I'm not sure about the opkg repository. What I do know is that OpenPandora
users are advised to never install or update packages because that could
break things.
The way you're supposed to install software is by downloading "PND" files,
which are basically Zip archives with an XML file defining how the program
should be presented in menus. Most people get PND files from
repo.openpandora.org, commonly referred to as the "repo". Unfortunately, it
contains a lot of proprietary software, and it's often hard to tell whether a
particular program is libre or not.
> Wouldn't the Pandora be almost entirely compatible with Debian ARM?
The OpenPandora requires a particular kernel to work, for some reason (I
don't know the details), so a porting effort is required (basically just
adding the Linux kernel SuperZaxxon uses to the system). Volunteers have done
this for Debian and Slackware, but the Debian port is based on Debian Jessie
back when it was "testing", which means it updates to Stretch now, and I
think I recall that causing some kind of breakage when that happened to me.
Also, the Debian port uses Fluxbox, which I find to be an unlikable desktop
environment; and it includes the proprietary firmware for the Pandora's
wireless, so you need to remove that (and vrms doesn't catch it). I forget
what the package is.
> I'm also interested about whether the device runs U-Boot?
It does.
