Linux on Compaq iPAQ

Devin Carraway aqua at devin.com
Thu Jul 12 18:36:45 PDT 2001


On Thu, Jul 12, 2001 at 05:38:31PM -0700, Colin Marquardt wrote:
> I still have to build me a serial cable, or go the
> http://www.handhelds.org/z/wiki/BootLinuxWithoutFlashing or
> http://www.handhelds.org/z/wiki/LoadingFromCF ways. Did you try any
> of the latter two?

I used Compaq's aftermarket serial sync cable.  One warning about this one:
that cable is moronically short (3-4'), so you'll either need an extension
cable, a computer in a convenient spot, or an appreciation for the palatial
vistas underneath your desk.


> I guess I'll go with Familiar, or even with Intimate. Jim Getty's
> comments about how to shrink X etc. convinced me. I think QPE (by
> replacing X) will not be flexible enough as PDAs grow. Compare the
> machines now with the ones when X came out: X is still around and
> quite kicking.

X's performance on the ipaq is acceptable (with a StrongARM at its disposal,
it had better be.)  QPE's is better, though it does less.  QPE does attempt to
be client-server, which is a pretty important feature of X's.



> That is indeed a good thing. But I have yet to adapt myself to
> handwriting... Did you try GridWrite
>   (http://linux.companionlink.com/cpsgw.htm)?

HWR wasn't part of the research, but gridwrite's approach is sound (if
perhaps not hospitable to end-users; the jury's still out on what the mass
market will go for).  I suspect Familiar will end up using swappable HWR
engines, Linux users being how they are.




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