steven n fettig's Jitterin' Thoughts

     I have been racking my brain trying to figure out how to install the terminal app for the Zaurus. I found the correct URL for the program, put it into the address bar of the older version of Opera that was on the device and tried to download it. I tried as I might but couldn't figure out how to. It kept downloading the ipkg package to the /temp directory. The installer (Add and Remove Software) package could not find the file I just downloaded... and thus I went 'round and 'round. I finally looked up the manual for the Zaurus at Sharp USA (the How to Install Software and promptly saw that you cannot simply load software from the device - you must load it via a removable memory card (SD or CF) or via the sync software. The ironic and most irritating bit about the Zaurus is that it only syncs correctly with Windows. (Those of you who do not understand the inherent irony: the Zaurus is a Linux device... and there is no pre-packaged sync software for Linux... for a Linux device. Crazy!) Luckily, from my last go-around with the Zaurus, I had all of the necessary packages on a CF card in my brief-case. I popped the CF card into the device and started up the install program again. At that point, I was able to see all of the packages I had gathered up until now on the CF card and installed the necessary apps: ssh and terminal. I still am amazed at how difficult the device is to use with other Linux devices. I like it, but I don't like it all the time. Lesson learned: keep a spare CF card around for installing software on the Zaurus. You'll be thankful you did.