Full Debian Linux On Zaurus Sl-5500 Etc

[Hagisbasheruk]

I JUST WANT TO KNOW HAS ANYONE TRIED IT YET ?
Ihave no zaurus yet but have been reading lots and found this....probably the most interesting zaurus topic yet!!
Let me know how you get on with this ,even better OZ team up !!OZ/Debian
http://www.pocketworkstation.org/

      Full Debian GNU/Linux operating environment, with easy access to the many GB of available software. Want the Konqueror web browser and have 50MB free space on your SD card? Run "apt-get install konqueror", go eat lunch and come back to find it ready to run. No porting needed.
    *

      includes X11 able to run most Linux applications - it supports virtual screens larger than the physical screen, realtime anti-aliased scaling and rotation, 3-mouse-button emulation and a full keyboard (useful i.e. if you need to send Ctrl-Alt-Del to an application).
    *

      VNC client fbvnc (same features as X11 above) - remote administer your NT box from your Zaurus.
    *

      Runs completely out of a single directory (a 256MB SD card is ideal), no re-flashing or modification of the existing operating system is required.
    *

      Switch between qtopia and X11 whenever you like without rebooting or needing to stop any of your X11 applications. This currently still requires waiting half a minute for QPE to load, but I'm working on making it near-instantaneous.

Requirements
You need:

    *

      A storage card with a Unix filesystem (ext2 works, FAT doesn't) and 95MB free space (125MB if you also need to put the archive on it) for the "base" archive, 200/280MB for the "big" one. SD/MMC cards are most useful due to keeping the CF slot free for network cards, but CF cards and microdrives also work.
    *

      Approximately 20 MB free RAM on the handheld. This is only really relevant for the SL-5000D with the Sharp ROM which has less than 32MB available - don't try to run Qtopia at the same time as Debian in that case.

Supported platforms:

    *

      Sharp SL-5000D or SL-5500 running the Crow ROM is recommended. OpenZaurus and the original Sharp ROM also work, but please refer to 'known bugs' below.
    *

      The Japan-only C700 and C750 models also work, and are highly recommended (here's a comparison between the c700 and 5600. See 'known bugs' section below for further instructions.
    *

      Compaq iPAQ color handheld running Familiar Linux. (NOT Windows CE, and it isn't officially supported yet and needs some tweaking, see 'known bugs' below. Send me mail if you want to try it.)
    *

      Other comparable handhelds running Linux might also work with some porting, let me know if you have one you want supported.

     Klaus Weidner kw@w-m-p.com

    *

      Feedback! I won't continue releasing this if I don't hear from you (yes, this means you). If you try it, let me know what you did and how it turned out. If you decided not to try it out, please tell me what should have been different. Also, tell me if I should add you to the (very low-volume) announcement mailing list to tell you about new versions.
    *

      Help on setting up power management properly on the various ROMs (suspend/resume, backlight, hardware clock, alarm function) - please let me know what works and what doesn't. I'd like to phase out the zapmd hacks if possible.
    *

      A fix for the crashes when writing (see above, probably buggy SD/MMC driver)
    *

      jffs2 file system on flash cards using the blkmtd driver - this would offer compression and better write performance. Anyone have a working Zaurus-compatible version?

[koen]

using jffs2 on CF card is actually slower and will destroy the cards faster. Ext2 without -noatime would be the best choice.

I don't know if you checked, but OZ offers > 2000 packages, so what is missing in respect to debian?

Why don't use you OZ/GPE? That way you'll have real X server which will perform much better as X/qt.

[Hagisbasheruk]

using jffs2 on CF card is actually slower and will destroy the cards faster. Ext2 without -noatime would be the best choice.

Any chance you could please email Klaus Weidner kw@w-m-p.com with any suggestions regarding a better way to do this as he won't continue releasing this if he doesn't hear from people.

I don't know if you checked, but OZ offers > 2000 packages, so what is missing in respect to debian?

