From f7091425f8abb7ec88c95569f9ac2cdc9eb2e1e5 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Nicole Date: Sun, 8 Jan 2023 19:13:49 +0100 Subject: [PATCH] more README doc --- README.md | 27 ++++++++++++++++++++++++--- 1 file changed, 24 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-) diff --git a/README.md b/README.md index 377f7c3..7bf4634 100644 --- a/README.md +++ b/README.md @@ -7,12 +7,13 @@ Pixelbook running vanilla Linux (in my case Debian). What I want to achieve is that the battery is not constantly being charged to and held at 100%, which will quickly destroy the battery. -The Pixelbook Linux runtime contains a tool called "ectool" which can +## Implementation +The Pixelbook ChromeOS Linux runtime contains a tool called "ectool" which can control the charge control code embedded in the EC. Newer EC version also allow for a "battery sustainer" pretty much implementing what I want but the Pixelbook (aka Eve) EC is too old to use this. -So I came up with a bash script that can run in teh background. +So I came up with a bash script that can run in the background. For it to work you need the "ectool" in Linux. I tried to compile the ectool from source under Debian but failed. So I took the alternative path and used @@ -70,8 +71,10 @@ charger state OK, idling... 0 0 ``` +This should be kept running all the time then. + With this I still get more than enough charge in the Pixelbook for all my -tasks but on the other hand prevent teh battery from premature aging. Each +tasks but on the other hand prevent the battery from premature aging. Each charge cycle means wear to the battery. Please note that all this of course only works as long as the operating @@ -81,3 +84,21 @@ and reconnect the charger it will again charge to 100% no matter what. Enjoy! Feedback welcome. + +## Outlook +Running this as a shell script with root priviledges is probably not teh +greatest idea, but right it is a 'works for me' approach. The Pixelbook has +some more features I would also like to make more use of, like a light +sensor and LCD/keyboard backlight control. In ChromeOS this really worked +super nicely, almost always the right backlight based on the light sensor +readings. In Linux and I use GNOME the keyboard backlight can not be +controlled by default at all (see here: https://www.dpin.de/nf/google-pixelbook-eve-plain-linux/ +) and the automatic LCD brightness control is just horrible, too big steps +and no way to control the brightness vs. ambient light thresholds. This +makes no sense to me, it just results in awkward brightness settings and too +abrupt changes, very distracting and sometimes even unusable. + +So maybe some fine day I need to dig into either implementing this in +something like `upwerd` (I think this is on control of these things) or +write my own little daemon running in the background. +