RFC: change to XO sleep behavior

[Paul Fox]

hi mikus --

mikus wrote:
 > > what do you think?  'a' or 'b'?
 > 
 > As long as the possibility exists to manually edit a configuration file,
 > I myself will change the sleep behavior to be like 'before'.

yes, the new scheme ('b') is configurable.

 > 
 > I do not care whether it takes a keystroke, or pushing the CPU button,
 > to wake from 'sleeping' -- I'll learn through experience.  However, I do
 > not favor using the keypad for wake-up.  All too often, my wrists stray
 > onto the keypad - and having the system wake up from inadvertent hand
 > placement might be a distraction.
 > 
 > 
 > Something I can NOT get used to is the current very short time before
 > suspend.  I normally use an external keyboard, and lately the XO has
 > even dropped USB power (i.e., stopped accepting keystrokes) before I
 > could finish typing in the __name__ that a new installation asks for.

i'll test with an external keyboard.  though not the mainstream, they
should work as well as easily possible.

 > I have to cudgel my brain to remember, at installation time, to get as
 > quickly as possible into "My Settings" and deactivate suspend -- else
 > the XO is sure to unexpectedly suspend while I am trying to apply my
 > usual customizations (including suspend timing changes) to a new build.
 > 
 > 
 > Regarding wake-up from a dimmed/blank screen -- likely the "normal" user
 > behavior is always to press <shift>.  If no screen reaction is seen, say
 > within a second, the user will then probably push on the power button.
 > 
 > [If the screen is not dimmed, the user would probably not realize
 > whether the CPU is asleep or not (i.e., he would NOT be paying attention
 > to any LED behaviors) -- and would continue typing, in the expectation
 > that all of his input characters would be used.]
 > 
 > 
 > I do have to mention one caveat -- at least once, when an XO dropped USB
 > power on me *while* I was trying to enter customization commands, and my
 > finger slipped on the power button -- the XO apparently thought I had
 > "double pushed" (once to request it to show the "suspend choice" panel,
 > and immediately again to indicate "shutdown") -- and it powered down
 > completely.  Please - make sure that it takes a multi-second duration of
 > the power button to perform a *complete* shutdown.

no, definitely not.  training users to hold down power buttons
is/was a huge mistake, since getting in the habit is a little
like parking your car by letting it hit the front of your garage. 
"but it never hurt the wall before?  what changed?"

paul
=---------------------
 paul fox, pgf at laptop.org