Zaurus: A "Complete OS" with "Incomplete Apps

[TonyOlsen]

I\'ve been a little disappointed to find out that some of the apps for the Zaurus (especially those that come with it) aren\'t \"full\" versions of those apps.  Zaurus has a \"full Linux Kernel\"... but only \"watered down\" versions of many apps?  The Zaurus is powerful enough, has enough memory, and (with recent changes in the 2 GB CF market) has enough disk storage... why aren\'t large \"full\" opensource apps being ported to the Zaurus.  For example:

Forget HancomSheets... how about \"OpenOffice\" (complete!) on the Zaurus?  I have 100 MB... no problem!

Forget NetFront and Opera... how about the ENTIRE Opera (with ALL of the features) on the Zaurus?

Forget MPlayer, MoviePlayer, MediaPlayer, tkcVideo, etc... (all of which only support a small subset of codecs)... how about all of the codecs on the Zaurus and a full opersource player (with all of the bells and whistles).  It doesn\'t bother me if the codec porting makes the codec sub-optimized... that\'s fine, because with a wider range of codecs I could work with smaller bitrates and smaller files, while sohuld even things out a little.

In a sense I suspect many developers \"water down\" a product so that it \"can work on the Zaurus\".  Can\'t the Zaurus handle the full version?  I know this is a HUGE list.  What are some of the concerns with this concept?

I looked at the MapQuest PDA webpage... and it\'s so tiny.  The regular MapQuest works just fine on my 640x480 VGA Zaurus... I don\'t need \"PDA\" version of stuff.

I mention this because I\'m planning on retiring my laptop to my children and jumping in with both feet into the Zaurus as my main and ONLY computer.  ...but it seems like some still (if only subconsiously) think of the Zaurus as a powerful PDA instead of an actual computer.  Let\'s have the apps represent a \"real computer\" and have full installations.  What do you think?

Hey... if Stratagus (WarCraft II) can work on the Zaurus, then we can do anything!!  

I know this posting will probably result in a few of the Zaurus developers chasing me with a shotgun (doom style) :wink: ... just fun stuff to think about.

[lardman]

MPlayer - I use this on my desktop box

[TonyOlsen]

Yes... but it was my understanding that the Zaurus port of MPlayer only has a small subset of the codecs.  Did I understand that correctly?

For example, can the Zaurus version of MPlayer play RealVideo, Windows Media, Quicketime, DIVX 5.0, and all of the codecs found in the K-Lite Codec pack, Nemo Codec Pack, and others?  \"All\" of my desktop players (and I have about 6 of them) can.  (Yes, I can play RealVideo and Quicktime in my \"Classic Media Player\" on my windows desktop).  Can it play trailers strait off of people\'s websites?  Can it play the non-copyrighted videos found on KaZaA?

[DrWowe]

You know, I actually like Opera and Netfront for the Zaurus.  (I just wish they were opensource so I could customize the keybindings a bit).  Small is good.  Small is fast.  Small fits in internal flash ROM.  I use my Zaurus as a quick-access mobile device that supplements my laptop.

But for your purposes, you should try something like PocketWorkstation or Gentoo, or something like that.  The Zaurus is flexible enough to let you choose to use it that way if you want.

[jabbath]

Hi!
The Zaurus is and is not ment to be a \"Full Computer\".
To sell the zaurus as a \"Full Computer\", it is to slow. You see, i think of \"Zaurus\" as a PDA.
First of all, I would never give my Laptop away, I also wouldn\'t recommend it to you
If you don\'t want to use NetFront and Opera, just use pdaXrom with FireFox.
I also use mplayer on my Laptop. So, if you want to have more codecs, compile a new mplayer for your needs, or wait for somebody, doing this for you
If you want to use your zaurus as a PC, just install pdaXrom and compile some extra apps. It should work and look fine.

grusz, jabbath

[TonyOlsen]

So, if you want to have more codecs, compile a new mplayer for your needs, or wait for somebody, doing this for you

I thought the player was separate from the codecs...  The codec are the decompression libraries that the player uses.  You can add to and take away from that list without affecting the player.  Am I wrong on this?  Does MPlayer come with ALL of the latest codecs \"built in\"?

The Zaurus is and is not ment to be a \"Full Computer\".

In regards to the 320x240 Zauri I would have to agree with you.... but the 640x480 VGA Zaurus as a clamshell... you know that there are Japanese who use this instead of their laptop.   I would say that at least 1 of the Zaurus SL-Cxx0 series designers was thinking of \"tiny laptop\" when they built this.

Maybe they owned an HP 200LX too and have been waiting for a replacement laptop.

