ecos

Posted by: andy

ecos - 14/08/2003 11:28

As I understand it the Karma runs ecos, which is a GPL embedded OS from RedHat. So I guess that means that the source of the ecos kernel used by the Karma will be available to those who want it.

Does this mean that the Karma will be "hackable" or is the hardware protected to stop people running their own code on it ?
Posted by: ricin

Re: ecos - 14/08/2003 11:48

Ok, going on a bit of a tangent here. Who's going to be the first to get a GBA working as a display for the empeg via VNC, or maybe some other way?
Posted by: robricc

Re: ecos - 14/08/2003 11:49

eCos uses the Red Hat eCos Public License.
OK, but what does this license actually mean?
You can use eCos to develop products without paying anybody anything, no matter how many developers are working on the product or how many units you expect to ship. This applies not only to the core system itself but also to any changes anybody makes to the core system.

A key aspect of the eCos public license is that it is intended to protect the eCos user community as a whole. It should prevent any company or individual contributing code to the system and then claim that all eCos users are now guilty of copyright or patent infringements and have to pay royalties. It should also prevent any company from making some small improvements, calling the result a completely new system, and releasing this under a new and less generous license.

The license does impose one obligation on application developers: you must include a notice with your product indicating that it makes use of eCos.
Posted by: peter

Re: ecos - 14/08/2003 11:51

As I understand it the Karma runs ecos, which is a GPL embedded OS from RedHat. So I guess that means that the source of the ecos kernel used by the Karma will be available to those who want it.
The version of Ecos we use is old enough to be under the old Red Hat Ecos Public Licence (RHEPL) rather than the GPL -- but the upshot is the same: yes, the kernel source will be available.

Does this mean that the Karma will be "hackable" or is the hardware protected to stop people running their own code on it ?
The hardware is protected. (Not that hacking stuff would be easy if it weren't: like most embedded "kernels", Ecos links statically with "userland" into one monolithic binary. Picking it out and patching in a new one is not the same thing at all as simply reflashing a zImage somewhere.)

Peter
Posted by: tman

Re: ecos - 14/08/2003 12:07

You'd have to use a GBA SP though as you'll crash the car trying to read the display on a normal GBA
Posted by: genixia

Re: ecos - 14/08/2003 17:19

Yeah, that would be cool. I've been looking at contenders for empeg extension, and the GameBoy Advance SP is on the list...at ~$100 I can't find a cheaper LCD solution. The other strong possibilty is a Sharp Zaurus. Although significanltly more expensive, it could double as a PDA! (I suppose that any PDA would be a contender...)
Posted by: DLF

Re: ecos - 14/08/2003 17:45

... at ~$100 I can't find a cheaper LCD solution
Neither could these guys.