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Tiny Linux Computer Overview
SEWilco writes "Linux Devices has an overview of Linux-Friendly Embeddable Computers. It's a nice introduction to commercially available computers the size of a disk drive (biscuit) or smaller (PC/104). This is the type of thing to use for wearable or special-purpose devices." Excellent article.
"I'm surprised they haven't mentioned the TINI from iButton."
I've spoken to different representatives from Dallas Semiconductor in the past year, and have come to the conclusion that they are not a good company for the Unix-loving community to support.
They are not interested in the ingenuity and progress end-users often add to 'open' products such as their iButton, or TINI TCP/IP stack Chip. They are nothing more than a company of glutenous exec's, looking to sell millions of units to other large companies; They have no feel for the general publics willingness to contribute to new products.
I realize I sound like I'm describing every company out there, but hey; Even Microsoft tries to speak to its customers, game companies are switching platforms, and almost any large company looking to develop products which can be modified; want the general public to be happy and 'in-the-know' so they will feel a need to contribute to those products. This is not the case with Dallas SemiConductor.
Case in point. I was working at a small computer networking company in Ottawa a year ago, when 2600 magazine published an article on the iButton. I ordered one out of interest, and to become familiar with coding for it. Later the company I worked for mentioned it would be interesting if we could offer cryptographic ID rings to our customers that would log-them-in to their workstations. So I did some more research.
And came up with a few questions for "DS", 1 in particular: what protects computers from static when the wearer walks accross a room and plugs straight in to the serial port?
DS response, "why does it matter?",
me, "Because we may be ordering these for connecting to servers and workstations at our clients business's"
DS, "Look, we sell lots of these, there's nothing wrong with static"
me, "Ok well, do you have any information to support that? Do you have white-papers with measured voltage levels on connection?"
DS, "All the white-papers are online."
The online white-papers (at the time) contained little useful information; and this man knew there was no detailed information in their on it. (I know this because, my question before this was, "do you have more detailed white papers with data on")...
My point? I think Linux/FreeUnix has enough pull now-a-days to demand a certain, small amount of interest from companies offering new, end-user configurable products. After all, it was the OpenSource community that made SEGA stay in the market with inferior products, they've added to the success of the Palm Pilot, etc. etc. All examples of the Opensource community modifying, or changing new products are because the companies who offer them,
1) *do* take an interest in end-user opinions,
2) they are interesed in innovation, and they
3) *do* provide important technical information on their products to end users.
Opensource has done little to help Microsoft, because they have missed out on the last requirement for innovation.
Ace
That would be wrong and Linux explains it here better than I ever could. Basically Linux is built well and is therefore portable by it's very nature. In any case read what Linus has to say it is better than any paraphrase I could give.
Cypherpunks: Civil Liberty Through Complex Mathematics. Those who live by the sword die by the arrow.
I'm surprised they haven't mentioned the TINI from iButton, it doesn't run Linux but a Java based OS and only costs $50, it's the size of a standard DIMM and includes a serial port, ethernet, and 1-wire bus. These things have various applications, somebody is building a MP3 player with one.
The only way to tell is to try it out. Really.
What would you rather have -- A great OS that only works on your computer, or a great OS that works on every single device known to man? (Note that I said 'great' for each ... assume the quality is the same.) You'd rather it work everywhere, of course, unless you actively dislike the other markets.
Lack of focus is a possible problem, but not neccesarily true. It's also possible that making the code work on many different architectures has helped the design of the kernel as a whole. (I rather believe this to be the case.) But anyway, arguing intellectually about 'I think this would help/hurt the kernel' is rather useless. Find a part of the kernel that has been compromised by lack of focus. That's the backup you need to follow this line of reasoning.
How can we continue to believe in a just universe and freedom to eat crackers if we have no ale?
It wouldn't hurt Linux at all to branch into the sort of market that OSes like QNX currently dominate. It needs a bit of work to get there, but it's definitely a place a no-cost OS could thrive.
I've not done my homework on this, but it seems at first glance that starting a company to make the neccesary changes/improvements, sell embeddable Linux systems, and provide support could be profitable.
root@mrcoffee ~# brew --decaff --cups 5
--
Embedded Linux is okay, but you can run an entire distribution off one of one of these guys.
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I remember when I first set eyes on the ENIAC, when they took it out of commission back, well, whever that was. Now there was a computer! That thing gave me the greatest swelling of pride I've probably ever had. We were the greatest, because we had the biggest! It's like with skycrapers that way, you know.
Smaller wearables are fine for mobile applications, but most people just spend their whole lives in one or two rooms (at home or at the office). Why don't we just build the computer into the room? Why not make the computer the room? You're already spending money to aircondition the room to make it inhabitable, so why not work the electronics into the walls and surfaces and have really big cheap components like the ones we used to have before smaller became sexier.
Small is good for a bunch of reasons, but it's also a luxury most people don't need, just as they don't need an SUV or that extra-expensive insurance plan that covers dental. "Small" is just one factor that should be weighed against other factors like cost and aesthetics. Bring back the behemoths! Make me feel young again!
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About embedded systems: Linux is used on many of these because of its modularity, but if you're into it, try using other things on them...
My karma's bigger than yours!
SIG: HUP
Many also require user-friendly graphical and/or speech interfaces.
I think this is a key point. While I enjoy using Linux, I don't consider UI one of its strongest points. If embedded Linux is to become the thing of the future for wearable PCs and other embedded devices, there needs to be major progress in novel, Linux-compatible interfaces. It is here, I think, that Linux can distance itself from the pack. If the open source community can put together intuitive, stable and efficient interfaces, Linux will have a major advantage as embedded systems become commonplace.
Look at the Empeg. Doesn't meet your price requirements, but does most else. Last I heard they were adding 802.11 wireless to it.
http://www.empeg.com