Run Linux on Your Palm
Although it’s not the Palm version of Linux that will no doubt blow our socks off when it eventually arrives, uClinux is a good way to play around with an alternative operating system on your Palm.
If you haven’t heard already, Palm is switching operating systems, and in the not-so-distant future, Palm-Powered will mean Linux-Powered, but with all the elegance and grace of the current Palm OS. It’s going to take a while, though. If you want to give Linux a whirl on a Palm right now, it’s quick and easy. You won’t get any of the graphical goodness you’ll eventually get with the future version of Palm OS, but you will have a chance to play around a bit and run this powerful operating system right on your little handheld.
Unfortunately, Linux doesn’t run on a lot of Palms. The good news is that it runs on a lot of older popular models, such as the IIIe, IIIx, V, Vx, and even some of the m series. You can usually find these Palms very cheaply [Hack #50] , so you can play around with this on the cheap. In fact, when I bought a used Palm Vx for $30, it included a USB-to-serial adapter, which was worth nearly the price I paid for both items!
Boot Linux on Your Palm
The simplest way to get Linux running on a Palm is to pick a well-supported Palm, such as the Vx, and download a binary release of Linux from http://palm-linux.sourceforge.net/. At the time of this writing, they had versions that worked with the m500 as well as a bunch of older models. What you’ll get is ...