Firmware updates, dictionaries, fonts and third-party software for M92

[kodomo]

Originally Posted by tuxor

Dear Booxtor,

would you please ask somebody at ONYX, why they aren't releasing the source code for the whole firmware or at least for kernel (GPL!!?), gui_shell and system_manager? A git repository for the whole firmware or for some parts of it would be a great thing, I'm sure there are some users that would be able to commit useful bug fixes!

Dito - I support that request.
Unfortunately, neither a submitted ticket on their website (onyx-international), nor a request to the onyx employee in the freeze-bug thread was answered so far :-| .

Especially the kernel source/patches are afaik mandatory (and would make the compilation of additional modules much easier).

I also think that Onyx would greatly benefit in terms of added features, if they supported the establishment of a development community (as the openness of the device seems to attract people who like tinkering with their tools/gadgets).

[mpolci]

Hi,
after update my device stoped booting. I tried this in sequence:
1 - I installed the firmware 1.7 (update-20120224.zip) but after update it reboots and stops on first tick of progress bar
2 - I installed back firmware 1.6 (update-20120105.zip). Same problem, on reboot it stops on first tick of progress bar.
3 - I installed special version of firmware 1.7 (update-20120309.zip). After update it reboots and load to end of progress bar then it stops with full progress bar and blue led on. I long pressed the power button and it reboots but it do the same thing, it load to the end of progress bar and then stops with led on.
4- I installed back firmware 1.6 but I obtained the same problem of (2). It stops after first progress bar tick.

Can you help me?

thanks,
Marco

[kodomo]

Originally Posted by mpolci

Hi,
after update my device stoped booting. I tried this in sequence:
1 - I installed the firmware 1.7 (update-20120224.zip) but after update it reboots and stops on first tick of progress bar
2 - I installed back firmware 1.6 (update-20120105.zip). Same problem, on reboot it stops on first tick of progress bar.
3 - I installed special version of firmware 1.7 (update-20120309.zip). After update it reboots and load to end of progress bar then it stops with full progress bar and blue led on. I long pressed the power button and it reboots but it do the same thing, it load to the end of progress bar and then stops with led on.
4- I installed back firmware 1.6 but I obtained the same problem of (2). It stops after first progress bar tick.

Can you help me?

thanks,
Marco

Have you read all postings linked under https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Boox...cific_problems -> Freeze-Bugfix-Firmware?

There's someone who suggested a cause for this problem... (don't have it personally, and don't care to try creating the problem on my device ( ), so I can't tell, though)

[Booxtor]

Originally Posted by mpolci

Hi,
after update my device stoped booting. I tried this in sequence:
1 - I installed the firmware 1.7 (update-20120224.zip) but after update it reboots and stops on first tick of progress bar
2 - I installed back firmware 1.6 (update-20120105.zip). Same problem, on reboot it stops on first tick of progress bar.
3 - I installed special version of firmware 1.7 (update-20120309.zip). After update it reboots and load to end of progress bar then it stops with full progress bar and blue led on. I long pressed the power button and it reboots but it do the same thing, it load to the end of progress bar and then stops with led on.
4- I installed back firmware 1.6 but I obtained the same problem of (2). It stops after first progress bar tick.

Can you help me?

thanks,
Marco

When did you download the update-20120309.zip ?
Yesterday I have uploaded a litle bit changed version of that file (with solved blue led blinking issiue).
If you have the newest version, then dont forget you have to install it twice.
First installation takes 10 min. Second - 3 min.
Just try it ...

[Booxtor]

Originally Posted by tuxor

Dear Booxtor,

would you please ask somebody at ONYX, why they aren't releasing the source code for the whole firmware or at least for kernel (GPL!!?), gui_shell and system_manager? A git repository for the whole firmware or for some parts of it would be a great thing, I'm sure there are some users that would be able to commit useful bug fixes!

Done .. Hope they will respond quickly

[mpolci]

Originally Posted by Booxtor

When did you download the update-20120309.zip ?
Yesterday I have uploaded a litle bit changed version of that file (with solved blue led blinking issiue).
If you have the newest version, then dont forget you have to install it twice.
First installation takes 10 min. Second - 3 min.
Just try it ...

I solved
After your suggestion I tried to install update-20120309.zip twice but the problem remained, then I reinstalled update-20120105.zip and now works!
Now my device have the firmware version 1.6 but I don't retry the upgrade to 1.7RC.

Thanks,
Marco.

[kodomo]

Originally Posted by Booxtor

Done .. Hope they will respond quickly

Thank you, Booxtor

The repositories of released sources unfortunately do not seem to be current, and are hardly a working basis.
Moreover, some applications won't even compile without (mostly trivial) patches (links are on the Devel wiki page, if they should actually need them - which I would be surprised about) or additional libraries.
feed_reader is missing source files,
and the cr3 version seems actually incompatible to the repository version of onyx_ui

At that state, even thinking of sending them patches feels silly, given that the patches will likely not even apply to their current versions anymore.

[jafmaw]

Originally Posted by Booxtor

A simple file manager for the Onyx Boox (also for M92)
http://translate.google.de/translate...1618d8&act=url
On my Boox M92 it works just fine.
It is mainly for picking the firmware.
Warning: Tweaking the firmware without a clear understanding of what is done, can lead to dire consequences.

Could you please correct the link for the file manager? As listed, it is dead.
Thanks

[renushan]

Hi Friends,

Even when I tried to write on a PDF, I cannot write on the top and bottom right portions. Also, the menu suddenly lost its Sketch options. Now there is only Annotation option for the book. What should I do?

Again, I installed the file manager given in the first post, it got installed, but I do not know what is the problem, it is shown with a question mark in the Applications menu, and does not work.

