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Originally Posted by db579
Ok so can I ssh in and run a command with sudo?
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Almost. You can
telnet in to a Kobo and run commands directly as root after you enable development mode by searching for "devmodeon".
No, but once you're connect you can install a full Ubuntu or Debian distribution running in
chroot jail. At that point, it's like you have an ARMv7-A Raspberry Pi 2 Model B v1.1 running Linux as a server with up to 60,000 software packages available to install.
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What is the blocker to running regular software on it?
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There are two blockers:
- The Kobo devices use older kernels, so they can run only certain older Linux distributions under chroot.
- Applications write to the e-paper display using an extended version of the Linux framebuffer API rather than X Windows or Wayland.
The first blocker means you're limited to Linux kernel version 2.6.35 on the oldest Kobo models like the Kobo Touch N905B and N905C, version 3.0.35 for the Kobo Glo HD, and version 4.1.15 for the latest models like the Kobo Clara HD. The second blocker means you can't easily run normal Linux desktop applications directly from your Debian or Ubuntu chroot environment.
You can replace the Linux kernel on the device, but that's a lot more work and rather tedious. (I never even tried.) You can write your own e-paper display applications, which is still a lot more work but also a lot of fun.