Try vertsms from extras-devel (and ONCE you download it, DO NOT DOWNLOAD ANYTHING ELSE UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR'RE DOING).

And again, remember kids, devel and testing is EVIL.

Anyhow, if you've bought the N900 expecting it to be the ULTIMATE PHONE, I'm sorry but you're outta luck. It's the ULTIMATE PALMTOP + a okok phone somewhere in there. You'll have to learn how to live with Linux, as that's how Maemo does things.

As for AVI and RMVB, AVI should be supported by the default video player, RMVB needs extra codecs, and mplayer does both easily, but less smoothly compared to the default.

But you're better of re-encoding to xvid MP4s for regular video watching, at native resolution of 800x480. They will:

1) Play faster
2) Lag less
3) Be a tad smaller in terms of filesize.

Playing un-re-encoded movies IS possible but still very much impractical on a mobile device. I mean, sure, my old Axim could handle full on desktop AVIs, but truthfully I didn't do it that much to begin with unless I'm showing off.

IMHO, anyway.

Anyhow, update watching is becoming a great pastime nowadays. It's always fun to see if the little yellow box in the status bar brings something that makes things better or break things worse.

This post has been edited by Eiraku: May 17 2010, 03:20 AM

Check spelling for all catalogue data. Myself I misspell fremantle (or is it frementle) a lot, so it leads to that.

Oh, and make sure the HTTP address is correct, it it has a / at the end, don't forget that. Linux is picky about this kind of things (don't get me started on case sensitivity, I mean, tell me if DESCENT.PIG and descent.pig are 2 different files? huh? huh???).

You can always just enable RED PILL MODE (google that). It's far easier. Although making "the ability to break your N900 to the point it needs reflashing" something that is NOT that easy might be the best decision that Nokia ever made, at least to the normal user.

Case in question, the wonderful world of Extras-Devel.

This post has been edited by Eiraku: May 17 2010, 03:25 AM

Ah, got OpenTTD to work with sound now... Hurrah...

I now have, 3 of my most favourite desktop games running on the N900

1) Descent
2) OpenTTD
3) Jagged Alliance 2 (sakit mata mau main, but is fun nonetheless).

Now, if only the CorsixTH guys can work faster, I'd have Theme Hospital as well.

Ah, the endless tinkering capability of Maemo. Hope I can still dualboot into it once Meego is released. I somehow doubt Meego is gonna be even half as power as Maemo is as a desktop class OS.

Sure, its gonna make the N900 a better smartphone, but DESKTOP APPS on a PHONE MAN = Maemo win!

Though I could be wrong and Meego could turn out to have UBER WIN desktop capabilities. But that's living in a perfect world where Nokia actually cares about what the nerdier users think.

This post has been edited by Eiraku: May 17 2010, 05:33 AM

This is why you should backup regularly... Playing around in Linux is like playing around... well... you know. Backup = Corn-dorm, if anything happens you can always roll back.

But if you don't backup and you screw up, well, you're pretty much screwed.

IN THE CASE OF SYSTEM SCREWING UP YOUR FIRST CHOICE SHOULD ALWAYS BE: Reflash FIASCO (Firmware, Nokia walalalalal PR1.1.1.bin), reflash eMMC (eMMC image, Nokia walalalalala RX51.bin).

Do the above and end up with a clean phone that has nothing but the default stuff on it (fresh out of the box). In this case you will lose everything and have to install everything again but at least you get to start clean = less system weirdness later, trust me.

SECOND CHOICE: Reflash FIASCO ONLY. Do not restore backup. You still have much of your old data. Programs you choose to reinstall later SHOULD remember the options you have set.

But if you wanna try your luck at another shot with ALL your old data and apps (except the one doing the screw up), read on. THE THIRD CHOICE: METHOD OF DANGARRRR! (Not really advisable as I'm actually in the middle of doing this - it should work IN THEORY).



That being said, my N900 has died, again. Started throwing me "APPLICATION ERROR. "WHATEVER" HAS BEEN CLOSED" errors ALL THE TIME.

Thus the above gila post. Currently in the middle of the MEHTOD OF DANGARRR! No idea of how it will work out or if it would work out at all (why I put the IN THEORY part up there).

First suspected MSCIM, which was not the problem as I found out later. Now suspecting the new Enhanced Kernel release (maemo27).

If that wasn't it as well, I guess I have managed to successfully screw my eMMC filesystem over. Which means a complete reflash + much pain and suffering of having to reinstall EVERYTHING.

OR I've screwed some hardware part, without overclocking, which is just sad.

Ah, the fun. I need a stable secondary phone now, preferably one that would run Garmin/Papago.

This post has been edited by Eiraku: May 17 2010, 03:08 PM

Okay, as far as office support goes, you can either live with open op's glacial speed, or use the Gnumeric / Abiword combo for excel/word duties. Do keep in mind however, that abiword is NOT OPTIFIED.

It can be self optified however, if you rajin.

Anyhow, my N900 now back so semi normal mode with most of my stuff intact. But my fonts are all funky, oh well. At least I have the safer alternative to Mscim running, Emacs. Gila complex app.

