MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Is it possible to learn linux on iLiad (practically)?

Martijn · 05-27-2008, 04:13 AM

I don't know about 1a. There are plenty of resources on the web though (like http://linuxcommand.org/), so you could use plucker to create a pdb file.

There is no "simulator" for the linux OS on the iLiad, the iLiad runs linux natively

The program mxvrt indeed opens a shell so you can access the command line.
If all you want to do is to learn the command line, then I guess you could do it on the iLiad.
I wouldn't recommend it though.
Typing in a command by tapping on the on screen keyboard is possible, but cumbersome. Also, because of the slow screen updates it takes a while before your typing appears on screen.

You could also install an ssh daemon on your iLiad so that you can log in from your regular computer using an ssh client (like PuTTY). That way you have a regular computer and a regular screen, but every command you issue is executed by the linux OS on your iLiad.

Instead of doing that, however, your might as well run a Virtual Machine on your regular computer and install linux on the VM. It's cheaper than the iLiad, and if you somehow break the linux installation on your VM you simply reinstall it (as opposed to reflashing your iLiad).
Or get an old PC (any Pentium with 64 Mb of memory) and install linux on it.
Or get Knoppix, a bootable cd/dvd that allows you to run linux on your normal computer without installing it.

So, to answer the question in the subject of your post: It is possible to learn linux on the iLiad, but it is far from practical. There are many better alternatives to learn linux.

Oh, and concerning 2: I don't know about a port of gcc for the iLiad. I think most developers use cross-compiling. That is, they use a special version of the gcc compiler that runs on their regular computer, but which produces executables for the iLiad's processor (that's what I do anyway).

05-27-2008, 04:13 AM	#2
Martijn Connoisseur Posts: 68 Karma: 855 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Netherlands Device: iLiad	I don't know about 1a. There are plenty of resources on the web though (like http://linuxcommand.org/), so you could use plucker to create a pdb file. There is no "simulator" for the linux OS on the iLiad, the iLiad runs linux natively The program mxvrt indeed opens a shell so you can access the command line. If all you want to do is to learn the command line, then I guess you could do it on the iLiad. I wouldn't recommend it though. Typing in a command by tapping on the on screen keyboard is possible, but cumbersome. Also, because of the slow screen updates it takes a while before your typing appears on screen. You could also install an ssh daemon on your iLiad so that you can log in from your regular computer using an ssh client (like PuTTY). That way you have a regular computer and a regular screen, but every command you issue is executed by the linux OS on your iLiad. Instead of doing that, however, your might as well run a Virtual Machine on your regular computer and install linux on the VM. It's cheaper than the iLiad, and if you somehow break the linux installation on your VM you simply reinstall it (as opposed to reflashing your iLiad). Or get an old PC (any Pentium with 64 Mb of memory) and install linux on it. Or get Knoppix, a bootable cd/dvd that allows you to run linux on your normal computer without installing it. So, to answer the question in the subject of your post: It is possible to learn linux on the iLiad, but it is far from practical. There are many better alternatives to learn linux. Oh, and concerning 2: I don't know about a port of gcc for the iLiad. I think most developers use cross-compiling. That is, they use a special version of the gcc compiler that runs on their regular computer, but which produces executables for the iLiad's processor (that's what I do anyway).