Re: round 2

[Peter Evans <peter@example.com>]

Stephen Turnbull on xmodmap:

> You are very likely to screw yourself at some later date

I'm getting very used to screwing myself. (No sniggering in the back row,
thank you.)

> Get this straight: mostly GUI sucks as an idea, and even
> where it's a good idea the implementations suck.  Don't
> forget: the N in GNOME is silent, it's pronounced "gomi". 
> KDE is for "kiddies" (with or without script).

Well, that's put me on the right track. But I plead guilty to the
misdemeanor of posting piccies on my web pages, and I don't think Lynx
would be too good at rendering them.

> X11 itself is no exception, although it's at least not
> shameful for real men to admit using it. 

I . . . am . . . [deep blush] . . . [wonders: Dare I come out of my
closet?] . . . using Microsoft Windows!  [collapses in embarrassment] 
Surely I cannot abase myself further?

Anyway, I have to be able to manipulate files in Excel .XLS format. As I
understand it, I have three options: Use Excel, use StarOffice, or use
Gnome.  One way or another, I need a GUI, no?

> But then there's
>			       XKeyCaps
>
> Don't leave text mode without it.  Not only is the interface
> right, but it knows the X keyboard model.
>
>		     http://www.jwz.org/xkeycaps/
>
> (Could you ask for a better reference, Peter?)

No, I gruntle every time I visit that that site. BUT I look in vain for
my keyboard in the long list, and read

> If you're using a keyboard not on this list and would like to make
> xkeycaps know about it, read the file `defining.txt' in the source
> distribution. Adding a new keyboard type isn't hard, just a little
> tedious.

Thanks but no thanks.  For one thing, "isn't hard" probably means "isn't
hard, on the reasonable assumption that your IQ is higher than that of a
Windows-using dipshit"; for another, I think I've just about had my fill
of tediosity. Or rather, I'm willing to do it at some unspecified time
in the near future, but not *today*.

+++++

Sorry to repeat myself, but:

1. Should I pay any attention to the fact that when booting this
USB-port-less (because made in 1987) system I read

Mounting USB filesystem  OK
Initializing USB controller  OK

? and

2. What's the meaning of

(--) SVGA: Mode "800x600" needs hsync freq of 48.08 kHz. Deleted.

and how do I square that with hsync freq of 37.8 kHz?

Yours in pathetic and enduring ignorance,

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Peter Evans <peter@example.com>