PALO ALTO, Calif. — LinuxDevices.com, the popular embedded Linux portal, today launched the web's first automated Embedded Linux Polls center. The online polls will track developer and user trends and preferences in the hot emerging market for Linux in non-desktop “embedded” system applications. These are non-desktop applications for computers where the device is not itself considered a computer, such as ATM machines, internet kiosks, industrial process control, medical instruments, and telecommunications devices.

“In contrast to the desktop PC domain” says LinuxDevices.com founder Rick Lehrbaum, “Microsoft doesn't dominate the embedded space.” “The big players, here, have until recently been Wind River Systems (VxWorks), Microtec (VRTX), Microware (OS9), QNX Software Systems (QNX OS), and Lynx Real-time Systems (LynxOS),” adds Lehrbaum.

“Although over the past year, Microsoft has made a strong play for the embedded space with a dual — though somewhat confused — approach consisting of both Windows CE and Windows NT Embedded, most embedded developers are wary of designing a Microsoft desktop or palmtop operating system into small footprint or real-time embedded applications where performance and reliability are paramount,” continues Lehrbaum. “Against this backdrop, the ability of developers to tune and customize Linux, in combination with its well known robustness, has made Linux a growing alternative to both the Microsoft Windows OSes and the traditional proprietary RTOSes,” concludes Lehrbaum.

Through its new Embedded Linux Polls function, LinuxDevices.com intends to measure and characterize current and future preferences and trends of embedded system developers. Like Linux itself, the polls data collected by LinuxDevices.com will be fully available for all to review once each weekly poll has closed. A new poll will be held each week, with the results of past polls readily available for inspection. Users and prospective users of Linux in embedded applications are encouraged to participate in the polls, which can be found at http://www.linuxdevices.com/polls. Companies or developers are also invited to submit proposed poll questions to LinuxDevices.com via email, at [email protected].

 
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