Re: Workpad Z50 unable to detect/use Microdrive ?

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On Sun, Apr 26, 2015 at 8:29 PM, Larry Stotler <[email protected]>
wrote:

> On Sun, Apr 26, 2015 at 10:06 PM, dereck <[email protected]> wrote:
> > I've followed this thread with interest.  I have one of these machines
> but
> > I've not worked with it in several years.  I know that I could follow
> your
> > emails, but have you considered doing a blog post on your trials and
> errors
> > so that others could give this a shot?  I'm sure that others have this
> > machine floating about (as I have).  If you have a blog it could be very
> > helpful to share what worked and what didn't.
>
> My biggest issue is that I expect certain things to just WORK & they
> don't.  Guess I'm just too used to Linux.  And when they don't work it
> gets frustrating.  I want to use this thing for writing, but I can't
> get any editors to even work properly.  Siag's Pathetic Writer causes
> the text on the current line to disappear 1/4 way into a line of text,
> and Ted fails to even work to be able to do anything useful.
>
> I've been at this for over a month.  I'm about ready to give up and
> just use Pocket Word.
>
> Even the install of NetBSD is a pain compared to some Linux installers
> I've used over the past 16 years.
>
> > But of course, only if you have the time.
>
> Time is of course always an issue.  If I had been documenting what
> I've done I might have something to blog about, but I keep hitting and
> missing trying to get stuff to work.  Like:
>
> 1.  Why does IceWM have empty menus? (seems that instead of starting
> it with 'startx /usr/pkg/bin/icewm'   you are supposed to start it
> with  'startx /usr/pkg/bin/icewm-session'  - nope, menus are still
> empty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! )
> 2.  why does Matchbox Window Manager fail to start?
> 3.  Why did my tab complete under root go away and now I can't fix it?
> 4.  Why do the Ax keys work as Fx keys in X-Windows but not on the console?
> 5.  Why do my 6GB microdrives not work when they should?
>
> Unix Man pages also automatically assume you know how to do certain
> things.  Like use vi or emacs.  I have no idea how to use either.
> When I want to edit a text file, I use mcedit, a part of Midnight
> Commander( I also used to use Norton Commander in DOS 25 years ago so
> it's very familiar to me).  But I can't use Midnight Commander in a
> virtual terminal on the machine, so I have to use X because I can't
> use any of the Ax keys as Fx keys so I can't really do anything useful
> and can't even shut it down to get out of it.
>
> Now, I don't want to scare anyone away, but if you aren't familiar
> with any kind of Unix, NetBSD is either scary or useless.  I remember
> installing NetBSD years ago and only had a command line.  I couldn't
> make it do anything useful so I wiped it & reinstalled Linux.  And now
> with stuff like systemd and wayland, Linux is moving further away from
> the other Unix(es)
>
> Sorry.  Bit of a Rant.  But while it's NICE to be able to use
> something other than Windows CE on the Z50, it doesn't help if I can't
> make it work to do something useful.........
>
> And a Big thanx to everyone who has helped me get this far as well.
>

NetBSD is slowly becoming a developer only OS.

I've been using it for about 16 years now and I started out with similar
skill than you have now, and by now I'm somewhat more skilled (hopefully).

vi is pretty much a mandatory skill for someone who wants to get to a
higher level of use in NetBSD or OpenBSD. You really should learn it if
you're committed to using unix/Linux in the future.

I'm guessing most NetBSD developers are at an age where they remember
struggling to get ANYTHING working (NetBSD and Linux) and the benefits this
struggle provides. It did me well, people keep paying me for stuff I
learned over the years messing with the BSDs. I'm not really sure how
relevant these types of struggles are in the context of now.

Anyway, you might get it working if you keep at it. It's fun to mess with.

