Brian's Own Embedded Linux, or BOEL as it is affectionately known, was created as part of the SystemImager Project. SystemImager is a tool used for, well, imaging systems and distributing live updates. Part of the imaging process involves booting a client machine in such a way that its hard disks are not in use and are therefore available for manipulation. (more…)

In the first two articles of this series (see “Real Time and Linux, Part 1” and “Real Time and Linux, Part 2: the Preemptible Kernel”), we examined the fundamental concepts of real time and… (more…)

How do you build a thriving commercial software business out of software that's available under the GNU General Public License? Trolltech's strategy is to offer customers a choice: a GPL version at no charge or a version compatible with proprietary software at a fair price. (more…)

One of the most entertaining aspects of spending an otherwise exhausting decade conjuring a geeked-out, canoe-scale, Linux-based, amphibian pedal/solar/sail trimaran, is that every new twist in the project involves steep learning curves and, in many cases, spin-offs. (more…)

While most open-source projects are applications and utilities intended for single users, we did something different. We created an infrastructure project: a Voice-over-IP (VoIP) phone system that either can run on a single box attached to a couple of IP phones or can scale up to a network of hosts processing hundreds of calls between thousands of users. (more…)

In the March/April 2001 issue of Embedded Linux Journal (“All about Linux-friendly Single-Board Computers”), I traced the history of the embedded single-board computer (SBC) market from the early 80s to the year 2000. One interesting phenomenon during that period was the emergence and proliferation of the embedded PC architecture, which manifested in several… (more…)

Almost all Linux kernel device drivers work on more than just one type of processor. This only happens because device-driver writers adhere to a few important rules. These rules include using the proper variable types, not relying on specific memory page sizes, being aware of endian issues with external data, setting up proper data alignment and accessing device… (more…)

I'm a member of the LNX-BBC Project. The LNX-BBC is a business card-sized CD-ROM containing a miniature distribution of GNU/Linux. In order to fit everything we wanted on the roughly 50MB volume, we had to build every single piece of software from scratch and weed out unnecessary files. (more…)

ELJonline.com (a joint project of LinuxDevices.com and Embedded Linux Journal) has published the online version of the May, 2002 edition of the Embedded Linux Journal. As usual, the new issue is filled with interesting and informative articles on embedded Linux technologies and projects, including . (more…)

Socorro, NM — (press release excerpt) — FSMLabs Inc. announces the immediate availability of RTLinux/Pro DevKit 1.1, a 'no-frills', ready-to-run system for developing and deploying real-time and embedded applications. (more…)

An announcement from Samba . . .

A recent document released by Microsoft has led to some concern within the Samba community regarding patents and licensing. The Samba Team wishes to reassure the Samba community that this document will not have any impact on the use or further development of Samba. (more…)

Irvine, CA — (press release excerpt) — Linksys today announced a 'first of a kind' Instant Wireless Presentation Gateway (WPG11), that enables wireless PC users to project PowerPoint presentations and other data onto VGA-equipped devices such as multimedia projectors, monitors, and LCD panels without having to physically wire each PC to the projector. (more…)

Santa Cruz, CA — (press release excerpt) — Evans Data Corp. today announced findings from its North American Developer Survey indicating developers are much more likely to use Microsoft's .NET APIs or Sun's J2EE APIs for web services application to application integration than other methods but neither is dominant. (more…)

Philipp K. Janert provides a tutorial discussing how to use X11 'fully and effectively' in this online Linux Journal article . . . (more…)

Salt Lake City, UT — (press release excerpt) — SnapGear engineer Greg Ungerer has completed uClinux support for the new Motorola MCF5249 ColdFire system-on-chip processor, specifically for the M5249C3 development board. Patches have been made available for 2.0.x and 2.4.x versions of uClinux kernels. (more…)