Zaurus emulation for Linux users

[speculatrix]

We'd need to compile Qt 2 and the binaries, but I reckon it should be possible to get the Gemini running Zaurus apps for which we have the source code.
The original binaries probably won't work even running in Docker because the kernel API changed around version 2.2? So the libc and glibc won't be compatible.

[Adam Boardman]

I know nothing of Zaurus, but Debian 9 comes with QT 5.7.1, I'd encourage you to use that, or if you really need a newer version then we move wholescale (ie GKA project too). I've tended to find QT backwards compatibility to be quite good due to the package version numbers.

Basically GKA project is using qtpim which is not included in Debian so we have to build it ourselves, and qtpim is using private api's so it only works against the version it was built against. So if your ex-zaurus apps were built against a different version people would have to choose to only install one or the other of the sets of apps, rather than pick'n'mix as they like.

Happy to host builds of apps on GKA's Jenkins server, you'd just need to add a /debian directory to the source.

[koan]

I think you missed something; Zaurus apps were built with gcc 2.95, Qt embedded 2.3.2 and Qtopia Palmtop Environment 1.5. There is no way you can simply move a Zaurus application to Qt 5.7, I should know, I've done it! I think Speculatrix is referring to an emulation environment where the original binaries are running.

Regarding Qt compatibility, there were some big changes between 2 and 3; and then 3 to 4. Version 4 to 5 was easier but the first few minor versions had more bugs than usual.

[Adam Boardman]

Good to have some info on Zaurus, I didn't know it was so ancient as that. I've not used QT prior to v5... it makes sense that changes to the major version number are where the breaks happen.

[speculatrix]

oh yes, the version of Qt was well out of date when the Zaurus was in its heyday.

very few people stuck with the firmware as shipped by Sharp (which was really just to support the electronic dictionary business, they never really intended it to be popular around the world, and used/adapted for other things).

Most people replaced the original OS from Sharp with other distros... some were based on the Sharp kernel and libraries and still used Qt, removing, adding and replacing apps and components. Others were were really entirely different distros, even replacing the kernel.

I recall managing to set up the build environment to try and build software for the Sharp based Cacko firmware, and it was quite hard, back then I didn't have anything capable of running a virtual machine, which would be how I would do it now.

[Varti]

It would be very interesting to have a way to run old Zaurus apps, at least for a nostalgic trip to see again all the various roms running. The Zubuntu author had a Zaurus environment running under qemu: http://www.omegamoon.com/blog/index.php?en...ry080513-213841 . Also, there seem to be preliminary support for all the various Zaurus models and derivates under Mame: https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master...vers/zaurus.cpp .

Varti

[koan]

@speculatrix

The version of Qt that the Zaurus ran was not "well out of date" in its day, IMHO. The SL-5000D was released towards the end of 2001 and Qt version 3 was released October 2001 so given lead times etc it's not a huge difference.

The interesting thing about Qt embedded was qcop message passing, which never made it into full fat Qt. qcop gave the capability for programs to communicate with each other at run time, somewhat like ARexx on the Amiga.

[speculatrix]

Sorry, I was thinking of the 8xx and 3x00 models, which came much later