Hello Wookey, Wookey wrote:
Yes, and I'm sure that I would contribute to this effort, as many of my contacts wtih small companies, are very interested in embedded linux, they just need a "cook-book", approach, where they can hire individuals to provide for their needs. The large companies, with IDEs, integrated development environments, which are now offering linux, such as metrowerks, are not really cost effective for a company that is going to batch produce a product in quantity 100-1000. The would be most likely, in my experience, to pay a consultant-coder, to do the work, for an hourly fee. Often these hour fees do not even equal the cost of a large supported IDE from a major player in the embedded linux space. What I'm saying is someone, like yourself, can build the software for their product, for a price that is lower than keeping a grandiose package on maintenance.+++ James Horton [03-12-16 11:04 -0500]:Wookey wrote: Hello Wookey,(hi James)How about a master list of arm processors, the port location, author/maintainer toochain, peripherals supported, version of Linuxkernel, device drivers available, etc etc. ALL specific to embeddedlinux ala-debian. That way somebody could quickly research what ARM chipsets to use for a new design, and the current state of the Debian-ARMTOOLS.That's a very good idea, thanx. Maintaining such a list is a non-trivial task,but it would certainly be very useful.
Arm, with their agressive strategies, and guys like Russell King, make it possilbe for small companies to innovate with embedded linux. It make too much sense for ARM to help the embedded linux(debian) community. But, If you look at MIcrochip, this is exactly how they have displace Motorola as the number one supply in the world of 8 bit microcontroller solutions.
Unfortunately, I do have to make a living. I do not think fingering one or two companies explicitly is beneficial, and could be most detrimental to my future income potential (wife, kids, mortage, .....) However, I would not disagree with your aforementioned finger.That said I am frequently asked to be involved in ARM-DEBIAN decisions by small embedded and manufacturing companies, because I have shown some cool products in the past. HOWEVER, it is an uphill journey every time. Most embedded vendors do not want to move to a 2.6 kernel base. I'm very tired of proprietary embedded linux marketing. I think this is an excellent place for ARM to set the standard, and what better platform than DEBIAN..... It not that a vendor offeing embedded linux is a bad idea, it's all of the crap that they inject, so as to make you think you actually needs their confusion to be successful with embedded linux.Indeed. People tend to forget this. Can you give me an example of the 'crap they inject' as I've mostly avoided the various embedded vendor solution in any detail. I recall lineo's config system was one such thing?
I know one company that has built and continues to innovate their products on uClinux, 2.4. However, they purchased the arm chip supplier (small+linux+ethernet+arm). Now they are abondoning support for embedded linux and refuse to support the 2.6 version of the kernel outside their own product development needs. And now they have a 'kit' for developers that is MIcroSuck based...... They sent me one...... (Several of their tech guys realize now that they, the chip company, has been purchased by spawn-of-satan. However, they are making lots of cash.......It's a real sad story for those of us who love embedded linux. The funny thing is if you go down Russell's list of ports, bingo, ther is their work, about 5 years ago. I pointed that out to one of their managers.....
This is so simple and could be an explosion of success for ARM and embedded-Debian. What you and ARM have is the chance to do exactly what MIcrochip did to displaced MOT at the leader of 8 bit microcontrollers. Support the little guys, the kids in high school and college, and the professional who are now unemployed and working out of their house, with embedded Debian-ARM linux solutions. Arm will continue double digit growth and success. Debian is well positioned to beMany of us do not have to the ability to only work on embedded linux or on a Debian development host. But, when we have a chance to use that (optimal) platform, it needs to be quick for us to come up to speed with the choices, the tool chains, and outsourcing options ( that is consulting dollars for persons who know this optimal platform better than I do, so they can save my bacon for some quick cash!)Agreed and noted.
the best platform for embedded systems development. Embedded Debian-ARM is a success story that is waiting to be told.....
Wookey
James