Which Rom For A Sl-6000l Recommended?

[dranath]

Hello Forum,

around Christmas last year I rewarded myself with a SL-6000L.

But apart using this great device for offline-reading of some news-webpages (with a custom-built wget-script) I found no time to tweak it much.

But since Sharp seems not to provide Software-support or updates any more, I think about a change to a more up-to-date ROM.

I run Gentoo-Linux on my Desktop-PC and _love_ "portage" with it's "emerge"-process: automatic download of all the source-code and all it's dependencies and then compiling it optimized for my machine is just great.

Is there something like this available for the SL-6000L? (Ok, compiling programs with it's 450 MHz might be rather time consuming...)

I heard of a ARM-tree of Debian. The GNU-License and it's free availability of a vast amount of programs is very apealing - but how much effort does it take? Does it run out of the box?

How did Open-Zaurus work out (about two years ago I had it shortly on my SL-5500G but after sync-problems with my Windows-Desktop at this time made me switch back to the Sharp-ROM at this time)? How is the availability of programs?

Are the other open-source ROMs to consider? What are their respecitve pros and cons?

I would like to do:
- a graphical user interface (Qt, X, OPIE?)

- surf the Internet (i.e. read web-pages "offline")

- listen to music (XMMS like on my Gentoo-Linux-Desktop?)

- syncronise/date-transfer - if possible vie USB-Cradle/-Thin-Cable

- maybe watch movies (XINE like on my Desktop? - even if I don't have a clue yet how to get the movies from my DVDs on my Zaurus with the appropriate resolution and codec...)

- maybe programming and testing of Perl-code (including Database-queries)

A lot of questions, which I would like you to help me find a starting point. Is there for example something else to consider?

Thanks in advance
dranath

[adf]

look at the xqt forum for debian --pocketworkstation

OZ 3.5.2 has some cool stuff, but is a 1st release on the 6k.
OZ 3.5.3 seem like it will be coming soon

Sharprom is what is left. (though stuff in  the cacko 1.22 feed seems to MOSTLY work on the 6k).

There are a few other projects, but nothing is finished yet.

Take a look at the 6000 general discussion thread

[dranath]

Thanks for the imediate reply, adf!

Take a look at the 6000 general discussion thread

When I registered for the forum and posted, I seem to have clearly overlooked the dedicated SL-6000-Forum...

look at the xqt forum for debian --pocketworkstation

So the Debian/XQt runs on top of the Sharp-Rom?
Pro would be, that I don't have to worry about setting my SL-6000 whole new up when I don't like it.
But on the negative side, there seem to be a lot of people complaining about speed issues because of the simultanious use of the processor by two operating systems (how does this affect the power-drain?)

OZ 3.5.2 has some cool stuff, but is a 1st release on the 6k.
OZ 3.5.3 seem like it will be coming soon

What is keeping me from jumping on the OZ-train, is that the native Linux-programs seem to have to be reconfigured ("ported"?) to work with OZ. What about a program which was not ported - yet or never will be? How difficult is this to do it myself? Is this even possible or do I have to wait for the developers of the program to do so (i.e. do the programmers have to write their programm whole new for the ARM-processor?)?

Another question concerning OpenZaurus: What is the difference there between OPIE and GPE?

Thanks
dranath

[adf]

The OZ software base keeps growing.

To put software in OZ you must learn to make .bb files for bitbake ( I need to learn that too)  The OE wiki is coming along with instructions.. but I haven't got the hang of it yet.

GPE is X based matchbox gui. less software right now, and no shot at compat w/ the sharprom qt software. imho it is the better of the 2 on the 6k anyway, and i prefer x/gtk where possible

opie is qt based and can be used to run older sharprom apps through "compat-libs" it is very pretty, further along than gpe (in january) and has more apps (currently--I think in the long run the actully larger x/gtk linux software base will cause gpe to overtake opie--as people get more comfortable using OE).

I have installed and uninstalled pocketworkstaion at least 6 times. I love it, but it is huge.  I think I might buy a 1.8" drive and enclosure for it eventually--but would make it useable under certain conditions only.

I would say stick w/ sharp for now and then have a look at OZ 3.5.3 (both opie and gpe). 3.5.2 was very cool, but noticeably unpolished on the 6k.

There is also a QT 2.1.1 rom available at trollteck, but it seems not to support 6k wireless.

guylhem is working on some very cool mods to the sharp setup (see the fast kernel thread) I use his kernel and libSDL and my 6k runs very nicely.

[dranath]

Thanks for the reply again, adf.

But at first a question:
What does the abbreviation "w/" mean? Google couldn't help me... I already saw it several times somewhere else, but couldn't figure it out. Is there an official standard?

opie is qt based and can be used to run older sharprom apps through "compat-libs" it is very pretty

I think to have read somewhere that Trolltech did close the source for Qt? Is this the case? If so, I'm sure in the long run it will not be as good as supported as it seems to be the case right now (by volunteers).

GPE is X based matchbox gui. less software right now, and no shot at compat w/ the sharprom qt software.

Yes, X and GTK+ seem to be fine. But how does the 400 MHz of the SL-6000 get along with X? If I start X11 to work with OpenOffice.org on my Apple G4 PowerBook, it takes considerable time. Or do I have a wrong notion of X(11)?

I would say stick w/ sharp for now and then have a look at OZ 3.5.3 (both opie and gpe). 3.5.2 was very cool, but noticeably unpolished on the 6k.

Damn, now that I have time to fool around a little bit I have to wait until I'm bogged down in my studies again - argh :-)! I think I'll give Debian an try.

guylhem is working on some very cool mods to the sharp setup (see the fast kernel thread) I use his kernel and libSDL and my 6k runs very nicely.

I'll have a look at this, too.

Thank you very much and have a nice weekend
dranath

[adf]

w/ = with
x11 can be very light or very heavy depending on what you do with it. A zaurus isn't going to run openoffice in a pleasant manner, I think. It will run abiword, gnumeric scite and ted pretty nicely, though.  Take a look at the ultra light distros like "damn small linux" to get an idea of the lightweight x-based packages.
qt has both closed and open applicattions. Trolltech is a for-profit business. they release their sdk as open source as a wise busines move--it maintains interest and aids development. I wouldn't worry about them trying to reclose stuff that is already open