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Colin Dunstan · 03-17-2005, 09:07 AM

Tired of the endless discussions whether Palm OS or Windows Mobile is the preferred handheld OS? Perhaps you should consider buying a Linux-powered Sharp Zaurus handheld instead. Unfortunately, the default Qtopia desktop environment and the alternate OpenZaurus environment both lack the ability to run some specialized programs. The obvious solution is to install the X Windowing System on the Zaurus. The distribution Pocket Workstation is based on Debian Linux and can run in a chroot environment on a storage card, using the vendor's preinstalled native Linux system for most hardware access.

What's exciting about Debian Pocket Workstation is that you can run QTopia and a complete Debian distribution on the same machine. Switch back and forth as you need to. You can also build a complete cross-compilation tree on your own Linux computer, and compile and/or modify available open-source software for the Zaurus.´

A new version (updated 2005-03-16) is available. To stay up to date with this project make sure to visit the debian-handheld mailing list.

I cannot wait to play with the first Palm-OS based device running Linux.

03-17-2005, 09:07 AM	#1
Colin Dunstan Is papyrophobic! Posts: 1,926 Karma: 1009999 Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: USA Device: Dell Axim	Palm OS? Windows Mobile? Why not Linux! Tired of the endless discussions whether Palm OS or Windows Mobile is the preferred handheld OS? Perhaps you should consider buying a Linux-powered Sharp Zaurus handheld instead. Unfortunately, the default Qtopia desktop environment and the alternate OpenZaurus environment both lack the ability to run some specialized programs. The obvious solution is to install the X Windowing System on the Zaurus. The distribution Pocket Workstation is based on Debian Linux and can run in a chroot environment on a storage card, using the vendor's preinstalled native Linux system for most hardware access. What's exciting about Debian Pocket Workstation is that you can run QTopia and a complete Debian distribution on the same machine. Switch back and forth as you need to. You can also build a complete cross-compilation tree on your own Linux computer, and compile and/or modify available open-source software for the Zaurus.´ A new version (updated 2005-03-16) is available. To stay up to date with this project make sure to visit the debian-handheld mailing list. I cannot wait to play with the first Palm-OS based device running Linux.