Building Embedded Linux Systems

Preface

When I first suggested using Linux in an embedded system back in 1997 while working for a hardware manufacturer, my suggestion was met with a certain degree of skepticism and surprise. Today, the use of Linux in embedded systems is no laughing matter. Indeed, many industry giants and government agencies are increasingly relying on Linux for their embedded software needs.

The widespread interest and enthusiasm generated by Linux’s successful use in a number of embedded applications has led to the creation of a plethora of articles, web sites, companies, and documents all pertaining to “embedded Linux.” Yet, beyond the flashy announcements, the magazine articles, and the hundreds of projects and products that claim to ease Linux’s use in embedded systems, professional developers seeking a useful guide are still looking for answers to fundamental questions regarding the basic methods and techniques required to build embedded systems based on the Linux kernel.

Much of the documentation currently available relies heavily on the use of a number of prepackaged, ready-to-use cross-platform development tools and target binaries. Yet other documents cover only one very precise aspect of running Linux on an embedded target.

This book is a radical departure from the existing documentation in that it makes no assumptions as to the tools you have at hand or the scope of your project, other than your desire to use Linux. All that is required for this book is an Internet connection to download ...