Marcin Juszkiewicz

Koen’s post about AVR32 Network Gateway and few posts on usenet reminded me that many people still think that small devices are crap and lack power to do anything.

Do they? I think that not. Here I use two small embedded devices:

• Linksys NSLU2 as NFS server (plans are to add TFTP, Samba, CUPS and Bluetooth AP)
• Linksys WRT54GS as router/firewall

Both do their work without any problems, both runs Linux and opensource distributions (OpenSlug and OpenWRT).

Soon will add something based on one of AT91 devboards but more to experiment with software then normal usage. And as I have 20 pin header soldered to OpenMoko debug board it can even be bricked (JTAG port was already tested with other device then Neo1973).

Great thing is that systems like AT91SAM9263EK, Gateway or STK1000 (another AVR32 devboard from Atmel) can be used to produce many different devices — I remember talk with one guy who shown his developer board (about A4 size) and final device (small rugged mobile device with barcode scanner) and told that this devboard was used to create about 10 misc models.

My friend made a project of own device based on AT91 ARM cpu with few peripherials. Total cost was less then 100 EUR and it can be used to different tasks and also give possibility to learn how to write kernel code (to handle all addons).

As Cliff Brake wrote:

you cannot afford to not use Linux in your own projects. There are too many drivers and ready to use code to not make use of them. You can even get nice modules for less then 100 dollars (ARM, AVR32, x86 based) if you do not want to design own one. Then next step is OpenEmbedded and you have problem which software to choose as there is too much to choose :)

I read thread about opie trademark on opie ML, read posts about GPE situation months ago and now and decided that handhelds.org is not my community.

OPIE was my favorite environment since I bought Zaurus SL-5500 over 3 years ago. I was one of persons which added OPIE recipes into OpenEmbedded and spent lot of time to get it working properly. When I got Zaurus C760 I concentrated on fixing OPIE for working better with hires displays (most of them are landed in 1.2.2 release).

After those three years (2 as official developer with r/w access to CVS) I decided that it is time to say goodbye. None of my devices run OPIE and no plans that they will ever run it — time pass and show that most of software for it is not maintained and I lost faith in new OPIE/Qtopia 2.x applications over year ago. It does not even allow to connect my PDAs to my home network…

So goodbye and thanks — it was good time.

Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate… leads to suffering.

If Yoda would live today he would say something similar after trying to buy tickets for British trains. There are few (8 or more?) train companies and over 10 types of tickets. If you go to National Rail site you can check trips, prices but if you want to buy you will be presented with list of companies and moved to their websites where you have to repeat whole track.

I was suggested to use Time TrainLine service. It allow to search for trip, select prices in easier way then NR did. But each reload can mean other prices. And even if you select one and then register (what for?) then you are presented with nice thing — you can live in ANY country in the world as long it use UK postcodes. Who coded that website?

Hopefully I will be able to buy those tickets with help of UK citizens.

Sometimes you can think that Neo1973 does not want to recognize your SIM card. Werner Almesberger sent informations how to check it to framework-devel list. I want to extend it a bit.

• First GSM daemon need to be stopped as we want to have total control over modem.

  /etc/init.d/gsmd stop

• Power On GSM modem:

  echo 1 >/sys/bus/platform/devices/gta01-pm-gsm.0/power_on

• Start cu terminal to talk with modem:

  cu -E @ -l /dev/ttySAC0 Connected. AT-Command Interpreter Ready

(do not panic if you will get other line after ‘Connected’)

• Enable echo:

  ATE1

• Enable error reporting with texts instead of numbers:

  AT+CMEE=2

• Enable modem functionality:

  AT+CFUN=1

here you can get +CME ERROR: SIM PIN required message so you need to enter PIN

• Pass PIN:

  AT+CPIN=”1234” AT+CFUN=1

replace 1234 with proper PIN of course - Select network operator (register to network)

AT+COPS

• Dial someone

  ATD123456789;

semicolon is needed to mark that this will be voice call — my SE k750i phone recognize both form but also give me information does it is voice or data call.

If this sequence does not work on your phone then write to mailing list.

Yesterday was 30 years since “A New Hope” (aka “Star Wars episode IV”). I checked cinemas offer but there was no Star Wars night anywhere ;(

But I found that Lucasfilm released first three episodes on DVD again. This time each one is sold separately and contain bonus — original release from 1977/80/83 like it was in cinemas. Will have to think about buying those and see how Jabba was looking before 199x remastering etc..

Few days ago one of my friends asked me for help on choosing laptop. The idea was “I want to buy laptop to use instead of my 7 years old desktop”. We were discussing few options and he finally found Dell Inspiron 9400 for less then 1000 EUR. It is interesting machine:

• 17” display with 1400x900 resolution
• Core 2 Duo cpu
• 2GB ram
• ATI X1400 gfx card
• 160GB Serial ATA disk

After checking who seller is we decided that I will go and buy that laptop (seller was from Poznań).

Yesterday I bought that beast and I have to say one thing — it is HUGE (bottom one on photo). I am used to my 12” D400 (top one on photo) and sometimes I use Ania’s 15.4” laptop (middle one) when I need MS Windows.

As usual it comes with MS Windows — this time it was Vista Home Premium. It was my first time with Vista — so now I can tell that I used all MS Windows versions (from 1.01 to Vista). What do I think of it? Hard to tell because I do not used it too much. Looks nice and takes some time to find things which were in XP.

Now when I used 17” laptop I know that I do not want such one — 12-15.4” are enough size for travelling. And for desktop I prefer desktop machine with big LCD then 17” laptop.

During Friday I had a trip to my family city (Olecko, Poland) for my sister wedding. It was by car (not mine) and we had to visit brother to take him with us. As I never was in Toruń before I had to use some online services to see how to get to the place where he works.

Google Maps

Interface easy to use, checking directions can be done with few clicks, adding new points to trip is intuitive. But route is not optimal — force to use highways (Poland nearly does not have such ones) so I needed to add few extra points to get proper directions. Printing is unusable — most of space taken by driving instructions and maps in print are small.

Targeo

Only Poland covered. Map is from AutoMapa navigation application. Interface also easy to use but lack scrollwhell support and need some time to understand buttons. Allow to create route with few points and do it well. As a bonus it show list of road repairs. Printing does not work.

Zumi

Also only Poland covered. Flash interface :( Only routing from point to point. Printing use flash too.

Finally I checked route in Google Maps and Targeo. Needed part (Toruń, where we had to take my brother) was printed from GM screenshot.

Few days ago Intel released PowerTOP utility which can be used to check what software takes most of power on device (x86 targetted but should works on other architectures too). During weekend I started it on my laptop and changed few things after that so it came from about 300 to less then 100 wakeups during X11 work and 70 when working in remote console over wifi (most taken by bcm43xx driver).

I do not remember how big impact it had on battery life because I mostly use this machine with AC connected and battery keep only 50% of original capacity (it is over 2 years old).