CautionaryX - Slashdot User

Submission + - Linux Chosen for Next-Generation Space Hardware (spacemart.com)

Submitted by EraserMouseMan on Tuesday June 19, 2007 @01:15AM

EraserMouseMan writes: WindRiver has been chosen by Honeywell to develop a Linux-based solution to run on top of Honeywell's next-generation Dependable Multiprocessor for spacecraft.

"Any material put into space is subject to variable accelerations, mechanical shock and vibration, harsh vacuum conditions, extreme temperatures, and often, intense particle and electromagnetic radiation. Wind River Platform for Network Equipment, Linux Edition, running in conjunction with GoAhead SelfReliant Software, which provides high availability middleware, and Honeywell''s Dependable Multiprocessing Middleware on Extreme Engineering Solutions'' XPedite6031 boards, will support the demonstration of high availability and high reliability operation for the ST8 Dependable Multiprocessor experiment."

The relevancy and robustness of Linux is being recognized by the biggest players in industry for their mission critical needs. Is Linux finally being recognized as suitable for everything from putting men on Mars to defending our country?

Submission + - Joining an existing Open Source Project

Submitted by Tathagata on Tuesday June 19, 2007 @01:09AM

Tathagata writes: I have been using GNU/Linux for quite sometime now. Though I'm from Computer Science background, getting into a project that really involves you into programming was not possible, as people(read teachers) run away, if you utter the word "linux". Being least bothered about mentoring an exciting project, they would suggest you to get settled with visual basic, .NET, — and would prefer a 24 hour solution when it comes to programming.(I'm a student in my final year, from a West Bengal, India). So my programming endeavours have remained limited to writing few lines of C/C++, Java. For last few days I've been googling, and trying to read how to join an existing open source project, and avoid reinventing the wheel by starting yet another. I read people suggesting to start by submitting patches, fixing bugs, becoming package maintainer — but most are overloaded with jargon like upstream/downstream, nightly builds, etc. Added to that how does joining the mailing list, or irc channel help when you don't even understand their slangs, forget about the tech discussion? Distributed/centralised scm, track, bugzilla, launchpad, with sourceforge or freshmeat laden with an unlimited number of projects regarding everything you have ever come across — it quite an overwhelming world to step in. Could you suggest a road map, links to essential tools or a few projects, for people like me, who would want to improve their skills by contributing FOSS?

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