Gp2x Linux

[Winterkid]

With all this excitement we all have over the GP32, I just realized I HAVE 0 knowledge of how linux worx, I've never even used linux of any kind. Never had cause to even use it.

Was wondering if there are any sources on how to use the very basic elements of Linux, like how to get around the most simplest concepts, etc....

Guess since I'm still saving for the unit itself, (who needs money for food, right?) now would be a good time to at least learn a bit more about it.

 

[Cyclops]

With all this excitement we all have over the GP32, I just realized I HAVE 0 knowledge of how linux worx, I've never even used linux of any kind. Never had cause to even use it.

Was wondering if there are any sources on how to use the very basic elements of Linux, like how to get around the most simplest concepts, etc....

Guess since I'm still saving for the unit itself, (who needs money for food, right?) now would be a good time to at least learn a bit more about it.

​

I personally have a stong suspision that you will never need to know anything about linux. People will start to suggest knoppix and the like, but Try this its a linux homebrew games CD its not english but It will give you a good idea of the sort of thing expected from homebrew on the GP2X.

 

[Winterkid]

Thanks for the quick reply and the link. I'll get what useful information I can from it, thanks.

 

[barnesy]

The end user won't need to know that the gp2x is running linux. You won't need to know anything about using linux - you'll just need to be able to drive a simple menu system kind of like the GP32 one.

 

[Jarska333]

How much do you know about the GP32 OS?

 

[Winterkid]

Switch... Turn on, select program, play (or listen), turn off... *shrug*

 

[Alpha2]

...buy gp2x, Switch... Turn on, select program, play (or listen), turn off... *repeat as necessary*

 

[Winterkid]

Then I don't feel too bad about not knowing linux then. I'm getting this console if I have to sell my folx to get it. Which will be a shame cause they're in their 50's

Any variations on the firmware will still be select game/app at bootup, I hope too. Like patches or upgrades.

 

[mr.white]

...buy gp2x, Switch... Turn on, select program, play (or listen), turn off... *repeat as necessary*

​

Installing apps (pdf-readers or something else) might be not so easy (IMHO). I just tryed out S.U.S.E once and if it's not installed from the beginning or you want run something exotic there is a little bit of knowledge needed (IMHO).

GP32 was an easy one: because just copy the .fxe over and create some directorys here and there and the whole installation (in most cases) was finished.

mr.white

 

[barnesy]

...buy gp2x, Switch... Turn on, select program, play (or listen), turn off... *repeat as necessary*

​

Installing apps (pdf-readers or something else) might be not so easy (IMHO). I just tryed out S.U.S.E once and if it's not installed from the beginning or you want run something exotic there is a little bit of knowledge needed (IMHO).

​

No. The name 'linux' is often used to refer to two different things. One is the kernel, which is the heart of the operating system, and the other is the kernel packaged with a whole load of programs, making up a full desktop or server operating system.

When it's used as an embedded OS, linux is much closer to the first of those two things. Someone using the device or installing software on it will need to know about as much as they know about the GP32 OS. Experience of using linux on a PC is largely irrelevant.

 

[efegea]

...buy gp2x, Switch... Turn on, select program, play (or listen), turn off... *repeat as necessary*

​

Installing apps (pdf-readers or something else) might be not so easy (IMHO). I just tryed out S.U.S.E once and if it's not installed from the beginning or you want run something exotic there is a little bit of knowledge needed (IMHO).

GP32 was an easy one: because just copy the .fxe over and create some directorys here and there and the whole installation (in most cases) was finished.

mr.white

​

Ehm...then installing apps on linux is far more easy as installing on the GP32 :huh:

I've never had the GP32, but if you have to create specific directories and copy files on them..... seems way more easy writing "apt-get install gimp" on the console, it just downloads the package and installs it and its dependecies.

But linux on the GP2X doesn't mean it will be like linux on the pc. It will be like the OS in the GP32 or in the PSP or the Gizmondo, etc... The GUI will be a custom one made by GPH, as seen in the video they released in their webpage.

 

[mr.white]

...buy gp2x, Switch... Turn on, select program, play (or listen), turn off... *repeat as necessary*

​

Installing apps (pdf-readers or something else) might be not so easy (IMHO). I just tryed out S.U.S.E once and if it's not installed from the beginning or you want run something exotic there is a little bit of knowledge needed (IMHO).

