Another year is almost gone. I can’t say 2008 year was “another year“, actually I think 2008 is the most exciting and interesting year I ever lived. I joined a great company and I’ve been working with a great group. I’m looking forward next year.
I have no complains about my Dell Inspiron 1420, (I love it, indeed), is lighter than my older Dell Inspiron 1150, however I decided to get a new one for several reasons, the most import is that I really want to spend more time playing with Moonlight and Drawing Recognition, so getting a Tablet PC was the next step. The ugly about Tablet PCs is the price, most of them are really expensive, I spent a lot time reviewing the Lenovo X61, Dell XT and Toshiba Portege, however I found one with great hardware and good price: HP Pavilion TX2500z.
I’m aware that supporting Tablet PCs in Linux is not the most common thing, is not like people buying Tablet PCs to install Linux, you don’t see that, actually, I haven’t seen (live) someone using a Tablet PC with Linux; and, being honest with you, I don’t trust HP because of a previous hardware experience, but, that was long time ago (6 years I think), so this time I decided to give it a try and being brave (really brave!), and, actually I have no complains about the hardware.
Running OpenSUSE 11 in HP Pavilion TX2500z is somehow hard, will take you time but, I think is worth it. I installed it using OpenSUSE 11 DVD, so here we go!.
My HP Pavilion TX2500z hardware is the following:
lspci:
00:00.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] RS780 Host Bridge
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] RS780 PCI to PCI bridge (int gfx)
00:04.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] RS780 PCI to PCI bridge (PCIE port 0)
00:05.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] RS780 PCI to PCI bridge (PCIE port 1)
00:06.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] RS780 PCI to PCI bridge (PCIE port 2)
00:11.0 SATA controller: ATI Technologies Inc SB700/SB800 SATA Controller [AHCI mode]
00:12.0 USB Controller: ATI Technologies Inc SB700/SB800 USB OHCI0 Controller
00:12.1 USB Controller: ATI Technologies Inc SB700/SB800 USB OHCI1 Controller
00:12.2 USB Controller: ATI Technologies Inc SB700/SB800 USB EHCI Controller
00:13.0 USB Controller: ATI Technologies Inc SB700/SB800 USB OHCI0 Controller
00:13.1 USB Controller: ATI Technologies Inc SB700/SB800 USB OHCI1 Controller
00:13.2 USB Controller: ATI Technologies Inc SB700/SB800 USB EHCI Controller
00:14.0 SMBus: ATI Technologies Inc SBx00 SMBus Controller (rev 3a)
00:14.1 IDE interface: ATI Technologies Inc SB700/SB800 IDE Controller
00:14.2 Audio device: ATI Technologies Inc SBx00 Azalia
00:14.3 ISA bridge: ATI Technologies Inc SB700/SB800 LPC host controller
00:14.4 PCI bridge: ATI Technologies Inc SBx00 PCI to PCI Bridge
00:14.5 USB Controller: ATI Technologies Inc SB700/SB800 USB OHCI2 Controller
00:18.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 11h HyperTransport Configuration (rev 40)
00:18.1 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 11h Address Map
00:18.2 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 11h DRAM Controller
00:18.3 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 11h Miscellaneous Control
00:18.4 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 11h Link Control
01:05.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc RS780M/RS780MN [Radeon HD 3200 Graphics]
08:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4322 802.11a/b/g/n Wireless LAN Controller (rev 01)
09:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller (rev 02)
Forget about everything you find in Google (if you find something!), or forums, and so on. Seems that this hardware is an upgraded version, so, any NVidia-based guide won’t work, but you can use it as reference.
Installation
Start as usual, booting the DVD, and using the following kernel arguments:
acpi=off
otherwise you’ll get a black screen after the “OpenSUSE Loading” progress bar, and of course, this means that you won’t be able to install it. Bug #430453. Remember to remove “acpi=off” from your kernel arguments after installing: open YaST and edit it, in “Boot Loader”. Don’t forget to update your OpenSUSE before continuing.
Video configuration
By default you will use vesa in your Video card, so, you’ll need ATI drivers ( fglrx), just follow the 1-click installer. After installation don’t forget to logout. Then use a terminal: CTRL+ALT+F1 and:
sudo gdm-stop
sudo aticonfig --initial
sudo sax2 -r
gdm-start
Compiz works, but I recommend you to disable “mimap” in “Application Switcher” Compiz Plugin, otherwise you will see a blank screen in each application preview when doing ALT+TAB.
Sound
The Sound Card is detected, but doesn’t work, you can use YaST to set the model in your Sound Card, however due to a bug the value isn’t saved (Bug #430734), so you have to edit: /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base and add the following line:
options snd-hda-intel model=dell
Wireless
I found in several forums that enabling ndiswrapper and installing the MS Windows driver will allow you to use your wireless card, however, it didn’t work for me. I installed official Broadcom module instead. You will need to download the x64 version (of course!) and follow the README. I copied the tar.gz to /opt/bcm4322 because I wanted to install the module automatically into the kernel every time the computer starts up, so editing: /etc/init.d/boot.local and adding the following lines make it happen:
Tablet PC
Don’t forget to read the OpenSuSE Tablet PC Page. First, you will have to add a new repository that includes support for this Tablet PC
http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/dkukawka/
and install the following packages:
Next, to load your wacom module automatically you have to edit your /etc/init.d/boot.local:
/sbin/modprobe -k wacom
You will have to log out and log in before setting up your Tablet support. Open YaST to configure your X11, in “Graphics Card and Monitor”, your screen will be black, don’t get scared, this is expected. In YaST you will have to modify your screen resolution to 12.2, because by default is detected as something else, otherwise the Pen won’t work as expected because of the screen resolution. (Bug #430527)
Screen Rotation
Seems that Screen Rotation isn’t yet supported, (according to this), there’s an open bug in ATI Drivers that you can follow, is 3 years old 
. However seems that some brave people had managed to get it, I haven’t tested it:
Memory Card Reader
Nothing to configure here. Plug your card and it should mount it automatically.
