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But the typical desktop Linux "graphics stack" isn't well suited to embedded Linux applications. Embedded devices frequently have highly constrained resources and can afford neither the program storage space nor the memory footprint of desktop graphics software. For example, embedded devices may easily have as little as 2 to 16 MB of Flash disk from which to load programs, and 4 to 32 MB of RAM memory in which to run them. But the typical desktop graphics components are notorious resource hogs . . .
* X Window System: 5MB RAM, 16MB disk
* GNOME: 14MB RAM, 95MB disk
* KDE: 11MB RAM, 96MB disk
* Mozilla: 12MB RAM, 26MB disk
The Embedded Linux GUI/Windowing Quick Reference Guide
I know I was overegging the point over amigas/st albeit these are very low memory/slow machines if the answer/memory power but the fact remains that is you are planning on running a web server/ other server as in suggesten in other posts in the forum. Any attempt at a GUI should be bypassed completely. Leaving well 7 megs of memory.
I don´t really care about ntfs(although I do wish it was available for my windows box, but I suspect I will have to wait for ReactOS to become stable before then). To be absolutely honest I use the default on whatever windows. The point I was making is a distraction. I was actually talking about fat being perhaps not being the best file stucture to use. I hate fat12 I know I can use VFAT, but really no GP32 program really takes advantage of this. My reasons are speed/storage/filename length. 128mb should be 128mb.
sqashfs I was not really thinking of being used for a disk image. But really thinking of well a distrobution really(I know I´m thinking possibly ahead, and in reality compeately impracticle). 128mb of squashed files not just the ramdisk filesystem. I know its not straightforward. But an example would be to download all the homebrew games on on image. I can only guess on the space saving. But looking at how much fits on knoppix/slax etc it but it reportedly fits 2.5 times the space onto a CD.
reiserfs etc etc. One of my biggest annoyances is trying to fit 128 megs of files onto a 128 smartmedia card I normally lose about 20megs the gp32 deals with a lot of files. tiny tiny files. I want to fit as many as possible to fit on one card. There are ment to be other benefits but they just might not apply, and have little interest to me.
I wan´t really mentioning the browser. I mention it because it comes up far too regularly. Because I just don´t get it. I have a device with no powered usb(without a mod perhaps) 6 buttons and a joystick. I want to play games on it. Ok maybe wath movies listen to OGG files, look at pictures, but well mainlly to play games. I made a descision to buy this instead of a pda because well. I would only really play games on it. The usb to sync with the machine is great. I´m not saying to people use a GP32 like a computer. I´m saying yes to games games games, and no to carrying my gp32 and a hard disk or even something as small as a pen drive around. I could see the use if practicle wireless(no soldering, no cables) was to happen, but its not likely. And I would use it to access more games/ play multiplayer).
The games I am talking about are the ones that already use the framebuffer(and thats the kiddy I´m interested in), There on linux already. I´m not saying they need tweaking, and angbands never gonna happen). but the idea is they are native(ish) as apposed to ports. I would be more interested if the GP32 games moved to a linux environment than the other way around. I did some conversion from cobol to visual basic, C isn´t all that strong. Although I did spend some time looking at autoporting from Allegro to the gp32sdl and did a few things by hand. I don´t know where my notes are. But if someone had an example I would be very interested in doing the rest. I am thinking of when mono hits 2.0. And trying to use more native tools. For a job.
Sorry about the goodmerge/7z thing I´m obsessed with fitting more and more onto my cards. I extra compress my zips etx using advcomp witch allows me to fit more on a card. All emulators store things in zips to be it makes sence to use the most efficient compressor available that just happens to be 7z(If bzip2/other is better cut and paste). It just makes sense to me to do so. You can see mainstream emulation already starting to dabble. Goodmerge uses a feature of 7z that allows grouping of similar files together so 15 versions of the same game do not use more space than than 1 getting a 15 times space saving. Ok you only need the one version. But the idea of having a hacked version with an unhacked version appeals to me and would save me a lot of time filtering the files. Also because of the way it works I quickly know which of my games are say Japanese only my preference would be English, but if Japanese if the only option I would choose that. It wasn´t fair of me to mention this as really this stuff is only on windows for now. So would require some effort.
As for your suggestion that you need help. I´m really not sure what help you would need. I am very interested in project. Although I think your(team) goals and mine are different. I have little or not inerest in the kernel my C in not strong enough yet. And my understanding in this area is pretty low. 3 groups to my knowledge have tried to get linux up on the GP32 and failed, that suggests to me its a bit tricky, and something I´m not particularly interested in. If you need donkey work with worked examples/ strpping the excess fat of a distribution. I´m more than willing to do anything.
I´m surpised at what you have said over matchbox(although I admit I am more exited by the eye candy). I can´t find out the memory footprint of matchbox all I can see is its binary size 50k. Although I do notice it has many optional components. And it mentions watches for hevens sake. Have you got an example of output from xrestop.
Wow mplayer. I´m very surprised(not about the Divx thing. But just wonder other than the variaty of usable file formats is there any gains over gpcinema or the reverse.
I see I misunderstood about the kdrive when on the main site I misinterpreted. Although I normally see results for kdrive being about slighty over 1.5meg which I think very good considering. And GTK+ can be stipped down to about a meg. I can´t believe you would want to many sophisticated in x itself. So there is still lots of room. I am a little confused by the screenshots most are really ugly and are in portrait like a pda which is just not natural. Any reason for doing this?
I´m pleased that it will bring compatibility. And that I have a reason Why I am interested so much in thin project. Really pleased if I get to play with qemu,
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The problem right know is that GPLinux is in early stages.
The GP has 8mo of ram, but it is already filled in with:
- The Kernel
- The initial ramdisk
- The 'Init' program
- A shell
- the program to use a chatboard
- Various caches (filesystem cache, and so on)
- And more: Memory used by the TCP/IP stack, for instance (I agree we could compile this out)
In fact, it leave a bit more than 1meg. GPLinux reports 1meg, but some more memory can be freed when launching bigger apps.
This is your memory usage I am missing somthing and perhaps this is my only issue. With this project. I´m getting conflicting information. Do these things listed need to be in memory. I´m happy with what it can do as linux. Am I happy to use it as a platform for playing for playing games. ie due to the overhead of linux. What would be the impact of the 20 or so emulators available, and the homebrew games moving over to linux. I see the benefits of having a Powerful yet small OS sat underneath. Hell its what the gizmondo has done with windows ce. How much at the end of the day can this be stripped down to 5 megs, 2megs. 1meg. when I´m playing a game I do not need a chatboard/TCPIP I need next to nothing. Essentially Linux that brings more to GP32 than it takes away. I download wesnoth just compile it for arm and its done. Its a fast processer had more than enough storage hell linux will add more. The bottleneck as I see it rightly or wrongly is it takes up most of the memory on the gp32 crippling the device.
What I want is a linux device for playing games with all the stuff(and the stuff is enormous) it can bring. I switch it on my card is formated to reiserfs. I don´t run through an fxe. There is no such thing as an fxe. Its just linux with the nomal /bin /boot /dev etc filestucture. It loads straight into X. I select DrMD linux ed and play Micro Machines 2: Turbo Tournament Edition. What I want is linux without the overhead. I know there will be an overhead. The question is what is the cost of linux on the GP32. Its not linux now its an add on. Its windups. Its tetris game. This is so obvious I can´t understand how to express it in english. I´ts just so obvious