Why don't use you OZ/GPE? That way you'll have real X server which will perform much better as X/qt.
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=96663\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

Regarding software i cant seem to find much Ham Radio software,ie SSTV,PSK,MORSE,PAKCET(decoding) via soundcard or Radio control via Com ports.....plus loads of other stuff.
Once i get a zaurus i will make it my task to modify/port these types of applications once i learn c++,java and Qt/embeded.
Anyway how about some1 doing a how to convert some ham radio app from source to run on the zaurus ;)maybe QSSTV(i can just imagine talking to someone on my Handheld Radio and then sending them some Slow Scan TV pictures of the location i am at{via sd card from camera} COOL -Then ill finish the rest!!
10,000+ apps on Debian too so maybe it would be better to find a way to download/compile/import these packages via a script automatically.
Regarding the X server i can comment on except the way i read it :
includes X11 able to run most Linux applications - it supports virtual screens larger than the physical screen, realtime anti-aliased scaling and rotation, 3-mouse-button emulation and a full keyboard (useful i.e. if you need to send Ctrl-Alt-Del to an application)(LOOKS REAL TO ME)....
The reason i sy that is because of the next statement :
VNC client fbvnc (same features as X11 above) - remote administer your NT box from your Zaurus
"fbvnc"<<<has this got to do with that?i just dont know enough to comment really!
Invite  Klaus Weidner kw@w-m-p.com to partake in OZ he knows more about this than me,i'm just a Joe Blogs who thought this was way cool{FULL DEBIAN} on zaurus,after all doesn't OZ and others get there roots from there?

About OpenZaurus
Background

The OpenZaurus project was created as an alternative Operating System for the Sharp Zaurus Personal Mobile Tool. The original purpose behind the project was to create a system (kernel + root filesystem) which was a bit closer to what the developer community specifically desired. The method by which this was accomplished was simply to use the Sharp ROM as a base and make alterations, bugfixes, additions and even removals, where necessary, to make the package more open.

Shortly after this, it was revamped completely. OpenZaurus was then a Debian based embedded distribution built from source, from the ground up. Given its debian roots, it is quite similar to other embedded Debian-based distributions, such as Familiar for the Ipaq. This means of doing things also facilitates an easy method for users to build their own custom system images.

Current Versions of OpenZaurus are built from the OpenEmbedded Build system, this was again a complete rebuild of the entire distribution from scratch.

[Hagisbasheruk]

OPPS U R RIGHT BUT LOOK BELOW

I don't know if you checked, but OZ offers > 2000 packages, so what is missing in respect to debian?

Why don't use you OZ/GPE? That way you'll have real X server which will perform much better as X/qt.
[div align=\"right\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

[a href=\"http://wiki.debian.net/?PocketWorkstationXQT]http://wiki.debian.net/?PocketWorkstationXQT[/url]
Instructions are to install PocketWorkstation with X-Qt on the Sharp ROM. X/Qt information is available at http://xqt.sourceforge.jp/index.html

NICE SCREENSHOTS HERE http://xqt.sourceforge.jp/screenshot.html
[img]http://xqt.sourceforge.jp/040125-3.png\" border=\"0\" class=\"linked-image\" /]

[koen]

Pasting website contents is annoying for 2 reasons:

1) you don't answer my questions
2) I've already read those websites

[lpotter]

using jffs2 on CF card is actually slower and will destroy the cards faster. Ext2 without -noatime would be the best choice.

I don't know if you checked, but OZ offers > 2000 packages, so what is missing in respect to debian?

Why don't use you OZ/GPE? That way you'll have real X server which will perform much better as X/qt.
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=96663\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

Xqt IS a real x server, and I can't see much difference in performance between xqt and xserver.

[koen]

using jffs2 on CF card is actually slower and will destroy the cards faster. Ext2 without -noatime would be the best choice.

I don't know if you checked, but OZ offers > 2000 packages, so what is missing in respect to debian?

