TRON + Linux = "T-Linux"

An anonymous reader writes "The T-Engine Forum and MontaVista Software announced today that they are collaborating to combine the long-dominant Japanese embedded operating system, TRON ("The Real-time Operating system Nucleus"), with embedded Linux, in the hopes of creating a standardized software architecture for embedded devices that takes advantage of open source software and the benefits of Linux."

Comments

Kernel Panic: Light Bike On Fire

[Anonymous Coward]

question

[lingqi]

takes advantage of open source software and the benefits of Linux.

not trolling, but a genuine question: advantage of open source I can understand - what benefit does linux bring to the embedded world, if they already have the core OS?

Re:question

[Evil Adrian]

A cute penguin logo!

Re:question

[cybermace5]

Plenty.

Embedded devices are becoming increasingly powerful, and are expected to do more. Have you ever looked into the capabilities of new high-end stereo receivers? It's almost exponential from year to year.

A lot of functions normally requiring a full computer are being moved into embedded devices. It makes it a lot easier to port in an application, if it uses an OS you're already familiar with.

Linux adds another layer of compatibility over the base OS. For optimal speed, yes, you'd want to tweak every line for the target hardware. But the hardware cycle is so fast, that sometimes it's nice to let someone else specialize in the performance tweaks. Lets you concentrate on functionality.

There's already a million ways that this is being done, but an open and high-quality (yet to be seen) alternative is always welcome.

Re:question

[zbik]

TRON is more of an OS specificication than an OS; many vendors implement the TRON API in their RTOS, and many applications (in Japan) are developed for it. This project could be cool because it would enable companies to adopt Linux while maintaining compatibility with their legacy embedded apps -- provided this does not become a proprietary MontaVista technology. The benefit of Linux is the massive amount of hardware it will run on, and the all the development tools & libraries available.


Redhat's eCos already supports uITRON (Micro Industrial TRON, the most popular flavor) through a compatibility layer.

Re:question

[torpor]

Oh man, the sky is the limit ... development in the OSS realm is *easier*, because you can compare notes with other professionals who have - quite often - explored territories you've only begun to chart.

Focus shifts, then, on feature and performance, and the ol' not-sure-if-I-am-doing-this-right-because-I-don't- fully-understand-the-only-docs-I-can-find janx spirit becomes less and less evident ... of course, there is plenty of that janx in linux land, but I believe you're referring to OSS specifically from an 'edge' developers perspective here, not user. Guys on the edge deal with janx.

As someone who has followed the TRON project since its earliest inception, this is really great news to me. TRON was - in the early 80's a conceptual framework for a computing on a massive scale.

Essentially, all devices in the TRON class - no matter their hardware design - would be able to communicate freely with each other, exchange information, and share load.

So, your fridges processor (or storage space) could be used as overflow if your microwave oven decides it needs just a little extra power to do what you're telling it to ... all the way up to your personal communications system (conceptually, at the time, just-another-appliance).

I, personally, have been waiting for years to see what comes of TRON and the OSS movement - having had one foot firmly planted in both boats - and so for this sort of event to occur is very motivational indeed...

DARN!!

[Xandar01]

I was really hoping this had something to do with lightcycles and recognizers.

MCP!

[Traicovn]

Personally, I think that if we have a 'tron' linux that somewhere they better make something named 'MCP'. Maybe root should be replaced with the loggin MCP.... heheheh...

acronyms

[shird]

Seriously, what is it with people completely bending the rules of acronyms just to make something sound cute/cool. "The Real-time Operating system Nucleus" should be called "TROSN"

Re:acronyms

[Evil Adrian]

Totally. Rock on, lexical lad! ;-)

Re:acronyms

[Anonymous Coward]

That's GNU/TURD asshole!

hee hee, neutered asshole.

Re:acronyms

[silvaran]

"The Real-time Operating system Nucleus" should be called "TROSN"

Bless you.

TRON Linux Announced

[joenobody]

Japan - TRON Linux was announced and promptly sued into a smoking crater in the ground by Disney today. Disney representatives stated they were merely protecting their valuable intellectual property and that Linux is only used by thieves, anyways. MSFT rose 4 points.

Trademark infringement w/ Mentor's Nucleus RTOS?

[mkettler]

As much as I despise frivolous trademark infringement suits, this one seems to be strongly in favor the side of the trademark holder, were it to become an issue.

Mentor, the makers of the real time operating system "Nucleus" (tm), would appear to have reasonable grounds for confusion with a product in the same market place "The Real Time Operating system Nucleus Linux" aka TRON-Linux.

http://www.mentor.com/nucleus/

Sure you can argue Nucleus is a general term, but I doubt that argument holds much weight when both names are used in the same market. Heck, these two are even in the same tiny corner of the computer word (realtime operating systems).

Of course, IANAL, much less a trademark specialist. Anyone more educated on the topic care to comment?

I'll SUE!

[de_boer_man]

In related news a flurry of lawsuits were recently filed:

The first was filed by Disney, because they OWN TRON.

The second was filed by SCO, because they OWN Unix, and this whole TRON thing might somehow cut into their profits.

The third was also filed by SCO. It was a billion dollar lawsuit against Disney. SCO also threatened to pull Disney's TRON license, which could prevent Disney from using bits, light cycles, or recognizers, or strange old men rotating in I/O towers at any future time.