Feedback On Open Simpad 0.9.0rc1

[kurochka]

I played with the new OpenSimpad.  Thanks for all the guys (and gals?) for working on this (even though it appears to be dead now).

As always I liked Linux/Opie feel.  

My WiFi cards have been identified and I was online in now time.  I used konqueror.  I worked but on certain websites, like cnn.com (I understand this is a known bug) it crashed.  In addition, for some reason, konqueror was creating folders in / starting with the first letter of each website I visited and had temp files there.  So, my / looked terrible.

I was able to download programs from the feed and update some.

For the following reasons however, I decided (for now) to go back to Win.

1.  It is really hard to use the soft keyboard because the touchscreen is not completely accurate (even after playing with the config file and calibrating it multiple times) at the bottom and the keboard is so tiny.  Without a reliable way for input, it is hard to use Simpad.

2.  The CF card (through a PCMCIA adaptor) appeared to have been recognized (the applet flashed that an IDE drive was found); however, it was not mounted.  I could not find a solution.

3.  USB connection to the PC does not work (I found no solution).  In Win I was able to connect through USB.

4.  Konqueror problems that I described above.

I am not a dev. so I can't help but wait for somebody to fix this.  Until then I am using Win  

[albertr]

As I posted the other thread, inaccurate touchscreen problem appears to be fixed. I had the same accuracy problem as you with 0.9.0-rc1, but after flashing my SL4 with two-days old opie code, it seems to work fine.

The ide disk mounting problem looks to be an obvious bug, it just "forgets" to add a mount point. It shouldn't be difficult to fix, and I won't be surprised if it's already fixed.

Not sure about usb connectivity, I don't use it.

Konqueror doesn't seem to crash on my SL4. I've just browsed cnn.com for some 10 minutes and it didn't crash on me.
-albertr

[tombraider]

As I posted the other thread, inaccurate touchscreen problem appears to be fixed. I had the same accuracy problem as you with 0.9.0-rc1, but after flashing my SL4 with two-days old opie code, it seems to work fine.

The ide disk mounting problem looks to be an obvious bug, it just "forgets" to add a mount point. It shouldn't be difficult to fix, and I won't be surprised if it's already fixed.

Not sure about usb connectivity, I don't use it.

Konqueror doesn't seem to crash on my SL4. I've just browsed cnn.com for some 10 minutes and it didn't crash on me.
-albertr
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=85812\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

I'm sticking to the original CE 3.0 just for the time being but one thing I hate is the Internet Explorer 4.4 which causes a crash on just about every web site and my own web sites aren't displayed correctly....hate when that happens.  I wouldn't mind the crashes but I have to push the reset button and then have to reinstall apps, etc.

albertr....could you tell me if you can see atoah.com and creegah.com with the OpenSimpad and Konqueror without errors...the right side of atoah.com is not visible in my CE 3.0 because it can't handle the PostWrap in the Post Nuke page??

I am getting attached to the Jot program too and I imagine any other upgrade would lose the Jot app,  correct?  Even upgrading to CE 4.1.

The screen on this thing is amazing though - wow!

I installed PowerMVP and it works,  sort of...at least it plays music...it's a little fussy about the "type" of divx file it plays.

[albertr]

Both sites look ok. I ran it side by side with Opera 8.01/win32 and they look pretty much the same, save for macromedia flash thing.
-albertr

[kurochka]

I am getting attached to the Jot program too and I imagine any other upgrade would lose the Jot app,  correct?  Even upgrading to CE 4.1.

[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=85819\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

Yep.  I think 4.1 does not have the Jot program although it has another which is not as advanced.  In addition, 4.1 has only viewers for Microsoft Office files (not the full versions).  The keyboard is much better in 4.1 though and the simpad seems to be more responsive.

[tombraider]

Both sites look ok. I ran it side by side with Opera 8.01/win32 and they look pretty much the same, save for macromedia flash thing.
-albertr
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=85823\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

Thanks for looking at them.  I'm leaning more and more toward trying to load OpenSIMpad on mine but don't have the nerve yet.

[TimW]

I eventually got Opera working on my Simpad and it is fantastic. Don't ask me how I did it, though, because it took a lot of faffing about. The main breakthrough was copying the configuration files to the home directory used under opie.

There is plenty of info about installing opera under opie and I think that they pretty much apply to the simpad. I had already installed it before most of the discussion took place but I'm pretty sure it would work if you just followed the current advice.

[osx4zaurus]

I eventually got Opera working on my Simpad and it is fantastic. Don't ask me how I did it, though, because it took a lot of faffing about. The main breakthrough was copying the configuration files to the home directory used under opie.

There is plenty of info about installing opera under opie and I think that they pretty much apply to the simpad. I had already installed it before most of the discussion took place but I'm pretty sure it would work if you just followed the current advice.
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=86005\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

Just one question, did you compile your own version, or use one of the arm ipk versions available?  If so which one?  That would give a good start and I can write up an install faq or fix the ipk.

