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Home / Other I-Appliances / WebPal Graphics on WebPal Can it handle a graphical shell

Graphics on WebPal (modified 0 times) CrazyNikki Profile | Email I have begun to hack the WebPal and have been having more success than I even expected. Indeed, I now have a machine that is ready to have an IDE hard drive installed with apps on it. My only problem is this: Can it run a GUI like X-Windows? (I have seen this on the Archimedes) and what software has been, or can be compiled to run on the ARM processor? I'm not looking to see it become a serious multi-tasker or anything, but I believe we should be able to get some little apps like a terminal program, word processor, IRC client, etc... loadable to this device, and it *should* be possible to run them in a graphical shell. I mean seriously, I can run all that stuff, simultaneously, under OS/2 on my 386, so let's see if this can be done on the WebPal using Linux. I would greatly appreciate any info that anyone might have, and hope to see the WebPal become a more enjoyable hack than the I-Opener was, although that one WAS fun. I admit, I'm a sucker for the tough jobs, and I hope I'm not the only one. So...who's got the info? Nikki the Hack Girl, hacking hardware since age 10. 04-23-2002 01:13:58

RE:Graphics on WebPal (modified 0 times) transiit Profile A while back, there were a series of ARM-based linux workstations and servers called the Netwinder. Plus, the compaq ipaq (handheld) is arm-based, so theoretically, there's lots of arm binaries out there. The bad news is that not all arms are alike. The good news is that you can easily build gcc as a cross compiler, so there's a ton of code out there that can be used. You'll find that many people make a lot of assumptions about endian-ness and native data type sizes though, so things might need some tweaking. ymmv. -transiit 04-24-2002 23:39:45

RE:Graphics on WebPal (modified 0 times) bigbrd Profile I use Debian ARM distribution for binaries. I have had pretty good luck with binaries from the potato release. I haven't gotten X to work, but in theory, it should be possible given lots of configuring. The Webpal is limited to 640 x 480. I did run Microwindows once long ago. What technique did you use to get the Linux kernel running? Most people have had trouble with this because of the difficulty of programming the FLASH chips. Did you put Linux kernel on the flash or ? 04-26-2002 21:20:29

RE:Graphics on WebPal (modified 0 times) CrazyNikki Profile | Email BigBrd, I used a Flash SIMM that someone sold me. I believe it was programmed by someone here on the I-Appliance board, but I could be mistaken. Anyway, it boots Linux similar to the printout in Codeman's old post "It works!!!!" and they told me that it would be able to run any ARM software I installed on an IDE device, like a hard drive or Compact Flash card in an adapter. Needless to say, I am still rather green at Linux and this is my learning experience. I have seen other people offering to program the Flash SIMMS as well, if mine is not the correct installation. At any rate, thank you very much for your help, and hopefully soon I will have a WebPal that is running graphical. PS: I have no idea how Ethernet support works on these and I have left the modem in as a communication meduim. Should I go Ethernet, or just leave the box as is? I admit, I'm trying to recreate CodeMan's nice unit, and create a sort of ARM based PC. I would appreciate it if someone here on the board could give me some help on how these are actually supposed to get the running software on them, as my only experience with Linux was on a PC running X. I am sure this unit would be vastly different. Thanks again. Nikki the Hack Girl, hacking hardware since age 10. 04-27-2002 09:29:17

RE:Graphics on WebPal (modified 0 times) CrazyNikki Profile | Email Sorry to add this so late, I should have read onward.....I just checked out your website, BigBrd, and it may have been YOUR instructions that the person I bought my Flash SIMM from used to create it. Needless to say, it all seems very familiar to what they told me, and I have a more Linux-minded friend here who says that he can help me get Microwindows on the machine. Thanks alot, and I hope to post that my machine is running soon. Well, it's running now, but it's got no apps. Oh well, thanks for all the support everyone. I'll keep you all posted as this progresses. Nikki the Hack Girl, hacking hardware since age 10. 04-27-2002 09:35:39

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