Xvesa old IBM Thinkpads with the Neomagic

[slkpg]

Resolution is fine, but so few colors as to be almost unreadable. Guess xvesa will just not work. A shame because I like the tiny core base system with just opera. No need for gtk, xorg, or gnu overhead.

[hiro]

IIRC Xvesa is Xorg, just slimmed down to the basics.

[Rich]

Hi slkpg
See if something in this thread helps:
http://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index.php/topic,11545.msg61000.html#msg61000

[slkpg]

Thanks, tried the framebuffer FAQ solution which seemed to work but got

failed in waitforX

from startx after installing Xfbdev.

[Rich]

Hi slkpg
Type  cat .xsession  (note the leading period)
Execute the first line but omit the part that reads   >/dev/null
See what errors if any it reports and post them.

[slkpg]

Nothing but blank green screen. Looks wrong though because it is still the Xvesa command. Xfbdev is installed, if I redo it, it says already installed. Do I need to manually change .xsession? TC works fine on all my other old boxes. Not a complete newbie, cut my teeth on a unix mini in the mid 80's, switched to a PC and never looked back.

[Rich]

Hi slkpg
Not sure how to proceed from here, maybe someone else has some ideas?

Not a complete newbie, cut my teeth on a unix mini in the mid 80's, switched to a PC and never looked back.

When I write something I try to write it in such a way that anyone can comprehend it, regardless of
the skill level of the person I'm addressing.

[slkpg]

Thanks for your help. With fbset, I get /dev/fb0: no such device, which looks like a problem. When I put the Xfbdev command in .xsession without err redirect as you suggested, I get nothing more than "failed in waitforX."

[maro]

As the FAQ points out: You'll need a suitable boot code of 'vga=...' for the framebuffer to work. If you initially don't know a numerical value that works for your system try 'vga=ask' (and hit 'ENTER' when asked, to see your options).

[slkpg]

Bingo, thanks.

Is there a white paper or other pub summarizing the TC internals. If not, should be published, it is truly a new linux. Puppy and some others are very nice, but TC is elegant.

[Lee]

...white paper or other pub summarizing the TC internals...

Much of the art and magic of Core is embodied in shell scripts where it is accessible for study.

In addition to learning a bunch about Core, you'll also likely pick up some interesting scripting techniques.  Start with /etc/init.d/tc-config and don't worry too much if you don't understand every detail (*) - it prints out to eleven pages but a high level summary (my notes on it) doesn't take even a whole page.  Many of the other scripts in Core are worth a good long look as well.  I know it sounds like I'm saying, "Just read the code", but really that -is- the best starting point (after the forums and wiki, of course).

TC is elegant

Incredibly so.  I couldn't agree more.


(*) I scratched my head over  WAITUSB=${i#*=}  for a -long- time, even knowing the input -and- output.   RTFG ("read the f* google") 

[curaga]

Perhaps the distrowatch interview?

http://distrowatch.com/weekly.php?issue=20090323

The intro docs also go over the base architecture (intro and core concepts on the main page).

[slkpg]

Thanks for the pointers. I have read most of it before, not much of the code though, do not like script syntax, I am a C programmer. Reread the interview, my reason for trying TC was the same feeling of why have alot of stuff I do not ever use. Two other separate issues:

Documentation: It is all there, but scattered, to borrow a term. What would be nice, and fairly easy is just a list of the script names with a couple words on the functionality. Would have saved me searching the forum to finally find "filelist.sh".

Publication: If you have the time I think it is worth a refereed article. High level design mostly, with some detail and reasoning. This might catapult TC out of the crowded pack. People should find out that they do not need 5 CDs to install a good OS.

Thanks to all for TC.

[gerald_clark]

The wiki is user contributed.  If you think something is needed then you add it.