TV hacker's dream: the DMM Dreambox DM7000 -- Dream-Multimedia-Tv's "Dreambox" is a $395 Linux-based digital radio and DVB satellite (or cable) receiver with DVR functions and PC connectivity. A minimalistic, GPL'd Linux-based software implementation has made the DM7000 popular with Linux programmers and TV device hackers. The device's open-source nature has resulted in availability of dozens of plugins, from various conditional access (CA) modules to games and installation helpers. Find out all the juicy technical details behind this open source embedded Linux success story. Story
Coming soon to a space near you -- Linux-powered Sputnik? -- Sputnik is a wireless network management system based on Linux and embedded Linux software combined with commodity PCs and wireless access points (APs). It aims to bring Cisco-class network management and security features to wireless networks, enabling wireless Internet service providers (WISPS), community wireless service providers, educational campuses, and system integrators to centrally manage customer networks. Our Device Profile examines Sputnik's "Central Control" application, its "Sputnik Agent" firmware application, and the company's own uClinux based AP 120, the first Sputnik-enabled AP on the market. Story
Linux-based device controls uninterruptible power supplies remotely -- The UPSLink, from Sena Technologies, is a small device that enables the management of an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) on an open network. The device is accessed via Internet/SNMP protocols, to enable a smart UPS to be managed on the network by SNMP, a web client, or telnet. It supports 3-phase UPSes, providing real-time alarm notification by SNMP trap, SNMP notification, and email. Find out more technical details in our Device Profile. Story
Matchbox window manager for small X displays gains i18n, GConf -- Project Founder Matthew Allum has announced a new release of the open source "Matchbox" window manager and desktop for small, low-resolution X window displays. Matchbox 0.7 features optional international language capabilities (i18N) through Pango and GNU Gettext/NLS support, optional support for storing application preferences with GConf, and an automated regression testing suite. Matchbox consists of five main components: a window manager, a panel, a desktop, a shared utility library, and a number of small panel applications. Story
JFFS2 NAND Flash support arrives in stable Linux tree -- Good news: JFFS2's support for NAND Flash memory has been merged into the 2.6.0-test tree. According Red Hat's David Woodhouse, JFFS2 on NAND has received heavy testing under the 2.4 kernel, and is present in the handhelds.org kernel tree. This is welcome news for device developers seeking to reduce costs by using embedded Linux as the OS and low-cost NAND Flash for program and data storage. Story
Build a network router on Linux -- An article at IBM's developerWorks claims that the open source project Zebra offers a competent substitute for dedicated Cisco routers. It shows how a group of developers set up Zebra and used it to manage routes dynamically in conjunction with real Cisco hardware. Zebra can handle routing protocols such as Routing Information Protocol (RIP), Open Shortest Path First (OSPF), Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), and all of their various flavors, offering features similar to those found in Cisco's Internet Operating System (IOS). Story
OSDL releases blueprint for next-gen Carrier Grade Linux -- The Open Source Development Lab (OSDL) this week announced availability of its blueprint for the next generation Carrier Grade Linux: "OSDL Carrier Grade Linux Requirements Definition version 2.0 (CGL 2.0)." OSDL says the CGL 2.0 requirements definition, which was developed with key contributions from leading Linux distribution companies, will offer major advances in security, high availability, and clustering and defines more than 40 new and enhanced features to support Linux as a carrier grade platform. Story
MontaVista unveils enhanced carrier grade Linux -- MontaVista announced the next version of its carrier grade Linux operating system and development environment. According to MontaVista, version 3.1 of its Linux Carrier Grade Edition (CGE) OS adds support for several key emerging industry standards aimed at high availability and telecommunications applications, and also expands CGE's coverage of IBM's PowerPC processors. Story
Linksys GPL issues raise embedded concerns -- Forbes Magazine has published an article called "Linux's Hit Men" which suggests that the Free Software Foundation's legal efforts to enforce the terms of the GPL could intimidate companies and dissuade them from embedding software licensed under the GPL in their products. To gain greater insight into the situation, LinuxDevices.com interviewed open source guru Bruce Perens, who talked about the Linksys case, GPL concerns in general and specific concerns related to embedded development, and the attitude of the open source developer community relative to GPL violations. Story
Whitepaper: Organizational Policies and Open Source -- Organizations can benefit significantly from participating with Open Source communities and using the Open Source development model. But organizational policies designed to maximize resource utilization and ensure security can prevent an organization from effectively engaging with Open Source communities and fully realizing the benefits of the Open Source development model. Proprietary software development practices lend themselves well to hierarchical policy disciplines that place a premium on tightly controlling processes and resources. However, effectively taking advantage of the Open Source development model may require modifications to certain organizational policies. This paper explores organizational policies that can prevent, or can be modified to enable, effective engagement with Open Source communities or internal use of the Open Source development model. Story
Chips ahoy -- it's Microprocessor Forum week! -- LinuxDevices.com editor Rick Lehrbaum visited the event in San Jose, Calif., and brought back these stories . . .
Other noteworthy news items and announcements from the past week . . .
. . . and that's not all. Click here for the latest breaking news.
You can access 2003's newsletters here: Oct. 9, Oct. 2, Sep. 25, Sep. 18, Sep. 11, Sep. 4, Aug. 21, Aug. 14, Aug. 7, Jul. 31, Jul. 24, Jul. 17, Jul. 10, Jul. 3, Jun. 26, Jun. 19, Jun. 12, Jun. 5, May 29, May 22, May 15, May 8, May 1, Apr. 24, Apr. 17, Apr. 10, Apr. 3, Mar. 27, Mar. 20, Mar. 13, Mar. 6, Feb. 27, Feb. 20, Feb. 13, Feb. 6, Jan. 30, Jan. 23, Jan. 16, Jan. 9, Jan. 2
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