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Wind River Completes Embedded Linux Metamorphosis

Posted by Hemos on from the going-to-the-tiny dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Embedded software powerhouse Wind River's metamorphosis into an embedded Linux vendor appears to be complete. The company will announce today that it is shipping a pre-release version of its first embedded Linux distribution, and that it has already delivered 1,000 "developer seats" for the Carrier Grade Linux 2.0 compliant software."

7 of 107 comments (clear)

  1. VxWorks by lxdbxr · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I wouldn't say their "metamorphosis", if they ever purported to want or aim to do such a thing, is complete - I mean they are still selling VxWorks right? I believe the top four platforms on their Product Directory are based on VxWorks, not Linux. I think they can fairly be described as an embedded software vendor that supplies Linux platforms, rather than an "embedded Linux vendor".

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    1. Re:VxWorks by saider · · Score: 3, Insightful

      They still run VxWorks and then run something else on top. In this case, Linux. But VxWorks is still handling the hardware, etc. This is also how RTLinux works as well.

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    2. Re:VxWorks by Ungrounded+Lightning · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I think they can fairly be described as an embedded software vendor that supplies Linux platforms, rather than an "embedded Linux vendor".

      Right on.

      They haven't switched. (At least they haven't if the management is on the ball.) They've just added a new product line. Maybe it will pick up. Meanwhile the old standby is still there. Take your pick. Whichever way the market goes they're in the game.

      Now they're a two-trick pony.

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  2. Interesting move... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ...but is Linux really the platform for hard real-time embedded control? I like Linux as much as the next /.er, but it's not the ultimate solution for everything. VxWorks does something very different to most Linux boxes. Let's keep some variety in the world, so we can choose the tool for the job.

    1. Re:Interesting move... by sysadmn · · Score: 2, Insightful
      This is Slashdot, don't let the fact that you didn't read the article slow you down. The article, in fact, said
      Wind River has said that it expects PNE Linux Edition to popular with makers of telecommunications equipment who use Linux on the control plane along with VxWorks on the data plane, and that the platform would include middleware allowing Linux and VxWorks processes to communicate with each other.
      . So VxWorks does what it's good at - hard realtime, and Linux does what it's good at - general purpose computing.
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  3. Re:Nasa wont switch to Linux by Ungrounded+Lightning · · Score: 3, Insightful

    NASA uses VXWorks, it is one of thir best customers. They are very conservative, wont switch to linux.

    When you've spent billions hardening a technology to extremes of reliability, a single failure costs you hundreds of millions and maybe several lives, and the technology you've hardened is more than adequate for the next job, you'd be a fool to switch.

    You switch when the job can't be done without a switch, or when the benefits (including risk reductions) outweigh the costs and risks.

    It's when you're starting from scratch that older and newer technologies are on a nearly level playing field. When an old tech is in place and performing well the new one needs to have a BIG advantage to displace it.

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    Bantam Dominique roosters crow a four-note song. Once you've heard it as "Happy BIRTHday" you can't NOT hear it that way
  4. Re:4 words by ajrs · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Yours for only 5 days of developer time! < fast talk > maintenance and support not included. some restrictions may apply. some assembly required.