Baslinux mailing list

[baslinux AT lists.ibiblio.org]

On Mon, 22 Dec 2008, baslinux AT lists.ibiblio.org wrote:

> I downloaded Opera 9.63.  I could not find a way to run it from a wrapper
> script in the unpacked directory so I ran install.sh.


Turns out the wrapper script is in a different place and you don't need to 
install this version.

You can safely delete about 8MB of locale files (keep en or your preferred 
language directory or it won't load).

No more complaints about plugins not working.

I am testing the battery for my Toshiba Satellite 420CDT 100Mhz with 24MB 
memory (which also works in 133 and 266MHz Toshibas among others) and was 
instructed to keep the computer in use as long as possible so I stuck in 
my orinoco card (a Microsoft MSN labelled one) and booted with a 2.4 
framebuffer kernel so I could get nice full-screen text and also use this 
card (won't work with 2.2 kernel).

With this and another small 2.4 kernel, the computer crashes if I load X, 
switch to another VT, then switch back to X.  TO avoid this, I kill the 
process for X from the vt.

SVGA server uses 17.1% of memory (does this include my 48MB swap?).
Xvesa 5.1%
xfbdev 4% (probably also a bit extra for the kernel).

With the last of these and fb kernel, simply loading X and an rxvt uses 
20MB memory, which leaves little to work in unless you swap a lot.

I loaded X_SVGA and Opera 9.63 which took forever to load and then got 
stuck at a big site and would not quit loading it, or let me switch VTs, 
or exit Opera until it finished loading the site. I discovered after it 
finally got the site downloaded that Opera itself was using about 80% of 
memory.  After starting over with xfbdev and about:blank, it uses only (!) 
69.9%.  I repeated the test a few times. Then since I have free broadband 
I downloaded other versions:

        bz2     binary   %RAM (of 72MB)
7.54    4.6M    9.8M     57.4% (with graphical ad banner, not removable)
8.54    5.5M    12M      39.7% (about:blank default page)
9.26    6.5M    14.4M    57.9% (loaded about:blank instead of speed dial)
9.50b   7.6M                    (this one crashes a lot, unstable beta)
9.63   10.2M    15.9M    69.9%  (about:blank)

The larger package size of 9.63 is partly due to 7MB unpacked of locale 
files.

I will be using 8.54 on my laptops (16-32MB RAM).  Windows instead of 
Classical appearance.  Browse without images.


The battery, which used to conk out in 10 minutes, was rejuvenated by 
running it all the way down then recharging it overnight.  Before that it 
would not even light up green.  It ran 77 minutes in a test with hard 
drive running continuously but screen blanked, and exactly two hours of 
continuous use with screen on, hard drive accessed frequently, and 
wireless pcmcia in use more than half the time (which is supposed to 
really wipe out PDA batteries).

Super duper little computer if I don't try to run newer Opera on it and am 
careful not to switch between X and console.  Only drawback is heavy 
battery (but it stores much better than lithium, which loses capacity over 
time even when unused due to oxidation, and would have been completely 
dead in 10 years) and the internal power supply also adds weight. 
It only filled half the screen with text, without the framebuffer.

The working battery should let us access the internet outdoors near free 
WiFi spots.  Aironet 340 will work with kernel 2.2 and is also more 
sensitive.
 We also have free wireless downtown and eventually in the whole county, 
at dialup speeds.  Very weak signal would not reach indoors without a $200 
antenna setup.