Anyone ever considered UbuntuCE?

[Steve H]

I have been using Ubuntu (Edgy) for a couple of months now and I am upgrading to Feisty as I type this. I am very impressed by the community spirit of the Ubuntu forums and all you guys that help each other. So far you have all, in one way or another, found answers to all my questions concerning my ¨transition¨ from WiinDoze and I thank you all.

But I still have a few sticky points when it comes to committing fully to this beautiful OS. The problems I´m having are mostly concerned with ¨syncing¨ with other devices. Notably my IPAQ (Windows CE) and my Symbian S60 based Phone.

Now don´t get me wrong, I am currently and successfully syncing using Multisync for my Ipaq, yet I cannot sync with my Nokia N70 (curses!). This does not bother me (much), honestly. But it has made me think.....

HOW HARD WOULD IT BE TO MAKE UBUNTU_CE?

Now I know there is the Familiar Linux Project, but I wondered, would it not be easier to sync with devices that are running ¨Compact Editions¨ of Ubuntu? Familiar seems good, but I am one of those people who would like to see the Ubuntu logo pop up, with a familiar (not ¨Familiar¨) desktop and icons.Is this possible? If so, how do i get involved, Come on people....Let´s dream.......lets put Ubuntu on EVERYTHING.....

[kairu0]

UbuntuCE is already taken (by Christian Edition.) May I suggest PalmuntuOS? :P

[Steve H]

Yeah, Ubuntu Christian Edition isn´t really my thing (or what i meant).....but thanks for the reply. Palmuntu seems to be Spanish (well, it is when i Google it)

[josephus]

how about μbuntu (micro-ubuntu)?

[AndyCooll]

I vaguely recall there being something called Ubuntu Lite. Is that still going?

:cool:

[KiwiNZ]

I vaguely recall there being something called Ubuntu Lite. Is that still going?

:cool:

Sounds like a Beer or a Yogurt :D

[Steve H]

So getting back to the question in hand.......

how hard would it be to convert Ubuntu into a handheld /PDA /IPAQ compatible version?

Ubuntu Lite is more a kind of backward compatible version for older computers(64meg of RAM), i know that project would be a good place to start, but I´m just kind of curious about actually doing it through the official Ubuntu testing and distribution channels.

I´m not much of a programmer, so I wouldn´t know where to begin, but there must be some of you out there that can seriously answer this question.

Surely it would iron out compatibility problems with syncing handhelds with our Linux boxes...I´m sure there is enough of us who want to do this and can get this project going.......

[Nolander]

there one out there already. found it once.
keep googling

:D Smiles
nolander

[MetalMusicAddict]

how about μbuntu (micro-ubuntu)?

Its was being done. Almost suspect you found my post about this already. ;)

[Steve H]

Cheers for that Nolander, but I am googling like crazy (as always), but it all leads back to Familiar ground (sic)......

[mthakur2006]

i would back you on that - i would love to be a part of such a project and contribute someting to the OSS community but there are two things we must keep in mind - booting linux on a handheld is one thing and running it satisfactorily is another. Booting linux on a handlheld is like a mountain at the moment......but i would love to be a part of a team which not only scales the mountain but goes further as well :)

[Steve H]

I reckon it would be a really worthwhile project, that would hopefully iron out all the ¨syncing¨ and partnership problems that seem to occur between WindowsCE and Linux desktops. Not too mention the scaled down apps.

With little or no programming skills, I have no idea where to begin, or where to get things going.....

[mthakur2006]

yh same.....although, you can take a look at the linux for ARM processors project in google and hopefully start from there OR get a puppy linux iso (or any light distro for that matter) and remaster it and try it. Oh and I almost forgot - check out MenuetOS - it is 1.44 MB in size! (AFAI can remember!)
Thanks,

[forrestcupp]

Unless things have changed, the only way I've seen to get Linux on a pocketpc is to start it from within Windows CE. So you have to have both installed, which takes up a lot of precious memory.

[mthakur2006]

well you could always try emulating linux for ARM inside an emulated WindowsCE and then hopefully build on....:) :KS

[Enverex]

I don't see why it couldn't be called UbuntuCE because "Christian Edition" (seriously, what the hell...) is just another one of these silly "modify a few default installed packages and give it a different name" things where as UbuntuCE would actually be a proper port of Ubuntu (the REAL reason you use different names).

You wouldn't need to run it from inside Windows CE but you would need it to be modified for every different model of PDA so you could re-flash them with it.

[prince_alfie]

I want to reflash the ROM of one of my handheld PC's with Ubuntu Lite :)

[Foxmike]

I think a good place to start would be with the Familiar project as they already have the whole structure (kernel, file-system, modules).

Then, from there, the thing is to take the packages that will provide functionality that most users would like (PIM, micro-office, media players, mail/web) that are the less resources intensive and re-master the interface to nicely fit on the screen.

Actually, part of Familiar are 2 "desktop environments": GPE, that uses GTK+ libs and OPIE that uses Qt libs. The problem is not the distribution, but the applications. There is vew choices and in the choices a lot are broken (I know, I've tried them both and got back to Windows CE).

Maybe this would be another good boost: http://www.gnome.org/mobile/

Regards,

-FM

[alek66]

Id love to install ubuntu on my pocketpc, but then I wont have any program to use.
I use a lot gps, uml especific program that I doubt the are ported to ubuntuMobile.