Why don't use you OZ/GPE? That way you'll have real X server which will perform much better as X/qt.
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=96663\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

Xqt IS a real x server, and I can't see much difference in performance between xqt and xserver.
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=96715\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

An extra layer of indirection, but with the original sharprom and x/qt you would probably see better performance since kdrive lacks the w100 accel bits.

[bam]

is it me or has a particular "team" been a little "testy" lately, too much coffee perhaps?



edit: typo, no h in much

[Hagisbasheruk]

is it me or has a particular "team" been a little "testy" lately, too much coffee perhaps?
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=96724\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

Looks like it !! i just thought it would be a good/better idea too team up/exchange ideas and infos and therefore make the OS's better for all users.
P.S INFORMATION IS FOR SHARING JUST LIKE LINUX  SO DO USE A FAVOUR KOEN BE POSITIVE,i just checked all your previous posts to see if you were one of those NEGATIVE types but you seem ok so sorry for getting your hump up......but you have not answered my questions ether;(
BACK TO THE POINT HAS ANYONE TRIED THIS?
IF SO COMMENTS PLEASE !

[offroadgeek]

Maybe I'm getting testy too, but here's my take:

1.  Hagisbasheruk - if you do a quick search on the forum for pocketworkstation, you'll see that there are already a few threads on it.  So yes, people have tried it, posted their thoughts, etc.  You just didn't take the time to look for yourself.

2.  Hagisbasheruk - you need to learn quickly how to post properly in the forums.  WHEN YOU USE ALL CAPS, IT GIVES THE IMPRESSION THAT YOU ARE YELLING.  And generally speaking, people don't like that.  So STOP IT.

3.   I don't see how koen was being negative.  He simply stated his opinion.  Granted his opinion may be stronger than others  , but nothing he said was really offensive.

4.  Bam - how was your post in any way a positive contribution to the conversation?

[jfv]

I don't know if many people have used the full debian on a 5500, which is a small machine. There was a big thread started by smuelas about the full debian on the 6000 and he even had a very nice web page with screenshots and instructions. You can find the thread by searching the forums.

There are many options on how to use the Zaurus, which is one of the main appeals it has. Maybe if you tell us what your main needs are, we can make suggestions on what setup is best.

Or maybe we just carry on with a flame war :-)

Felipe

p.s. BTW, there really is no need to paste content from web pages. Putting a link is enough.

[Hagisbasheruk]

Hay i only just found out about the Zaurus last week after seeing one on ebay.
I don't often use forums so pardon the CAPS and content pasting lol.I never even thought to search the forum OOPS
Like i said i would like to be able to run ham radio apps on it so that seems the appeal for me.
What about these 2.2 Gb cf microdrives that are on ebay are they any good for a sl-5500 or sl-5600?

[weasel123]

using jffs2 on CF card is actually slower and will destroy the cards faster. Ext2 without -noatime would be the best choice.

The above statement defies logic. JFFS2 includes wear limiting features, and compression as well  so tell me how on earth it can cause a flash memory card to destroy faster than a file system like ext2 without wear limiting or compression?

Just point me to a link were someone has done a research which shows that jffs2 on a flash memory card (CF or MMC) wears the card faster than ext2?

JFFS2 will be slower since it includes compression, but it is hard to beleive that it will destroy a flash memory card than other filesystems which do not have non wear limiting and compressio.

Grendel

[bam]

4. Bam - how was your post in any way a positive contribution to the conversation?

good point and noted, but I am like others a little "tired" of some of what appears to be attitude around here, thats all. I like this place because for the simple fact, I get answers to my dumb questions and I dont get attitude because of it (my stupid questions)[thats my positive contribution to the forum]

[Hrw]

Guys (Hagisbasheruk especially) - this is "OZ/Common" NOT PocketWorkstation/Common or Debian/Common - use correct sections.

Hagisbasheruk - you are new in this forum - find some free time, use Search option to find some threads about things which interest you but dont select random section to start asking about things which was discussed many times.