Attn: New Zaurus owners

[nbs]

On Sat, Aug 17, 2002 at 08:18:32AM -0700, Andru Luvisi wrote:
> People should go to your FAQ just to see the funny picture!

Hehe - That was from an ad for the Japanese model of Zaurus
(very similar look-n-feel to the hardware -- same screen, slide-out keyboard --
but different CPU and architecture, and Sharp's own proprietary, Japanese OS)


> Qustions that either aren't in your FAQ or I didn't find, but hoped you
> might know the answers to:
> 
> Is the Zaurus software open source?

More-or-less.  I think the SD card drivers aren't.  Or weren't.
Or still aren't, but will be soon.  Or something. ;)



> For example, you could install and run the Agenda programs on your desktop,
> and lots of people created their own enhanced versions of the supplied
> applications, like the encrypting notepad and such.

That's been done.  See OPIE. :)


> Can you compile and install a new kernel yourself?

I believe so.  The SL-5500 (if not both models) actually let you drop
a vmlinuz file on a CF card and it'll suck it in.  I _think_.
I let the true hax0rz do this kind of stuff, and I reap the rewards. ;)


> CobaltMicro violated the GPL by putting some of their own special things
> for their own special hardware in the kernel that they did not provide
> source for so you could not upgrade the kernel on your own.  Is Sharp doing
> anything similar?

They were momentarily, before the commercial version was out.
I think that's all cleared-up.  Again, I didn't pay much attention.


> Does it use X11?

No.  But it can.


> I found a reference in your FAQ to something called
> Qtopia, but I haven't found a description of what Qtopia is.

Take Trolltech's embedded version of their "Qt" toolkit (oddly enough,
named "Qt/Embedded"), add some extra GUI stuff (window management,
taskbar), throw in some apps (Addressbook, Calendar, Media Player, etc.)
and sync junk, and you get Qtopia.


> Is it an X11 library?  An Open Source windowing system?
> A proprietary windowing system?

Qt and Qtopia use that weird dual-license Trolltech is known so well for. :)

For GPL stuff, you get the libs. as GPL.  Or something. :^/
It doesn't concern me, since I don't do commercial apps.



Qt on the desktop, of course, like GTK+, sits on top of X-lib.
(And I assume under Windows, Qt sits on top of, well, Windows...)



FYI, you CAN run X on the Zaurus.  There are two basic ways:

  1. Install X and IceWM.
     Exit Qtopia.  ("Shutdown" app., select "Terminate Qtopia")
     Log into the text-only mode.  (Hit [/] at the "Wait..." message,
     select 'a' for text-mode, and log-in as root).
     Run some program (like 'startx', but with a different name).

     Disadvantage:  You lose all of the nifty Qtopia features, like
     waking up and beeping for an alarm.


  2. Install the "Qtopia-X" package, and the "Keypebble" VNC viewer client
     for Qtopia.
     Start the VNC server (that came with Qtopia-X)
     Launche Keypebble, and have it connect back to the Zaurus.
     Voila!  A window (which you can switch to fullscreen) with X in it!

     Disadvantage:  Slow-ass VNC framerates.


Personally, I have had zero need to use X stuff, especially since SDL's
been ported to the Z, and I can _easily_ port my existing SDL-based games
to it.


YMMV, IANAKH (I am not a kernel hacker), and I don't speak for Sharp.

Enjoy! ;)

-bill!