Full screen native kindle terminal

[Xqtftqx]

Hey everyone, first post here. I built this for myself and decided id share with everyone

Its a simple modification of this:
http://info.iet.unipi.it/~luigi/kind...indle-terminal

A good guide for install is here:
http://tinyapps.org/docs/kindle_stan..._terminal.html

A direct mirror will be available here (once my DNS updates):
http://xkid.biz/projects/kindle/kiterm-20110107fs.zip

For now, download it here:
http://www.mediafire.com/?4du1o38imv20bg1

Source is included in the download, i hope you enjoy it

[skippper]

What are the differences compared to the original luigi's terminal?

[Xqtftqx]

Originally Posted by skippper

What are the differences compared to the original luigi's terminal?

luigis terminal only handles 25 lines, mine handles 50. so instead of only using the top half of the screen, mine can use the entire screen. more space for stuff like irssi

[dsmid]

Originally Posted by Xqtftqx

luigis terminal only handles 25 lines, mine handles 50. so instead of only using the top half of the screen, mine can use the entire screen. more space for stuff like irssi

Is it configurable ? Sometimes I'd like to see the help screen.

I've fixed a bug in Luigi's kiterm that caused refusing to accept any further launchpad commands after an unknown command was entered (I use kiterm instead of launchpad). Did you also encounter it ?

[lrizzo]

Originally Posted by dsmid

Is it configurable ? Sometimes I'd like to see the help screen.

I've fixed a bug in Luigi's kiterm that caused refusing to accept any further launchpad commands after an unknown command was entered (I use kiterm instead of launchpad). Did you also encounter it ?

i would be grateful if you could pass me the fix so i can import it in
my source tree (email to rizzo@iet.unipi.it)

thanks
luigi

[dsmid]

Here's the patch.
BTW excellent work. I like the idea of tasks sharing the keyboard.

How hard would it be to turn kiterm into a standalone terminal process that would capture the screen & keyboard after launching and release it after exit ? I.e. no launchpad integration and a single terminal instance. Such tool would introduce a whole new cli platform to Kindle - e.g. "kiterm cmus" or "kiterm pjsua".

[Xqtftqx]

Originally Posted by lrizzo

i would be grateful if you could pass me the fix so i can import it in
my source tree (email to rizzo@iet.unipi.it)

thanks
luigi

Hey luigi,

think we can set up a github? Another question i have is why did you not make it full screen by default? I really respect your work, id just like tp pick your brain.

[h1uke]

Originally Posted by dsmid

a standalone terminal process that would capture the screen & keyboard after launching and release it after exit ?

FYI: this is exactly what our fbterm port to Kindle, which is coming soon, will be doing.
Differences/benefits are:

• scalable fonts with no odd character width limitation
• Unicode support
• comes along with rich input method
• can coexist with launchpad

[Tanga]

Hi, I'm an ubuntu user, so have occasionally used the terminal (usually with a 'how-to' open). What kind of things can the terminal do on the kindle? Or is it just for developers who need to get to the guts?

[dsmid]

Originally Posted by Tanga

Hi, I'm an ubuntu user, so have occasionally used the terminal (usually with a 'how-to' open). What kind of things can the terminal do on the kindle? Or is it just for developers who need to get to the guts?

It can run nearly ANY Linux terminal app. That's a huge amount of ready-to-use applications for your Kindle. Many such apps have a nice TUI (curses) interface, so it is not for developers only.

[Tanga]

Originally Posted by dsmid

It can run nearly ANY Linux terminal app. That's a huge amount of ready-to-use applications for your Kindle. Many such apps have a nice TUI (curses) interface, so it is not for developers only.

Hang on, let me get this straight. I can install linux apps directly onto my kindle? =O

Is there a how-to on this somewhere? A list of apps that play nice? A better browser for example (I'm typing this on my Kindle)?

[dsmid]

Originally Posted by Tanga

Hang on, let me get this straight. I can install linux apps directly onto my kindle? =O

If 'install' means compile, copy & run, then yes, you can.
mplayer, fbreader and others are just linux apps compiled for Kindle.

Is there a how-to on this somewhere? A list of apps that play nice? A better browser for example (I'm typing this on my Kindle)?

The user interface is the problem.
Kindle doesn't have an X server so you cannot normally run GUI apps (it is only possible to compile apps utilizing Qt somehow, e.g. fbreader). TUI apps don't need an X server but they need a visible terminal controlled by Kindle keyboard. And that's what fbterm could provide.

[Tanga]

Neat. there are a couple od terminal apps which might be good. What flavour linux does the kindle use? Can I use debs or something easy like that?

[Xqtftqx]

OP Here,

Originally Posted by h1uke

FYI: this is exactly what our fbterm port to Kindle, which is coming soon, will be doing.
Differences/benefits are:

• scalable fonts with no odd character width limitation
• Unicode support
• comes along with rich input method
• can coexist with launchpad

Interesting. If you want any help, please contact me. you can find my email on xkid.biz (Or if youd like to let me play with what you already have )

btw, good work with launchpad

Originally Posted by dsmid

If 'install' means compile, copy & run, then yes, you can.
mplayer, fbreader and others are just linux apps compiled for Kindle.


The user interface is the problem.
Kindle doesn't have an X server so you cannot normally run GUI apps (it is only possible to compile apps utilizing Qt somehow, e.g. fbreader). TUI apps don't need an X server but they need a visible terminal controlled by Kindle keyboard. And that's what fbterm could provide.

Actually, you can run X11 on the kindle. i have it running on my kindle currently. Patches can be found in the old savory repo.

Originally Posted by Tanga

Neat. there are a couple od terminal apps which might be good. What flavour linux does the kindle use? Can I use debs or something easy like that?

The kindle isnt running any "flavour" of linux, if youd like a simple apt-get like your used to look at the howto on installing debian. Although its not recommended for newbies. I may write an easier tutorial sometime soon.

[Tanga]

Ooh, it requires usb-networking. Isn't that the hack that most often bricks kindles?