Re: Weird keyboard problems....
On 02/08/2016 01:23 PM, Bill Freeman wrote: > It sounds to me as though a trace is broken, or just possibly the > connection to the ribbon cable that joins the keyboard to the system > (at either end possibly. Operating additional keys somehow routes > around the open from the point of view of the key scanning chip. Yeah. And, actually, I think I (mostly) figured out what's going on: it's not actually depressing the W key per se that makes the others work; rather, it's pressing down *that part of the keyboard* that does it. Which is to say, if I press down on *the space between the keys* on the left side of the keyboard, all of the keys start working. When it's acting up, I can actually hold the keyboard up, hold down one of the effected keys such that repeats, and then flex the keyboard slightly and/or move it around in space above the laptop and see that the repeating key is interrupted. It's really hard to disentangle "flexing the keyboard" from "moving the keyboard around and flexing the ribbon-cable", though. I think it may actually just be some wear on the *cable* (which sounds weird..., but the cable is sitting right between a slightly flexible keyboard-panel and a circuitboard, so...). If I hold the cable up to the light, it looks like something may have actually perforated it--and either there's a lack of continuity where there should be continuity, or there there's continuity where there shouldn't be Given that the failure did seem to correlate to the keyboard+cable assembly, I ordered a new one of those from ZaReason. $50. Took about a week to arrive. Upon installing it... OMG it actually *feels a lot better to type on* than the old keyboard. I don't know whether the new one is actually better than the old one was when it was new due to a manufacturing change or something, or if I just didn't notice a gradual wear-in over the course of three years. I *think* it may actually be some combination of both And now I wonder what other things I use every day have worn out without me noticing And, yeah--it seems to have fixed the problem, too. Though I guess I won't really be sure until I've given the problem a more ample opportunity to recur > I have just recently replaced the keyboard on my ZaReason Strata > 6770. I had spilled milk on the keyboard, and eventually a few keys > stopped working. I suspect a bacterial film on some of the contact > pads. ZaReason does sell replacement keyboards (not especially > cheap), and it wasn't too hard to replace, once I believed the force > needed to pop the old keyboard out, particularly if you don't mind > destroying the dead keyboard. On mine the keyboard has bumps that > extend into pockets in the bezel. The keyboard flexes to "pop" in. > No additional disassembly was required. Suggested prying was between > the keyboard and bezel at the top center of the keyboard. Yes--same here: there are little `pockets' in the sites of the bezel, and there are clips that protrude into those pockets on the keyboard module from the `rest of the laptop' assembly. The clips along the *top* are spring-loaded and can be made to retract by pressing on them with a toothpick or spudger. The clips on the *sides* do not retract-- the keyboard just pulls out from under them by bowing it a little. It's different on my wife's Alto 4330 (it's not obvious from the outside how the keyboard module would be removed from that). Maybe it's a difference between the ODMs--the UltraLap 430 hardware is sourced from Pegatron; whereas the Alto 4330 hardware is sourced from Compal (as was the Alto 3880 before it). > Since you have a different model, your mileage may vary. Ask ZaReason. No > procedure was shipped with the replacement keyboard, and I had to ask > the support email a couple of times before they knew what I wanted. This is actually one of the things that I really like about ZaReason: whereas a lot of brands seem to go out of their way to obscure things and make it so hard to service equipment that the `just junk it and buy a new one' path becomes tempting, ZaReason is incredibly forthright. I bought my UltraLap 430, my wife's Alto 4330, and the original ZaTab together; and I had some questions about user serviceability of all of them; I had an e-mail conversation with someone at ZaReason, where I asked: I do have one more question: the photos available on zareason.com are pretty good/helpful, but there's one angle missing--a shot of the *bottom* of the laptops so I can get some idea of how serviceable they are. Would it be possible for me to get pictures of the underside access-panels to compare the Alto vs. UltraLap? And I got back not only comparative photos of the bottoms of the laptops, but also very informative descriptions of what would be required to take them apart (and put them back together) for replacement of various modules. (for the Alto, it was basically "remove this obvious screw and pop the panel
Re: Boot-to-CLI distro?