Please, can anyone help on this?

RENU.

[por]

Originally Posted by renushan

Hi Friends,

Even when I tried to write on a PDF, I cannot write on the top and bottom right portions. Also, the menu suddenly lost its Sketch options. Now there is only Annotation option for the book. What should I do?

Again, I installed the file manager given in the first post, it got installed, but I do not know what is the problem, it is shown with a question mark in the Applications menu, and does not work.

Please, can anyone help on this?

RENU.

Well, you could try rolling back to 1.6 and then updating again to 1.7 RC.

[kodomo]

Originally Posted by jafmaw

Could you please correct the link for the file manager? As listed, it is dead.
Thanks

https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Boox_M92_software_list

[Booxtor]

Some news from Onyx:

" ..We have public repositories for our system:
1) sdk. https://github.com/onyx-intl/booxsdk
2) boox-opensource. https://github.com/onyx-intl/boox-opensource
3) cmake_modules. https://github.com/onyx-intl/cmake_modules

The kernel source for imx508 will be made public soon.

Please read:
https://github.com/onyx-intl/booxsdk...EADME.markdown
to build the SDK. ...


Based on the wish list, we have implemented some features and fixed some bugs.
features:
* click state icon at status bar to show sketch/annotation menu
* hide/show annotations (including sketches)
* merge highlight together with sketches into a new pdf.
... "

Probably will be available within today for your testing.

[catharsis]

How about ad-hoc wlan?

[kodomo]

Originally Posted by Booxtor

Some news from Onyx:

" ..We have public repositories for our system:
1) sdk. https://github.com/onyx-intl/booxsdk
2) boox-opensource. https://github.com/onyx-intl/boox-opensource
3) cmake_modules. https://github.com/onyx-intl/cmake_modules

The kernel source for imx508 will be made public soon.

Please read:
https://github.com/onyx-intl/booxsdk...EADME.markdown
to build the SDK. ...


Based on the wish list, we have implemented some features and fixed some bugs.
features:
* click state icon at status bar to show sketch/annotation menu
* hide/show annotations (including sketches)
* merge highlight together with sketches into a new pdf.
... "

Probably will be available within today for your testing.

The firmware info's good news

However, I cannot believe that the git repository reflects their work environment (or the software versions used in the firmware images for that matter).
I don't assume that they continuously work with a broken environment and broken packages.

But aside from legal issues (GPL entitles users to receive the source of the software versions they use - not some software source it is merely based upon),
the community can only help by sending in patches if
- they have current sources to fix current bugs/produce feature patches applying to Onyx sources
- know where/how to submit the patches.

I'd therefore strongly encourage updates of the git repositories.

That being said, I appreciate the firmware update and can't await trying it :P

Cheers to Booxtor.

P.S.: Was the 'based on the wishlist' in Onyx's email to you? (i.e., are they reading the wishlist? )

[kodomo]

I don't know whether Onyx will take notice of these propositions here, but Booxtor - if you agree with them, feel free to relay them
They're a bunch of minor details, but I think that future products could profit by considering them:

- possibility to attach pen to reader itself... imho reduces the chances of loss, and at least Irex used a trigger sensor in the slot to disable the wacom tablet and save power whenever the pen was not in use (should be configurable, though - to allow the use of other pens )
- reverse volume + and - buttons (scale increases from left to right... the buttons are reversed... not very intuitive )
- put plugs from which cables may protude to the upper or left side (figure yourself reading in bed or on a sofa with the device resting on your belly -> high chance for physical strain on the plugs, if you have headphones or the charger cable attached) (I actually already ruined a laptop headphone plug this way several years ago - creating a loose contact - paying attention since then )
- the cut space around the headphone plug suffices only for plugs of small headphones... big headphones (e.g., Beyerdynamics DT-770pro) fit only via adapter (unless one intends to enjoy HiFi-Mono-sound )
- provide some means to press the reset button without additional hardware (e.g., paper clip )... one could design either the hole or the stylus to allow a reset per stylus
- include some pockets in the cover for small notes/business cards/papers/memory cards/a regular pen
- offer (please do this even for the M92) some tough bag/cover protecting the M92 from torsion and accidental damage in full backpacks etc. (a hard plate woven into the front (and possibly the back) may considerably increase weight - but some people may very well be willing to accept that (protecting their work equipment)

Furthermore, if they target professional users (which I think they should do with the M92), (imho) they need to:
- provide quick access to replacement styli
- (probably also offer more stylish/multifunctional styli)
- improve their customer communication: Right now, I would have a hard time getting in touch with them personally, and I'm not even sure their bug tracking system is operative ; receiving firmware exclusively posted by a vendor in some (more or less ) arbitrary forum works out perfectly for us geeks... but...
- consider the offering of carepacks (extended warranty and quick replacement contracts)

Last, but not least (on a strictly personal note), I see them repeating the same mistake iRex did over years... they intended to be open, but then closed down at crucial points.
I understand that the risk of helping competitors by releasing source code is always in the back of one's mind (and I sympathize).
But raising people's hope by using GPLed software (attracting geeks), then only reluctantly releasing source (annoying geeks) only gives them the disadvantages, barring them from the advantages they could have:
It is likely to have a negative impact on their reputation on the middle run _and_ bars the community from helping.

They could have chosen to produce something completely proprietary (which they did not) - so closing down is no real option anymore (and neither will it be for competitors using this software - things go both ways with GPL).
So I'd say they only have to gain by proactively supporting developers working with the GPLed parts of their firmware.

Please understand that I'm not ranting against Onyx here. But I seriously like their product and the fact that they're investing time into improving the firmware - so I'm trying to give (hopefully productive) feedback.

Cheers.