Baslinux mailing list

[Sindi Keesan <keesan AT iamjlamb.com>]

On Sat, 3 Apr 2004 3aoo-cvfd AT dea.spamcon.org wrote:

> Sindi Keesan wrote:
> >
> > To use Xvesa install about five much larger libraries 
> 
> Nonsense.  All you need is the Xvesa executable (if you
> are prepared to live with the built-in fonts).

I thought you also needed to install xbin.tgz and xlib.tgz and xpm.tgz and 
xcfg.tgz and your bl2-x package, in BL2.  Is it really only Xvesa?

Opera is rather hard to read with only the built-in fonts.  It needs 
things from the above packages, but maybe I could just select those 
pieces.  Where do I get rxvt, isn't that also needed with Xvesa?
Are you sure it is only the Xvesa executable that I need?

> > and edit a config file to define your mouse 
 
> First of all, Xvesa has no config file.  Second, Xvesa
> automatically uses whatever mouse you have as /dev/mouse
> *and* tries to autodetect the mouse-type.

Did I set /dev/mouse at some point when installing BL2?
I don't use a mouse in console mode.  In BL3 you have to specify your 
mouse so I presume the link needs to be made at some point in order to 
have /dev/mouse.

> > Then install a window manager
> 
> Why?  You are comparing Xvesa to XVGAlib.  XVGAlib has no 
> window manager, so why are you installing one for Xvesa?

SVGAlib, I think you mean.  

> You seem very confused about Xvesa.

Please unconfuse me and explain how it works. I thought it was an X server 
like xvg16 and needed to be used with all those other packages.  Can you 
provide instructions for installing it with BL2 instead of your other X 
installation?  It does help to have a window manager as well with it, 
otherwise you need to use the mouse more in Opera to switch focus instead 
of Alt-Tab.  An Xvesa-icewm package for BL2 would be helpful, if that is 
not too much trouble for you.  (Or maybe I can manage to compile ratpoison 
and use that once I get my compiler working again.)
 
I think I asked for help with Xvesa before and got none, so experimented 
and had to add these packages to get Xvesa working on a new setup.  
I am putting together another computer this week and would appreciate help 
in installing Xvesa properly without 10-20M extra files.  Does Xvesa also 
adjust monitor refresh rates automatically?  Do I still need an .xinitrc 
if I want to run xmodmap or icewm while starting X?  (If so, that is the 
equivalent of libvga.config, I think.)

SVGAlib is still a lot faster, or at least bmv is faster than xpdf.
But Xvesa is certainly a lot more predictable in that it works with all my 
VESA 1.2 video cards, whereas SVGAlib works for some cards without the 
VESA driver, for some with it, and for some not at all or poorly.

However I prefer bmv to xpdf, and don't want to run lynx in an Xterm
because I don't like XLI (or is there some way to use it without a mouse?  
I think I need a mouse to remove an image once I display it, unless the
focus is on that image, which would mean I need to fiddle with location of
rxvts to center them all, and zgv does not need a mouse).  Most X programs
seem to be designed around a mouse.  bmv, zgv, seejpeg are not.  Links2g
is mostly usable without a mouse but some types of links (tabs) seem to
need it.  I am tired of having to switch font sizes and geometry etc. to 
get rxvt readable, and it is easier to switch number of col and rows in 
console mode.  I can't think of any reason I would want to use X at the 
moment except for Opera when links2 or lynx cannot handle some site.

But it would still certainly be much appreciated if you could explain how 
to set up Xvesa in BL2, because some programs do require X.  I am sure 
other beginners would find it helpful to have an X server that works in 
more than 16 colors without a lot of setup.  This could take a beginner 
like me a week to figure out, and you already have experience on how to 
set up Xvesa for BL3.  Can you make a package with Xvesa, the few extra 
fonts needed, and icewm, that also sets up the mouse?

> Cheers,
> Steven