• HOW2 boot & run with mouse & NO kybrd?

    From Avoid9Pdf@gmail.com@110:300/1.1 to All on Thu Apr 11 13:06:12 2013
    I can boot and run/use ETHoberon without a keyboard.
    Because ETHO's chording mouse action operates on any
    text, anywhere on the screen, you can do anything
    without a keyboard.

    Of course if you want to write an email containing a "q",
    it's more convenient to fetch the "q" from the kybrd than
    seeking a "q" on the screen [if needed by fetching more
    text files].

    OMG, while writing this, I've realised that under linux,
    wily [public domain version of plan9's acme based on
    ETHO] can do so too. Perhaps PCs won't boot without
    the kybrd being detected? But my intended use is for
    a rPi: ARM-based; so the PC-BIOS should not be involved.

    But then, why does it have FAT32 partn1 with the boot
    arguments, if it's free of the WinTel monopoly?

    AFAIK /etc/inittab can be set to boot directly to X
    So than, can it be set to run a program that allows
    `a command line like input via the mouse`?
    Yes of course, users who boot into X, effectively
    can use the mouse-only.

    But is there an existing program, that's more fundamental
    to access the command-line/shell that the common
    windowManagers?

    ==TIA It's amazing how much you learn while composing
    your question.
    System.Execute locate inittab ipNews.Send *








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  • From Bill Marcum@110:300/1.1 to All on Mon Apr 15 13:14:52 2013
    On 04/11/2013 07:06 AM, Avoid9Pdf@gmail.com wrote:

    But then, why does it have FAT32 partn1 with the boot
    arguments, if it's free of the WinTel monopoly?

    The rPi uses SD cards for storage, and they are formatted with FAT32 by default.



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  • From John Hasler@110:300/1.1 to All on Mon Apr 15 14:25:29 2013
    Avoid9Pdf writes:
    But then, why does it have FAT32 partn1 with the boot arguments, if
    it's free of the WinTel monopoly?

    The Pi boots via the GPU (silly, I know, but that's how Broadcom
    designed the chip). The boot code, like everything else about that GPU,
    is secret, and knows only FAT. The Linux partition for a Pi is Ext.
    --
    John Hasler
    jhasler@newsguy.com
    Dancing Horse Hill
    Elmwood, WI USA

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  • From Avoid9Pdf@gmail.com@110:300/1.1 to All on Wed Apr 17 20:11:16 2013
    In article <87fvysyo92.fsf@thumper.dhh.gt.org>, John Hasler <jhasler@newsguy.com> wrote:

    Avoid9Pdf writes:
    But then, why does it have FAT32 partn1 with the boot arguments, if
    it's free of the WinTel monopoly?

    The Pi boots via the GPU (silly, I know, but that's how Broadcom
    designed the chip). The boot code, like everything else about that GPU,
    is secret, and knows only FAT. The Linux partition for a Pi is Ext.

    OK, that makes sense. It was really confusing me.
    They were probably able to use some well proven M$ software.
    IMO it worked out nicely.

    I'm guessing that the ability to have a rPi and mouse in your pocket
    and just RCA plug it to a PAL-TV, [a keybrd kills the portability] is
    somewhere in /etc/rc.d?S, where you could bypass the `login`
    which needs a keybrd.

    WDYS?




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  • From John Hasler@110:300/1.1 to All on Wed Apr 17 20:26:34 2013
    First hit on Google:
    <http://elinux.org/RPi_Debian_Auto_Login>
    --
    John Hasler
    jhasler@newsguy.com
    Dancing Horse Hill
    Elmwood, WI USA

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  • From Unknown@110:300/1.1 to All on Thu Apr 25 10:30:31 2013
    On Wed, 17 Apr 2013 13:26:34 -0500, John Hasler wrote:

    First hit on Google:
    <http://elinux.org/RPi_Debian_Auto_Login>

    OK, thanks. BTW that's the worst doA,doB,doC..writeup that I've seen
    lately, considering that rPi's declared aim is to 'educate the kids'.
    --
    And by example, here's the 'mental model' approach which could educate:
    by watching the boot-log, it's seen that 'login' happens right after the hardware has been setup. `pstree` shows the heirarchy of processes.
    --
    And it's known that 'init' is the BOSSman process.
    Apparently the instruction-sheet that `init` uses is 'inittab'.
    These instructions are in a tree-format or multi-dimensional-array,
    where 2 dimensions are: run-level & process.
    --
    Apparently most most gate-way processes: that allow entry to other
    processes need `login`; like getty.
    So some process which does NOT need `login` must be found/used.
    --
    Because the tree/matrix of processes is complex/canOworms,
    [slak13, Lenny, Etch, FC1 all have different format/syantax]
    problems lurk. Just reading the scripts' comments exposes the black-art
    nature of this part of *nix.
    --
    Because I operate from different locations, and just transfer my IDEs,
    the inittab-controlled-pid-sequence is brittle.
    Could the <repeat spawning: wait 5 minutes> error be caused by the dead PS2-mouse being replaced by a USBone?
    --
    BTW I tested/confirmed the google-hit's PRINCIPLE on Etch, but am not too confident that rPi will work when I can get it to a 'display'.
    DoA, doB, doC is only good for the herd who've got the SAME model that
    they all bought from Wallmart last week.


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  • From Kenny McCormack@110:300/1.1 to All on Thu Apr 25 11:14:11 2013
    In article <klapj6$4mq$1@dont-email.me>, Unknown <dog@gmail.com> wrote:
    ....
    Because I operate from different locations, and just transfer my IDEs,
    the inittab-controlled-pid-sequence is brittle.
    Could the <repeat spawning: wait 5 minutes> error be caused by the dead >PS2-mouse being replaced by US Bone?

    Fido and Spot shop there all the time. It's like their favorite place in
    the whole wide world!

    --
    The motto of the GOP "base": You can't *be* a billionaire, but at least you
    can vote like one.

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  • From Michael Black@110:300/1.1 to All on Thu Apr 25 15:20:23 2013
    On Thu, 25 Apr 2013, Unknown wrote:

    On Wed, 17 Apr 2013 13:26:34 -0500, John Hasler wrote:

    First hit on Google:
    <http://elinux.org/RPi_Debian_Auto_Login>

    OK, thanks. BTW that's the worst doA,doB,doC..writeup that I've seen
    lately, considering that rPi's declared aim is to 'educate the kids'.

    Just because an old geezer like you can't learn doesn't mean the kids
    can't.

    You see only obstacles, kids won't unless they've been too ingrained with school where everything has to be spelled out to them before the
    experience.

    When the first computer store opened here in 1977, the place was empty
    every time I went in. But then eventually it got busy, all kinds of kids going in to play with the computers. They found their way without any
    help.

    The kids will scrounge a keyboard somewhere, and be off immediately, while
    a month later you're still trying to cook up something that isn't
    necessary at all.

    MIchael

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