MontaVista says it will demonstrate a broad range of development tools for embedded Linux at the Embedded Systems Conference (ESC) next week, where it hopes to debunk what it calls FUD from analysts and competing RTOS vendors that embedded Linux suffers from a tools shortage.

“It's time to throw down the gauntlet,” says MontaVista Marketing Director Bill Weinberg. “Legacy proprietary OS vendors pretend that Linux offers only sticks and stones for embedded development.”

“Now, Wind River and others are retargeting their legacy shelfware and other dull-edged tools for embedded Linux,” continues Weinberg, who defines “shelfware” as products purchased by managers with little understanding of engineering needs, which are subsequently not used and merely occupy shelf space.

Weinberg asserts that many legacy RTOS tools are useless to embedded Linux developers, who work with an operating system better able to handle application bugs. “For years, RTOS suppliers have used tools offerings as a cover for inadequate commodity OS technology,” he asserts.

Weinberg's criticism of Wind River tools notwithstanding, MontaVista will announce on Thursday a partnership with long-time Wind River tools partner Real-Time Innovations (RTI). The partnership is expected to bring support for RTI's Scopetools to MontaVista Linux, beginning initially with ProfileScope, MemScope, and StethoScope.

“Wind River has a lot of useful tools, too,” concedes Weinberg, who cites WindView as an example.

Market research firm EDC in March 2003 suggested that the explosive growth of embedded Linux came despite “deep dissatisfaction” with available tools. However, LinuxDevices.com's annual Embedded Linux Market Snapshot for 2004 found slightly lessening embedded developer concern over tools.

A recent non-embedded specific study from EDC found that despite their image as geeks, most Linux developers prefer graphical development tools.

MontaVista in November launched its new DevRocket IDE, based on the Eclipse platform for cross-vendor tools integration. Wind River, meanwhile, is readying its own Eclipse-based tool: Wind Power 2.0 is expected to ship this spring.

MontaVista competitor LynuxWorks plans to unveil an Eclipse based tool at ESC. TimeSys, meanwhile, launched an Eclipsed-based tool in February, 2003. Traditional RTOS vendor QNX announced an Eclipse tool in June, 2003, adding support for Linux hosts in February.

 
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