From:	 LinuxDevices.com <newsletter@linuxdevices.com>
To:	 lwn@lwn.net
Subject: Embedded Linux Newsletter for Feb. 14, 2002
Date:	 Wed, 13 Feb 2002 21:55:47 -0800

      WELCOME TO THE LINUXDEVICES.COM EMBEDDED LINUX NEWSLETTER 
                          February 14, 2002
       by Rick Lehrbaum -- Executive Editor, LinuxDevices.com
  
                        (online html version)
     http://www.linuxdevices.com/files/newsbriefs/feb14-02.html


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_____________________ * * * TOP STORIES * * * ____________________

SUN AGGRESSIVELY BROADENS SUPPORT FOR LINUX
In a major Linux strategy announcement, Sun Microsystems aligned
itself last week with Linux stalwarts IBM and Hewlett-Packard by
throwing its weight behind Linux.  Seeking further insight into
Sun's big Linux announcement, LinuxDevices.com spoke with Vivek
Mehra, VP and General Manager of Sun's Cobalt Server Appliance
business unit.

*  SUN PRESS RELEASE ON LINUX STRATEGY
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS9126310378.html

*  INTERVIEW WITH SUN EXEC:  "THIS IS A WAR AGAINST MICROSOFT"
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS8586946941.html

PREEMPTIBLE KERNEL PATCH MAKES IT INTO LINUX KERNEL V2.5.4-PRE6
The preemptible Linux kernel patch that was originally introduced
by MontaVista Software and more recently championed by Robert Love
has been merged by Linus Torvalds into the main linux
development-kernel tree, beginning version v2.5.4-pre6. This adds a
far greater degree of real-time responsiveness to the standard
Linux kernel, by reducing interrupt latencies while kernel
functions are executing. 

*  ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT V2.5.4-PRE6 WITH COMMENTS BY ROBERT LOVE
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS3989618385.html

*  A RECENT INTERVIEW WITH ROBERT LOVE ABOUT THE PREEMPTIBLE KERNEL
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT8267298734.html

*  A WHITEPAPER ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY BY MONTAVISTA
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT4185744181.html


____________ * * * OTHER NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS * * * ____________

INSTALLING LINUX ON YOUR PALMOS DEVICE
In a fit of unrestrained recklessness, Jay Staton is smitten by an
adventurous urge and decides to try installing Linux on his
Handspring Visor PDA. 
http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT9116639287.html

A MINI-REVIEW OF SOME MINI-APPS FOR THE ZAURUS
Jerry Epplin tries out a collection of commercial mini-apps for
Sharp's Linux-based Zaurus PDA which have recently been released by
theKompany.com.  The apps include a file manager, editor, chat
client, and more.
http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT7091060803.html

UCLINUX/UCSIMM ORIGINATORS FORM NEW STARTUP
Subsequent to Lineo's recent decision to divest itself of several
"non-core" product lines, the original founders of Rt-Control Inc.,
which was acquired by Lineo in February 2000, have formed a new
company called Arcturus Networks. Rt-Control and its founders were
notorious as the creators of the tiny uCsimm SBC and its companion
(and now highly popular) Linux operating system, uClinux.
http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS7343024304.html

ARM-BASED MODULES FIT EMBEDDED LINUX IN 4 SQUARE INCHES
Technical Solutions Inc. announced a tiny 2 x 2 in. module that
contains an ARM RISC processor, RAM, boot memory, Flash storage,
and comes with Linux preinstalled and ready to run.  The module is
intended for embedded systems, mobile devices, and Internet
appliances.
http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS2804163961.html

TALK TO FOCUS ON FUTURE AND OUTLOOK OF EMBEDDED LINUX
Toris Martin, software technical engineer at ParaSoft, will address
the February 19 Bay Area Linux Users Group (BALUG) Forum in San
Francisco on the topic:  "Embedded Systems and Linux: Possibilities
and Precautions".
http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS5823869055.html

RED HAT ANNOUNCES COMPILER SUPPORT FOR NEW SUPERH SH-5 PROCESSOR
Red Hat and SuperH Inc. announced that they are working together on
a compiler for the new 64-bit SuperH SH-5 processor. The Red Hat
GNUPro compiler is a commercial software development suite of tools
built around the open source GNU standard. 
http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS7535294443.html

INTEL UNVEILS XSCALE-BASED PROCESSORS FOR WIRELESS DEVICES
Intel introduced a new family of microprocessors specifically
designed to bring high performance and long battery life to
wireless communications devices. The new processors are based on
the Intel XScale technology and will power multimedia cell phones,
handheld computers, in-vehicle (telematics) systems and other
wireless Internet products.

*  INTEL PRESS RELEASE ABOUT THE NEW PROCESSORS
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS9969419224.html

*  MONTAVISTA ANNOUNCEMENT OF EMBEDDED LINUX FOR THE NEW PROCESSORS
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS7075132329.html

STARTUP'S "OPEN" SOFTWARE PLATFORM FOR PERSONAL ROBOTICS RUNS LINUX
Evolution Robotics, Inc. unveiled what it hopes will become the
dominant open software platform for the personal robotics industry.
 The new software platform is initially only available on Linux.
http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS8898398036.html

AMD ACQUIRES SYSTEM-ON-CHIP STARTUP ALCHEMY SEMICONDUCTOR
AMD announced that will acquire Alchemy Semiconductor, a maker of
MIPS-based embedded processors.  This gives AMD, which eliminated
embedded processors from its product line last year, a strong
competitor to Intel's StrongARM and XScale processors and puts AMD
squarely back in the embedded market.  Alchemy's AU1000
system-on-chip is well supported on Embedded Linux.
http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS5466074271.html

GPL TELEPHONY PROJECTS GNU BAYONNE AND PREVIKING MERGE
Effective February, 2002, the GNU Bayonne telephony project has
been merged with PreViking, another GPL'd telephony server. 
http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS6520633003.html

TRANSVIRTUAL INTRODUCES NEW DEVICE OPERATING ENVIRONMENT
Transvirtual has announced the availability of XOE, a set of tools
for developers to build, deploy, and run XML applications and Web
services on resource-limited devices such as PDA's, mobile phones,
and other consumer electronics.  XOE includes an extensible
browser, rendering architecture, and Web services engine.
http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS4739792631.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-PDAs AND PDA-LINUX
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT8728350077.html


_______ * * * THE 2001 EMBEDDED LINUX MARKET SURVEY * * * _______

As part of our continuing efforts to support the rapidly growing 
Embedded Linux Market, we are pleased to announce the online 
2001 Embedded Linux Market Survey.  The survey, which is 
structured in three parts, asks developers of Linux-based 
embedded systems and intelligent devices to anonymously provide 
information about their applications, their embedded Linux OS 
requirements and preferences, and the perceived advantages and 
disadvantages of using Linux in embedded applications.  

*  Please vote here . . .
   http://www.linuxdevices.com/cgi-bin/survey/survey.cgi


____________________* * * 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/jan31-02.html
  http://www.linuxdevices.com/files/newsbriefs/jan24-02.html
  http://www.linuxdevices.com/files/newsbriefs/jan17-02.html
  http://www.linuxdevices.com/files/newsbriefs/jan10-02.html
  http://www.linuxdevices.com/files/newsbriefs/jan03-02.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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