Re: Emacspeak on non-rooted android - a few alpha testers wanted

[Derek Roberts <bigd.vi.guy@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi,
This sounds kinda fun. I'd definitely be interested in toying with it.
I have a T-mobile htc one m8 running 5.0.2 (Lollypop), a bluetooth
keyboard (kc1280), and a couple headsets LOL. I'm not super-familiar
with elisp or anything, but I do know my way around emacs and
emacspeak fairly well, and am very patient and can think through any
problems I may have.

Thanks,
KJ4UFX

On 2/27/15, Greg Priest-Dorman <gregpd@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Hi Folks,
>
> As some of you may recall I started running emacspeak in a linux chroot on
> android about 3 years back.  Others wanted to do this as well and I said I
> would share.  I never did.  The reason was that this configuration required
> rooting your android device.  Each device has it's own way of rooting it,
> and I was uncomfortable suggesting people try that when it can result in a
> bricked device and it will result in a device that has increased security
> issues.  So, I continued to use it and I shared it with those folks who
> asked and already had experience rooting their device, but it went no
> farther.
>
> Until now.
> Lately I have been playing with GNUroot.  This is a proot system.  It has
> some limitations, but basically it tries to do what chroot did but all in
> user space.  This means that with some limitations, you can run emacspeak
> in a debian wheezy image on a non-rooted android tablet or phone.  Org mode
> works fine, shell works but does not have job control, gnus email works but
> may have issues depending how much mail you have and how you collect it.
> Basically, anything that does not need root or a pty should work in emacs.
> As for emacpeak, you cannot change speed of the TTS, it uses GoogleTTS at a
> fast rate by default.  You cannot do sound on the linux side, only on the
> android side, so no audio icons, no mplayer. There may be a solution to
> that, but currently there is not.
>
> I am happy to share this as it does not risk your phone the way having to
> root it does.  I am working on (and need some help with) the step by step
> instructions.  I am looking for  two or three folks who want to help me
> turn this into something we can post for whoever wants it by testing it
> out, and helping turn the instructions into something more usable.
>
> So, who do I want right now?  Well you should be comfortable with emacs,
> emacpeak and TalkBack.  You need an android tablet or phone running Jelly
> Bean, KItKat or LollyPop with around a gig of space free.  You need a
> keyboard that works with your phone or tablet (while not strictly required,
> it is such a huge help that I want the alpha testers to have external
> keyboards).
>
> What you will be doing:
> Installing a few things from Google Play.
> Installing one apk not from Google Play (so you have to enable "unsecure
> sources" in your security settings).
> Getting some files from google drive (it is were I have them for now while
> I work on it).
> Untar'ing three tar files into the newly created linux area.
> Dealing with your frustration when it does not do something you wanted it
> to do...
> Describing to me what does not work for you so we can fix it or document it
> for those that follow.
>
>
> Any takers?
>
> Greg
>
> --
>
> Greg Priest-Dorman
> gregpd@xxxxxxxxxxx
>