An interview with preemptible kernel patch maintainer, Robert Love -- In this interview, LinuxDevices.com chats with Robert Love, the principal maintainer of an increasingly popular kernel-preemption patch that improves the real-time responsiveness of the Linux kernel. Love describes his role in the project, explains why the preemption enhancement is important to a broad range of Linux applications beyond just embedded/real-time (including end-users' desktops), and shares his vision of the future of Linux in the embedded and desktop markets. Story
Real-time and Linux, Part 1 -- Linux is well tuned for throughput-limited applications, but it is not well designed for deterministic response, though enhancements to the kernel are available to help or guarantee determinism. So-called real-time applications require, among other things, deterministic response. In this article at ELJonline, Kevin Dankwardt examines the nature of real-time applications and Linux's strengths and weaknesses in supporting such applications. Story
MontaVista announces growth, funding, partnerships, product name change -- MontaVista Software was busy on the PR front this week. They announced: 2001 revenues grew 250% over 2000; receipt of $28 million funding from some big name companies; an expanded relationship with IBM to support PowerPC processors; selection by Nokia Networks to help develop an "All-IP" infrastructure; a new name for Hard Hat Linux. These stories hold the details . . .
ELC Volunteer Opportunity: LinuxWorld NY -- Help the ELC! The Embedded Linux Consortium needs a few volunteers to assist with booth duty next week at LinuxWorld Expo New York. Booth duty consists of greeting attendees and providing basic information about the Consortium. Helpers receive free passes to the show. Story
New tools convert VxWorks & pSOS+ code to embedded Linux -- Lineo has announced Lineo Embedix BridgeWorks VX and PS, which are claimed to be the first hard real-time solutions for porting legacy code from VxWorks or pSOS+ to embedded Linux without making use of a translation layer. The technology is based on RTOS services that operate natively on the legacy API and run ahead of Linux. Story
Empower Technologies unveils $149 Linux PDA -- Empower Technologies has announced the PowerPlay V, a Linux-based PDA equipped with the look and feel of a Palm Vx. The new PDA is currently available for purchase on Empower's website. The device, which runs Empower's LinuxDA OS, is based on a 16MHz Motorola Dragonball processor and has a monochrome (4 grayscale) LCD touchscreen. Story
Reading LinuxDevices.com news on a Palm handheld -- Take LinuxDevices.com's news with you! A LinuxDevices.com news addict has come up with an easy way to download the latest Embedded Linux news into your Palm PDA, by "spidering" our backend headline feed using a free program called "plucker". Story
AOL buying Red Hat? rumors, rants, speculation -- On Friday, January 18, Alec Klein of the Washington Post broke the news that AOL Time Warner might be in talks to buy Red Hat. Given that Red Hat is the leading (and most well known) Linux software vendor, such an occurrence would undoubtedly have a major impact on all aspects of the Linux market. But it also would have the potential to dramatically disrupt the status quo of the entire computer operating system market. Is there any substance to the rumor? Story
New open source solution for Linux-based 802.11 access points -- Instant802 Networks Inc. has announced the release of OpenAP, an open source Linux distribution for 802.11 access points. OpenAP is said to be a complete set of open-source software (including a customized Embedded Linux distribution) needed to produce a fully 802.11b compliant Linux-based wireless access point. Story
Additional news items and announcements of interest to the Embedded Linux Community . . .
As part of our continuing efforts to support the rapidly growing Embedded Linux Market, we are pleased to announce the online 2001 Embedded Linux Market Survey. The survey, which is structured in three parts, asks developers of Linux-based embedded systems and intelligent devices to anonymously provide information about their applications, their embedded Linux OS requirements and preferences, and the perceived advantages and disadvantages of using Linux in embedded applications.
Read them here: Jan. 17, 2002, Jan. 10, 2002, Jan. 3, 2002, Dec. 20, 2001, Dec. 13, 2001, Dec. 6, 2001, Nov. 29, 2001, Nov. 22, 2001, Nov. 15, 2001, Nov. 8, 2001, Nov. 1, 2001, Oct. 25, 2001, Oct. 18, 2001, Oct. 11, 2001, Oct. 4, 2001, Sep. 27, 2001, Sep. 20, 2001, Sep. 13, 2001, Sep. 6, 2001
Be sure to stop by LinuxDevices.com -- "the Embedded Linux Portal" -- for the latest news, articles, forums, products, companies, jobs, and buzz in the fast-moving "post-PC" world of Linux-based intelligent devices, Internet appliances, and embedded systems. You can contact us here.