Re: [Tails-ux] Internal HD install

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Author: Peter N. Glaskowsky
Date:  
To: tails-ux
Subject: Re: [Tails-ux] Internal HD install
> From: sajolida <sajolida@???>
>
> Regarding the virtual keyboard, are you referring to the usual virtual
> keyboard from Tails:
>
> https://tails.boum.org/doc/encryption_and_privacy/virtual_keyboard
>
> Or to something else?


Yes, I think that’s what it was. For small tablets, a very compact keyboard layout (like the typical Android or iOS keyboards) is extremely important. I see that Florence has a keyboard layout editor, though I haven’t tried it. If Tails sticks with Florence, it would be worth someone seeing just how compact a layout can be created for use in the Greeter.

>> Tails doesn’t seem to provide a way to turn on the virtual keyboard
>> for entering the administrator and persistence passwords, so getting
>> those things done means connecting a USB keyboard (or a keyboard that
>> uses a proprietary USB wireless dongle, since those look like USB
>> keyboards to the system).
>
> You already have a ticket for that:
>
> https://labs.riseup.net/code/issues/5563
>
> But note that since we are in the process of revamping the whole
> Greeter, I doubt that we will put a lot of energy on fixing #5563 before
> that. Unless the technical solution can be reused, but this I don't
> know. Greeter experts are alan@??? and andres.gomez@???.


Yes, if the Greeter is being redone anyway, I agree it isn’t worth putting effort into adding on-screen keyboard support to the current version.

>>> Do you mean that you already started Tails on one of those
>>> tablets? which brands and models?
>>
>> Yes, three models, all designed to what Microsoft used to call the
>> Tablet PC standard— basically, these are all designed to the same
>> standards as Windows laptops, but without the permanently attached
>> keyboard and generally with fewer connectors. They all worked
>> normally within those limitations:
>>
>> HP Slate 500 Samsung Series 7 Slate Microsoft Surface Pro (original
>> model)
>>
>> Of these, the Samsung was probably the best experience. The HP Slate
>> 500 is painfully slow with relatively low screen resolution.
>
> Did you experience this bug on the HP Slate 500:
>
> https://labs.riseup.net/code/issues/7880 <https://labs.riseup.net/code/issues/7880>


I didn’t try configuring Persistence on that machine, but the report seems credible. Fixed dialogs that exceed the available screen area are a common UI design mistake. Sometimes it can be worked around by switching into portrait mode to make enough room to use a height-sensitive dialog, but I’ve seen a lot of dialogs that are both taller and wider than 600 pixels.

>> 1) Enable installation to any drive (with suitable warnings) 2) Have
>> the Greeter recognize the absence of a keyboard and activate the
>> on-screen keyboard 3) Increase the size of UI elements where needed
>> so they can be selected using touch
>
> Regarding the size of UI elements, did you try the accessibility
> features of GNOME: Applications → System Tools → Preferences → System
> Settings → Universal Access → Text size?


I haven’t tried that.

> If you want to go further you could also check if anything has changed
> for good or for bad in our experimental Tails images based on Debian
> Jessie which includes GNOME 3.14 (if I'm not mistaken):
>
> http://nightly.tails.boum.org/build_Tails_ISO_feature-jessie/
>
> To install those ISO, I recommend using the "Upgrade from ISO" option of
> Tails Installer and upgrade a current Tails USB or SD card.


I’ll see if I can find some time to give this a try.

Best,

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