Community Software Development for Embedded Devices

Photo by Ron Fredericks using Canon EOS-10D 34mm !uorite !ens" circu!ar #o!ari$er" 1%&s ' ()) * +SO 100" on tri#od" rom Embedded Com#onents, -P !ab co!!ection% Ron Fredericks .rites/ + en0ision the day .hen community so t.are engineering #ro1ects are common#!ace or embedded de0ices% 2ike the PPC RO3 demonstrated back in 1451% 6hat o!!o.s is a re0ie. o the PPC RO3 community de0e!o#ment #ro1ect 7 a irst or smart mobi!e de0ices" then an o er to he!# others in mo0ing this great body o o#en source #ro essiona! too!s to modern de0ices/ comment on this #ost i you are interested in this #ro1ect or in community de0e!o#ment o so t.are or embedded de0ices in genera!% 6ou!dn,t it be nice to ha0e #o.er u! ne. a##!ications bui!t on to# o our routers" digita! recorders" -D89:s; or e0en industria! #rocess monitor and contro! systems" or !ab instruments; hey ho. about our cars and #ub!ic trans#ort 0ehic!es< =o + don,t mean that you buy a ne. de0ice or car .ith ne. a##!ications #re-!oaded by the de0ice manu acturer and shi##ed .ith the soon to be obso!ete de0ice 7 + mean grou#s o e>#erts organi$ing into communities .ith other e>#erts to design" de0e!o#" test" document" #ackage" and de!i0er

ne. so t.are so!utions onto de0ices or their o.n members, sa!es channe!s% Does this sound ar etched< Community de0e!o#ment around o#en-source so t.are such as ?a0a" the 2inu> o#erating system" or 3o$i!!a:s Fire o> .eb bro.ser ha0e emerged as reusab!e #ro1ect management so!utions to com#!e> so t.are engineering issues 7 See @sa Dot$!er,s ?ob 3or#h/ -erding Cats to see ho. 3o$i!!a moti0ates .orkers .ho aren,t actua!!y on the #ayro!!%% So + kno. the engineering community is ready or a ne. cha!!enge 7 one that has a!ready been so!0ed back in 1451 7 one that a ects the s#eed o techno!ogy reuse around the g!obe today%

Photo by Ron Fredericks using the same settings as the #re0ious #hoto" o his a0orite mobi!e smart de0ice% So !et me share .ith you a #ro1ect + recent!y disco0ered% +tABCs embodied in a userABCs manua! #ub!ished in 1451 by a community o engineers ABD no" not your ty#ica! #roduct manua! ticked out on a com#any #ayro!!% 8he or.ard describes a irst-o -its-kind e ort behind this user manua!" and the embedded so t.are it documents% 8he author e>#resses his e>citement in being #art o the ABE irst community de0e!o#erABF #ro1ect or a smart mobi!e com#uting de0ice and it is so simi!ar to the smart de0ices .e use todayG Did + mention that 2inu>" or e0en community net.orks !ike .eb and emai! didn,t e>ist back then< -o. did they do it< Can .e !earn rom their e ort and a##!y this community #ro1ect" or its method" or today,s embedded de0ices< + think the ans.er is yes 7 .ith a !itt!e he!# rom the embedded o#erating system su##!iers, communities and some inno0ati0e hard.are

de0ice manu acturers% 8he embedded o#erating system" so t.are community #ro1ect management" and smart de0ice #!at orms ha0e come to a .onder u! cross-road that tru!y su##orts community so t.are de0e!o#ment as a ri#e !o.-hanging o##ortunity or us today% 8he or.ard to this &00 #age user manua! describes the strugg!e and accom#!ishment o 100 de0e!o#ers .ho ormed their o.n community #ro1ect to de0e!o# a ABERO3ABF or read-only memorymodu!e they ca!!ed a ABEPPC RO3ABF that #!ugs into an -P #ersona! com#uter that is no. )& years obso!ete ca!!ed an -P-41% 8he ABEPPCABF re erence is to the names 7 Personal Programmable Calculator" or Personal Programmers Club" or Prolific and Productive Computing 7 as .e!! as the PPC Calculator Journal that .as the hera!d or the -P ca!cu!ator,s de0e!o#er community back in the day% Simi!ar to the common#!ace e,$ines .e read" or get s#ammed .ith today% Hut di erent because the ta>onomy created by todayABCs a!most end!ess stream o eH!asts" tagged content" b!ogs" orums" and RSS eeds by themse!0es don,t create an engineers, sense o community% 8he s#ontaneous moti0ation to organi$e into a sense o community reIuires a mood that has on!y been created by a rea! #erson 7 a #erson that shi ts a grou# o de0e!o#ers, #aradigm % Perha#s many o you remember Phi!i##e Jahn" .ho created a co$y engineering mood .ith his 8urbo Pasca! and 8urbo C com#i!ers 7 these chea# !itt!e things that .ere ki!!er a##s that gre. the base o a0ai!ab!e #rogrammers or se0era! years% Prior com#i!ers or the ear!y PC,s cost 10 times more% 6ithin the -P-41 community there .as 6i!!iam 6ickes ABD a community engineering !eader that he!#ed to gro. the base o #rogrammab!e ca!cu!ator de0e!o#ers that in-turn gre. the base o engineering" scienti ic" inancia!" and many other #ro essiona!s and students so common!y outsourced by the g!oba! community today% 3r% 6ickes !ead the disco0ery o a ne. #rogramming techniIue or the -P-41 ca!!ed synthetic #rogramming% 2ike Phi!i##e,s community contribution to the PC de0e!o#er community" Hi!! .as ab!e to dri0e signi icant de0e!o#er e>citement into an other.ise !imited ca!cu!ator #rogramming community% 8he PPC RO3,s core management team .rote in the or.ard to PPC RO3 user,s manua!K This project is uni ue in the history of soft!are projects" #$% and other large corporations have assigned multi-tens of programmers to a soft!are project& but never before have over '(( programmers !or)ed so long and so hard on a project * !ithout compensation of any )ind" The PPC +,% P+,J-CT is a community project in the true sense of the !ord."#t too) t!o years and t!o months to complete.ABF

