Linux Mobile System (LMS) is an implementation of embedded Linux for USB “thumb” drives that can boot most any x86 computer into a Linux environment. Unlike so-called “live CDs,” LMS allows files to be stored and information exchanged between systems. An an optional boot floppy is also available, for systems' whose BIOS can't boot from a USB device.

According to LMS co-founder Javi Roman Espinar, Linux Mobile System's (LMS) is aimed at the development of specific tasks such as network administration, security analysis of networks, and recovery and repair of host data. “The main idea is to carry all the potency of Linux and our tools in our own pockets, ready to be used,” said Espinar.

The project was born in the summer of 2001, when Espinar and co-founder Carlos Mancha registered the project with SourceForge.net. A “v1.0” release is available for download under terms of the GNU General Public License (GPL).

Espinar says that the currently available release is fairly limited. “In order to boost the project a very limited first version of LMS was created, which is currently available in the Network.”

Espinar lists the following characteristics for the development version of LMS currently in progress:

• RPM system of packages Fedora based, reconstructed in order to minimize space
• Startup in console or frame buffer mode to cover the greatest number of graphics chipsets
• Kudzu hardware detection, emphasizing detection of the greatest possible number of network cards
• Kernel Linux with the latest USB subsystem in terms of stability
• GRUB bootloader, with extra floppy disk for machines which don't have USB start up through BIOS
• Interactive configuration of network parameters during start up
• Utilities including: Busybox, TinyX, Blackbox lightweight window manager, etc.
• “LMS Factory,” a graphical pyGTK application enabling automation configuration and installation of the LMS system on the USB memory drive.

According to Espinar, the project plans several versions of LMS, which will be configurable using LMS Factory. These include:

• LMS only console
• LMS focused on network administration
• LMS focused on security
• LMS focused on hardware and system diagnosis
• Versions of above with storage partitions

Espinar comments, “The underlying idea behind LMS of using a specialized Linux distribution in these devices of growing [popularity] makes LMS a pioneer and innovative distribution.”

More information about the project can be found at SourceForge.net.

• Qplus — a highly configurable embedded Linux system
• GNU GRUB — the GRand Unified Bootloader
• PeeWeeLinux — a small embedded Linux distribution
• 2-Disk Xwindow Linux System
• BusyBox: the swiss army knife of embedded Linux
• EmLinux — an Embedded Linux distribution
• Tiny-X — a mini X Window server for embedded devices
• TinyLogin embeddable utility suite
• TINY Linux
• DiskOnKey platform offers hi-speed USB 2.0
• M-Systems adds bootability to DiskOnKey flash disk
• Pen-sized flash storage module plugs into USB ports

 
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