Installing Linux apps to Linux based E-Readers?

[Syndicalist]

So I got myself an Onyx Boox e-reader. Personally I cant stand reading books on an LCD screen and I dont know how people do it without going blind or without causing themselves eye strain. Pearl or E-Paper screens are superior in all well lit environments. I have a portable book light when the rooms are not well lit enough. Unfortunately there is nothing you can do to block out the glare that makes LCD tablets absolutely unreadable in direct sunlight, and even indoors the novelty of the animated page turning only goes so far against the eye strain.

I will never support Kindle for their hostility to open formats.

So, Im interested in adding some apps to my reader. With 128mb ram this thing could in theory run a whole desktop environment, right? I probably wont do that, but Id like to install some better apps....a better browser, maybe Midori.....Id like to try out some alternative reader software if any exists....is there anything better for reading comic books on a 6 inch screen? Ive considered getting a 10 inch reader for textbooks, at least when they go color E-ink....I wont bother with LCD...Ill just use a laptop if I have to subject my eyes to that anyway.


How would you compile an app with all its dependencies to a GNU-Linux e-reader?

[drawkcab]

I own a pocketbook and there are some folks that are porting linux apps to the PB devices.

Get involved with the folks on mobileread forums.

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/

[Syndicalist]

Thanks. I really need an account over there.

Porting should be roughly similar? I wonder if I could just install a minimal distro, maybe with Window maker, and run an e-reader as an app? It does have 128mb ram.

[drawkcab]

I suppose the problem is that the screen doesn't continually refresh.

Here's another source of info:

http://openinkpot.org/

OIP is an OS that is being developed for ereaders. It is still in the early stages but it sort of reminds me of what rockbox was to mp3 5-6 years ago.