8he or.ard then goes on to discuss the cha!!enges o .orking .ith a #ersona! com#uter that had so !itt!e memory and other constrained hard.are issues 7 0ery simi!ar to de0e!o#ing the content and a##!ications in demand on mobi!e smart de0ices todayG 8heir so!ution" .hy they did it" ho. they managed to stay together to inish it" and ho. they #artnered .ith -P to bui!d" and #ackage the RO3 3odu!e itse! is a!so described% 8o be c!ear" the PPC RO3 .asn,t a one-o " there .ere other community #ro1ects that re#!icated this irst success .ith the creation o the LE=RO3" -EP@M" and other #!ug-in modu!es or the -P-41 too% + get the im#ression that todayABCs embedded community cou!d succeed in the creation and de#!oyment o so t.are onto a termarket embedded de0ices by o!!o.ing the same #rocess #ioneered by the de0e!o#ers o the PPC RO3/

Se!ect

a #roduct

mi> .ith

a##!ications"

too!s"

midd!e.are"

entertainment"

and

educationa! content that is attracti0e to end users but a!so encourages com#onent reuse by more de0e!o#ers .ho in turn then create e0en more attracti0e reusab!e so!utions%

Se!ect a #ro1ect management mode! simi!ar to other recent and 0ery success u! ABEcat herdingABF o#en-source .eb community e orts% 8he ne. socia! net.ork communities reIuented by de0e!o#ers make the PPC RO3 story much easier to du#!icate%

Se!ect a hard.are #!at orm 0endor .i!!ing to

aci!itate so t.are #ackaging" de!i0ery"

e>ecution" and reuse methods such as o0er-the-air" net.ork do.n!oad" or e0en a grou##ub!ished !ash chi#%

-arness the #o.er o

a community manager% 8he !ikes o

PPC RO3,s synthetic

#rogramming a!!ure created by 6i!!iam 6ickes" 2inu>,s 2inus 8or0a!d" and 3o$i!!a,s @sa Dot$!er are some o de0e!o#ment% the more amous e>am#!es o community managers or engineering

=o. that is 1ust .hat + am #ro#osing% 2et,s re0isit this community de0e!o#ment e ort by mo0ing the ree!y a0ai!ab!e -P-41 a##!ications to an emu!ator that can run on common mobi!e de0ices easi!y a0ai!ab!e in today,s community% First ste# might be to see ho. the e>isting -P-41 emu!ators .orks on your a0orite de0ice .ith the ho#e that a!! the engineering" scienti ic" inancia! and other #ro essiona! a##!ications can be do.n!oaded and used too% 3ore on this e ort and community so t.are de0e!o#ment .i!! o!!o.K Re erences to the e>ce!!ent -P-41 emu!ator .ork and o#en-source site by 6arren Fur!o. and othersK

Nou can do.n!oad a 6indo.s PC(2inu>(6indo.s 3obi!e(Pa!mOS emu!ator o the -P-41 #ersona! com#uter" add your o.n #rograms to it" and !oad the actua! PPC-RO3 modu!eABCs binary image Oas .e!! as &0 or more other #ro essiona! so!ution #acks and RO3sP and use this great !itt!e #ersona! com#uter a!ong .ith these PPC RO3 a##!ications as a #er ect re#!acement or that dumb !itt!e 6indo.s ca!cu!ator/ ...%h#41%org(Emu!ation%c m Oo#s" .here,s the ?a0a 0ersion< Nou can get your o.n co#y o the historica!!y signi icant PPC +,% users manual rom here/ ...%h#41%org(2ib9ie.%c m<CommandQ+mage'Fi!e+DQ)303R @dd the PPC RO3 code to your ne. -P emu!ated ca!cu!ator rom here/

