720degrees Linux for the Jornada 720

I finished the compile, and have been waiting for snickers to make a package for about 3 months now. I'll bother him about it some more, he said he would be done with studying weeks ago.

For the old versions of packages, just change unstable to oldstable (if I remember correctly)

I'am wondering if there is java compilator on 720 degrees? On Opie i found java packet but still can't fill dependencies to run it. Generally i have a problem with ipkg sources, it seems it reads only 3 src's at the time while updating, installing and upgrading, and if i'd like to use another, i have to write another src to ipkg.conf and # the rest i used before.... somebode dill with it?

About kdrive = Add BOTH Stable AND testing to your debian source config, and kdrive works. I tested this last week!

Don't use ipkg to find java, use deb.

Hey there Factorite! How to do this?:

"About kdrive = Add BOTH Stable AND testing to your debian source config, and kdrive works. I tested this last week!"

Can I just 'apt-get install' from somewhere? What is the package name???

Curious,

Mark

I think what he is saying is that you need to add some new lines to the source list file for APT in order to get the kdrive package. I wish he would specify the exact line that needs to be added to the source list file, the package name to install with apt, etc. A lot of people seem to make comments to the effect of "whoopie! I finally figured out how to get xyz working," without ever explaining how, or with only the broadest outline. What distros like 720Degrees need are straightforward, explicit explanations of how to get around/fix the most common issues. I have a fair amount of Linux experience, but most people that are trying to run Linux on their Jornadas have probably never run Linux on any device before, much less an embedded one with all sorts of quirks and gotchas.

You're right Rocketman!! More explicit info would be appreciated.
Let's hope the project will restart very soon with renovated strenght!!
It's been nearly suspended for 3 months or more.

The excact lines are:

deb http://stevenwiki.homedns.org/720/apt testing main
deb http://stevenwiki.homedns.org/720/apt stable main


This goes into /etc/apt/sources.list

The command is apt-get install xserver-kdrive-fbdev

This linux project is not for the "linux newbie", it's still a work in progress, and it takes a bit more than basic linux knowledge to use it.

It is a good idea to read a bit about debian and apt and the sites available that covers running linux in the jornada 72x.

I think PS said something about providing documentation and an automated installer when the distro is finished.

I have been thinking about making a newbie-friendly how-to for this linux distro, but I don't know if it's worth the effort. PS what do you think?

It is definitely worth the effort. My apologies for the suspended development, but the team did not have much of a choice.

As far as the posting of the results with no explanation at all...well, that is why QuantumII is not on the team, eh? Oh wait, he just fixed it.

Oh yeah, and the project will be for the newbie when we are done with it. Currently, however, you need experience with the Linux command line to do much of anything. However, you could learn how to use the command line with it, of course.

As far as the automated installer, we will begin using it after Jlime gets it stable.

Currently, the team status should be: Me - free if I figure out a good schedule, but probably only weekends, weblacky - he seems free, z80 - should be free as of today.... and snickers, who should be free next week. Really. As in, this time he should actually be free...next week. ...Maybe

I can confirm that this works. I now have a working X server on my Jornada 720! Now I just have to play around with some windows managers. Can anyone comment on what they have tried and which ones seem to work well with the Jornada's limited screen size and resources?

Yeah, but that is still the old kdrive, I believe.

Use windowmaker, fluxbox, ...pretty much whatever. If you want to run larger wm's, go down to oldstable and use that version of it.

Right-click still does not work. That's a major thing I want to fix.

I got xserver-kdrive-fbdev installed.
What about configuring it? Will xf86config do it? Which parameters should be set? Will the config file be /etc/X11/XF86config, /etc/X11/XF86config-4 or some other file ?

I got xserver-kdrive-fbdev installed.
What about configuring it? Will xf86config do it? Which parameters should be set? Will the config file be /etc/X11/XF86config, /etc/X11/XF86config-4 or some other file ?

Quantum II,

Thanks for the instructions! Yesterday I got Kdrive installed and now have a system with IceWM and WindowMaker. I will load Fluxbox too to see which one I like best...

I actually think the instructions on the 720Degrees Website are pretty clear and concise. I wouldn't reinvent the wheel by writing a Newbie instruction manual. Rather, I would just add to what's already there.

As someone who writes code for a living I've found the following virtues to be key, virtues which also serve to make great documentation:

clear
concise
comprehensive
LOTS of error catching

This last one is almost entirely missing from the documentation I've seen on UNIX for Handhelds. I think that, when writing documentation, one must do exactly what I do when writing code: "Hmmmmm, what could possibly go wrong at this point and how should my code react so that it is relatively seamless to the the user?"

It's all fun and games until something goes wrong! Knowing what might go wrong in a 720Degrees installation, and what you should do when it does, would be pretty great.

My two cents, and keep up the good work. I am very pleased to have found this distribution,

Mark

Yes, speaking of things going wrong:

When creating partitions I created the swap partition before the ext3 partition, and the kernel could not mount root.

I curesed my microdrive, but after thinking for a bit I cursed myself for being stupid instead