Operating System

[Luna_Lovegod]

Does anyone know what the default OS is going to be? Will it be like Opie or GPE? Or will it be powerful enough to run a full linux distro?

Any help would be great.

Thanks.

 

[Peter R]

The GP2x runs a full linux distro....

 

[atomicthumbs]

It will be Linux. Opie and GPE are not OSs, they're environments/window managers.

I think that currently the environment is undergoing development. They're plannng on using a custom GUI, and the X-windows status of that is unknown.

And you will be able to install any Debian package, as they've all been ported to the Arm architecture.

 

[Peter R]

Craig mentioned stealing the eeePC GUI a while back...

 

[imec]

While were on the subject, will it come with a "full" X11 interface, or something like the GP2X had?

 

[pupnik]

I think that currently the environment is undergoing development. They're plannng on using a custom GUI, and the X-windows status of that is unknown.

And you will be able to install any Debian package, as they've all been ported to the Arm architecture.


Debian-arm ARMEL eabi hopefully!

craigix, mweston, puhleez consider armel!

http://wiki.debian.org/ArmEabiPort

 

[atomicthumbs]

While were on the subject, will it come with a "full" X11 interface, or something like the GP2X had?

Unknown.

 

[magicman5421]

what linux distros exist that are written for an ARM processor?

 

[Mr B]

Most spoken of: Debian
B!

 

[sparr]

I am a proponent of debian, but to keep the playing field open...

Familiar is directly aimed at ARM, specifically on PDAs. It uses a debian-like package system, and has support by a medium size linux-on-pdas community. google "ipkg feed" to see what sorts of software is packaged for familiar.

 

[atomicthumbs]

Oh, no no no. Don't even MENTION ipkg in the same sentence as the Pandora.

Ipkg sucks. Period.

Familiar Linux isn't that good, either. I used it on my Jornada 720 before switching to 720degrees (straight Debian). I much prefer apt coupled with aptitude.

 

[Orkie]

But ipkgs are pretty much the same thing as debs if I am remembering correctly :S.

 

[imec]

Last time I checked they weren't as seamless as .debs because no one has written a handy packager yet. Or have they?

Linux distributions

* dpkg, used originally by Debian and now by other systems, uses the .deb format and was the first to have a widely known dependency resolution tool (APT).
* ipkg , a dpkg-inspired, very lightweight system targeted at storage-constrained Linux systems such as embedded devices and handheld computers