AMPRO EMBEDDED LINUX FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

architecture processors, only. Currently supported CPUs and chipsets include: " AMD Geode" LX 800 " Intel® Pentium®/Celeron® M/LV/ULV, Core" Duo, and Core" 2 Duo CPUs, with Intel 915GME/945GME/965GME chipsets and IHC6M/IHC7M/IHC8M I/O controller hubs, as appropriate Why Ubuntu?<br><br> There are hundreds o5 versions o5 Linux, including embedded-speci c distributions like TimeSys, MontaVista, and Wind River Linux. They 9re all derived 5rom common core Linux components, such as the standard Linux kernel (5reely available 5rom www.kernel.org), several graphical application environments (GNOME, KDE, etc.), various system utilities and tools, both 5ree and proprietary device drivers, and thousands o5 application programs. Ubuntu is the most popular 5ree Linux these days; it is very well supported by the world-wide Linux community and is also backed by Canonical Ltd (although not in the embedded market).<br><br> Ubuntu Linux is available in several variations, including 5ull-blown desktop and server variants, as well as a new version targeting mobile and embedded applications (Ubuntu Mobile & Embedded, aka cUME d). Additionally, Intel has selected Ubuntu to provide embedded Linux support 5or its new Atom processors and related chipsets (5ormerly codenamed AMPRO EMBEDDED LINUX FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS © 2008 Ampro Computers, Inc.April 2008 1 cMenlow d), in conjunction with the Intel-sponsored Moblin.org project. Ubuntu 9s meteoric rise in popularity among embedded developers is 5urther evidenced by recent survey data collected by the popular embedded Linux website, LinuxDevices.com.<br><br> Preliminary results 5rom the site 9s 2008 Reader Survey suggest that Ubuntu is the most popular commercially-backed Linux distribution, ranking 5ourth behind the uClinux, Debian, and kernel.org community projects in popularity, with 8.2 percent o5 respondents embedding Ubuntu over the last two years, and nearly 10 percent planning to do so over the next two. cThis rapid adoption curve is all the more remarkable given that it 9s only the second year we 9ve asked about Ubuntu, d notes LinuxDevices executive editor Henry Kingman. Another bene t o5 Ubuntu is its simple, yet power5ul so5tware update in5rastructure, APT, which enables quick and easy so5tware installation, updates, and security patches.<br><br> Finally, Ubuntu is a completely 5ree and open-source OS, availing developers o5 easy access to source code and minimizing device costs. What 9s included in Ampro Embedded Linux? The Ampro Embedded Linux will be ofered in two versions, both derived 5rom Ubuntu packages: a Reduced- 5ootprint Version with minimal 5unctionality, and a Full-5eatured Version that adds complete desktop Linux capabilities.<br><br> Reduced-footprint version This version was created starting 5rom the Ubuntu 7.10 Alternative CD distribution. It is based on the Ubuntu Linux 2.6.22 kernel. To this Ampro added: " Selected standard Ubuntu desktop packages " The Fluxbox (rather than GNOME) graphical application 5ramework " Selected packages 5rom UME (Ubuntu Mobile & Embedded) " The 2.6.23.9 and 2.6.23.9-rt Linux kernels, downloaded as source 5rom kernel.org and compiled by Ampro The Reduced-5ootprint install comprises approximately 700 total packages.<br><br> All packages come 5rom standard Ubuntu repositories except 5or the two extra kernels (as noted above). It installs to just over 1GB 5or development, but once the desired so5tware con guration is 5rozen, the static portions can be reduced to less than hal5 that size by converting /usr, etc., to squash5s loopback. Consequently, it 9s possible to t the operating system plus applications in less than a 1GB target drive.<br><br> De5ault packages include: " apt-get package management " X Window System 5rom Xorg project " Ubuntu Mobile/Embedded GUI (as used by the Intel moblin.org project) " Web browser (small-5ootprint browser using Mozilla Fire5ox technologies) continued from p. 1 © 2008 Ampro Computers, Inc.April 2008 2 continued from p. 2 " ssh and sshd support " Most conventional Unix daemons and system tools " Automatic kernel driver installation 5or PCI devices (udev) " USB hotplug (udev) " sox (including play command) 5or audio testing The system boots (via a user-modi able GRUB menu) into a cdesktop d similar to the one shown on Moblin.org 9s UI Framework page.<br><br> The system supports touch 5unctionality, allowing a system such as an Ampro ReadyPanel" to behave like an industrial-strength UMPC (ultra-mobile PC) or MID (mobile Internet device). So, 5or example, you can use touch to select an on-screen so5t QWERTY keyboard and open up a console and type various Linux commands, or click on the Mobile Browser to browse the Web, view Google maps, or play YouTube videos. Full-featured version This version is nearly identical to the standard Ubuntu GNOME installation, but with the addition o5: " Any packages common to the Reduced-5ootprint version that are not part o5 the standard Ubuntu GNOME distribution " The 2.6.23.9 and 2.6.23.9-rt Linux kernels, downloaded as source 5rom kernel.org and compiled by Ampro The Full-5eatured version o5 Ampro Embedded Linux can be used as a more complete target OS 5or OEM embedded applications.<br><br> It can also be used as a development system 5or developing and debugging applications targeting boards or systems using the Reduced-5ootprint version, since it contains the same UME extensions, specially selected Ubuntu packages, and kernel.org kernels that are present in the Reduced- 5ootprint version o5 Ampro Embedded Linux. How do you install it? The user boots the target board 5rom the Ampro Embedded Linux DVD.<br><br> This DVD provides enough o5 an OS to write one or many target USB or IDE hard drives. Once the board boots 5rom the DVD, the user types a command to begin the installation o5 either the Embedded or Full-5eatured OS onto the target drive, as indicated in readme les on the disk. Incidentally, the initial bootup o5 the DVD is handled by the cSystem Rescue CD d code 5rom sysreccd.org.<br><br> When will it be available? Ampro Embedded Linux, currently derived 5rom Ubuntu 7.10 packages, will ship within 30-45 days in the QuickStart Kits 5or most o5 Ampro 9s single-board computer (SBC), computer-on-module (COM), and system products. Note: The initial release is limited to the Reduced-footprint version.<br><br> With a next-generation Long Term Support (LTS) version o5 Ubuntu Linux, version 8.04, due 5or release soon, Ampro has scheduled an Ampro Embedded Linux update 5or about two months 5ollowing the initial release. The update, based on Ubuntu 8.04 LTS packages, will include both the Reduced-5ootprint and Full-5eatured versions o5 the OS. © 2008 Ampro Computers, Inc.April 2008 3 continued from p.<br><br> 3 How much does it cost? Ampro Embedded Linux is being added at no extra cost to Ampro 9s SBC, COM, and system QSKs. Additionally, there are no runtime royalties.<br><br> Where can I get source code? Ampro Embedded Linux is 5ree, open source so5tware released under the GPL, LGPL, and other open source licenses. Complete source code is readily available to recipients o5 Ampro Embedded Linux 5rom the Ubuntu and kernel.org repositories using tools included in the distribution, or in DVD by contacting Ampro technical support.<br><br> © 2008 Ampro Computers, Inc.April 2008 4 5215 Hellyer Ave San Jose, CA 95138 For more in5ormation: P: 408.360.0200 F: 408.360.0222 E-mail: sales@ampro.com www.ampro.com

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