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GNU/Linux and Enlightenment Running On a Fridge
k-s writes "Linux, the GNU userland and Enlightenment and its foundation libraries (EFL) are known for their resource efficiency and flexibility, key components for embedded products. Today it was announced that such features led them to be used in a fridge that runs Linux and X11 with EFL. The Freescale i.MX25 based fridge by Electrolux (Frigidaire) provides the expected bits such as temperature controls and pre-set modes (vacation, party) as well as a special purpose drawer that cools your drinks and food with a beautiful UI. It also ships with handful applications for contacts, calendar, reminder, digital picture frame and even an illustrated recipe book from a famous Brazilian magazine."
So, Linux can now keep my beer cold, but can it bring me a cold beer?
...
sudo make me a sandwich
.... really , this is just crazy technology for its own sake. All I want from a fridge is to keep stuff cool. Thats it. I don't need a multitasking operating system to do that or any operating system at all in fact and nor do I need a fridge to tell me when I'm running out of milk - I can usually see that for myself thanks - or re-order stuff for me since I might not want the same things again the following week thanks.
A fridge IMO is one of the white goods in which the KISS principal definately should apply.
And this is why this is posted in /.
We're not "most people".
Well, it would be cool to have a list of contents with the date they were put in so you can keep track of things that need to be thrown out (useful for foodservice industry to keep only fresh foods on hand). A timer app to beep when you need to pull the turkey out in case your stove doesn't have a timer (I know my gas stove doesn't). Of course the recipe app they mentioned is a good idea. Temp contols aswell. An app that checks the compressor status and other things (like those industrial air conditioners they use in server rooms to track humidity and such) with suggestions for optimal performance at low power cost for your fridge like, "Hey don't hold the door open kid!" for my son when it detects the door has been sitting there open for 2 minutes. A passworded door lock so your kids don't try to climb in playing "hide and seek" or try to take a beer out when you go outside for 2 minutes. Any other cool ideas?
Whats a Fridge? By the sounds of the previous comments it sounds like my icebox, you know the thing that I put the big block of ice in to keep my food cold for a few weeks? Dunno about this whole fridge thing, sounds kinda flaky and unnecessary I mean you can't go wrong with an icebox can you? It's a box with a bit of ice. Nice, easy simple. And well we're on the subject you can keep your electricity and indoor plumbing, who wants to live in a house that can spontaneously catch fire or flood? Not me that's for sure.
I may agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to face the consequences of saying it.
*ring ring*
"Yes hello?"
"Excuse me, is your fridge running?"
"Yes, it has an uptime of over 3 months now."
"..."
*click*
I think I'm doing something wrong here..
You can find pictures here... http://www.electrolux.com.br/ikitchen_ra/
If it had KDE, you'd need a 3GHz i7 and a NVidia GTX480 just to open the fridge in less than a minute.
"A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of" - Ogden Nash
How does price/performance compare to a toaster running NetBSD?
Just trolling?
Source code for anything GPL isn't required to be given to anyone other than those who have a product containing it. If you bought a fridge, then you are entitled to the source to it. Seeing as I don't think they are even on sale yet, it'd be difficult for you to obtain the source code you desire. Even then, it'll only be an ARM linux kernel with some desktop widgets and a closed-source application for doing anything interesting - it's a bit pointless to even *ask* for it, to be honest. TomTom do the same - but they are generous enough to post the source for *anyone* to download, which they aren't required to do - and it's basically an ARM kernel and some open-source projects. Nothing vaguely interesting that we don't already have because that's all contained in a closed-source app that actually does the things like read maps and draw them.
... like 'Enlightenment 17 Final released'.
After all, it's only been in development for, what, 9 years or so? :-)
That better be one helluva desktop enviroment when they declare final release.
We suffer more in our imagination than in reality. - Seneca
A) Many modern fridges do have software, they just don't have much of a GUI. It's cheaper, more durable, and more energy efficient to build real controls instead of thermo-electro-mechanical systems.
B) You have to control the fridge with something. If you don't use software you need to use some equivalent piece of hardware that can break in new and exciting ways and is subject to the same sorts of design flaws. Plus it's really hard to apply a patch to your mechanical thermostat if it does turn out of to be flawed.
Apart from the first couple of days of owning the fridge to set the temperature to something sensible, in the last 6 years, the controls I've wanted to use are "defrost" (once). I can also see the use for the "just got home from supermarket, chill a bit more please" button, but it's not something I need as I'm close enough to the supermarket that my food is still cold when I get it gome.
Just wait until they start putting RFID or something similar on food packages - then it'll be easy to patch in a "take inventory" mode, and have it tell you what you're out of.
Or for some of us, maybe a "time in fridge" monitor to warn us when something has passed "somewhat stale" and is heading towards "biohazard"...
Don't tell me to get a life. I had one once. It sucked.
http://profusion.mobi/first_product_of_profusion_and_electrolux_partnership This fridge looks bigger than my car. Clearly it is a high-end "prestige" product. I think it is a bit silly myself, but whatever.
[Sir Garlon] is the marvellest knight that is now living, for he destroyeth many good knights, for he goeth invisible.
Nice pic of the GUI on Flickr
Looks like this appliance can do more than cool your food (see top left of image)