+1 for system rescue cd. As far as other handy utility distros. If I'm just resizing a partition, I'll do gparted live (Gui but goes straight to gparted partition editor) and if imaging (backup/restore) then Clonezilla Live. http://gparted.org/livecd.php http://clonezilla.org/clonezilla-live.php -Shawn On Feb 17, 2016 2:15 PM, "Kyle Smith" wrote: > Check out SystemRescueCD[1], which I'm sure can be burned to a USB drive. > Boots to a shell and comes with a ton of recovery tools and scripts to > assist in getting a broken system operable. > > - Kyle > > [1]: https://www.system-rescue-cd.org/SystemRescueCd_Homepage > > On Wed, Feb 17, 2016 at 2:04 PM Ken D'Ambrosio wrote: > >> On 2016-02-17 13:49, Brian Chabot wrote: >> >> In GRUB, boot to init 1, single user mode.' >> >> >> >> Which is great. If you catch it. And if it doesn't override you (as >> some live install disks I've seen, do). Hell -- I'd be happy with the "rw >> init=/bin/bash" bit for all I need, but even that, for example, isn't >> cutting the mustard on one server I've got. I guess I could spin my own, >> but I figured someone out there probably had a >> stick-it-in-and-boot-to-CLI-no-interaction-needed option in their back >> pocket. >> >> -Ken >> >> >> >> Brian Chabot >> >> On Wed, Feb 17, 2016 at 1:46 PM, Ken D'Ambrosio wrote: >> >>> Hey, all. Many's the time I just want to go and fix something stupid -- >>> maybe wipe a disk, or edit a file -- and all I want is to be able to >>> stick in a USB stick and wind up at said CLI. But most distros these >>> days are GUI-based. And Ubuntu Server (say) boots to install, period, >>> which is an >>> >>> extremely-stripped-down-to-the-point-of-useless-for-anything-other-than-install >>> CLI. >>> >>> Any middle ground someone could recommend? >>> >>> Thanks! >>> >>> -Ken >>> ___ >>> gnhlug-discuss mailing list >>> gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org >>> http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss/ >> >> >> >> ___ >> gnhlug-discuss mailing list >> gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org >> http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss/ >> > > ___ > gnhlug-discuss mailing list > gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org > http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss/ > > ___ gnhlug-discuss mailing list gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss/
Re: What Language for a kid
On 12/23/2015 11:24 AM, Kenny Lussier wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> My daughter has expressed an interest in learning to code. It's a
> non-specific, very general interest. She doesn't have a specific area
> of interest that she wants to learn (UI, game development, HPC,
> etc.), she just want to learn how to code.
>
> What do people think is the best language for a 12yr old to learn?
> What is most flexible to use for different purposes? What tools are
> out there to teach a kid to code? Code Academy and the like seem to
> be a little dry and never yielded wonderful results for most of the
> adults I know, so other ideas would be welcome.
I saw a note from someone about this one ("HolyC") on GNU social the other day:
http://www.codersnotes.com/notes/a-constructive-look-at-templeos/
It has a certain appeal to it, actually. It sort-of reminds me of
some of the programming environments I was exposed to as a kid,
and ones that I've heard other people recall fondly from their larval stages.
--
"Don't be afraid to ask (λf.((λx.xx) (λr.f(rr."
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Re: Boot-to-CLI distro?
Ubuntu has the mini distro, but I think your only option with that is to install it. Richard Kolb II On Wed, Feb 17, 2016 at 2:00 PM, Ken D'Ambrosio wrote: > On 2016-02-17 13:49, Brian Chabot wrote: > > In GRUB, boot to init 1, single user mode.' > > > > Which is great. If you catch it. And if it doesn't override you (as some > live install disks I've seen, do). Hell -- I'd be happy with the "rw > init=/bin/bash" bit for all I need, but even that, for example, isn't > cutting the mustard on one server I've got. I guess I could spin my own, > but I figured someone out there probably had a > stick-it-in-and-boot-to-CLI-no-interaction-needed option in their back > pocket. > > -Ken > > > > Brian Chabot > > On Wed, Feb 17, 2016 at 1:46 PM, Ken D'Ambrosio wrote: > >> Hey, all. Many's the time I just want to go and fix something stupid -- >> maybe wipe a disk, or edit a file -- and all I want is to be able to >> stick in a USB stick and wind up at said CLI. But most distros these >> days are GUI-based. And Ubuntu Server (say) boots to install, period, >> which is an >> >> extremely-stripped-down-to-the-point-of-useless-for-anything-other-than-install >> CLI. >> >> Any middle ground someone could recommend? >> >> Thanks! >> >> -Ken >> ___ >> gnhlug-discuss mailing list >> gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org >> http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss/ > > > > > ___ > gnhlug-discuss mailing list > gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org > http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss/ > > ___ gnhlug-discuss mailing list gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss/
Re: Boot-to-CLI distro?
