Baslinux mailing list

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Hi Sindi,

Apologies for the length of this, in advance.

you wrote:

> I have used jwm without a mouse (to exit X
> type Ctrl-Alt-Backspace, because the normal
> exit procedure requires clicking on a button).

I already knew about that, but thanks anyway
for those who don't. I've already had to use
that several times in the past week, with all
my experiments using Linux on old laptops.

Even running live-CDs i've had to use it, for
when the laptop's video configuration made a
mess out of the GUI.


> Alt-F1 for the menu.

AHA! I *knew* there would be something like that!
Thanks so much for that! 

Now i can use JWM even on that old Toshiba 
without any mouse-like interface. That's great,
because i much prefer a windowing-GUI, to
working directly at the command-line ... 
even if all i'm doing is typing commands in rxvt!
Just a nicer more comfortable environment,
for me.

I have a lot of experience using "keyboard
shortcuts" in various versions of Windows over
the years, so i suspected that Linux had done
something like this long ago.

> You need to shift focus to the new window when
> you open a new window (Alt-Tab?).

Yes, that's it, and it works just fine.

> (Newer jwm does not require this but would 
> not compile for Steven).

I'm OK with Alt+Tab.

> Icewm works perfectly without a mouse.

I've tried icewm on a virtual machine, as you
may have seen in my post from a few days ago.
BTW, i never did get BL set up so that i could
switch between JWM and icewm ... would still
like to get that right.

But one problem i found in that virtual machine
is that the icewm setup files need to be edited,
because they point to a different version of
links than the version which is now included in
BL. And i also couldn't get links2 to work, and
i would really like to have that.

> So does Opera browser.

I'm still on the fence about installing Opera
in BL. I love Opera (much better than Firefox),
and will probably put it on the Compaq since
that machine has more memory and HD space ...
that's *if* i leave BL on the Compaq at all.
I'm going to try putting a more modern Linux
on it when i get my wireless card.

But for this small Toshiba (12 MB RAM, 500 MB HD),
i think Opera kind of defeats the point of BL:
keep it small and simple. Can you (or anyone)
tell me about how much space Opera needs in BL,
and if you think it might work on this machine?

Anyway, i'd still like to try links2 and see
what it's like. Perhaps some help on getting
that going first.

> Most other X programs such as xv have
> keyboard commands. I usually don't even
> leave a mouse plugged into my computer.

I'm totally with you on that. One thing that's
frustrating for me is to have to lug around
a power cord too. The whole point of a laptop
is to have *one* small piece of hardware to
carry about.

And while i'm fine with a touchpad setup as
found on modern laptops, the old ones with
either the finger-joystick, or even worse,
the thumb-trackball on the front side ...
they don't quite do it for me. I'd rather
use the keyboard.

> I put BL on a 1994 Compaq with a broken ; key
> and hit Fn-Alt-56 instead.

Hmm ... that's clever!

> 12MB memory, screwy video (I needed to rewrite
> XF86Config modelines and use svga X to get
> more than four colors).

It's amazing to me that BL is running so well
on this Toshiba. Putting the swap space on the
HD was important -- i don't think it would work
at all without that.

--------------
from another post:

> > Anyway, as per the previous post, i think i'm
> > up for the challenge to write a small C program
> > that lets me use the keyboard as a mouse! This
> > machine is so small that i'd rather not have to
> > lug around a real mouse with it.
> >
> >
> > -monz
> >
> >
> 
> Linux already comes with one.  XKB.
> 
> I had no luck getting it working but check the
> archives for more info on my failure.
> 
> Search on "arrow mouse" or "XKB not supported"
> from 2006.
> 
> You need to edit XF86Config to un-disable xkb
> and use a standard X server not Xvesa.  And
> probably add a bunch of other things.
> 
> I hate mice and would appreciate your solving
> this problem.

Uh-oh, now it sounds like i've gone and gotten
hired for a job that i never applied for!

I'll try to give it a shot, but actually doubt
if i'll have the time to really dig into it.
The rest of my family has been away for the
past week, coming home today, and i will be
much more busy with "regular" stuff.

Thanks for all the good info!


-monz