Baslinux mailing list

[Day Brown <daybrown AT hypertech.net>]

Sindi Keesan wrote:
> 
> > > We tried Corel 2.3 linux on a fast 486 and it was glacially slow, having
> > > loaded all sorts of programs we do not want whenever it boots.  But it 
> > > did
> > > identify our video card and monitor so we might leave it on the computer
> > > to make config files for our monitors automatically.
> 
> >
> > That config file you mention; you can port it to another distro install?
> > I'll havta try that.
> >
> 
> We did not yet try getting monitor information from other distributions to
> use with BL2 but should it not be possible to look at what is in
> XF86Config and use that information with BL2?

For most folks, prolly. There's no way around the Kharma. I'm one of
those gazillion guys who recycles hardware like I usta old cars. So, I
got this NCR 2501 humongous 20" inch monitor that sits on my desk like a
1960's "portable color TV" that I can just barely pick up. But- no
moniitor list I have seen cites what the specs are and neither have I
been able to find the specs for the NCR 2501 online either. 

And, of course, different distros have had a crack at it. I've seen
suggested 31.5-48, or 51, or 64; I think there was one that cranked it
all the way up to 72 with frying the flyback. And for the vertical, 50-
70, 90, 100, 110, or maybe even 150. But I dont think the higher
settings of both horz & vert have been tried togather. 

But when I let it go with the lower numbers, xvidtune wont expand it
into all the black space around the projected image, telling me that
that would surpass the specs. And when I upped the stat, what I have
seen is a blinking cursor *in text mode*! I couldnt logon cause it would
not read the kybd unless the key was pressed at the exact instant the
image was projected, and I could never get the root pw correct.

I dont *think* I'd ever see that problem with BL. Wouldnt XF86Config be
stored someplace where dos could edit it? Now, I tried using the trashed
distro on the secondary drive and editing from REDHAT booted off the
primary. But it looks like that messed with the FAT; Linux installs dont
seem to like it when there are changes to the file system that the
install did not do. I dont think BL would have that problem.

Other operating systems seem to have the attitude that they are the only
thing the user runs. So, when you tweak the monitor to get the screen
just right... it dont look so swift in dos anymore. I spoze that is why
the distros dont tell users about xvidtune, so they can match the linux
screen fit with the dos/win/os2 fit. BL, since it boots from dos,
obviously dont have that problem.

> 
> SuSE 6 also sets things up for each monitor properly and will reconfigure
> automatically if you change monitors, and it runs much faster than Corel
> Linux.
I have Suse 6.4, and it was really nice until I moved, and discovered
that it (and many other distros) would not connect with my local ISPs.