[lardman]

It would have to be the binary version, as Opera's source is closed.


Si

[TimW]

Try the instructions from this thread.

[Snappy]

I played with the new OpenSimpad.  Thanks for all the guys (and gals?) for working on this (even though it appears to be dead now).

As always I liked Linux/Opie feel. 

My WiFi cards have been identified and I was online in now time.  I used konqueror.  I worked but on certain websites, like cnn.com (I understand this is a known bug) it crashed.  In addition, for some reason, konqueror was creating folders in / starting with the first letter of each website I visited and had temp files there.  So, my / looked terrible.

I was able to download programs from the feed and update some.

For the following reasons however, I decided (for now) to go back to Win.

1.  It is really hard to use the soft keyboard because the touchscreen is not completely accurate (even after playing with the config file and calibrating it multiple times) at the bottom and the keboard is so tiny.  Without a reliable way for input, it is hard to use Simpad.

2.  The CF card (through a PCMCIA adaptor) appeared to have been recognized (the applet flashed that an IDE drive was found); however, it was not mounted.  I could not find a solution.

3.  USB connection to the PC does not work (I found no solution).  In Win I was able to connect through USB.

4.  Konqueror problems that I described above.

I am not a dev. so I can't help but wait for somebody to fix this.  Until then I am using Win 
[div align=\"right\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

Hi kurochka,

I'm kinda with you on the choice between win and linux for the simpad. I've found myself swinging between the two (and occassionally hanging my SL4) but I also find that CE.NET 4.1 has enough apps to make it usable on a daily basis for me.

How did you get windows to recognize SL4 through USB? I've yet to find a working simpad.inf file for it. I am using WindowsXP.

Having said that, I am still hopeful to try opensimpad/opie (or GPE) again when it reaches RC1.0 or something. Hopefully things get sorted out and yes, I also faced the same stylus accuracy problem.

I tried flashing in the newer image from [a href=\"http://devernay.free.fr/hacks/opensimpad/20050620/images/]http://devernay.free.fr/hacks/opensimpad/20050620/images/[/url] but have no idea what to do with the bootstrap file. I guessed that the image file http://devernay.free.fr/hacks/opensimpad/2...32.rootfs.jffs2 goes to root "boot> copy hda1:/opensimpad-rootfs.jffs2 root" after I rename it, copy it to CF and have the SL4 rebooted and dropped to prompt. Maybe someone can post a install guide for this image and also what to do with the bootstrap file.

[albertr]

Bootstrap is a bare-bones stripped down jffs2 image. You don't want it, unless all you need is just to boot up linux.

-albertr

[Mark H]

I played with the new OpenSimpad.  Thanks for all the guys (and gals?) for working on this (even though it appears to be dead now).

As always I liked Linux/Opie feel. 

My WiFi cards have been identified and I was online in now time.  I used konqueror.  I worked but on certain websites, like cnn.com (I understand this is a known bug) it crashed.  In addition, for some reason, konqueror was creating folders in / starting with the first letter of each website I visited and had temp files there.  So, my / looked terrible.

I was able to download programs from the feed and update some.

For the following reasons however, I decided (for now) to go back to Win.

1.  It is really hard to use the soft keyboard because the touchscreen is not completely accurate (even after playing with the config file and calibrating it multiple times) at the bottom and the keboard is so tiny.  Without a reliable way for input, it is hard to use Simpad.

2.  The CF card (through a PCMCIA adaptor) appeared to have been recognized (the applet flashed that an IDE drive was found); however, it was not mounted.  I could not find a solution.

3.  USB connection to the PC does not work (I found no solution).  In Win I was able to connect through USB.

4.  Konqueror problems that I described above.

I am not a dev. so I can't help but wait for somebody to fix this.  Until then I am using Win 
[div align=\"right\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

Hi kurochka,

I'm kinda with you on the choice between win and linux for the simpad. I've found myself swinging between the two (and occassionally hanging my SL4) but I also find that CE.NET 4.1 has enough apps to make it usable on a daily basis for me.

How did you get windows to recognize SL4 through USB? I've yet to find a working simpad.inf file for it. I am using WindowsXP.

Having said that, I am still hopeful to try opensimpad/opie (or GPE) again when it reaches RC1.0 or something. Hopefully things get sorted out and yes, I also faced the same stylus accuracy problem.

