXrom / Cisco Device Management

« on: August 05, 2005, 10:25:00 am »

I've only done it under the Sharp ROM on a 5500 and 6000, and I haven't used it in a while but IIRC the serial port is ttyS0. Of course just like any other console the settings need to be 8-none-1 at 9600, unless the device defaults have changed.

I found minicom works okay although the fonts can be a little squirrely. There is/was another QPE based terminal program that was much better suited to the task but I can't remember what it's called and I lost the bugger during one of many (re)flash sessions.

Either way, this setup has really pulled my buns out of the fire on more than one occasion when I locked myself out of a switch or router.  

Hope this helps,
DirkP

3

6000 - Tosa / Serial cable for SL-6000L

« on: November 08, 2004, 04:24:20 pm »

I purchased the ZThin cable from serialio.com for my SL5500, which it worked quite well on it's a great alternative to the bulky Sharp offering.

It will also work with the SL-6000L BUT you have to cut off the little "ears" either side of the actual connector in order to fit it to the 6K. Apparently they thought we would be swinging our Zaurii around our heads like a bolo as I can see no other reason for the connector overkill.

The cable still works just great on the 5500 too. It works on either device with the keyboard either extended or closed.

Hope this helps,
Dirk Prusok

4

General Discussion / Who are you and where are you from?

« on: October 01, 2004, 12:17:38 pm »

Dirk, 45, Systems and Network Admin from Columbus, OH. Have worked for the Columbus Metro Library for almost ten years now as Network and Unix guy. Got my RedHat CE cert in 2001 in Durham, NC. Since they wouldn't cover it I had to pay for it myself. Haven't used Windoze since 1999 at work, and finally got my wife's machine converted to SuSE last year. The first thing she noticed was no pop-ups and no crashes.

Hers was the last holdout, now everything at home runs Linux, either Debian for the Sparc boxes, or SuSE on x86.

Started with Sharp sometime in the mid-1990s with the ZR-5800, went to HC4600 and decided to give that up as a bad job. Found the 5800 could go a month or more on a single charge but the 4600 and Winderz could barely go a week. I got tired of having to start from scratch.

Bought my SL-5500 right after they were announced and have worn most of the paint off. Now the screen's flaking out and the keyboard is so loose it's hard to use. Currently it's running tkcROM v2 with someone's async IO enhancement and a 256MB SD card set up as /home.. I can't remember who did the enhancements, but I found it here and highly recommend it for the 5500.

They gave me a Dell Axim at work and after using it for about two weeks I gave it back. The only thing it did well was sync, everything else was useless. Plus there was almost no software available without shelling out dollars. We have so many advantages in the FOSS world I think we get a little spoiled.

So... Just received my SL-6000 about a week ago from amazon, I was so excited to get it I had it overnighted ($35!!). Ordered it with the CF adapter, and 1GB SD card. Man, this is the most beautiful screen I've ever seen on a handheld device.

Currently I collect old Sharp PDAs. Couldn't afford a Wizard back when, now they're $2.00 on eBay. Have ZR5800, ZR5000, ZR3000, ZQ7000, IQ7200, ZQ8000, the printer, fax modem and a bunch of the add-in cards. I just love this stuff.

Currently have: 64MB, 256MB, 1GB SD cards; 64MB CF, Linksys WCF11; Serial IO cables; Sharp Camera card; Sharp Microphone/Headphones; and a Piel Frama case.