So very very true.

Consequently, if you do rough stuff while being naked, you're more likely to injure yourself.

Sorry for the replag... was busy trying to figure out why my fonts all gila edi. They're like too close together (the double TTs of "getting" are near overlapping edi). Especially in MicroB, though switching to bigger fonts = better a bit.

I blame Mscim, really. At least Emacs, while being HORRENDOUSLY hard to install and configure, does not mess up Maemo proper. At least not too much (I blardy edited my keyboard config, now shift-space is backslash... ).

This post has been edited by Eiraku: May 18 2010, 07:58 PM

Qstardic?

Anyways, anybody here has NOT done anything to their /usr/share/fonts folder? I need a default, untouched dump from that folder containing all the fonts that come with the N900. Trying to figure out why my font metrics are all shot up.

Anybody game to help?

Thanks bro.. As for Qik, I have no idea, don't use it much anyway.

From my research, for font changing there is the hard hack way, the theme config file edit way and a strange script the droid fonts guy put up to change the system fonts to Droid.

Hard Hack Way:

Find fonts that have been converted to the N900 (nosnb.ttf, nosnr.ttf, nosns.ttf, nscnr.ttf) - how to convert normal fonts I'm not so sure - and overide the original over at /usr/share/fonts/nokia. Restart.

Converts everything, but might not show up properly on dialog boxes, UI elements.

Edit Theme Config:

Copy /usr/share/themes/alpha/gtk-2.0/gtkrc (replace "alpha" with whatever theme you're using) to somewhere. Make a backup copy. Edit the file, under "font definition" (font name and size) and copy back. Restart.

Converts eveything BUT the Conversation/IM window (as it's controlled by a css stylesheet). Needs fonts already installed in thr /usr/share/fonts folder. Might not show up properly on UI elements, unless sized correctly.

Whatever Droid script file:

Google for it, should be on the ttf-droid garage page. Just run the script trhough terminal and restart. Fonts are mostly correctly scaled for the system and its UI elements, but again Conversations/IM need a separate mod.

Modding Conv/IM is also fun (google it), though as always backup everything in case you muck things up and need a reflash.

And I'm beginning to think the font 'problems' I've been having is just MicroB normal behaviour, not scaling font matrices properly when zoomed. It's worst when you set font to "normal" and zoom in by tapping. Zoom by volume and zoom by circle-gesture are not as bad, for some unknown reason.

It's especially bad here on LYN, particiularly when editing replies.

Or maybe it's just me and my franken-N900.

This post has been edited by Eiraku: May 18 2010, 10:17 PM

There's MSCIM, which is actually native (as in it works seamlessly with the OS) but really quite problematic. You lose the VKB for one, and my fonts feel funny now after installing it.

But I HAVE TO SAY, it DID NOT cause the "APPLICATION ERROR" problems that I had earlier. Further research states that it was the Enhanced-Kernel, version 28, that screwed up my system to the point to reflashing. Aisehman.

*DISCLAIMER* I AM NOT LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES DONE WITH THE STEPS BELOW. Always backup, and always prepare reflashing tools in advance. You never know what can happen. What to do, THIIIIIIIIIIS IIIIIIIIIIIS LIIIIIIIIINUX!

How to use MSCIM (if you don't mind losing your VKB and other nice stuff):

1. Enable extras-devel.
2. Download the MSCIM, MSCIM Tables Module, the appropriate MSCIM table for your language (chinese-pinyin), and the Symbols table (needed as it disables CTRL+FN).
3. Check the MSCIM configuration in settings.
4. Restart.
5. ...
6. Profit. Press CTRL+SPACE anywhere to switch input language and start typing.

Difficulty of procedures: VERY easy, at least compared to the one below. But MSCIM changes a LOT of system files AND disables inline word completion (and capital letters after period, the CTRL+FN Symbol list, etc etc), so I really don't know how safe it is in the long run.

Plus it makes your Phone app slightly buggy (as if it wasn't a problem to begin with).

Only other option is to install N900 Emacs, which is a SHIT POWER text editor that can do a number of wonderful things, including calls, SMS, web browsing AND MOST IMPORTANTLY text input in MANY different languages (CJK included).

Details on how to install HERE.

Summary for Emacs install:

1. Download the given debs.
2. Make sure you have rootsh installed from extras-devel.
3. Install using terminal (paste the given codes enough)
4. Install TTF-Droid font package
5. Remap your keyboard to include the keys ESC, / and TAB (a bit hard, but doable).
6. Create an .emacs file in /home/user/ , paste the required things in.
7. ...
8. Profit. Use Emacs for Chinese input, cut, paste into conversations, send.

Difficulty of procedures: slightly on the high side. A LOT of manual config file editing in steps 5-6, and even some MANUAL COMPILING if you wish to go further (web browsing, sms, calling) with Emacs. But you can do a heck of a lot more in Emacs then just MSCIM.

Also you touch less system files (only keyboard mapping - which ALSO replaces the euro sign and the pound sign with | and ~, much needed in programming/modding), which means more stability in the long run. Plus you get to keep the VKB, CTRL+FN Symbols table and inline world completion.

