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Dashboard Linux
zebziggle writes "The dashPC has Global Positioning (GPS) and Navigation, DVDs, Games (Quake 3, SoF, UT), Address book database, etc. It can run any programs that will run on an Intel/AMD i686 class computer. There is a Basic Stamp micro-controller that interfaces the Linux box to the car ignition for controlled boot/shutdown." The article says Linux, but that screenshot tells a different story. The website has other stuff and a lot more pictures.
In addition the the screenshots that look a whole lot like Windows to me....I noticed that on the features page it shows a car which isn't even available in the US (yet the car has Florida Plates)---the Jetta 2 Door!
Something about this site seems awfully fishy.
-Julius X
remove "-whatkindofspamdoyoutakemefor-" from email to send
They wanna outlaw talking on cell phones while driving, with good cause. Then someone comes along and inventsd "mobile quake 3 for the really bvored driver!"
God we're dumb.
--Nuintari
slashdot : where an opinion can be wrong.
He very clearly states that it's there for his passengers. He does not use it while driving. It's more of a toy to show off to friends/co-workers. He's been working on this a long time, I'm suprised he hasn't been /.ed earlier. Kudos and Hoorah, I know I'm inspired. :)
put the what in the where?
isn't it obvious? since linux is open, it's a lot more configurable.
let's say he only wanted certain processes starting or stopping at particular times?
what if he wanted to run his choice of a journaling filesystem and wanted to tweak it for speed?
what if he wanted to run a webserver and database server without having to waste money on any licenses?
let's see you hack a unsupported touchscreen display into windows, hahaha.
look, with linux (and vmware) he has the best of both worlds PLUS ultimate configurability. he can make his car computer do whatever he wants.
if he were to install only windows, boy would he be limiting the power of his project.
Well the article mentions some logic tied into the auxilliary power on the car. If he is using Linux he can design a rudimentary program which will shutdown the OS nicely when the car is shutoff (aux power off). If he is using Windows the task isn't trivial. Thats just one reason to use Linux. Good question though. The appropriate tool should always be used for the task at hand.
JOhn
Campaign for Liberty
The LCD he uses for the dash will last exactly 1 week in any US location above mid-ohio.
LCD's die when they freeze and most every LCD from his listed source are rated only down to 20 degrees F michigan get's to -1 -2 on a regular basis every winter (except this winter, it was 65 yesterday) and in minnesota it gets to -15 at least twice.
the best choice for an LCD is something designed for vehicle use which has a wide temperature range. Nothing from his supplier is useable in a vehicle in the upper 40% of the northern hemisphere.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
He's got Win98 running under VMWare.
(Did you even look at the links?)
Cool setup, actually. Too bad he had to have M$ just for the GPS support (DeLorme).