[DrWowe]

The hardware in a modern Z is no worse than a typical desktop PC of 5-6 years ago.  However, people\'s expectations have evolved as computers have gotten faster, which is why it\'s difficult to imagine running modern software on a 400mhz machine with \"only\" 64 megs of RAM.

[jabbath]

I thought the player was separate from the codecs... The codec are the decompression libraries that the player uses. You can add to and take away from that list without affecting the player. Am I wrong on this? Does MPlayer come with ALL of the latest codecs \"built in\"?

Sorry  Yes, you are right.

but the 640x480 VGA Zaurus as a clamshell... you know that there are Japanese who use this instead of their laptop

I own a C760. Personally, I think the Zaurus can\'t replace a laptop. It is just to slow. The display isn\'t the whole device. The main lacks of the zaurus are the small processor (\"just\" 400MHz ) and the little RAM. On my Laptop (Athlon 2400+ with \"just\" 256MB RAM) I use gnome2.6. I can hardly imagine to use gnome on a device with 400MHz and 64MB of RAM.
I shouldn\'t say, the zaurus is \"too slow\", because it is the most impressing device, I\'ve ever seen.
If you think of the zaurus as a Laptop, you will say it is to slow. But if you look at it as a PDA it is too fast
So, I just considered, I don\'t look at the Zaurus as a PDA or a PC but just as a ZAURUS
I love it and I think, using QTopia and X11, the Zaurus is as I wanted it to be.

There also would be some things I\'d love to improve (ported 2.6Kernel,MUCH more RAM, faster Processor, full SDIO, USBHost, WLAN, Bluetooth). But the Zaurus is nearly perfect.

Nevertheless, I use a PC and I would NEVER give away PC-Performance

cheers, jabbath

[Teletubbie]

Hi,
I have a 5500. It is not a laptop. It is not a PDA. As I can read on the case it seems to be a \"personal mobile tool\".

[DrWowe]

Hi,
I have a 5500. It is not a laptop. It is not a PDA. As I can read on the case it seems to be a \"personal mobile tool\".

I agree!  I feel the same way about my 6000.

[roderickv]

Personally, for the amount of browsing I do from the Zaurus I can live with NetFront, (although I use and love Firefox on my desktop) and the music player is fine. A bullet proof PIM and Open office on the Zaurus would be all that I think it lacks right now. HancomWord and sheet and presentation, just don\'t get it. Is anyone looking into Open office on the Zaurus? I understand Firefox and Thunderbird are already available for  pdaxrom, the addition of openoffice would be great!

[ChrisZaurus]

LOL Teletubbie.    

 I also like to think of the Zaurus as a personal mobile tool.  It is a great encompassing description of the Zaurus (now note that I am using a 5600, I may feel a little different about my Zaurus if I had one of the clamshell models).  I don\'t have a laptop, so this does kindof suffice for now, but when I do get a lappy, I would use the Z as a network discovery tool (kismet) and then connect to the network on my Lappy (my imaginary Dell laptop :? ).  That would be an example of a use of the Zaurus as a tool.  But then come in situations like streaming movies to my Zaurus, while sitting outside of my house smoking.. That\'s where the Personal part of the Zaurus comes in.  But as far as big time computing tasks, leave it to the laptops.  I love my Zaurus

[amrein]

Psion, HP95/100/200LX device are PDA. Palm and Pocket PC ruin the word \'PDA\'.

Don\'t worry, new smartphone will be able to ruin your PMT  (personal mobile tool) abbreviation.

[Miami_Bob]

Psion, HP95/100/200LX device are PDA. Palm and Pocket PC ruin the word \'PDA\'.

Sorry, amrein, but I have to *very* strongly disagree here. The 100 & 200LX were capable of running 99.9% of ALL software that ran on the original IBM PC & PC/XT machines.

THAT is *not* a PDA. THAT, friend, is a full sized computer in the palm of your hand, aka a PALMTOP (as opposed to LAPtop). PDA did not become a catch word till the Newton showed up later and started the marketing trend away from the clamshell & keyboard format.

I know because I was active on the old CIS HP fora from the git go. The REAL kiss of death, however, was when Micro$oft entered the portable OS market and convinced HP to kill the LX series in favor of the Jornadas.

THEN Palm began to emerge and (almost) everyone started to forget that the Jags & Cougars were the first TRUE *full* Palmtop computers.

Those who do not learn their history, and learn *from* it, are doomed to repeat it. Take note, Sharp Japan.

BTW: Psion came out a bit before the 95LX but in size & weight it certainly was NOT a PALMtop *and* it was totally proprietary, unlike the 95LX OS & software base. Only later did the Psions begin to come down in size & weight.

Someone should write a book about those events. I still have the CIS fora posts archived but no time to compile them.


Bob W
Miami FL

[jabbath]

I think, OpenOffice needs too much RAM.