NewIT Sheeva/iMo - autostart browser with keyboard

[CPSL]

Just got the NewIT kit of Sheeva/Debian plus Imo screen plus driver SD card as I want to prove an application quickly.  I need a bit of help in sorting the next step, please.  Just outline advice and maybe a pointer in the right direction.

The application is a touchscreen browser that auto-starts and runs as a touch panel without intervention at startup.  It will be used to display the status of a control system, and needs an onscreen keyboard only for set-up or to change parameters, so keyboard must hide easily.

At start up the screen auto-boots into a web-browser pointing at a controller on the same LAN (which will just serve http on port 80 - nothing fancy at all) and will have an on-screen keyboard that can be hidden most of the time.  No need for Gnome, to keep it light it can run off X11 (which also makes it a bit more of a "purpose built" installation which would be an advantage).  Or it could use any lightweight desktop if someone cares to recommend one.

GOK does not work well enough on this set-up, I have spent some time today and it is very flaky indeed in detecting key-touches  - and, in any case, GOK isn't X11 but Gnome.

- can someone please give a suggestion about:

(1)  on-screen keyboard software - especially a small clean-looking keyboard that will be easy to hide and un-hide.  xvkbd seems to be widely used, is it the correct choice for this Debian X11 system ?
(2) choice of browser - is there a browser to avoid or to use ? firefox / iceweasel / opera...  It would be useful to have tabbed browsing with each tab opening to a different URL at start-up
(3) key issue: some help with the init files to save me a lot of wasted time.  This would be very much appreciated.  A pointer to a "how-to" or a relevant website or FAQ or blog would be (probably) enough.

I can't believe this has never been done before.

All suggestions and help gratefully received.

Thanks

Russell.

[Confusticated]

I can't believe this has never been done before

It has, many times, most often for financial reward.

is it the correct choice for this Debian X11 system

This is the fundamental mistake that too many developers make. The purpose should dictate the software used, not the other way around.
Choose the best web browser for your purpose, choose your input method, then pick the most appropriate support software.
You may find all you really need is busybox & uClib (does the browser add functionality in your case by being graphical ?).
Im not suggesting you don't use Debian as a resource, use the kernel,  modules and libraries if you like, but why do you want apt-get, man pages, and all the other bloat and running services that will never be used....

To get the best results don't rule out compiling the apps yourself.
Widens your choice and allows you to tweak them, you can get rid/add functionality to most apps with configure/compile time switches.
This should be done on a development system (another plug or under emulation on a more powerful system).

If you have not done so, look at the workings of  DSL (now dormant), Tiny Core Linux, Slitaz, OpenWRT, and other lightweight distros that provide good insight in how to put systems together.

Avoid Gnome & KDE, if you do decide you need a desktop (though I can't see why) try LXDE.

[CPSL]

Thanks for the input - and the sound advice.  But there is an issue here between getting a sort of OK "proof-of-concept" running quickly and an elegant long-term solution.  Right now I just want to get something working without spending my whole weekend with the sun shining but  sitting in front of a screen.  Maybe the last really nice weekend of the year in terms of weather, so you can see I am not really a geek, I prefer to be outside in good weather.  So I'd prefer to leave the Debian as it is installed and is working.  I am not enough of a Linux expert to be able to confidently say I will change the flavour without having any worries about detail issues that may come up.  But out comes Gnome (which is the reason to keep apt-get, the uninstall option) and in goes (I think) openbox, ice weasel and xvkbd. 

If anyone can give me feedback in the range "that sounds OK" through to "No, that won't work" I would be grateful.

thanks,

Russell.

[NewIT_James]

Hi CPSL,

I have used Gnome and Epiphany before with Matchbox-keyboard.

NewITJames

[Confusticated]

Hi CPSL,

I have not used that combination together on Debian arm.....so I did what I always do...
I Googled it, there is plenty of help on all three, I would be happy to attempt to implement the combination if that was what a customer had specified.

My personal preference would be for kvkbd over xvkbd, the style is more suitable for a touch screen, but that would force tie into QT libraries (as used by KDE).