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Mobile Linux Project In Ammo Canister
Chaosrider writes "Army Linux is a mobile development platform constructed from a 50-caliber ammunition canister. This site documents the development of an embedded Linux project, which features a backlit LCD screen, a VIA technologies Mini-ITX form factor motherboard and a 1U power supply. The site covers construction techniques, costs and hardware installation." The site also points to a similar PC-in-ammo-box project at Epiacenter.com.
..that this wouldn't be news at all if it ran say WindowsCE.
Come on, there is nothing special about a case mod.
This is almost as bad as that Apple Ie project..whoopdie doo..
In Soviet Russia, the television watches YOU!
A) None, B) no.
And sorry to break it to you, but people have been putting Linux in missiles, tanks, and all sorts of other deadly devices for years. I work for an embedded systems company and I do Linux developer support all the time for people in the defense industry. Once they figure out how to get some pseudo real-time behavior out of Linux, they are very comfortable with it.
So if we manage to stick a computer in your brain case? Then by your logic it isn't anything special.
Well..yes and no. See the thing is that in that case they are simply using the case. If for example they used a fully functional ammo container, with the ammo still in it, and it did something useful. Then yes, it would be newsworthy.
If for example it was a gun with Linux on it that kept count of bullets fired, barrel wear, ammo left in clip, average recoil per shot etc. That'd be cool.
In the case of the article, the original functionality is lost and replaced by a PC.
So your argument does not apply as stated. It would apply if you said "if we managed to stick a computer in your skull after removing your useless brain". Even then I'd say it's nothing special, although somewhat cool in a gothy sort of way..
In Soviet Russia, the television watches YOU!
Death is inevitable; what might matter is who dies when, and why. Some disagreements are worth fighting for, and cannot be solved any other way.
First of all, sticking a pc board in a box doesnt automatically make it 'embedded'.
... hohum..
"Embedded" is more about using cpu power in non-PC applications. its not about making small PC's
Secondly, so what? Those boards are behing shoved in all sorts of strange 'boxes'... This is just yet another
---- Booth was a patriot ----
Good thing Zefram Cochrane didn't listen to this when he built the warp ship. ;)
(I am making a point here...sometimes it's good to use old war materials for something more peaceful...)
--RJ
I don't think you can pull your code from linux, you can stop working on it.
But lets be honest this is not a military use of linux, its putting a board into an empty ammo box. Its no different than putting a PC motherboard into any other kind of strange box.
Personally I would like to see a very small and cheap linux server something about the size ofa large book, that I can drop onto my lan and use as a development database platform.
Erlang Developer and podcaster
Maybe that restriction would make the license better to some people, but not more free, which is the GPL's raison d'etre.