[Sussex] Sky boxen / Embeded LINUX and NT

[Geoff Teale]

Steve Wrote:
============
> Didn't want to let you (or my public lol) down.

On form as ever ;)

> I take issue with the "heavily tweaked" argument. 
<Snip>

With Embedix you get a choice of kernels, for example, I have been told[1]
the process scheduling in one version of the kernel is actually quite
different from the stock LINUX kernel and another one only runs a single
user process (this is not uncommon on embedded systems). 

These changes are not just the public patches they are Embedix specific
kernel changes. 

When you buy Embedix you get all the normal GPL rights which include the
source and the right to change it and distribute it, etc.  However,
Embedix's changes are such that they cannot easily be folded back into the
stock kernel without breaking other things that Embedix doesn't use.


On your second point, yes I agree.  Linux is a self hosting system, which is
great and certainly the way the industry is going.  The windows platforms
are not _exactly_ the same, but Microsoft procide simulated environments for
WinCE, and NT Embedded to run on Windows NT / 2000 which do a very good job
as well.  Actually the most mature self-hosting platform out there is QNX
RtP.  They took their microkernel and made a whole desktop OS out of it.
QNX is freely available for non-commercial use (although the kernel a
handful of services are still closed source) and as such has actually built
up a fan base as desktop OS (although QNX developed these abilities purely
for developers).  Noteably there are almost as many window manager themes
that copy QNX's Photon desktop as there are Mac OS X's Aqua interface!

My conjecture is this people are moving to LINUX on embedded systems for the
same reason they are adopting windows: costs.  

You can hire a windows or LINUX C/C++ developer for <£40,000p/a.  

You can get (for example) a QNX C programmer for >£60,000p/a.

I don't think the technical arguement is even considered and the additional
hardware requirements to meet the base spec for these OS's is just passed to
the customers.

- Geoff

Footnotes:
[1]I haven't observed this myself but a friend who _is_ a kernel hacker and
works with Embedix moaned about it at great length to me over beers last
year) 

-- 
GJT
geoff.teale at claybrook.co.uk


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