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Consumer Electronics Industry: Linux is the Future

Posted by michael on from the ping-the-microwave dept.

securitas writes "The New York Times is carrying a Reuters story about Linux as the software of choice for consumer electronics. At the world's largest consumer electronics show, the IFA trade fair 'the first Linux products are already on show and more will come soon, companies said.' The reason? Linux is freely available, widely embraced and profit margins in the consumer electronics business are one or two percent at best. The math is simple. The industry push comes from the members of the Consumer Electronics Linux Forum (CELF), that includes Sony, Philips, Matsushita/Panasonic, Hitachi, Sharp, Samsung, NEC, IBM, LG, Thomson/RCA and Toshiba. The CELF was previously discussed on Slashdot. Mirrors at Silicon.com and CNet News."

4 of 263 comments (clear)

  1. Close! by El · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Actually, Embedded Linux is the present! I am this very minute putting the finishing touches on embedded Linux code shipping in a projector! Sorry, WindRiver -- guess you aren't the Micro$oft of the embedded world after all!

    --

    "Freedom means freedom for everybody" -- Dick Cheney

  2. Good news by geekmetal · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Low cost and the freedom to tweak the software are reasons why eight of the world's largest consumer electronics makers, including the numbers one and two Sony Corp and Matsushita of Japan, have set up an alliance to develop and promote Linux for consumer electronics products, last month.

    I just hope all these corporation continue to respect GPL and not find a way to tear Linux apart. Just a little caution needed after what happened to UNIX.

    --
    There are two kinds of egotists: 1) Those who admit it 2) The rest of us
    1. Re:Good news by garcia · · Score: 3, Insightful

      the big problem (and the reason that the companies are using it) is that they can exploit Linux for their own financial gain without giving us anything back.

      While it's nice to say that Linux runs these devices, I would also like to see that fucking code get into the kernel somehow.

      The reason Linux is as good as it is is because of the community. Linux programmers made the kernel the way it is OPENLY.

      These companies are going to use what has already been developed and then they aren't going to continue adding those features to the kernel to be worked on by others.

      Again, I am glad to see Linux is running these things, but I would prefer that Linux be made better openly by these companies embracing it.

    2. Re:Good news by jellomizer · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Woah there Cowboy. Their actually helping Linux without ever returning a line of code. The main barriers that are holding back Linux are not technical but social issues. The truth is most people don't care about the license just as long it is not to restrictive. But people have a tendency of following the leader (Or those big companies) when possible. With a lot of the Big boys using Linux it is helping get the word out about Linux and as well in the far future when these imbedded devices start to really standardize Linux has a better chance of being ported to meet the standards then any property format. Once standardization occurs Linux is there to stay in the imbedded market just like Windows is on the Desktop (I Feel imbedded electronics will replace desktops as a common means of computing far faster then it will take linux to win on the desktop). So basically every one who uses Linux is supporting it, even if they are not giving all their code to the public.

      --
      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.