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Programming

Submission + - Embedded Linux Primer Review (geeksinside.com)

Submitted by
s1axter
s1axter writes: "Embedded system development is crucial in this day of high tech specialized appliances and devices. However much of the knowledge of embedded development resides in the heads of engineers who have been doing it for years. The hardware aspect of embedded systems is now available to the smaller startup companies, however many specialized, propriety operating systems are not. This is where Linux and the book Embedded Linux Primer: A Practical Real-World Approach enters. Embedded Linux Primer is written to introduce engineers and designers to using the Linux operating systems for embedded applications.

Prentice Hall's Embedded Linux Primer by Christopher Hallinan was published September 18th, 2006 as part of their Open Source Software Development Series. Very much like a textbook, Embedded Linux Primer is very informative and an excellent source of information for an engineer looking to enter or move to the embedded Linux field. The text is a decent size, with 537 pages spanning 17 chapters and 6 appendices; it retails for around $45 USD.

I had some reservations on reviewing a detailed technical book since most of the ones I have are dry and have a very segmented structure. However after taking a look at the sample chapter, chapter 7 "Bootloaders", available on the Prentice Hall website along with the table of contents for the text I figured I would give it a look and I am very glad I did.

Many technical books focus on a specific demographic in the technology world, mostly beginners or professionals expanding their knowledge base. I was quite pleased to see this text is written for both professional developers and emerging embedded engineers.

Professional engineers will find the text informative on the Linux operating system and how flexible it is to implement on even the most custom hardware. The author understands that a large number of embedded system engineers work with proprietary systems and explains items that might be new and different than these systems. For example Chapters 4-6 detail the Linux boot sequence and describe common pitfalls engineers new to the embedded Linux methodology might make. Chapters 8-11 dive further into the operating system and explain device driver creation, the important file system and how Linux handles volatile and non-volatile memory systems using the MTD subsystem.

Engineers starting in the field of embedded systems will find information on what an embedded system is in Chapter 1, processor and board comparisons in Chapter 2 and setting up an embedded environment for development in Chapter 12.

It is quite obvious throughout the text the author has an extensive in depth understanding of embedded systems and the inner workings of the Linux operating system. With such a deep understanding of the material an author many times explains items in such detail it clouds the mind of the reader. The first line in Chapter 2 says (paraphrasing) that the best way understand something is to understand the 'big picture' . This is exactly the approach the author takes through out the text, first explaining the theory and high level aspect of the system, then diving into the detail of how it is done on the low level. Also, rather than get sidetracked in chapters by explaining every processor attribute or software package, the author suggests external sources mid-text and in the "Suggestions for Additional Reading" at the end of each chapter.

For the first edition of a book, Embedded Linux Primer is rather complete, with the only exception being chapter 8, Device Driver Basics, which is...well, rather basic. I started the chapter expecting to finish with a detailed understanding of how the Linux kernel processes driver requests and a look into some common drivers. This is not the case; for a second edition of this text I would suggest beefing up this chapter to provide more of an insight into kernel-driver interaction.

Overall Embedded Linux Primer is an excellent source of information for both the seasoned professional and aspiring embedded engineer. I know that when I dive fully into the world of embedded Linux this book will have a permanent place on the bench right next to the spec sheets.

For those interested in this text, the Prentice Hall book page can be found here: http://www.phptr.com/bookstore/product.asp?isbn=01 31679848&rl=1
Sample Chapter "Bootloaders": http://www.phptr.com/articles/article.asp?p=674698
Geeksinside.com review link: http://geeksinside.com/review.php?r=3

*s1axter is the main poster for Geeksinside.com.
*Geeksinside.com is a DIY, hardware hacking, technology blog that showcases projects, reviews and technical links"
GNU is Not Unix

Submission + - Eight common misunderstandings about GPLv3

Submitted by
snoyberg
snoyberg writes: "To quoth the article: 'The official release of the third version of the GNU General Public License (GPLv3) is still a couple of months away, yet already, the misunderstandings about it are almost as numerous as those for the second version (GPLv2).'
Perhaps Slashdotters would like to hear what we've been getting wrong for the past era."
Operating Systems

Submission + - Gentoo's Graphical Installer is Unnecessary

Submitted by
mattb0611
mattb0611 writes: "Gentoo has long been a distribution aimed towards the power Linux user. It allows users to foray into the inner workings of their computers, emphasizing total customizability for optimal performance and minimum size. It is not for users who are looking for an operating system as soon as possible. With the release of this year's first Gentoo, 2007.0, comes an updated LiveCD featuring a completely rewritten GTK+ based installer, making installations more automated than was previously possible. However, isn't such an installer defeating some of the purposes of the distribution?"
Operating Systems

Submission + - Tux Logo on Indy Car

Submitted by AC77
AC77 writes: Marketing Linux has always been a tricky proposition. As a community, we have relied on corporations who have a stake in the Linux operating system to market Linux to the world at large. Today, we have an opportunity to change that, and make Linux marketing as much a community effort as Linux development. That effort begins with the Tux 500 project.

Our goal is simple: we want to collect community donations to enter a Linux sponsored car in the 2007 Indianapolis 500. We need your help! If less than 1% of the Linux community donates $1, this will happen... will you do your part? http://tux500.com/
Graphics

Submission + - ATI to go opensource ?

