Linux on Pocket PC

[pi3ch]

Hi all,

I ask this question cuz I counldn't find enough information about How to install Linux on my PPC.
My ppc is: I-teq X-bond like as Gigabyte gsmart i. with 64MB ROM.
Is there any linux ROM distribution for my ppc? or general linux ROM distribution for PPCs?

Thanks in advance.
Pedram :)

[levenum]

The reason you could not find information is because there isn't much of it to be found.
Unfortunately, Linux for PPC is in its infancy. The main problem is the drivers - they all need to be reverse engineered and there is no help from the OEMs as they designed this things to only work with MS crap and seem to have no interest in releasing drivers or specifications.
Official reason: Because you can not mess with the OS the device is more stable and secure.
Real reason: If you need to by new phone to get new OS we make more $$$ and so does MS.

As far as I heard there is a half decent version for some iPaq model, and there is version for some HTC devices (check WiKi) but all it does is boot up: no drivers even for touch screen, no graphical interface, no apps.

[pi3ch]

Thnx levelnum.
I think if linux developers I mean open source world focus on handheld devices they can publish good distribution as desktop or laptop PCs. Today they are very powerful in reverse engineering, .NET Framework in Linux named MONO is one of these reverse engineering issues.
I believe that Linux is much more customizable that WM, especially for XDA-developers that make interesting works on WM. And also it doesn't have copyright restriction as WM has. So may be it makes many progress in world of handheld devices.

[bartzilla]

Oddly enough I was looking for Linux on Smartphone info yesterday as I've got an Alpine I'd like to be able to do something interesting with.

Demand for something like this is going to be a bit odd - by definition anyone who finds this site, let alone opens an account and posts, is going to be interested in pushing the boundaries of their device but the vast majority of WM device users are going to be in the "don't care how it works as long as it does" group.

Also, I reckon a lot of Linux dev types aren't even going to look at the device, it will never occur to them to buy one because it's sold as a Windows Mobile device, and hence isn't going to be near their installation of the hacker mentality. Without a critical mass of people who can develop in/with Linux it's always going to be a struggle.

[Rudegar]

problem is the program base
all current wm programs unless they are .net
would not run under linux on our pda's
new ones would be required to be written
or ported or....

[Doom Tints]

The Nokia Internet Tablet runs on a version of Linux with a pretty robust set of applications, and this device uses an ARM processor which should be pretty friendly with regard to 'porting'.

But you'd still be stuck without a telephone application.

[dancer_69]

You can find some information here:

http://handhelds.org/moin/moin.cgi/HaRET
http://www.handhelds.org/

[pi3ch]

Oddly enough I was looking for Linux on Smartphone info yesterday as I've got an Alpine I'd like to be able to do something interesting with.

Demand for something like this is going to be a bit odd - by definition anyone who finds this site, let alone opens an account and posts, is going to be interested in pushing the boundaries of their device but the vast majority of WM device users are going to be in the "don't care how it works as long as it does" group.

Also, I reckon a lot of Linux dev types aren't even going to look at the device, it will never occur to them to buy one because it's sold as a Windows Mobile device, and hence isn't going to be near their installation of the hacker mentality. Without a critical mass of people who can develop in/with Linux it's always going to be a struggle.

May be! as you said it is Windows mobile device and linux lovers aren't going around of it. but I think they are so curious than it.

problem is the program base
all current wm programs unless they are .net
would not run under linux on our pda's
new ones would be required to be written
or ported or....

I do think so. since I in previous post I mentioned that .NET framework available in linux. so many of windows program can run on it.

You can find some information here:

http://handhelds.org/moin/moin.cgi/HaRET
http://www.handhelds.org/

Hart (Reverse engineering tool for wm hardware) was interesting tool.

[Rudegar]

yeah but due to limitations and slowness only the minority of applications on windows mobile are made in .net :S

[JKR]

i want this one
http://www.openmoko.com/press/index.html
Regards,
Jason

[Wexx]

problem is the program base
all current wm programs unless they are .net
would not run under linux on our pda's
new ones would be required to be written
or ported or....

This is not a real problem. If you want to use a particular program from WM that is a problem but why you would do that? There is very large program base for desktop Linux (many of them also exist for desktop Windows) which could be very easily ported to a handheld platform with ARM processor. If you ever looked up how many qualitative programs do exist for Japanese Linux handhelds...

[levenum]

This is not a real problem. If you want to use a particular program from WM that is a problem but why you would do that? There is very large program base for desktop Linux (many of them also exist for desktop Windows) which could be very easily ported to a handheld platform with ARM processor. If you ever looked up how many qualitative programs do exist for Japanese Linux handhelds...

Thats one of the things that is grate about open source software - you don't even have to depend on the original developer to find the time / will to port it. Anyone with the programing knowledge can.