| Arno Wagner 2007-07-30, 7:15 am |
| In comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage Grinder <grinder@no.spam.maam.com> wrote:
> Arno Wagner wrote:
[vbcol=seagreen]
> I'm not trying to jump into your on-going dispute/debate, but I'm
> curious as to what you mean by the statement above.
> Isn't "embedded Linux" a "full Linux kernel" running on a dedicated
> device? I thought that the footprint of such systems were reduced by
> paring away libraries, not the most basic part of the OS--the kernel.
Well, it is gradual. For example, I can take my Linux-based
router, add some storage and have a full Linux system with
memory protection and everything. On the other hand, an
embedded Linux system has a reduced kernel with features missing,
typically no MMU, sometimes no filesystem write support, very
limited communication channel or none at all, etc..
> See this, possibly non-authoritative, remark from wikipedia:
> | Embedded Linux systems combine the Linux kernel with a
> | small set of free software utilities.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embedded_Linux
Well, with that definition if I delete most of my installation
on my PC, I have an instant embedded system. Not really helpful.
True, if you go at this from were it is being used, you will
end up with such a definition. But to distinguish it from
ordinary installations, you have to require the significantly
reduced kernel functionality. After all WinCE is not a full
Windows with just less software installed.
Arno
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