Baslinux mailing list

[baslinux AT lists.ibiblio.org]

Can BL and Ubuntu read floppy disks formatted for linux rather than DOS?

I just gave my first BL2 laptop to a music student who had his Mac stolen. 
Toshiba 100Mhz 24MB.  We tested out pico and Abiword for taking notes in 
class (nice keyboard), mplayer (which won't work on my somewhat newer 
laptops), timidity, and workbone.  Volume dial.  ESS sound with sb 
emulation.  Sounds much better than most of my newer laptops, in mono. 
Relatively small without the external floppy drive and even has a working 
battery (20 min).  A prize.  (Just don't try to exit X or it crashes - 
switch to VT2 to shutdown from).

But the floppy drive is really fussy and won't even format 90% of the 
known good disks I feed it (bad media or track 0 bad or bad FAT), then 
won't read them once formatted (with DOS on the same laptop).  I will try 
floppymeter when we meet in town after his concert later this week. 
fdformat /fd - does this produce linux floppies or do I need a switch?
Would it possibly read linux floppies better than DOS?  (DOS has no way I 
know of to compensate for worn-out floppy drive so it should be linux 
anyway).

Another option for file transfer is a non-cardbus network card ($7-10 on 
ebay - the cardbus ones are $1-2, plus $4 shipping).  Campus student 
wireless requires WPA (which requires cardbus which won't fit the slot), 
but he can plug into the wall in his dorm room.  Linksys Etherfast 10/100 
is one-piece (no dongle to lose or break wires in).  pcnet_cs.

Or a parport iomega zip drive.  Or a serial cable made from two serial 
mice, or a modem cable, but that has a learning curve.  Easier to ftp or 
even mail himself files to get them onto his Ubuntu desktop.

He caught on quickly how to use ls cp cd etc, though he never used DOS. I 
made little scripts mf and uf to mount and unmount the one working floppy 
disk of the bunch.  off to shutdown.  Added a list of instructions to 
/etc/issue.  Script 'music' lists the music playing programs.

The laptop has infrared but there is nothing to beam it to.

Most help will have to be by email since it is a least an hour's walk (or 
a snowy bike ride) between his dorm and here.  I will email him the three 
lines to add to pcmcia config once he gets a network card from ebay. 
Then can email entire programs.

Sindi Keesan