linux for embedded solution or linux for small PC

H

Thread Starter

Héctor Sifon

I would like to experiment with linux for control application without expending to much becouse it is just for fun. I would like to write C
programs to run in a very little PC (386 but I going to develope on a bigger PC) using RS232 and paralel ports. the questions are:

where can I get suitable version of linux?
Should I think in linux for embebed solution and buy a developers kit (Eg. dragonball from motorola)? do you know some web site related? do
you believe I am wasting my time?

Thank you !!!!
 
Héctor Sifon:
> I would like to experiment with linux for control application without
> expending to much becouse it is just for fun. I would like to write C
> programs to run in a very little PC (386 but I going to develope on a
> biger PC) using RS232 and paralel ports. the questions are:

> where can I get suitable version of linux?

Normal linux can run on a 386, so basically any of them, just avoid the power-hungry packages like KDE or Gnome. The easiest way would be to use the same as on your bigger PC, because you already know it and have it.

If you want to go any smaller than 386, though, you'll have to get a special version (uClinux or similar) which doesn't need a MMU.

> do you know some web site related?

http://mat.sf.net is an open-source project to do automation under linux, which I'm involved in. If you'd like to join us, the more the merrier!

I believe there's already a simple parallel-port driver, and with RS232 it depends what's on the other end - Mario's just finishing the Modbus module.

> do you believe I am wasting my time?

If you do it for fun, and you're having fun, who's to say?


Jiri
--
Jiri Baum <[email protected]> http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~jirib
MAT LinuxPLC project --- http://mat.sf.net --- Machine Automation Tools
 
C

Curt Wuollet

Simply point google at "Embedded Linux" for vast amounts of information, portal sites and many embedded Linux distributions. Because it's Linux nearly everything is available for download. I favor X86 SBC's as the programming is less special and development can be done on any PC but, there are embedded Linux ports for almost any imaginable processer. And there are a lot of Open Projects for examples.

Regards

cww
 
R

Rokicki, Andrew

The way I learned was:
Loaded Red Hat into my old 486.
I started with just a hello world then kept going.

Don't skip on the hardware I know it can run on 386, but use up to date computer 586 233Mhz 64M up to date CD ROM. It could be a bit frustrating to setup old hardware.

One thing to remember when you do play with hardware you must be root user to access it or get a driver.
Once I started to use Linux I could not put it down.
At present time my company is using Linux as out PC control solution with great success. Give it a shot. If you get stuck there is plenty of help on the NET. ( "www.linuxdoc.org":http://www.linuxdoc.org )
Also get a good book. One I recommend is Beginning Linux Programming (Linux Programming Series) by Neil Mattew and Richard Stones.
Good luck.
And remember you can do anything YOU want with Linux.
 
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