[luau] another interesting thing I found on another list

[MonMotha]

Jimen Ching wrote:
snip
> 
> My second comment concerns Linux and embedded systems.  At my new job, I
> am now working with Linux on a single board computer (SBC).  These SBC's
> have PII processors (1.2Ghz), 1Gig RAM, Gigabit Ethernet, etc.  I hardly
> consider this an 'embedded' system.  Though we use this SBC for a very
> specific purpose, I have a hard time convincing myself that I am working
> on an embedded environment.  Of course, I have also worked on the
> Microchip PIC17X processors.  This is an 8bit processor (10Mhz), with 906
> bytes of RAM for data, 32K bytes of RAM for code.  The only communications
> with it is via a serial port or a JTAG emulator.  Comparing these two
> environments, its pretty clear which one is 'embedded'.
> 
> Every time I hear someone talk about 'embedded Linux', I just have to give
> off a little chuckle.  ;-)
> 

You actually can run linux on fairly small things (though a PIC is 
probably a bit too small).  My ipaq for example runs linux, as does my 
phone (http//www.tuxscreen.net -- sorry, sold out).  The phone 
especially feels rather "embedded".  16MB of RAM is plenty, but 4MB of 
flash can get a bit tight when squeezing in a full linux system with X. 
  The hardware is controlled and such.  It certainly feels embedded.

I can't say that I've done work with a microcontroller personally, but 
I've helped people work with them before.  Assembly is your friend when 
you've got less than 1k of RAM and only 8k or so for code :)

However, if you have lots of rom and ram, uClinux is always a 
possibility.  It doesn't require an MMU and lets you use a lot of the 
stuff you'd expect from a UNIXish OS without the fuss of doing 
everything by hand.

> --jc

--MonMotha
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