Slashdot Mirror
Dashboard Linux - 1 Year Later
bergeron76 writes "It's been just over a year since the DashPC/Dashboard Linux project initially got
jump started.
Since then, the project has grown by an order of magnitude. The initial codebase has
been released on freshmeat and
sourceforge, and we're working with several other developers on integrating projects such as Linux GPS Navigation, wardrive mapping, and ODBII automobile interfacing.
The potential is endless, considering just a couple of recent news headlines, and how we'd love to eventually bring them to both new and existing automobiles."
Now, not only do I get to try and dodge all the morons with their cell phones and in-dash dvd players. Now, I have to avoid people compiling their kernels on the road. Sheesh.
Michael Loves Me!
I wouldn't be surprised that down the road some major car manufacturers start using this open source code for onboard computer systems. It would save them money, help create a standard for onboard computers and probably bring about a new revolution in the modern society(ok, a bit of hyperbole).
If the server which hosts www.dashpc.com is obviously too slow to handle the load of the typical slashdot effect, why don't you host it at your Sourceforge webspace?
:)
Just curious
We've had computers in cars for years... they just were not the kind you typically think about. I think it's great that we are "open-sourcing" what goes on under the hood; I, for one, would love to know exactly what my engine is doing. Further, the potential to make changes (fuel/air mixture, timing, etc) in engine parameters would make such a project useful beyond even the geek factor.
Also, newer cars have computers in them anyway... OnStar, GPS mapping, etc. Why not have an open alternative that those of us with older cars can implement? You will have to roll your own, but so what? most geeks will probably want to anyway.
As for watching DVDs while you drive... Well... that problem might just take care of itself (hopefully with minimal collateral damage).
Even if a man chops off your hand with a sword, you still have two nice, sharp bones to stick in his eyes.
Is this just one guy's setup, or is it designed to be compatible across many different setups? There are a lot of different input methods (wireless keyboard, mouse, joystick, twiddler, touch-screen), lots of different output devices (sound only w/ text-to-speech, sound with screen, NTSC TV, true VGA, a non-standard LCD screen), several different ways to control powerup/powerdown (eg. tell the inverter to turn off after finishing powerdown, wake on LAN/802.11b, ability to tell the car to auto-start to recharge the battery). A set of software that supports a variety of these would be truly valuable and I'd gladly contribute, but this looks like it's just one guy's particular setup.
Just think - downloadable map upgrades, no more hardware 'chipping', and best of all...
You do not have enough permissions to run engine_init
Locking all doors...
Done
Automated police call activated
You're nicked sonny...
From his site...
http://www.chrisnaimee.com/pics/pics.html
Enjoy!
"I don't have a muffler. I just upgraded, and I couldn't get the sound to compile."
Don't let friends drive a Bad Ms Win CE!
They've got ODB-II support as part of the project.
For those who don't know it's a 'standard' way to interface to the car's onboard computer that most newer (~1995+) cars support. I don't recall all the specifics right now, but there's three different flavors (sort of the physical layer) of ODB-II. It roughly (but not quite) breaks down into North American, Asian, and Eurpoean makes. (i think)
You can easily query all kinds of things in realtime, view logs/alerts, and probably a ton more.
I've briefly looked into this for someone who likes to tinker with cars, and I sense I'll be looking into it much more soon.
Have you painted a shed today?
Since I have a full screen and keyboard, there was no need for any type of special hardware hacks or custom software. I can use xmms as is. It's a really sweet setup and only cost me ~550 ($400 for the libretto on ebay, $100 for the 20 gig drive, $50 for the memory upgrade). Use keymaps in windowmaker to launch stuff and it's a great little setup.
all that cool tech and they still put the steering wheel on the wrong side!
:-)
/me ducks
Some of the folks in the DashPC list have systems that will play DVD's, but they also have screens in the back for the passengers. Not that it'd be impossible to put the DVD up to the front monitor, but they don't, as an admitted practice, do it.
Several people have related stories of being pulled over for a 'TV within view of the driver' which is illegal is LOTS of places, but then the DashPC user will show them 'no, it's navigation, and MP3, and a rear view mirror, and a coffee maker.....' and the cops are generaly intrigued by it. I don't think anyone on the list reported getting a ticket for it yet.
Not having one myself, but knowing how I'm planning to install it, I'm learning a lot from the list. It seems that a lot of the folks have a PC in the trunk wired to a screen and controls up front, while the rest have a custom made tiny PC that fits in some hole in their car. I'm going for the latter option, which will be stored in the center console with a screen in a custom made dash panel.
It also seems that there's been some cry out for some coders to help the project, so if you're interested, go read some archived stuff and jump into the list.
Well, hope that helps with some more info for those that can't get to the Slashdotted site.
j
-- There is no sig line, only Zuul.
You seem to not have a firm grasp of mathematics.
Endless could be read as "infinite."
There are an infinite number of real numbers between 0 and 1. That set doesn't include 2 or 3. But, it's still endless.
Infinite is not the same as all-encompassing.
There are infinite counting numbers (integers >= 1), but they don't include the negatives or 0, but they are still endless.
Anyway, you can see my point. Just because you can name two or three things that our not in a given set, doesn't make that set finite.
To take it even further. thet set of all possible numbers is also not all-encompassing. It doesn't include the letter 'A'. So, it's still a matter of domain. The possibilities can only be infinite, or endless, within their domain.
Justin Dubs