[Oberon] Re. BB, LNO + Linux

[easlab at absamail.co.za]

Edgar wrote:-

> LNO just takes the VT display and uses it for NO.

OK, that solves another mystery: how Mandrake has immediately
a graphics interface on installation, before X-windows is installed.
And then why must I have all the problems of setting up X, when
it can 'auto-display' ?

> > ] It uses the framebuffer, so /dev/fbdev should be there.
> > I've only got /dev/fb0 ...30
> >   what are these ?
> > How/where do I get /dev/fbdev ?
> 
> Qick fix: "cd /dev; ln -s fb0 fbdev" should do the trick.

Once I've sym-linked, how would I make minimal tests
of the 'frame buffer' facility ?

> > Does that give you the graphical capability instead of using X-windows ?
> > If so, why not just use normal X-windows ?
> 
> Why use another SW layer like X when LNO can just use the framebuffer 
> directly instead of using X which then writes to the framebuffer ?

OK, but since you talk about 'Ctrl-Alt-F1' you were apparently
already in X-window ?

I understand that you want to extend LNO towards Aos ?
Have you got LNO working yet ?
I need help in getting LNO working on a computer with a newer
video system, like it use to work on an older machine, although
the 'log' seems to complain about the disk.


Jan Verhoeven wrote:
>  > Is it possible to get a graphical display like NO in a VT ?
> 
> Yes, if you use SVGAlib.
> 
How would I do a minimal test/confirmation ?

>  > Does that give you the graphical capability instead of using 
>  > X-windows ?
> 
> No. The framebuffer is just another way to access the videomemory 
> on the VGA card.

Which I guess does "give you the graphical capability instead of using
X-windows" ?

In wondering why suddenly 'non-X' graphics is fashionable, when
normally there is the regrettable trend to greater bloat.

Perhaps it's from the new flood of linux based PDA & cell-phones ?
---------
Is there anybody else who still uses the older version of LNO
which ran from X-windows, and what was the latest 
date/version which did so?

== Chris Glur.

PS. re. short memory comupter users: the ser-port 'lock up'
which nobody else [from ETH oberon] acknowledges is massively
reported, dating back from 1995 via google.

It's not good to sweep problems under the carpet, by following
this week's fashion only.