Just bought a Windows ce 5.0 device and thiinking of changing to linux

[Ralf2345]

Hi,

I am new to linux tho I do have a usb flash drive with a linix rescue setup on it.

I recently bought a Nova5000ex Windows ce 5.0 tablet pc, originally used for a school computer. I wanted to use it for a book reader/web browser(video watching etc).

After trying it out tho, I find it slow and the Wifi software does not seem to work(so at lest for now I am using a network cable).
I was wondering tho I read on a Google search that your version of linix supports the cpu thats in this tablet, so I was wondering if I could some how wipe the os and then install linix...(tho at this time the only thing I have figured out to change on the tablet is the windows wall paper.)

the specs for the table are (original link (http://www.nova1to1.com/specifications/)

Nova5000EX Specifications


Fully Integrated
Curriculum
Data Logger

Specifications

Marvell PXA320 Processor, 624 Mhz (arm base)

7 Inch TFT LCD Screen
(800 x 480, 65,000 colors, 400 cd/m2)

Touch screen

128 MB RAM

1 GB NAND Flash memory

Built-in 2D graphic accelerator

RTC (Real-time Clock)

Size (mm)
186 x 237 x 43.2
186 x 237 x 43.2
Size (inches) 7.32 x 9.33 x 1.7 7.32 x 9.33 x 1.7

Weight (including battery pack)
2.4 lbs (1,090 g)
2.4 lbs (1,090 g)

Software Applications
Windows CE.NET 5.0 operating system

Windows Media Player 9
Internet Explorer 6

Inbox (client e-mail)
supporting POP3, IMAP4

TextMaker 2008
(Microsoft Word look-alike)

PlanMaker 2008
(Microsoft Excel look-alike)

Presentations 2008
(Microsoft PowerPoint look-alike)

WordPad

MultiLab analysis software for sensor interface

CalcCE scientific and statistical calculator

Inspiration concept mapping software

Portrait-4 scientific graphic calculator (trial version)

Remote Desktop Connection

Microsoft Transcriber with character recognition

Flash 7 plug-in

Printer drivers (for printers with PCL support)

PrintBoy printing utility
Sound Recorder
NovaCapture
NovaNotes (for audio, sketch and note taking)
Unit Convertor
Periodic Table

Hardware Peripherals

Ethernet port 10/100
Built-in WiFi 802.11 b/g

3 x USB 1.1 Host ports (supporting keyboard, mouse, Flash memory stick, etc.)

USB Sync port
(supporting ActiveSync connection)

SD card slot

Earphone and Microphone ports

Built-in audio speaker (Mono)

12-bit / 8 input sensor interface
(for data logging)

Standard VGA display port

Accessories

Full USB keyboard

Mini USB mouse

Nova5000 carrying case

Large Nova5000 carrying case

8 hour rechargeable battery pack
Extended 3-year warranty

USB communication cable 5 ft. (1.5 m)

AC adapter / battery charger

USB WiFi adapter
CE, FCC compliance

IT says that it has Flash 7, but youtube just shows pictures only won't play videos.


Thanks for any help/tips etc

[bingomion]

I can't wait until there's a forum modirater.. these posts should be removed, the user with one post kick and the IP blocked for 6months!!!

BTW, your info is here:
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=linux+Nova5000

[Copernicus]

I was wondering tho I read on a Google search that your version of linix supports the cpu thats in this tablet, so I was wondering if I could some how wipe the os and then install linix...

Unfortunately, the Maemo/Meego/etc. OS family from Nokia is not completely open-source, and as such, has not been ported to non-Nokia devices (so far as I know).

I'm afraid it'll be a lot of work to port Linux to your tablet by yourself, especially if you're completely new to the Linux world. However, let me point you to the Jlime (http://jlime.com/wiki/home) project. That's the version of Linux I used on my HP Journada (another Wince device), and they're currently porting the system to the Raspberry Pi. I suspect they would be able to give you a better answer as to how (or if) you can get a Linux distribution onto your machine.