In short:

If you NEED easy Chinese input, BUT don't want the bugs, wait for a stable version of MSCIM.

If you REALLY NEED Chinese input. backup regularly and don't mind bugs, install the current MSCIM.

If you're an advanced user, just go play with Emacs edi.

This post has been edited by Eiraku: May 19 2010, 10:07 AM

Is it actually stable? I'm partial to thinking someone just repackaged MSCIM to be less buggy (but no more stable). If it IS stable somebody should port it over already, I can hack it to run Japanese input.

Try FlashLauncher, it's in devel IINM. PR1.1.1 needs the experimental one.

Trying out the Rubberized case from MugenDC (the Epikcase guy), should be here this weekend or next week.

If it's any good I can try start bulk. Asked about the resin case, no go he says, not yet.

Are you running in root (sudo gainroot)? Haiyoo... why no wget, that's like the most basic of linux tools, up there with apt-get.

Also, try wget without the $ sign. Or just download the file using a computer, transfer to MyDocs, go to /home/user/MyDocs in terminal.

Oh, and you would also wanna edit the RX-51.qole file first. Scroll down until you see this part:



GO TO



and edit:



TO



Now you can use Shift+Space to backslash, needed to choose input methods in Emacs (CTRL+Backslash). CTRL+FN+B just doesnt work, for some unknown reason.

After that, continue with the steps after the wget one. WARNING THE SECOND LINE IS INCORRECT:



IT SHOULD BE:



And you might wanna skip the maximising windows step (last step) if you wanna make it simpler, though you will have to edit the .emacs file to reflect this and show your one line buffer.

Do buzz me when you're all done there and are headache-ing over the .emacs file (no, it's not there. Hint: you have to create your own) and how to format Emacs to show ALL the text properly within the window (second last step). Though you'll be fine if you're lucky.

This post has been edited by Eiraku: May 19 2010, 03:30 PM

Great to hear, play around with the .emacs settings until you get the screen settings right and you'll be all set.

I also can use ctrl-x ret ctrl-fn-b... Much easier then ctrl-x ret ctrl-shift-space. Funny, couldn't do it before...

Maybe I can map shift+space to something else now, launch xterm maybe.

Papago might just, now that the N900 is sold in HK and TW...

I think... Or pray at least.

Ah, the .emacs craziness continues.

Anyway, assuming you downloaded maxframe.el to MyDocs (or transfered it there), the file should be edited like this:



everything else the same, don't touch.

Also, you might want to add the following lines to your .emacs. They make things easier.



Explaination:
Menu/toolbar lines = No toolbar/menu bar. You live by hotkeys in emacs anyway.
Enable clipboard lines = You can cut paste to other apps.
Default input method = You only press C-x Ret C-\ and enter can straight type already without having to choose language.
Max-width/height = Controls the window boundaries, you only really need to adjust max-height, even with the full screen hack.

Good luck!

This post has been edited by Eiraku: May 20 2010, 12:05 AM

Last I heard gerrymoth was having charging issues with it, IT WILL NOT CHARGE FROM USB.

Oh, and the battery meter is near useless, goes from 100 to near empty. Nothing in between.

It does last long though.

But I dunno if the faults have been repaired.

IMHO, you're better off with a rechargeable USB battery pack, a small 2200mAH Xpal or something similar (lots of em in LYN). Goes for around 150, charges your N900 and everything else.

I have a 3400mAH pack (huge), AND a spare batt. Keeps me running for a few days with undervolting.

This post has been edited by Eiraku: May 20 2010, 12:49 AM

Going back to Titan's enhanced kernel ver.33 (bugs fixed edi + can use touchscreen calibration now). I know it's bad for me but I... just... can't... stop...

The enhanced kernel is like dadah wooo...

This post has been edited by Eiraku: May 20 2010, 02:03 AM

Signs of OVER over-clocking, or OVER under-volting?

Or maybe the N900 being its normal, unstable self - especially after a lot of modding.

On a different note, the new autodisconnect (ver. 0.4) is the bomb, it AUTOMAGICALLY switches to 3G from 2G on data connect, and back to 2G after disconnect.

Great stuff.

This post has been edited by Eiraku: May 20 2010, 08:01 PM

Probably to minimise the risk of them getting sued lol. The Cortex ARM A6 can handle up to 850Mhz in daily use officially IINM, but why run at the very limit and risk 5% bad batch lemons dying off, when you can limit it to 600Mhz and lower that risk to near negligable? Silicone is finicky, some run well at specs, some do not.

Less people will sue you.

That's why we overclock. If your chip can handle the extra stresses, it'll be fine. It not, things start to break.Early warning signs of silicone breakage include, system instability, graphics artefects, constant reboots lalalalala.

These are the minor side effects of overclocking. The final result, if you don't listen to the warning signs, are not careful and are unlucky, is silicone meltdown aka your CPU dying.

And yeah, I guess I live in Xterm a little bit too much, ever since my Ubuntu days too. What to do, I guess I like CLIs a bit too much eh. I grew up living in DOS, what to do?

This post has been edited by Eiraku: May 20 2010, 09:33 PM