Messages

1

Software / Nethack With New Graphics

« on: January 11, 2010, 06:42:32 pm »

Hi all.

I dug out the old Zaurus 5500 the other day, after scoring some new batteries for it. It's always been my personal favorite gadget for playing Nethack on, but the default qpe nethack had some annoying features, namely those ugly turquois tiles, and a too-small tile size.

I've re-packaged the original ipkg file to include the new (and much better looking) absurd tileset, as well as bumping the default tile size up to 12x12.

It may be years too late for the Zaurus' heyday, but I still love the machine, and hopefully, a few of you will get some use out of this as well.

Enjoy

Nethack with absurd tileset

2

General Discussion / A Few General Questions

« on: May 14, 2006, 03:26:42 pm »

The rotation stuff is built-in, no need for extra software.

Do you have the rotate icons on the bottom of the 'start menu'? Do they not do anything?

Yes I do, and no, they don't do anything. Even editing the config files doesn't work. I finally said the hell with it and re-flashed the sharp 3.13 rom. I used the SDL 2.5 cvs files from the 'how to run doom' section of the wiki, and everything seems to be working now.

3

Angstrom & OpenZaurus / Landscape Mode On Restart

« on: May 13, 2006, 07:40:12 pm »

I've flashed the latest OZ/Opie rom, and I would love to use it, as it seems to be really high quality. However, everytime I restart the system, the screen switches to landscape mode and refuses to return. This is using an Sl-5500 with the default 32/32 memory/ram setup. Note that this is also happening *without* the autorotate software being installed. Even editing the config files to disble rotation has no effect.

Any suggestions? I really don't want to have to use the sharp rom after fiddling with OZ, which is vastly better (if I can get it to work)

I've searched this forum several times, and while I've found several similar error listings, there were no workable fixes. Anyone know how to take care of this?

Thanks

4

General Discussion / A Few General Questions

« on: May 13, 2006, 06:35:25 pm »

opie has good screen optimization for the 5500, a good up-to-date kernel, softlfloat everything, libsdl stuff in the feed, made specifically for that distro, a good pim suite, a sweet filemanager. It also has installation options to better handle your limited memory and file installation locations. It has lively forum support and sees regular updates. If you don't like it, flashing back is easy enough.

Very true, if I could get it to work. I've flashed it twice now, and it works fine for awhile, but then (after a shutdown/restart) rotates the screen to landscape mode, and refuses to move it back. This is regardless of the fact that I do not have the autorotation software installed. Editing the .conf files I could find seems to have no effect.

I swear, the Zaurus is a neat PDA (when it works), but it is, without a doubt, the most bug-ridden and frustrating thing I've ever messed with. I've searched the forums here several time, and while I've seen others posting on the same issue, I've yet to find a solution. *sigh*

Back to the Sharp rom I guess....

5

General Discussion / A Few General Questions

« on: May 12, 2006, 05:52:58 pm »

actually, I think switching to OZ/Opie might be a good idea for you.

I just flashed the 3.13 sharp ROM, and things went sour. Halfway through the installation I get a 'superblock read error' and a bunch of other junk. Several different roms all did the same thing. However, the unit seems to work just fine. I'm thinking it was a CF problem.

I still can't get lgeneral to run with yet another set of SDL files I cam across.

What is the advantage of using the OZ rom, by the way?

6

General Discussion / A Few General Questions

« on: May 12, 2006, 11:56:44 am »

After putting together a frankenbox battery system and finding a replacement battery online, I'm dragging my old but much loved Z out of the old PDA's home (sl-5500 with default rom). I forgot how much of a pain setting the bloody thing up was. It's no wonder these things never caught on with the general public.  I've done a few searches of the net and this forum but I haven't yet come up with answers to a few questions. Any help would be appreciated, thanks in advance:

1) How do you get many of the ipkg files to install to CF/SD with the default sharp rom? I've seen a lot of people talking about workarounds for this, but not any explanations. Several of them mentioned a 'configure' command, but I have no idea how to implement this (i.e syntax, target file, directory etc). I'm not that experienced with linux yet.

2) SDL libraries. Ugh, I've installed about 300,000 different versions of these *^%!*^& things in a vain effort to try and get all of my SDL based games to run at the same time. Does anyone have a link to the correct set? I'm *really* trying to get lgeneral to run, but have had absolutely no success. I also have not been able to find installable copies of libfree or ncurses. The ones on elsi don't install. Any help would be welcome!

3) Sharp ROM 3.13. I've been able to download the file, but I haven't been able to find any info on it. Is this worth uprgaring to? I know there are several other popular ROM distros, but I mainly just want to run games. Just curious.

4) Wi-fi. I've seen a to of conflicting reports on which CF wi-fi card to buy. Can anyone point me to one that's fairly easy to get up and going (and doesn't require three hours of fiddling with config files)?

Thanks everyone, these questions have been driving me crazy.