Matt Sherer examines some of the reasons why Linux is making large inroads into the real-time and embedded systems market, in this two-part series at InformIT.com. [Note: free registration required for access.] Sherer writes . . .

“As you might have guessed already, the primary focus of this article is the use of Linux for embedded and real-time systems. When it comes to open development and standards-based computing, Linux (and, of course, the Open Source/Free Software movements behind it) is unparalleled. In the server room, Linux has shown itself to be standards- compliant and flexible, and while this has been important so far, it will be only more so in the field of embedded systems.”

“When you're building an embedded system of any kind, you most likely are focusing on making sure that the system is flexible, has a low cost, and is capable of interacting with the rest of the world easily. Linux is well known for its flexibility and its capability of scaling from the smallest to the largest of machines with relative ease. As an OS, it is very modular, both in the kernel and in the rest of the needed system components, allowing you to mix and match pieces as needed. In terms of cost, most embedded systems have a very small margin for cost and software overhead; in many situations, adding the cost of a full OS license along with the computational overhead of a full OS on top of the system causes the overall cost of the system to skyrocket. Getting an operating system at little or no cost per unit can determine feasibility for the project . . .”

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