Console Mode, DOS Emulator on OLPC

[Jim Gettys]

On Wed, 2007-09-26 at 13:23 +0200, guylhem at guylhem.net wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> I also volunteer - I believe as well that a console mode + a standard
> X windows, as suggested by the first poster, could have advantages.
> 

You seem to have missed Mitch's point: we don't have VGA or similar
emulation on our console (which uses fbdev): the code emulating such
hardware (which is how it would have to work on the Geode) was
encumbered, and we could not maintain it long term, so we dropped it
from our firmware.

So you need to go for the X based emulation; Sugarizing the existing X
based version is a small task.
                                - Jim
> If you agree, a different runlevel could be used for that, ie the olpc
> could be switched easily between sugar mode and non sugar mode - call
> it salt or pepper if you want :)
> 
> Actually, it could be a usefull distinction - the bootloader could
> start the kernel in either runlevel, depending on a special key
> combination, so that legacy educational applications could run without
> any problem or any complex operation, without interfering at all with
> anything else.
> 
> Ex: press some button at boot time, and you are presented with the dos
> mode, where you can run your legacy applications as you always did.
> Press another button and you have a standard x-windows, so if you have
> a remote server with existing specific apps (math/chem), just log
> there, export the display and you're set, without python eating
> power/memory for tasks where it is not required.
> 
> I too can see that being put into a good use, because there are
> several important DOS application for sign language actually used in
> Brazil, and many X applications in highscools and universities around
> where I live.
> 
> I've been experimenting with such hacks. I'll try to release a good
> prototype soon.
> 
> Guylhem
> 
> On 9/26/07, elw at stderr.org <elw at stderr.org> wrote:
> >
> >
> > I suppose that I have effectively opened my mouth and inserted foot, so
> > perhaps I should volunteer to start a bit of work in this direction.
> >
> > Any other volunteers?  We'll work something out.  ;-)
> >
> > --elijah
> >
> >
> > On Tue, 25 Sep 2007, Jim Gettys wrote:
> >
> > > Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2007 20:35:46 -0400
> > > From: Jim Gettys <jg at laptop.org>
> > > To: elw at stderr.org
> > > Cc: Mitch Bradley <wmb at laptop.org>, devel at lists.laptop.org
> > > Subject: Re: Console Mode, DOS Emulator on OLPC
> > >
> > > On Tue, 2007-09-25 at 18:57 -0500, elw at stderr.org wrote:
> > >>
> > >>> Subject: Re: Console Mode, DOS Emulator on OLPC
> > >>>
> > >>> OLPC does not support VGA/EGA/CGA graphics, so the display code for all
> > >>> those old programs will not work.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> IIRC xdosemu provides vga support within an X window.
> > >>
> > >> I sympathize with folks who want to run ancient dos educational apps on
> > >> the OLPC - it'd be great if xdosemu were available as an activity-like
> > >> bundle for folks who need it.
> > >
> > > Seems like a good idea?  Any volunteers?  It isn't high enough on the
> > > priority list that we'll get to it anytime very soon.  Would be a good
> > > way for someone to learn how to "sugarize" a simple application.
> > >                                  - Jim
> > >
> > >>
> > >> [Same goes for C64 emulators... there are still folks in chemistry and
> > >> biology and physics who have useful code that runs on the Commodore
> > >> machines.. even at Big 10 universities.  ;)]
> > >>
> > >>   --e
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>>> 1. There are large number of DOS education application suitable for
> > teacher and students.
> > >>>> 2. Most DOS applications are designed for slow PC below 100 MHz.
> > >>>> 3. There are many abandonware/freely available 20 years old DOS
> > applications/tools on the Internet, such as TurboC, TurboPascal, TurboBasic
> > etc.
> > >>
> > >> _______________________________________________
> > >> Devel mailing list
> > >> Devel at lists.laptop.org
> > >> http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/devel
> > >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Devel mailing list
> > Devel at lists.laptop.org
> > http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/devel
> >
-- 
Jim Gettys
One Laptop Per Child