Embedded Linux Newsletter

      WELCOME TO LINUXDEVICES.COM'S EMBEDDED LINUX NEWSLETTER 
                           October 3, 2002
                by Rick Lehrbaum -- Executive Editor

                        (online html version)
     http://www.linuxdevices.com/files/newsbriefs/oct03-02.html


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_____________________ * * * TOP STORIES * * * ____________________


"WORLD'S LARGEST DISPLAY" LIGHTS PARIS SKIES (AND RUNS LINUX)
Project Blinkenlights has transformed the Bibliothèque nationale de
France (in Paris) into what is claimed to be the world's largest
computer screen. The 520 pixel display, called Arcade, consists of a
matrix of 20 x 26 of the building's windows -- resulting in a giant
computer screen having an area of 3370 square meters. Every night
from now through October 5, Arcade will present an ever-changing
kaleidoscope of animations and interactive apps including Tetris,
which can be played by calling up the system from a mobile phone.
Those of us not fortunate enough to be located in Paris can view the
nightly antics of Arcade via a live Internet feed.
http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT2620409458.html


ARE NON-GPL LOADABLE LINUX DRIVERS REALLY *NOT* A PROBLEM?
This article by Kevin Dankwardt explores the issue of whether
non-GPL loadable Linux drivers are really not a problem. While many
Linux developers assume that binary-only drivers are acceptable,
there are growing technical reasons to avoid them. New features in
tools and in the Linux kernel hamper the acceptability of non-GPL
loadable modules. Also, the widely held belief that non-GPL loadable
modules do not violate the Linux kernel's GPL license, due to an
exception authorized by Linus Torvalds, is called into question.
http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT5041108431.html


A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF RTLINUX AND RTAI
This technical whitepaper by Ismael Ripoll is intended to provide a
detailed comparison between RTLinux and RTAI. Ripoll set out to put
together all of the relevant facts about both implementations, in
order to assist developers in deciding which approach better fits
their specific application's requirements.
http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT6209038218.html


VXWORKS TO EMBEDDED LINUX: A SUCCESS STORY
In this ELJonline article, Andreu Moreno and Agusté Fontquerni
chronicle their success in switching a student lab on industrial
embedded system development from VxWorks to Linux. The authors
created a customized embedded Linux distribution starting from Red
Hat 6.2, with the addition of a range of open source software
components and tools such as Busybox, TinyLogin, Etherboot, Boa,
etc.
http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT9732300500.html


VISUALIZING DATA IN REAL-TIME
In this ELJonline article, Bruce Johnson explains how real-time data
monitors differ from traditional debugging tools and are powerful
allies in the process of real-time software development.
http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT5140986999.html


TOSHIBA UNVEILS LINUX-BASED HOME ENTERTAINMENT GATEWAY PLATFORM
Toshiba America Electronic Components (TAEC) today disclosed details
of a complete integrated TX49 RISC processor-based reference
platform for entertainment home gateway applications. Five leading
companies cooperated in the development of the reference platform:
Lineo, Systemonic, Sigma Designs, Vweb, and Wipro.
http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS5012653488.html


NEW YOPY LINUX PDA ADDS BACKLIGHT, MEMORY, AND MORE
The European distribution partner of the Korean manufacturer G.Mate
has announced a new YOPY Linux PDA model, the YP3500. Compared to
the earlier YP3000, the new YP3500 increases Flash memory from 16MB
to 32MB, RAM memory from 64MB to 128MB, and adds a backlight to the
device's full-color quarter-VGA display.
http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS6829787504.html


VDC'S EMBEDDED SYSTEMS INDUSTRY BULLETIN -- SEPTEMBER 2002
This complimentary research bulletin issued by Venture Development
Corp. (VDC) provides a glimpse some of VDC's recent research
findings regarding the global embedded software market.  Charts show
the relative use of free vs. commercial vs. home-grown operating
systems, choice of compilers for generating smallest code size,
processor word-width, and software methodology.
http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS8818733587.html


OTHER NOTEWORTHY NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE PAST WEEK . . .

*  First Open Source Security Summit
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS4401444195.html

*  Open source PoPTop offers safety from Microsoft PPTP vulnerability
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS6151814400.html

*  Berkeley DB 4.1 enhances security, failover, throughput
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS8410508424.html

*  Qtopia 1.6 beta snapshots available
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS6642778278.html

*  RealVNC lives on
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS2672708394.html

*  Tutorial on Linux wireless networking
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS2921963720.html

*  Article on netfilter/iptables on Linux
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS9073676779.html


______ * * * FREQUENTLY UPDATED QUICK REFERENCE GUIDES * * * _____

*  EMBEDDED LINUX INTRODUCTION & OVERVIEW ("start here")
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT9888936014.html

*  EMBEDDED LINUX DISTRIBUTIONS
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT2760742655.html

*  REAL-TIME LINUX
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT8073314981.html

*  EMBEDDED LINUX GUI/WINDOWING SOFTWARE
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT9202043619.html

*  JAVA TECHNOLOGIES FOR EMBEDDED LINUX SYSTEMS
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT8918758707.html

*  LINUX-FRIENDLY SYSTEM-ON-CHIP PROCESSORS
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT4313418436.html

*  LINUX-FRIENDLY EMBEDDED SINGLE BOARD COMPUTERS
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT2614444132.html

*  LITTLE LINUX SYSTEMS FOR PROJECTS & PRODUCTS
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT2016997232.html

*  EMBEDDED LINUX "COOL DEVICES"
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT4936596231.html

*  LINUX-BASED PDAs
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT8728350077.html

*  EMBEDDED LINUX MARKET
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT5991623822.html


____________________* * * BACK ISSUES * * * ____________________

Missed a previous LinuxDevices.com Embedded Linux Newsletter?
No problem!  Here are back issues for the past month . . . 

  http://www.linuxdevices.com/files/newsbriefs/sep26-02.html
  http://www.linuxdevices.com/files/newsbriefs/sep19-02.html
  http://www.linuxdevices.com/files/newsbriefs/sep12-02.html
  http://www.linuxdevices.com/files/newsbriefs/sep05-02.html
  http://www.linuxdevices.com/files/newsbriefs/aug29-02.html


______________ * * * VISIT LINUXDEVICES.COM * * * _______________

Be sure to stop by LinuxDevices.com (http://www.linuxdevices.com)
-- "the Embedded Linux Portal" -- for the latest news, articles,
forums, companies, products, jobs, and buzz in the fast-moving 
"post-PC" world of Linux-based intelligent devices, Internet 
appliances, and embedded systems.


_________ * * * QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, SUGGESTIONS? * * * _________

     You can reach Rick Lehrbaum at:  rick@linuxdevices.com
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