The last session traced the evolution of Open Source and its relevance to Embedded systems. It highlighted the most popular tools used by the Open Source community and shared some tips on how to build embedded devices through leveraging the power of this paradigm. The discussions also dealt with Intellectual property issues.

1. “Tracing the Evolution”
Open Source & Embedded Systems
Jayakumar Balasubramanian
Director, Emertxe Information Technologies
b.jayakumar@emertxe.com
Presented at Lounge47.in
8th March 2014
Copyright @ Mr. Jayakumar
Balasubramanian, Emertxe

2. Some motivation..
Personal experience:
 Install, Crash, re-install, Crash – “Dorm-room” experiences!
 “Migration to Linux” – Lingering over a decade now
 Its everywhere – Device, Pipe and Cloud services
Viewpoint:
 Open Source & Embedded products – Builder’s view
 Lab prototype v/s mass production – How different or same they are?
 Managing open source with open source – Recursion?

3. Tracing the evolution - Open Source

4. How it all started?
 With GNU (GNU is not UNIX)
 Richard Stallman made the initial announcement in 1983, Free Software
Foundation (FSF) got formed during 1984
 Volunteer driven GNU started developing multiple projects, but making it as
an operating system was always a challenge
 During 1991 a Finnish Engineer Linus Torvalds developed core OS
functionality, called it as “Linux Kernel”
 Linux Kernel got licensed under GPL, which laid strong platform for the
success of Open Source
 Rest is history!

5. How it evolved?
 Multiple Linux distributions started emerging around the Kernel
 Some applications became platform independent
 Community driven software development started picking up
 Initially seen as a “geek-phenomenon”, eventually turned out to be an
engineering marvel
 Centered around Internet
 Building a business around open source started becoming viable
 Redhat set the initial trend in the OS business
Kernel
Applications
Customization

6. Where it stands now?
OS
Databases
Server/Cloud
Enterprise
Consumer
Education
CMS
eCommerce

7. Business models
Consulting & Support
• Charge for specific consulting service offering
• Technical installation, customization and support
Dual License
• Distribution under two sets of terms and conditions
• Community and Commercial editions
Partner program
• Developer/Partner ecosystem
• Hosted as a platform
Donations
• Address a non-commercial need
• Create a donation system and raise funds

8. Licensing blues..
 Copyright and Copy left
 GNU General Public License (GPL)
 Freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, change and improve
 (“Free” = “Freedom”) != “Free Beer”
 Commercial distribution
 Reciprocation
 Derived work

9. Inflection Point – Linux Kernel

10. Kernel history

11. Embedded + Kernel
 Non x86 architectures in Embedded Systems
 Secure and portable monolithic architecture
 Supports multiple instructions (ARM, MIPS, PPC etc…) – ideal for Embedded
 Quality and reliability of code
 Communication protocols and software standards
 Cost and Time-to-market advantages
 Vendor independence

12. Engineering marvel
* Source: Linux foundation report, 2013

13. Why so?
 Product features into Kernel, wider adaption
 Higher interest from semiconductor companies
 Global development model, leveraging talent
 Influencing ability
 Organizational brand
Bottom line: It no longer a geek phenomenon. Can’t afford to miss this any more

14. Embedded products using Open Source

15. Three aspects
Build
 What do I want to build? How am I
doing to build?
 How to I test and qualify the
product?
Qualify
 How to I manage the product and
release to my customers?
Manage &
Release
• Building ‘lab prototype’ is different from ‘mass manufacturing’
• Application product building doesn’t suite Embedded

16. Step-1 : Build
Choice Points
•
•
•
•
•
Which version of Kernel?
Which development environment?
Tool chain
Drivers and binaries
Support and training
Key actions:
•
•
•
•
•
Download Kernel: http://www.kernel.org
Develop BSP (if required)
Build the image (Use Build-root or Yocto)
Add custom functionality
Development & Coding

17. Step-2 : Qualify
Code & Build
Code quality
Secure & Scale
Automate
Diagnostics
Test

18. Step-3 : Manage
Project Mgmt
Bug tracking
Collaboration
Right from setting initial code base, open source tools are available for develop,
Qualify and release the final product. There are very useful product/project
management tools available to easily manage it.

19. Closing notes..
 Its no longer a “geek phenomenon”!
 For new product ideas all of us (engineers, enthusiasts and entrepreneurs)
can rely on Open Source and its associated ecosystem
 Excellent product/project management tools are available to monitor,
track and launch commercial Embedded products
 Qualification is a very mature area in Open Source, which MUST be
leveraged
 Obvious benefits in terms of – Cost, Time-to-market, Support and a sense
of contribution

20. Tux Rocks!