Introduction

MontaVista has developed a hard real-time fully preemptable Linux kernel, based on Linux kernel 2.4. The preemptable kernel has the potential to dramatically improve application responsiveness of the Linux kernel, while fully preserving the standard Linux programming model. (more…)

For many in the Linux community, WAP — the Wireless Application Protocol — leaves a bittersweet taste because of its semi-open nature. The WAP forum is an elitist club for telecommunication giants that requires $27,500 up front and does not promote open discussion about its specifications. (more…)

In this statement by Eirik Eng and Matthias Ettrich of Trolltech, the Eng and Ettrich review the history of Qt's licensing and describe the thought process that led to Trolltech's decision to add an option of GPL licensing to Qt. Eng and Ettrich write . . . (more…)

M-Systems and LynuxWorks today announced support for M-Systems' DiskOnChip flash storage technology under LynuxWorks' BlueCat Linux embedded OS. DiskOnChip supports the harsh environments and other embedded requirements of embedded computing applications ranging from military systems to Internet appliances. (more…)

Since the editorial by Eirik Eng on freshmeat.net on July 1st we have received many comments on our stance in the licensing discussions concerning the QPL and the GPL. As mentioned in that editorial we have been actively working for some time to make the QPL compatible with the GPL. (more…)

Making Qt available under the GPL makes it legal to take an existing GPL-covered program and adapt it to work with Qt. It also provides a way to resolve one of the free software community's long-standing problems, the problem of the ethical and legal status of KDE. (more…)

Somerville, MA — (press release) — iRobot Corporation announced today the first multi-purpose domestic robot that can be controlled through a web browser from anywhere in the world. This revolutionary product, called the iRobot-LE, gives its owners on-demand remote eyes and ears into their homes. (more…)

Richard Stallman, of the Free Software Foundation, has issued a statement regarding the recent move by Trolltech to add a GPL license option to Qt, and the implications of that change in Qt status on KDE. Stallman's statement is interesting in that it helps to clarify the GPL license and the issues associated with using GPL libraries with non-GPL software. (more…)

Santa Rosa, CA — (press release) — The Embedded Linux Consortium (ELC) will hold its first Interactive Member Review during the Embedded Systems Conference 2000 later this month. Scheduled for Wednesday, September 27, 2000, the invitation-only lunch event will feature a perspective on the state of embedded Linux by Rick Lehrbaum, Executive Editor of ZDNet's LinuxDevices.com. (more…)

Remember the Z80? Remember Zilog? No, Zilog hasn't announced embedded Linux for the Z80. But what the company has done, however, is unveil an effort to “reinvent” the popular (Z80-derived) Z180 as an embedded Internet processor. How? By releasing a comprehensive embedded Internet software suite that will be bundled with Z180 CPUs at no extra cost. (more…)

San Francisco, CA — (press release) — CMP Media today announced that a debate focusing on the pros and cons of “free,” or open source, software and its role in the embedded industry will be an opening day highlight of the Embedded Systems Conference (ESC). Moderated by Michael Barr, editor-in-chief of Embedded Systems Programming magazine, the panel will pit four embedded software experts against each… (more…)

Lindon, UT — (press release) — Lineo today named Bob Waldie as Chief Operations Officer. Effective immediately, Waldie will be accountable for many of Lineo's day-to-day operations. Waldie comes to Lineo from Moreton Bay, based in Brisbane, Australia, where he was founder and CEO. (more…)

Trolltech has just announced that the upcoming version of Qt/Unix 2.2 has a new license option: the GNU General Public License (GPL). The GPL option will be added to Trolltech's customary “Q Public License” (QPL), which had not been fully accepted by the open source community. Additionally, as in the past, Trolltech will also sell non-GPL Qt licenses to companies who want to create proprietary (closed… (more…)

The KDE Core Team has posted an “official” response to the recent avalanche of “. . . and the winner is . . .” attention generated by the launch of the GNOME Foundation at LinuxWorld (story). The KDE Core Team writes . . . (more…)

Editor: This IBM announcement comes roughly six weeks after a similar announcement of a $200M IBM Linux initiative in Europe (story). That's nearly half a billion dollars of non-US Linux investment by IBM over the next four years! Here is IBM's current announcement . (more…)