Embedded Linux and ADS Single Board Computers

The GNU/Linux operating system is part of the application ready ADS offering. With years of experience with Linux on ARM processors we have learned how to simplify and expedite development and deployment of ARM embedded linux systems.

One key to success has been the use of Debian GNU/Linux for our full root file systems. We recommend using a full root file system with a hard drive for native development. This way, development is just like a normal linux development on a PC. This allows our customers to be productive right away without having to setup and learn cross development systems. (Of course, we also provide cross compilers, so our customers that prefer to can use cross instead of native compilers.)

During development the root file system can be easily updated using Debian's excellent package system and outstanding set of over 10,000 packages including tools, utilities, libraries and application programs. After development when it's time to deploy the root file system in on-board flash, we provide a tool that takes only those files necessary to run the customer's system and create a minimal root file system.

The root file system can easily be deployed during our manufacturing process or directly by the customer. Another key to success are features we include in our bootloaders and kernels that allow for flexible configuration of different sorts of hardware including displays, backlights, debug ports, and ethernet ports.

Usually this configuration can be done without recompiling any software. In the case of displays, we have supported hundreds of different displays from many different manufacturers. By providing excellent support we hope our customers will be able to produce higher quality systems and bring them to market sooner.

Since we know that we will share in our customers success, we are anxious help them meet their development goals. This means that we respond rapidly to customer's requests and focus technical resources appropriate to the issue at hand. Our customers waste few hours waiting for the appropriate technical response.