Andy

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<div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"gmail_extra"><div class=3D"gmail_quote">On S=
un, Apr 26, 2015 at 8:29 PM, Larry Stotler <span dir=3D"ltr">&lt;<a href=3D=
"mailto:[email protected]" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a=
>&gt;</span> wrote:<br><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 =
0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><span class=3D"">On S=
un, Apr 26, 2015 at 10:06 PM, dereck &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:dereckhaskins@ya=
hoo.com">[email protected]</a>&gt; wrote:<br>
&gt; I&#39;ve followed this thread with interest.=C2=A0 I have one of these=
 machines but<br>
&gt; I&#39;ve not worked with it in several years.=C2=A0 I know that I coul=
d follow your<br>
&gt; emails, but have you considered doing a blog post on your trials and e=
rrors<br>
&gt; so that others could give this a shot?=C2=A0 I&#39;m sure that others =
have this<br>
&gt; machine floating about (as I have).=C2=A0 If you have a blog it could =
be very<br>
&gt; helpful to share what worked and what didn&#39;t.<br>
<br>
</span>My biggest issue is that I expect certain things to just WORK &amp; =
they<br>
don&#39;t.=C2=A0 Guess I&#39;m just too used to Linux.=C2=A0 And when they =
don&#39;t work it<br>
gets frustrating.=C2=A0 I want to use this thing for writing, but I can&#39=
;t<br>
get any editors to even work properly.=C2=A0 Siag&#39;s Pathetic Writer cau=
ses<br>
the text on the current line to disappear 1/4 way into a line of text,<br>
and Ted fails to even work to be able to do anything useful.<br>
<br>
I&#39;ve been at this for over a month.=C2=A0 I&#39;m about ready to give u=
p and<br>
just use Pocket Word.<br>
<br>
Even the install of NetBSD is a pain compared to some Linux installers<br>
I&#39;ve used over the past 16 years.<br>
<span class=3D""><br>
&gt; But of course, only if you have the time.<br>
<br>
</span>Time is of course always an issue.=C2=A0 If I had been documenting w=
hat<br>
I&#39;ve done I might have something to blog about, but I keep hitting and<=
br>
missing trying to get stuff to work.=C2=A0 Like:<br>
<br>
1.=C2=A0 Why does IceWM have empty menus? (seems that instead of starting<b=
r>
it with &#39;startx /usr/pkg/bin/icewm&#39;=C2=A0 =C2=A0you are supposed to=
 start it<br>
with=C2=A0 &#39;startx /usr/pkg/bin/icewm-session&#39;=C2=A0 - nope, menus =
are still<br>
empty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! )<br>
2.=C2=A0 why does Matchbox Window Manager fail to start?<br>
3.=C2=A0 Why did my tab complete under root go away and now I can&#39;t fix=
 it?<br>
4.=C2=A0 Why do the Ax keys work as Fx keys in X-Windows but not on the con=
sole?<br>
5.=C2=A0 Why do my 6GB microdrives not work when they should?<br>
<br>
Unix Man pages also automatically assume you know how to do certain<br>
things.=C2=A0 Like use vi or emacs.=C2=A0 I have no idea how to use either.=
<br>
When I want to edit a text file, I use mcedit, a part of Midnight<br>
Commander( I also used to use Norton Commander in DOS 25 years ago so<br>
it&#39;s very familiar to me).=C2=A0 But I can&#39;t use Midnight Commander=
 in a<br>
virtual terminal on the machine, so I have to use X because I can&#39;t<br>
use any of the Ax keys as Fx keys so I can&#39;t really do anything useful<=
br>
and can&#39;t even shut it down to get out of it.<br>
<br>
Now, I don&#39;t want to scare anyone away, but if you aren&#39;t familiar<=
br>
with any kind of Unix, NetBSD is either scary or useless.=C2=A0 I remember<=
br>
installing NetBSD years ago and only had a command line.=C2=A0 I couldn&#39=
;t<br>
make it do anything useful so I wiped it &amp; reinstalled Linux.=C2=A0 And=
 now<br>
with stuff like systemd and wayland, Linux is moving further away from<br>
the other Unix(es)<br>
<br>
Sorry.=C2=A0 Bit of a Rant.=C2=A0 But while it&#39;s NICE to be able to use=
<br>
something other than Windows CE on the Z50, it doesn&#39;t help if I can&#3=
9;t<br>
make it work to do something useful.........<br>
<br>
And a Big thanx to everyone who has helped me get this far as well.<br>
</blockquote></div><br></div><div class=3D"gmail_extra">NetBSD is slowly be=
coming a developer only OS.<br><br>I&#39;ve been using it for about 16 year=
s now and I started out with similar skill than you have now, and by now I&=
#39;m somewhat more skilled (hopefully).<br><br></div><div class=3D"gmail_e=
xtra">vi is pretty much a mandatory skill for someone who wants to get to a=
 higher level of use in NetBSD or OpenBSD. You really should learn it if yo=
u&#39;re committed to using unix/Linux in the future.<br><br></div><div cla=
ss=3D"gmail_extra">I&#39;m guessing most NetBSD developers are at an age wh=
ere they remember struggling to get ANYTHING working (NetBSD and Linux) and=
 the benefits this struggle provides. It did me well, people keep paying me=
 for stuff I learned over the years messing with the BSDs. I&#39;m not real=
ly sure how relevant these types of struggles are in the context of now.<br=
><br></div><div class=3D"gmail_extra">Anyway, you might get it working if y=
ou keep at it. It&#39;s fun to mess with.<br><br></div><div class=3D"gmail_=
extra">Andy<br></div></div>

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