tlug: laptop + /var/lock/subsys + kinput2

[Matt Gushee <matt@example.com>]

Eric S. Standlee writes:

 > I have an old 486 Laptop with Win3.1 on a 170 MB HD and probably 8 MB RAM
 > with B&W LCD made by Magitronic.

 > Can I get any version of Linux on it?

Yes. My first Linux installation was on a machine with very similar
specs -- a Compaq Contura Aero. Is that what you've got, by any
chance?

Well, I hand-selected Red Hat 4.1 packages, FTP'ed them into my DOS
partition, then ran the install process. I just ignored the
missing-package error messages. After 3 or 4 tries I had a functioning 
system. Probably it wouldn't have worked from a CD, because it would
try to install much more than I had room for.

 > I tried Debian, but could only get the basics (no X) going.  I tried to
 > load RH, but the 5.1 images seemed not to work...  YUCK!

I'm not sure you should count on running X on that machine. I managed
to get it working on mine, but it was too slow (and the tiny screen
didn't help) to do any real work. However, if you insist, and if you
do happen to have the same type of Compaq I had, I can probably help
you out with the X configuration -- it's a bear, but it can be made to 
work.

 > to one of the smaller distributions, or should I go to slack?  Or, would
 > using a nullmodem network transferring them be quicker?

I was under the impression that you can't do nullmodem until you get
the system up. Are you thinking of PLIP (Parallel something-or-other
-- needs a special cable)?

 > Also, for old laptops is there a list of things to check for before even
 > attempting.  Say, on old laptops such-and-such peripheral wont work with
 > linux...

Those Compaqs have weird floppy disks which *work*, but not correctly.

 > What is this directory used for?  My RH5.1 dist has init.d scripts which
 > touch files in that dir...

It's used for lockfiles, mostly those of various daemon
processes. E.g., there should be a 'sendmail' file in there which will 
prevent you from starting a new sendmail process when one is already running.

 > Is there a way to use Japanese in a non-X env?  In other words, can you
 > set kinput2 to run on at tty and have that console/terminal somehow
 > display Japanese?

Yes, you need a package called Kon. Don't know much about it, but it
should be available whereever you get Japanese packages (JE or JRPM
archives).

Hope this helps,

Matt Gushee
Oshamanbe, Hokkaido
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