Submitted by BESTouff
BESTouff writes: As seen on Chris Blizzard's blog: The ATI marketing guy on stage (Henri Richard) at the Red Hat Summit just committed to fixing the ATI problems with open source. To paraphrase "most people are worried about what they will lose...IP, etc...we're worried about what we can win." They know it's a problem and they are committed to fixing it.
Privacy

Submission + - Chips on DVDs could prevent theft

Submitted by Kiralan
Kiralan writes: New technology designed to thwart DVD theft makes discs unplayable until they're activated at the cash register. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070509/ap_on_hi_te/te chbit_dvd_theft From the story: "A chip smaller than the head of a pin is placed onto a DVD along with a thin coating that blocks a DVD player from reading critical information on the disc. At the register, the chip is activated and sends an electrical pulse through the coating, turning it clear and making the disc playable." This appears to be a decent use of security technology, but what is the potential of this being the new DIVX?
Google

Submission + - Google Apps Problems

Submitted by
dawhippersnapper
dawhippersnapper writes: "Google's DNS has had major failures today for their Google Apps, I have not seen a reply from Google yet.

http://groups.google.com/group/hosted-the-basics/b rowse_thread/thread/ba884d5bf12c1704

This shows a list of some people experiencing the problems.

The problem is the Custom URL option uses a CNAME to change their hosted apps to ghs.google.com, then Google's DNS server routes it to the proper page. I believe the latter function is broken."
Censorship

Submission + - Uri Geller Using DMCA to Block YouTube Clip

Submitted by
There is No Spoon
There is No Spoon writes: "The EFF has filed a lawsuit against Uri Geller over his DMCA Takedown Notice targeting a YouTube clip critical of his claims of psychic powers. The video, which is twelve minutes long, apparently contains no more than a three second clip of Uri, which is the only part he could possibly claim copyright on. Thus, the EFF believes that this was a clear case of fair use and they are asking for damages, an injunction against Uri, and attorney's fees. Note that this is not the first time Uri has sued his critics, as one critic has pointed out, "[Uri] calls himself a psychic and has sued several people for millions of dollars for saying otherwise. His psychic powers were not sufficient to reveal to him, however, that he would lose all the lawsuits against his critics.""
Movies

Submission + - Jedi-Wannabes Flock to Charity Auction

Submitted by
An anonymous reader writes: Who would have thought Star Wars fans were such philanthropists? In the two days since a new "Making of Star Wars" book autographed by George Lucas himself was posted on The Books for Kids Foundation's charity auction website (www.sunshinegala.cmarket.com) bidding has been out of control. Now going for 33 times the opening price, it seems a new "Bid Wars" is in the making between "tolkienerd" and "drgelucasjr." Disclosure: I work for Books for Kids building libraries for under-served schools and communities.
The Almighty Buck

Submission + - Don't pump gas on the 15th!

Submitted by Rooked_One
Rooked_One writes: NO GAS...On May 15th 2007
I am liking this idea!

Don't pump gas on may 15th

In April 1997, there was a "gas out" conducted nationwide in protest of gas prices. Gasoline prices dropped 30 cents a gallon overnight. On May 15th 2007, all Internet users are to not go to a gas station in protest of high gas prices. Gas is now over $3.00 a gallon in most places. There are 73,000,000+ American members currently on the Internet network, and the average car takes about 30 to 50 dollars to fill up. If all users did not go to the pump on the 15th, it would take $2,292,000,000.00 (that's almost 3 BILLION) out of the oil company's pockets for just one day!

STICK IT TO THE MAN!!
Novell

Submission + - Silverlight on Linux? We're in, says Mono founder

Submitted by
AlexGr
AlexGr writes: "By Martin LaMonica (CNET blog) Miguel de Icaza, VP and head of Mono at Novell has said that the Mono open-source project will create a Linux version of Silverlight by the end of year. At the Mix '07 conference on Monday, Microsoft announced the ability to write Silverlight Web applications that run on Internet Explorer, Firefox and the Safari browser on Mac OS. The port will allow someone to use .Net languages to create Web applications that run on any Linux device or other platforms that Mono supports. Mono is an open-source implementation of portions of Microsoft's .Net Framework for building cross-platform applications. http://news.com.com/8301-10784_3-9714669-7.html"
Spam

Submission + - Project Honey Pot Announces Major New Features

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: Project Honey Pot has been tracking email harvesters and spammers for more than two years. This week they're announcing a major new set of features. Yesterday, they announced the QuickLinks program: which allows virtually anyone to help trap malicious web robots. Today they just announced they've begun using their vast network of traps to catch comment spammers. While the system has only been online for about a week, they've already racked up some impressive stats never published before including the top countries where comment spammers are located, as well as the top URLs, domains, and keywords being promoted by comment spammers.
Science

Cold Fusion Scientist Exonerated 171

Posted by ScuttleMonkey from the cold-hearted dept.
Icarus1919 writes "New Scientist reports that the scientist who discovered a possible cold fusion reaction by bombarding a solvent with neutrons and sonic waves has recently been exonerated of accusations of scientific misconduct following the verification of his results by another scientist."

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