Embedded (Linux) Systems: Beyond the Politics [SD Times]
Mar 1, 2002 — by LinuxDevices Staff — from the LinuxDevices Archive — viewsIn this article at SD Times, Steven J. Vaughn-Nichols observes that open source embedded operating systems can be a viable alternative to proprietary systems, but only under the right circumstances. Vaughn-Nichols writes . . .
“Before 1999, a development team's embedded operating system choices were pretty limited. Most companies simply 'rolled their own.' If they were looking for a packaged solution, they looked at the market leaders . . .”
“Then, along came Linux. Suddenly, not only were there many more operating systems and companies from which to choose, there were also two fundamentally different development and business models. According to Rick Lehrbaum, founder and executive editor of embedded Linux portal LinuxDevices.com, 'Embedded Linux has rewritten the rule book for the embedded software market. There are now several major players who didn't exist just two-and-a-half years ago, and who are right in there competing with the long-term players. Perhaps the biggest change is that now there are multiple vendors who are selling compatible products, something that never existed in the embedded software market before-not only that, but [they are] based on open source. If that isn't a major disruption to the embedded software market, I don't know what would be. And, it's not just disruptive; it's becoming big business.'”
“You don't have to take his word for it. Stephen Balacco, Venture Development Corp.'s senior analyst specializing in embedded systems, in his white paper titled 'Linux's Future in the Embedded Systems Market,' wrote that in 2000, 'worldwide shipments of embedded Linux OSes, software development tools, and related services reached an estimated $28.2 million. By 2005, VDC estimates that shipments will reach $306.6 million, a compound annual growth rate of 61.2%.'”
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