Slashdot Mirror
Domain: outpost.com
Stories and comments across the archive that link to outpost.com.
Stories · 3
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Linux Hacked Onto Fry's Cheap Wireless G Router
nerdyH points to this smile-inducing story at LinuxDevices which begins "An inexpensive house-brand 802.11b/g wireless router from Fry's (Outpost.com) has been adopted by a group of Linux hackers that aims to make Fry's 'AirLink' devices 'as capable as name-brand gadgets.' The AirLink101 AR315W is based on a Marvell board that can run Linux or eCos, and has a six-port 10/100 Ethernet switch built in. It's listed for $45 online, but is reportedly on sale for $20 in some Fry's stores." -
(Real) Intelligent NiMH Chargers?
Anti_Climax asks: "I, like many Slashdot readers, have a lot of battery powered devices. With the large number of cells that are in use at a given time, I have taken to using NiMH rechargeables (Ten 2.0Ah Cells for $10 at the local Fry's Electronics). My current charger is a timed unit that was made when 1.3Ah was the norm. I have accepted the fact that if I want my cells charged properly and quickly, I will need to invest in an intelligent charger. With the dozens of manufacturers in the market right now, the Google results are promising but far too broad. What have been your personal experiences in this area? How many of the supposed Smart Chargers are anything but? Who's offering the best deal for my dollar? While I don't need my cells to charge in 15 minutes, I would like to find an inexpensive Intelligent charger that can charge 4 or more high capacity cells (in pairs or individually) in an hour or less." -
Do PS2-to-USB Keyboard Adapters Work?
ewhac asks: "Recently, I was charged with the mission of obtaining a particular small external USB keyboard, for use on a Win2K laptop. However, when the USB version proved unavailable, I obtained the equivalent PS/2 version and an inexpensive PS/2-to-USB adapter. Should have been cake... Except that it didn't work. Win2K failed to see the keyboard, claiming instead to see an unknown USB device. A different USB adapter didn't help. A different keyboard didn't help. Trying on a different computer didn't help. Googling my eyes out for several hours looking for answers didn't help (although I found a few people with the same question). So I thought I'd beseech the Slashdot crowd and ask how many people have had success using legacy input devices with small, inexpensive PS/2-to-USB adapters?" "Here's the keyboard in question. Here's the first adapter we tested, and here's the second (ignore the picture; it's wrong). Several things about this experience have left me very confused. Keyboards and mice are simple manifestations of the USB HID (Human Input Device) class, and Win2K ships with a fairly complete set of HID drivers -- plugging in a keyboard should (and often does) Just Work. Hence, these adapters are sold without drivers. Further, the PS/2 electrical and logical specifications are older than dirt, and well understood. USB is also very well specified. So building an adapter should be a very straightforward effort, with little room for surprise or failure.
And yet, the damn thing refused to work. All PS/2 keyboards tested worked fine when connected to native PS/2 ports. All computers tested recognized all other USB devices when plugged in. But no matter what we did, we couldn't get any system to recognize any PS/2 keyboard plugged into these PS/2-to-USB adapters.
As the evening wore on, I started to wonder just how many other people had experienced this perplexing situation, and how they resolved it. The makers of these adapters wouldn't knowingly sell non-functional merchandise, so I assume that somehow these things can be made to work. What I'm wondering is what special conditions, if any, are required to get them to work."