LinuxLink Subscriptions Deliver Continuously Updated Streams of Components, Information and Development, Test and Build Systems to Embedded Developers Customizing Linux
PITTSBURGH, PA – August 29, 2005 – TimeSys Corporation, the leading developer service provider for the embedded Linux market, today announced the availability of LinuxLink subscriptions for embedded developers creating their own custom Linux platform targeting all significant processor architectures from Freescale, Intel, MIPS and ARM. LinuxLink subscriptions are accessed through the TimeSys Network and deliver continuously updated streams of components, information and technology aggregated from leading semiconductor manufacturers, the open source community and TimeSys.
LinuxLink subscriptions empower the majority of embedded developers who build and assemble their own custom Linux platform from open source components by providing these “roll-your-own” developers with on-demand access to components relevant to their design requirements and target processor. This is a significant departure from commercial Linux vendor distributions that dictate feature sets and release schedules.
“TimeSys is delivering the first one-stop-shop for roll-your-own embedded Linux developers via LinuxLink,” said Chris Lanfear, Embedded Software Group Manager, Venture Development Corporation. “The LinuxLink approach is unique and aligns well with the way embedded developers work by giving them a single place where they can find the components and information they need to build their Linux platform.”
LinuxLink subscriptions are available to developers in two forms. The LinuxLink Access Plan entitles subscribers to continuously updated content feeds related to a specific target processor as well as optional feeds relevant to features required by their embedded design. The LinuxLink Development Plan provides developers with access to sophisticated online and offline development, test and build systems developed by TimeSys to assist Linux Access Plan subscribers in their efforts to create their own commercial-grade custom Linux platform.
“LinuxLink is the first commercial offering that mirrors the collaborative, constantly-evolving nature of open-source development by addressing the unmet needs of the majority of embedded developers building their own Linux platform from open source components,” said Larry Weidman, President and CEO of TimeSys. “Only LinuxLink brings together the latest Linux optimizations from the vast open source community, semiconductor vendors and TimeSys, and makes that content available on-demand to give embedded developers complete control over their design, while dramatically reducing the time, cost and effort required to create a custom Linux platform.”
Leading Semiconductor Manufacturers Push Latest Linux Optimizations via LinuxLink
The world’s largest semiconductor manufacturers are making their latest Linux optimizations for specific processor architectures available to subscribers of LinuxLink.
“LinuxLink provides a commercial vehicle for providing Freescale-developed Linux optimizations to developers who are basing their embedded system designs on Freescale processors,” said Dave Mothersole, Distinguished Technology Fellow and Chief Technology Officer for Freescale’s Networking and Computing Systems Group. “LinuxLink is an enablement model for embedded developers choosing to take advantage of the open source nature of Linux by creating a Linux platform that is tuned to the feature, footprint and hardware requirements of their embedded system design.”
“As the developer base for embedded Intel XScale microarchitecture I/O processors continues to expand, it is increasingly important to have reliable, robust methods to deliver Linux solutions,” said Dave Boehmer, Director of Platform Applications and Engineering for Intel’s Storage Components Division. “Models such as LinuxLink give developers a single access point for the latest open source and Intel-developed code along with the necessary components, systems and information needed to build a Linux platform tuned to their specific embedded design.”
“LinuxLink provides timely access to the latest stable GNU and Linux software, which is a critical ingredient to the success of a development project,” said Russ Bell, Vice president of Marketing at MIPS Technologies. “MIPS and TimeSys have developed a win-win relationship for our customers: We develop GNU and Linux software optimized for the MIPS architecture and TimeSys does what it does best, supporting the embedded Linux developer.”
About LinuxLink Subscriptions
A LinuxLink Access Plan Subscription includes:
–Latest Linux Optimizations developed by Freescale, Intel, MIPS and ARM for developers targeting processors based on PowerPC, Intel XScale/IA-32, MIPS and ARM architectures
–Continuously Updated Repository of GNU/Linux user space components pulled from the open source community and ported to the relevant target architecture
–Collection of 500+ User Space Packages, allowing quick construction and customization of the target root filesystem
–Customized Alerts to information relevant to specific design requirements
–Cross-development Toolchains for both Linux and Windows (cygwin) Hosts, including the latest gcc, glibc and binutils, support for uclibc toolchains, ready-to-boot target root filesystem and bootable kernel images for relevant processors/board(s)
–Cross-platform Package Development using RPMs to perform optimizations such as package size reduction, binary transformation and reconstruction of target RFS images to use different run-time package management formats such as iPKG or RPM
–Construction of uclibc or glibc-based Root Filesystems with either busybox or SysVinit
–Cross-buildable GPL Compliant Source Packages that enable developers to rebuild toolchains, root filesystems or kernels from scratch
–Developer Exchange access to information, knowledge base, mailing lists, bug tracking and documentation built and maintained by TimeSys engineers and community of subscribed embedded developers
The LinuxLink Development Plan Subscription includes:
–Secure Private Repository for customization of user space packages and integration of additional open source and other components into the target Linux platform.
–Platform Builder, which simplifies development of a commercial-grade, custom Linux platform through selection of root filesystem templates, automated build dependency tracking, fast cached builds and an easy-to-use interface for build project management
–Eclipse 3.0 and CDT 2.0-based Development and Testing Tools for kernel and application development, configuration and debugging, root filesystem design and configuration, integrated online and desktop-based build, verification and test tools, Linux kernel and application source code and project management
–Developer Exchange access to additional resources and documentation to assist developers using the features and capabilities of the LinuxLink Development Plan
LinuxLink Availability
LinuxLink Access Plan subscriptions are available now and are licensed annually per-processor for $3,000. The LinuxLink Development Plan is available to LinuxLink Access Plan subscribers for $5,000 per year. For more information, visit http://www.timesys.com/linuxlink.
About TimeSys Corporation
TimeSys is the leading developer service provider for the embedded Linux market, delivering LinuxLink subscriptions that empower “roll-your-own” developers to rapidly and efficiently create their own commercial-grade custom Linux platform. The continuously updated components, information and systems offered through LinuxLink subscriptions are aggregated from the open source community, semiconductor manufacturers and TimeSys and hosted in the TimeSys Network. For more information, visit www.timesys.com.
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