GP32 was an easy one: because just copy the .fxe over and create some directorys here and there and the whole installation (in most cases) was finished.

mr.white

​

Ehm...then installing apps on linux is far more easy as installing on the GP32 :huh:

I've never had the GP32, but if you have to create specific directories and copy files on them..... seems way more easy writing "apt-get install gimp" on the console, it just downloads the package and installs it and its dependecies.

But linux on the GP2X doesn't mean it will be like linux on the pc. It will be like the OS in the GP32 or in the PSP or the Gizmondo, etc... The GUI will be a custom one made by GPH, as seen in the video they released in their webpage.

​

My experience was different with SUSE-Linux - more handwriting command-lines and tweaking while installing some non-standard apps as on windows-os. Not that I hate this, brings me back to the time while MS-DOS was big.

I agree that it the GP2X will be easy to use with the build-in functions: Music, Video, e-Books etc. but if you want install something complete different like the GameBoy-Emu they have shown in the video-stream, this will be more time consuming to getting run on a GP2X in comperation to the GP32.

mr.white

 

[Cyclops]

lol, installing stuff on the GP2X will be easier, than the GP32 several previous will have been removed, the use of fat12, being one of them. There will be none of that nasty renaming of files to 8.3 format for a start. Installation of stuff I would imagine be like connecting and device to your PC, think MP3 player.

Installing stuff on GNU-Linux itself is easier that installing on windows, and 100x easier to keep all your programs upto date. Its like everyone used linux in the stoneage. Linux is boringly just like windows.

Linux on the GP2X is nice for developers, a misnomer for everyone else.

 

[barnesy]

My experience was different with SUSE-Linux - more handwriting command-lines and tweaking while installing some non-standard apps as on windows-os. Not that I hate this, brings me back to the time while MS-DOS was big.

SUSE (AFAIK still) uses RPM for its package management. In my opinion, etc, RPM is horrible and soon runs into dependency problems. It did for me anyway. I'd recommend having a look at a debian based linux distribution to see how nice package management can be. But I recommend that just because linux is worth playing with. It's not required knowledge for using the GP2X.

I agree that it the GP2X will be easy to use with the build-in functions: Music, Video, e-Books etc. but if you want install something complete different like the GameBoy-Emu they have shown in the video-stream, this will be more time consuming to getting run on a GP2X in comperation to the GP32.mr.white

Why? 'Because it runs linux' is not a correct answer. Your experience of using linux on a desktop doesn't come into this. It will be nothing like that. Imagine that the GP32's OS had been based on linux all along. It isn't, but if it was, it could very well be exactly the same to use as it is.

 

[Alpha2]

I think the one thing that's not being touched on enough here is simply that they arnt going to want the console to be too un-approachable for the common end user. Yeah they made it great for code-monkeys and people who might like to fool around with Linux and maybe create their own custom GUI or something but it also has to be easy enough that people who don't use Linux can install and remove software or it just becomes a coder's toy that no non-coder can use.

And especially if they want it to be a PMP they wouldnt want you to have to get a Linux OS just so you can put movies on the thing.

 

[Cyclops]

I think the one thing that's not being touched on enough here is simply that they arnt going to want the console to be too un-approachable for the common end user. Yeah they made it great for code-monkeys and people who might like to fool around with Linux and maybe create their own custom GUI or something but it also has to be easy enough that people who don't use Linux can install and remove software or it just becomes a coder's toy that no non-coder can use.

And especially if they want it to be a PMP they wouldnt want you to have to get a Linux OS just so you can put movies on the thing.

​

I think the screenshot tend to give that away

 

[mr.white]

Well to be honest I don't care at all which OS is running or how the compressed packages looks like as long as I can take the SD-Card copy the needed stuff and some roms into a folder or copy the apps on it - switch the power on and everything is up & running.

But...
I believe in Linux as OS-system - its even in my digital satellite receiver and I'm more as thrilled about the possibilities. Even my car-navigation-system runs on linux very smooth and well.

For developers it's a dream as well. Thats why I think there couldn't be made a better choise of OS for the GP2X.

 

[Alpha2]

I think the screenshot tend to give that away

​

The screens of the 2X itself? that really dosent say much about how easy the system would be to use in terms of anything but it's onw internals. I'm refering more to how it will interact to your own computer in the course of loading applications and/or games.

I'm assuming they'll have some form of windows program to make that an easier process... or atleast a driver to allow it to show as a USB drive.

 

[Winterkid]

Please let it work ok with WinXP...

 

[Cyclops]

It will definatly work with XP