I tried flashing in the newer image from [a href=\"http://devernay.free.fr/hacks/opensimpad/20050620/images/]http://devernay.free.fr/hacks/opensimpad/20050620/images/[/url] but have no idea what to do with the bootstrap file. I guessed that the image file http://devernay.free.fr/hacks/opensimpad/2...32.rootfs.jffs2 goes to root "boot> copy hda1:/opensimpad-rootfs.jffs2 root" after I rename it, copy it to CF and have the SL4 rebooted and dropped to prompt. Maybe someone can post a install guide for this image and also what to do with the bootstrap file.
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=86167\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

I have the lite version installed, could not get the largest file to flash without errors.

You will need to edit  /etc/init.d/opie to have a line which contains
export QWS_KEYBOARD='Buttons'
to get the buttons to function. The stylus accuracy is much better but I still have problems with the sound, can't mute it and crackes most of the time particularly bad when I insert a PCMCIA card.

Mark

[kurochka]

I played with the new OpenSimpad.  Thanks for all the guys (and gals?) for working on this (even though it appears to be dead now).

As always I liked Linux/Opie feel. 

My WiFi cards have been identified and I was online in now time.  I used konqueror.  I worked but on certain websites, like cnn.com (I understand this is a known bug) it crashed.  In addition, for some reason, konqueror was creating folders in / starting with the first letter of each website I visited and had temp files there.  So, my / looked terrible.

I was able to download programs from the feed and update some.

For the following reasons however, I decided (for now) to go back to Win.

1.  It is really hard to use the soft keyboard because the touchscreen is not completely accurate (even after playing with the config file and calibrating it multiple times) at the bottom and the keboard is so tiny.  Without a reliable way for input, it is hard to use Simpad.

2.  The CF card (through a PCMCIA adaptor) appeared to have been recognized (the applet flashed that an IDE drive was found); however, it was not mounted.  I could not find a solution.

3.  USB connection to the PC does not work (I found no solution).  In Win I was able to connect through USB.

4.  Konqueror problems that I described above.

I am not a dev. so I can't help but wait for somebody to fix this.  Until then I am using Win 
[div align=\"right\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

Hi kurochka,

How did you get windows to recognize SL4 through USB? I've yet to find a working simpad.inf file for it. I am using WindowsXP.

[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=86167\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

Install the driver for Windows XP to connect to Simpad (attached below).  You have to make sure the Windows installs this driver (disregard all the suggestions to connect online, etc.)
You must have ActiveSync installed (and choose connect to PDA through USB)
Choose at the Control Panel / PC Connections of the Simpad "USB" (not serial). Connect Simpad to the computer with the USB cable.
Then soft reset (Start - Programs - Tools - Software Reset).

If there is still no connection, reset Simpad with a stylus on the back of Simpad.

[a href=\"http://simpad.pdaclub.pl/download/WCEUSBSH_XP.rar]http://simpad.pdaclub.pl/download/WCEUSBSH_XP.rar[/url]

[Snappy]

I played with the new OpenSimpad.  Thanks for all the guys (and gals?) for working on this (even though it appears to be dead now).

As always I liked Linux/Opie feel. 

My WiFi cards have been identified and I was online in now time.  I used konqueror.  I worked but on certain websites, like cnn.com (I understand this is a known bug) it crashed.  In addition, for some reason, konqueror was creating folders in / starting with the first letter of each website I visited and had temp files there.  So, my / looked terrible.

I was able to download programs from the feed and update some.

For the following reasons however, I decided (for now) to go back to Win.

1.  It is really hard to use the soft keyboard because the touchscreen is not completely accurate (even after playing with the config file and calibrating it multiple times) at the bottom and the keboard is so tiny.  Without a reliable way for input, it is hard to use Simpad.

2.  The CF card (through a PCMCIA adaptor) appeared to have been recognized (the applet flashed that an IDE drive was found); however, it was not mounted.  I could not find a solution.

3.  USB connection to the PC does not work (I found no solution).  In Win I was able to connect through USB.

4.  Konqueror problems that I described above.

I am not a dev. so I can't help but wait for somebody to fix this.  Until then I am using Win 
[div align=\"right\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

Hi kurochka,

How did you get windows to recognize SL4 through USB? I've yet to find a working simpad.inf file for it. I am using WindowsXP.

[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=86167\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

Install the driver for Windows XP to connect to Simpad (attached below).  You have to make sure the Windows installs this driver (disregard all the suggestions to connect online, etc.)
You must have ActiveSync installed (and choose connect to PDA through USB)
Choose at the Control Panel / PC Connections of the Simpad "USB" (not serial). Connect Simpad to the computer with the USB cable.
Then soft reset (Start - Programs - Tools - Software Reset).

If there is still no connection, reset Simpad with a stylus on the back of Simpad.

[a href=\"http://simpad.pdaclub.pl/download/WCEUSBSH_XP.rar]http://simpad.pdaclub.pl/download/WCEUSBSH_XP.rar[/url]
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=86203\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

I just dun seem to have any luck with getting WinXP to recognize SL4 via USB! grrr *stupid* XP driver thingie! HA!