Check out SystemRescueCD[1], which I'm sure can be burned to a USB drive. Boots to a shell and comes with a ton of recovery tools and scripts to assist in getting a broken system operable. - Kyle [1]: https://www.system-rescue-cd.org/SystemRescueCd_Homepage On Wed, Feb 17, 2016 at 2:04 PM Ken D'Ambrosio wrote: > On 2016-02-17 13:49, Brian Chabot wrote: > > In GRUB, boot to init 1, single user mode.' > > > > Which is great. If you catch it. And if it doesn't override you (as some > live install disks I've seen, do). Hell -- I'd be happy with the "rw > init=/bin/bash" bit for all I need, but even that, for example, isn't > cutting the mustard on one server I've got. I guess I could spin my own, > but I figured someone out there probably had a > stick-it-in-and-boot-to-CLI-no-interaction-needed option in their back > pocket. > > -Ken > > > > Brian Chabot > > On Wed, Feb 17, 2016 at 1:46 PM, Ken D'Ambrosio wrote: > >> Hey, all. Many's the time I just want to go and fix something stupid -- >> maybe wipe a disk, or edit a file -- and all I want is to be able to >> stick in a USB stick and wind up at said CLI. But most distros these >> days are GUI-based. And Ubuntu Server (say) boots to install, period, >> which is an >> >> extremely-stripped-down-to-the-point-of-useless-for-anything-other-than-install >> CLI. >> >> Any middle ground someone could recommend? >> >> Thanks! >> >> -Ken >> ___ >> gnhlug-discuss mailing list >> gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org >> http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss/ > > > > ___ > gnhlug-discuss mailing list > gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org > http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss/ > ___ gnhlug-discuss mailing list gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss/
Re: Boot-to-CLI distro?
On 2016-02-17 13:49, Brian Chabot wrote: > In GRUB, boot to init 1, single user mode.' Which is great. If you catch it. And if it doesn't override you (as some live install disks I've seen, do). Hell -- I'd be happy with the "rw init=/bin/bash" bit for all I need, but even that, for example, isn't cutting the mustard on one server I've got. I guess I could spin my own, but I figured someone out there probably had a stick-it-in-and-boot-to-CLI-no-interaction-needed option in their back pocket. -Ken > Brian Chabot > > On Wed, Feb 17, 2016 at 1:46 PM, Ken D'Ambrosio wrote: > >> Hey, all. Many's the time I just want to go and fix something stupid -- >> maybe wipe a disk, or edit a file -- and all I want is to be able to >> stick in a USB stick and wind up at said CLI. But most distros these >> days are GUI-based. And Ubuntu Server (say) boots to install, period, >> which is an >> extremely-stripped-down-to-the-point-of-useless-for-anything-other-than-install >> CLI. >> >> Any middle ground someone could recommend? >> >> Thanks! >> >> -Ken >> ___ >> gnhlug-discuss mailing list >> gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org >> http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss/ [1] Links: -- [1] http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss/ ___ gnhlug-discuss mailing list gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss/
Re: Boot-to-CLI distro?
In GRUB, boot to init 1, single user mode. Brian Chabot On Wed, Feb 17, 2016 at 1:46 PM, Ken D'Ambrosio wrote: > Hey, all. Many's the time I just want to go and fix something stupid -- > maybe wipe a disk, or edit a file -- and all I want is to be able to > stick in a USB stick and wind up at said CLI. But most distros these > days are GUI-based. And Ubuntu Server (say) boots to install, period, > which is an > > extremely-stripped-down-to-the-point-of-useless-for-anything-other-than-install > CLI. > > Any middle ground someone could recommend? > > Thanks! > > -Ken > ___ > gnhlug-discuss mailing list > gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org > http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss/ > ___ gnhlug-discuss mailing list gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss/
Boot-to-CLI distro?
Hey, all. Many's the time I just want to go and fix something stupid -- maybe wipe a disk, or edit a file -- and all I want is to be able to stick in a USB stick and wind up at said CLI. But most distros these days are GUI-based. And Ubuntu Server (say) boots to install, period, which is an extremely-stripped-down-to-the-point-of-useless-for-anything-other-than-install CLI. Any middle ground someone could recommend? Thanks! -Ken ___ gnhlug-discuss mailing list gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss/
