When you want to unpack the files, just stick them together like this:

$ cat skipper-src-1.6.0.tgz.[AB] > skipper-src-1.6.0.tgz

If you are using the binary distribution, remember to say bin instead of src in all those commands! The easiest way to deal with floppy disks is to use the mtools suite, including mcopy and mdel. You usually have to be the administrator to access the floppy drive.

If you have the binary distribution, remember to say bin instead of src!

To install for a Spanish keyboard with a 640 x 480 screen, say:

# ./install ES small

If that 3 is a 5, change it to 3.

To prevent graphical login on Debian Linux, say:

# rm /etc/default-display-manager
# touch /etc/default-display-manager

When this has been done, the system will display a text login prompt, and after each user has logged in it will display a text terminal command prompt. The user can start X by saying:

$ startx

or alternatively you can edit the file .profile (on SuSE or Debian Linux) or .bash_profile (on Mandrake Linux) in each user's home directory, and add the startx command to the end of the file.

When the users wish to log out after they have logged out of the graphical system and returned to text terminal mode, they can either say:

$ exit

or you can add the command exit to the end of their .profile or .bash_profile file, after the startx command.

The first line of output will probably say something like:

XFree86 Version 4.3.0

Which means you are running X version 4. If it says Version 3 something, you are running X version 3.

For version 4, look in the directory /etc/X11. You should find a file called XF86Config-4, or if it not there, the file XF86Config is the second choice. As the administrator, copy this file by saying:

# cd /etc/X11
# cp XF86Config-4 XF86Skipper

or:

# cd /etc/X11
# cp XF86Config XF86Skipper

Now edit XF86Skipper. Look for a Section InputDevice, with a Driver "mouse" in it, like this:

  Driver  	"mouse"
  Option 	"Device"  	"/dev/psaux"
  Option 	"Protocol" 	"PS/2"

The psaux may read mouse or pointer0 instead, and the PS/2 may read IMPS/2 instead. Change the "Device" to "/dev/skipper", and make sure the "Protocol" is "PS/2" , like this:

  Driver  	"mouse"
  Option 	"Device"  	"/dev/skipper"
  Option 	"Protocol" 	"PS/2"

If you are running X version 3, the file you need to copy will be in the directory /etc, and it will be called XF86Config. Copy it to and in the XFSkipper, like this:

# cd /etc
# cp XF86Config XF86Skipper

Then edit XF86Skipper, find the line:

Device          "/dev/psaux"

and change it to read:

Device          "/dev/skipper"

You only need to do this once for each Skipper user, and later you can change the Skipper configuration files to something more suitable for each user's needs.

instead of

$ startx

which is the usual command for users who do not need Skipper. Like startx, you can put skiprun in the user's .profile or .bash_profile, so that Skipper and X automatically start whenever the user logs on.

and change it to:

1:2345:respawn:su - bilbo

where bilbo is the login name of the Skipper user. Remember - with free software and second hand PCs, providing everyone who needs one with a dedicated computer need not cost money. Each user can then have exactly the input devices they need plugged in all the time and you aren't endlessly plugging and unplugging - which can lead to hardware damage as well as being inconvenient. Another very good reason is that to make progress with computers, people always need time to play and experiment. Sharing computers, putting them in an isolated room, or - even worse - locking them away all tend to stop people exploring playfully.