I am trying hard to avoid embedded stuff these days, but potential contract has come my way recently that needs some embeeded stuff. So whilst I am nutting out requirements I also need to put thought to software. I have made the descision that the software must be based on an OS and must have a c++ compiler. RTOS is not required. So the debate in my brain has been fired off. My first though was Linux. Then I decided that I dont have the time, nor the inclination to piss around customising a kernel to suit hardware. So then I though CE, with a BSP. This is very appealing, but means i need to sink another $5 per licence. IN saying that, all my tools are free as I already own them. Then again, if I choose a commercial linux vendor then i need to sink the cost of thier dev tools and support. Obviously cost and time to market are very important to me here. I have the linux resources, so knowledge is no issue. I also have the CE resources. So now I am wondering what choices I have as far as commercial linux vendors go. I want an OS with c++ compiler. It has to have solid commercial support, as I dont want my devs spending weeks on google finding solutions to problems that have already been solved. I needs to be cheap. It needs to work well and have a good reputation. I am happy to consider other vendors (non linux and ms) provided they have a good history. I have been burned before, so I am very cautions. I welcome all suggestions.
Commercial Embedded Linux Vendors
Started by ●June 11, 2008
Reply by ●June 11, 20082008-06-11
"The Real Andy" <therealandy@nospam.com> wrote in message news:mp9v44db3sqanjlakga245api79j9c6es7@4ax.com...>I am trying hard to avoid embedded stuff these days, but potential > contract has come my way recently that needs some embeeded stuff. So > whilst I am nutting out requirements I also need to put thought to > software. I have made the descision that the software must be based > on an OS and must have a c++ compiler. RTOS is not required. > > So the debate in my brain has been fired off. My first though was > Linux. Then I decided that I dont have the time, nor the inclination > to piss around customising a kernel to suit hardware. So then I though > CE, with a BSP. This is very appealing, but means i need to sink > another $5 per licence. IN saying that, all my tools are free as I > already own them. Then again, if I choose a commercial linux vendor > then i need to sink the cost of thier dev tools and support. > > Obviously cost and time to market are very important to me here. I > have the linux resources, so knowledge is no issue. I also have the CE > resources. So now I am wondering what choices I have as far as > commercial linux vendors go. I want an OS with c++ compiler. It has to > have solid commercial support, as I dont want my devs spending weeks > on google finding solutions to problems that have already been solved. > I needs to be cheap. It needs to work well and have a good reputation. > > I am happy to consider other vendors (non linux and ms) provided they > have a good history. I have been burned before, so I am very cautions. > I welcome all suggestions.If it's a new HW design you could base it on one of the many existing ARM boards that have a version of Linux running on it (e.g. Arcom, Technologic or one of the Atmel-based designs). You wouldn't get "commercial" support but as close to a stable embedded Linux version as possible. Most of these are Debian based so once you're past the kernel issues you're in fairly standard territory. Andrew
Reply by ●June 11, 20082008-06-11
On Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:35:26 +1000, The Real Andy <therealandy@nospam.com> wrote:>I am trying hard to avoid embedded stuff these days, but potential >contract has come my way recently that needs some embeeded stuff. So >whilst I am nutting out requirements I also need to put thought to >software. I have made the descision that the software must be based >on an OS and must have a c++ compiler. RTOS is not required....>Obviously cost and time to market are very important to me here. I >have the linux resources, so knowledge is no issue.You don't say what I/O you need, but we have had good experiences with cheap x86 PCs such as the eBox2300SX, see http://www.mpeforth.com/ngr.htm a few topics down the page. Power consumption is below 6w. Several people have Linux for these (including ourselves), and in volume they're really cheap. The nice part is that when that x86 clone goes obsolete, there'll always be another one. Otherwise, there are plenty of packaged ARM Linux boxes around. Stephen -- Stephen Pelc, stephenXXX@mpeforth.com MicroProcessor Engineering Ltd - More Real, Less Time 133 Hill Lane, Southampton SO15 5AF, England tel: +44 (0)23 8063 1441, fax: +44 (0)23 8033 9691 web: http://www.mpeforth.com - free VFX Forth downloads
Reply by ●June 11, 20082008-06-11
On Jun 11, 6:35=A0am, The Real Andy <thereala...@nospam.com> wrote:> I am trying hard to avoid embedded stuff these days, but potential > contract has come my way recently that needs some embeeded stuff. So > whilst I am nutting out requirements I also need to put thought to > software. I have made the descision that the software must be =A0based > on an OS and must have a c++ compiler. RTOS is not required. > > So the debate in my brain has been fired off. My first though was > Linux. Then I decided that I dont have the time, nor the inclination > to piss around customising a kernel to suit hardware. So then I though > CE, with a BSP. This is very appealing, but means i need to sink > another $5 per licence. IN saying that, all my tools are free as I > already own them. Then again, if I choose a commercial linux vendor > then i need to sink the cost of thier dev tools and support. > > Obviously cost and time to market are very important to me here. I > have the linux resources, so knowledge is no issue. I also have the CE > resources. So now I am wondering what choices I have as far as > commercial linux vendors go. I want an OS with c++ compiler. It has to > have solid commercial support, as I dont want my devs spending weeks > on google finding solutions to problems that have already been solved. > I needs to be cheap. It needs to work well and have a good reputation. > > I am happy to consider other vendors (non linux and ms) provided they > have a good history. I have been burned before, so I am very cautions. > I welcome all suggestions.MontaVista Linux would be a good solution. It is commerically supported and is supposed to carrier grade. -- http://www.EventHelix.com/EventStudio Sequence diagram based embedded systems design tool
Reply by ●June 12, 20082008-06-12
On Wed, 11 Jun 2008 18:11:55 -0700 (PDT), "EventHelix.com" <eventhelix@gmail.com> wrote:>On Jun 11, 6:35�am, The Real Andy <thereala...@nospam.com> wrote: >> I am trying hard to avoid embedded stuff these days, but potential >> contract has come my way recently that needs some embeeded stuff. So >> whilst I am nutting out requirements I also need to put thought to >> software. I have made the descision that the software must be �based >> on an OS and must have a c++ compiler. RTOS is not required. >> >> So the debate in my brain has been fired off. My first though was >> Linux. Then I decided that I dont have the time, nor the inclination >> to piss around customising a kernel to suit hardware. So then I though >> CE, with a BSP. This is very appealing, but means i need to sink >> another $5 per licence. IN saying that, all my tools are free as I >> already own them. Then again, if I choose a commercial linux vendor >> then i need to sink the cost of thier dev tools and support. >> >> Obviously cost and time to market are very important to me here. I >> have the linux resources, so knowledge is no issue. I also have the CE >> resources. So now I am wondering what choices I have as far as >> commercial linux vendors go. I want an OS with c++ compiler. It has to >> have solid commercial support, as I dont want my devs spending weeks >> on google finding solutions to problems that have already been solved. >> I needs to be cheap. It needs to work well and have a good reputation. >> >> I am happy to consider other vendors (non linux and ms) provided they >> have a good history. I have been burned before, so I am very cautions. >> I welcome all suggestions. > >MontaVista Linux would be a good solution. It is commerically >supported and is supposed to carrier grade.Cheers, thats the stuff I am looking for. The hardware I was intending to use is ARM based, but this entirly depends on dev tools and OS support. I need about 4 async serial ports, but could live with three. One of those ports might end up being bluetooth or usb for config, not sure yet.