Bluetooth
Nothing to configure here.
Webcam
Nothing to configure here, run cheese and have fun.
Fingerprint Reader
You need to add the following repository to YaST. (Bug 432199)
http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/dgege:/fprint/openSUSE_11.0/
and install the following packages: pam_fprint libfprint fprint_demo. Notice that even the device is supported I don’t see a real use for it, IMO, I mean, the integration is not yet tight so, you can’t do too much. To configure your fingerprint you have to do execute:
fprint_demo
Your user must be in the fprint group. Scan your fingerprints. BTW, there’s a bug in the x86_64 package, you can fix it doing the following:
ln -s /lib/security/pam_fprint.so /lib64/security/
This is needed if you want to test your fingerprint with PAM: /etc/pam.d/common-auth
auth sufficient pam_fprint.so
Remote Controls
I haven’t set up this completely, however seems that the device is somehow supported. You will need the following package: lirc-kmp-default lirc-32bit. I’ve followed Gentoo’s LIRC Page, but nothing. If you find the way to set the Remote Control, let me know.
I have to admit it. I spent a great week in Utah. Novell campus is huge and the girls are really beautiful. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in Provo, Thursday and Friday in Salt Lake City, and Saturday in Moab.
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
MonoHotDraw Hacking: I’ve added a new module of the old branch in trunk. The project solution structure is changed: new folders that suggest classes’ goal and coding beautyfying. I didn’t port the library to Moonlight, however I learned a lot by testing and writing a simple proof-of-concept library using Moonligth, of course, isn’t scalable or pretty IMO, but will be the base for porting from Cairo/Gtk to Moonlight. The proof-of-concept has been branched in our repository as monohotdraw-moon.
Thursday and Friday.
I had the opportunity to be present in Banshee and a11y talks in USTOC 2008. Walking through the Community College remembered by older days back in college, and made me wonder about getting a Master’s Degree.
Saturday.
In the weekend we hiked and 4-wheeled, I took several pictures, the place is awesome (you can die easily, btw) I was very impressed with the view and the feeling of being quiet to, actually, hear the silence.
Looking forward for next HackWeek.
I’m sure everyone already knows that OpenSUSE 11 has been released, if you don’t then you are literally living in other world. Anyway, I’ve received my copy today and it includes two beautiful stickers:
One for my laptop and the other for my door:
It’s been awhile since my last real post (more than a few words I mean).
I’m not dead, I’ve been very busy moving from Mexico to US, looking for a good deal to get a great place in Boston, and I did it. I moved to Boston about two weeks ago. I like here, I mean, the office is usually very quiet and my apartment has great view and I have almost everything just around the corner, I even like the weird weather.
And my cubicle has windows! I like having sunlight, and because of the airport I usually see airplanes, pigeons and doves and sometimes you can even see Zeppelins flying around. I would be lying if I said that has always liked sunlight, but after months of being in a Dungeon (not literally) I realized that having a window is very important for being productive.
I’ll be adding my personal touch to my cubicle, you know, hanging stuff, using some posters, etcetera, in the following days, I still have plenty of free space.
I’m still missing some home furniture, I think don’t need too many, but who knows. Anyway, let’s continue!
How old am I today?
Month’s news are:
Yes I know, both news are so great!
I’ve upgraded my Gutsy to Hardy and everything was nice until I noticed Banshee was playing but no sound was heard. This bug reminded me when I installed Gutsy first time, I tried the same solution but didn’t work, however I decided to re-read the wiki and the ALSA configuration to try new arguments:
options snd-hda-intel model=dell-m26
It worked. By the way I like the Clock update:
Despite having acting like marathon runner I couldn’t depart on the scheduled time because the previous flight arrived too late at Houston, so waiting like 12 hours was the only solution to depart on 9am and then wait another 2 hours to finally arrive at Veracruz.
Spending time at the airport wasn’t funny at all, at least I ate fruits cocktail and drunk a cup of coffee.
However, this trip let me meet all the a11y team which will be implementing the Accessibility API on Mono on the following months. Great experience.
And I brought a new friend:
Nokia 770 doesn’t have (right now… or I haven’t found it) a user-friendly client for twitter and for some unknown reason you can’t post through the twitter web page. After googling I found a website that includes a list of twitter clients. mitter seems to be in the future the default twitter client because their plans include to port to Maemo and use Hildon, but not now; so if you are planning to post from your device then you have to figure it out.
Finally, after trying I found a solution by using the power of vim and its plugins, of course you will need to install vim and curl packages in your device to allow twittering from it.
By the way, don’t forget that the BACK button (the button below the arrows left the screen) in your device acts as ESC key.
Update 2008-03-07: If you add the twitter user to your gtalk you will be able to twitter by sending him messages, nice isn’t it?
I don’t know why, but am feeling something, something that may happen in this year that will change, somehow, my life.
Hello! This is me!