[Copernicus]

I can't wait until there's a forum modirater.. these posts should be removed

FWIW, I think the portability of Maemo is a valid topic for discussion. I would personally love to see a Maemo-powered Raspberry Pi or Beagleboard...

[bingomion]

@Copernicus it'll never happen, there's no need for it... besides there's cordia which is a hildon window manager for tablets.

@Ralf2345
There are a lot of OS's for ARM8, opensource too..
I doubt, you will find a perfect linux OS with an pretty installer on that device, but keep google'ing

[Mike Fila]

you could look into DSL (damn small linux)

[Copernicus]

@Copernicus it'll never happen, there's no need for it... besides there's cordia which is a hildon window manager for tablets.

Cordia is pretty, but honestly, I just don't see the point. Why slap a Hildon UI on top of a large capacitive screen? Existing Hildon software isn't going to support multi-touch, and has been optimized for use on tiny screens. Moreover, you lose all the software that can take advantage of an accurate (and pressure-sensitive!) stylus.

Besides, it's running on Mer, and Mer is explicitly targeted to optimize "HTML5/QML/JS". I've seen that storyline before, and I know how it ends: what you get is a product like Android.

I don't want a Linux kernel hidden deep beneath yet another glorified app launcher. What I want is a standard Linux distribution, capable of running well on small devices, but otherwise free and open to use like any normal Linux environment. Maemo is the closest I've personally gotten to that.

I just don't see Mer/Tizen in my future; I'd rather jump ship and go back to a distribution like Jlime...

[longcat]

#win thread

[lardman]

Hi,

I am new to linux tho I do have a usb flash drive with a linix rescue setup on it.

I recently bought a Nova5000ex Windows ce 5.0 tablet pc, originally used for a school computer. I wanted to use it for a book reader/web browser(video watching etc).

After trying it out tho, I find it slow and the Wifi software does not seem to work(so at lest for now I am using a network cable).
I was wondering tho I read on a Google search that your version of linix supports the cpu thats in this tablet, so I was wondering if I could some how wipe the os and then install linix...(tho at this time the only thing I have figured out to change on the tablet is the windows wall paper.)


I fear it's slow because the processor is not very fast and it doesn't have much RAM. With that said porting Linux to it is a quite valid request, though I fear you underestimate the difficultly...

The processor is well supported, so that is not an issue, what will be more troublesome is working out how the flashing software works and what it flashes, though you may find that these problems have been explained in e.g. the HP iPaq Linux porting project or as mentioned by one of the posters the HP Jornada porting effort (note, however, that both of these ports were carried out by the company who manufactured the hardware and wrote the HW abstraction on which Windows CE runs.

Lacking support from the company itself you will have to probably write drivers for the hardware yourself, or at least modify them to fit. I'd encourage you to take a look at the Psion 5 Linux port to get an idea of how hard this might be: http://linux-7110.sourceforge.net/

Aside from these issues, I imagine something like OpenZaurus/Angstrom would be the best type of base system and UI to run on the device, as it was designed for devices with a similar spec to the one you're talking about: http://www.openzaurus.org/wordpress/

I can't wait until there's a forum modirater.. these posts should be removed, the user with one post kick and the IP blocked for 6months!!!

BTW, your info is here:
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=linux+Nova5000

To be perfectly honest, while the original poster doesn't know what he's doing, it's not so far off topic that we should take this attitude IMHO.

Unfortunately, the Maemo/Meego/etc. OS family from Nokia is not completely open-source, and as such, has not been ported to non-Nokia devices (so far as I know).

While Maemo is tied to the hw, Meego isn't and has been ported to other devices (e.g. the Samsung Galaxy Tab which is my project). With that said, the devices it has been ported to are all (or all to my knowledge) Android devices for which Linux kernel source exists. This makes life quite a bit easier.

To sum it all up, by all means look into it, but it will be pretty difficult (but difficult things are fun, assuming you have the time to spare).

Best of luck!

Simon

[Texrat]

I can't wait until there's a forum modirater.. these posts should be removed, the user with one post kick and the IP blocked for 6months!!!

There are moderators, like me, and I don't see a reason to remove his post or block his IP.