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greenjeans

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Registered: 2017-04-07

Posts: 782  

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Will Devuan work to convert an older iPad to Linux?

Okay, I know I have a lot of reading ahead of me, but was hoping to get a tip or two from anybody who has done this.

So down at the library today working on fixing it up, the city manager stops by and asks me if we can use some older iPads, the state is replacing the ones they have with new ones for various agencies like firefighters and such, so the old ones are going to be surplus, and our city can get 5 of them for the library for free.

My first thought is to convert them, and turn them basically into simple e-book readers for the most part, so the folks in our small town can check them out and read books on them if they don't have a tablet (most don't, they are older folks), and pre-load them with some royalty-free content but also maintain a database at the library of such content so they can access it and choose particular books that interest them.

I won't have them in hand for a while yet, but am trying to get ahead of it and see what's possible.

Bottom line: I have never in my life used apple products, never tried to convert one to linux, and don't know squat about it.

I can't imagine it's too bad, but the touch-screen support is the main thing i'm wondering about.

Any guidance would be appreciated and it's for a very good cause, we are trying to revive this old library and give folks a reason to read.

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Dutch_Master

Member

Registered: 2018-05-31

Posts: 297  

Re: Will Devuan work to convert an older iPad to Linux?

Touch screen support is basically a driver issue in the kernel these days, chances are it'll work out of the box if the particular touch module can be loaded. Probably not easy to find, but see if you can get your hands on the apple tech specs for those devices, then google the touch screen model for compatibility in Linux. If that module is already in the kernel, you're in business and the Devuan installer should recognize it straight away. If the module exists but isn't automagically loaded into the kernel, you may try loading it via the initrd image for your particular kernel. Not recommended for novices, but with guidance still doable. If there is no module, and you can find the actual drivers, you can build and install a module the kernel can use. This gets tricky even for experienced users, but you can still pull it off, taking your time. Worst case, there is no driver (which I'd doubt as apple OS is a BSD variant so there should be) then you're screwed and you'd have to write your own. Unless you're a Linux dev with experience, don't go there.

HTH!