February 2004 Archives

    As mentioned in an earlier post, I am working on a mini database server using a Sharp Zaurus SL-5500 as the hardware. It seems that a lot of the development sites and lists (@ lists.zaurus.com and docs.zaurus.com) are no longer available (it has been the heart of my frustration since prying into the Linux command layer on the Zaurus) - it appears that Sharp has taken down all of the original development sites and is working on a new one. Who knows when the new one will be available, however, and in the mean-time, you can use Google's cached versions. As of two days ago, the only version of Apache (and PHP) I was able to install (without a slew of errors) was one found at: www.choup.net. You need to download an older version - Apache 1.3.19 with PHP 4.0.5 Support (others extensions too). It appears that the newer version is compiled for the OpenZaurus platform and not the original ROM that ships with the SL-5500. Since I am only using the SL-5500 for an internal DB project, I am not so worried about the security flaws in the older Apache and PHP versions. I only tried to install it using ipkg-new and using the internal flash as the install location (you need to use the ipkg command line installer found at h2o.ch/zaurus/sharp/). I experienced a few errors when installing (something relating to not being able to open and copy to the SD card - which I don't have anyway), but I ignored them and tested the server (it works very well!). The ipkg tool has very poor documentation - that I can see - and is therefore somewhat difficult to decipher; especially when I don't understand why it is trying to install the Apache/PHP server to a location that doesn't exist and which I didn't indicate. So, for those of you trying to get this to work, check out the above sites. This, again, is not for the faint of heart. I intend to learn how to compile programs for the original ROM on my Mac so that I can tweak Apache for my own purposes. If allowed by the license, I will then post the ipk file to this site. Anyone wanting to help, please let me know!

    I was going to wait to post until I finished my latest project, but I couldn't help but laugh (geek-ily) as I got an ssh login to work on a Zaurus SL-5500. Now that I can vpn into the office, I have the Zaurus I am working on set up at the office in its cradle and I can ssh into it remotely to do the rest of the configurations I wanted. This is nuts, right?

    All I can say is that this is one of the cheapest mini database servers I have ever built ($250.00). From an environmental standpoint it is a slam-dunk, too - very low power consumption and extremely compact. Ahhh... the joys of success! If I get a chance, I am going to run some load tests on it to see the results. I would also like to tweak apache a bit - but I need to learn how to compile software for the Zaurus first. (Anyone with good references, please let me know.) Anyway, I hope everyone is having a good weekend.