...%h#41%org(2ib9ie.%c m<CommandQ9ie.'+tem+DQ)0 -ere are some other RO3 code modu!es that .ork .ith your ne. emu!atorG

@0iation Circuit @na!ysis C!inica! 2ab and =uc!ear 3edicine Financia! Decisions Sames -ome 3anagement 3achine Design 3ath =a0igation Petro!eum F!uids Rea! Estate Securities Standard @##!ications Statistics Stress @na!ysis

Structura! @na!ysis Sur0eying 8herma! ' 8rans#ort Science

8echnorati

8ags/ Ron

Fredericks" community" so t.are"engineering" #ro1ects" embedded recorder"-D89" industria!" instrument" car" 0ehic!e" o#enmanagement" community Programmer,s ?ourna!"Phi!i##e manager" 6i!!iam de0e!o#er"PPC C!ub" Pro!i ic and Jahn" constrained 6ickes" 2inus Ca!cu!ator" Persona! Ca!cu!ator

de0ice" router" digita! RO3" Persona! Producti0e Programmab!e Com#uting" PPC

source" ?a0a"2inu>" 3o$i!!a" Fire o>" #ro1ect

hard.are" LE=RO3" -EP@M" com#onent"community 8or0a!d" @sa Dot$!er"6arren Fur!o.

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17 Responses to Community Software Development for Embedded Devices

1.
Richard
April -th, 2007 at 7:$4 am

J.

Nelson Says:

8he need or the #ro1ect you suggest is ob0ious% 3anaging such a #ro1ect" ho.e0er" is the 0ita! as#ect that reIuires a dedicated indi0idua! or team o indi0idua!s .ho are ab!e to #hysica!!y do the .ork% Since the PPC RO3 Pro1ect .as one o se0era! #ro1ects PPC members .orked on" and + managed PPC" + ha0e some e>#erience in this area% Out!ining the detai!s and reIuirements o the #ro1ect you suggest is beyond this s#ace and + .i!! on!y o er .hat + !earned .as the critica! e!ement or success% 8he #ro1ect and its ob1ecti0e .as c!ear!y and sim#!y de ined .ith the Ddetai!sU and D0a!uesU continuous!y #ro0ided by the PPC =e.s!etter to its members% Hecause o this the #ro1ect

essentia!!y managed itse! because the basis or e0ery decision .as" DDoes this idea" routine" or #rocess" best meet the ob1ecti0e<U 8he i0e #eo#!e .ho DmanagedU the #ro1ect 7 Richard =e!son" ?ohn Jennedy" ?ake Sch.art$" Jeith ?arett" and Roger -i!! 7 had !itt!e or no con !ict o0er the hundreds o decisions that had to be made% O0er V300"000 .as co!!ected or the costs o the #ro1ect and no sa!ary,s .ere #aid% 8he time in human e ort .as o0er one century% 8hat is a !ot o .ork hours% 8he PPC RO3 3anua! u!!y documents the #ro1ect and the #eo#!e .ho .orked on it% 8he +nternet #ro0ides a great too! to manage such a #ro1ect and .e did not ha0e such a !u>ury% 6e a!so did not ha0e the many DdistractionsU that today,s technica! en0ironment #ro0ides and com#uters .ere Dne.%U 8he grou# .as an organi$ed technica! grou# o #eo#!e dedicated to a 0ery s#eci ic c!ass o machine rom a sing!e manu acturer% One !ast comment% 3any o these serious!y interested indi0idua!s are sti!! acti0e in this area to this day% 8he PPC RO3 #ro1ect .as uniIue% 8he e ort #ut or.ard by its contributors is astounding% + am not sure that such a #ro1ect cou!d be re#eated% 8he techno!ogica! timing" -P as a manu acturer" and the #o.er o the irst a ordab!e handhe!d #ersona! com#uter a!! came together to ins#ire the e ort% M N" Richard ?% =e!son

P%S% 6e continue to de0e!o# ideas .ith an annua! -P -andhe!d Con erence he!d in Se#tember% --C )00R is the !ast .eekend o Se#tember this year in San Diego%

2. Low

Country

Software

Ramblings

Embed

This

Says:

April $2th, 2007 at 7:00 pm

O%%%P Posted by benoit on 1) @#r )00R at 05/10 #m W 8agged as/ Embed thisG + am g!ad to disco0er another b!og dea!ing .ith embedded systems% So see Ron Fredericks Embedded Com#onents b!og% -e has an interesting entry on Community De0e!o#ment or Embedded De0ices%X + .onder i the community is sim#!y too ragmented .ith today,s #!ethora o embedded de0ices% 2oosing a bit o high-tech history in Si!icon 9a!!eyKHrian Fu!!er .rites about !oosing the ormer Shock!ey 2abs headIuarters to a Srocery Store% Nes" the transistor Shock!eyK O%%%P

3.

sachin Says:
April 25th, 2007 at .:2- pm

he!!o 8his is not #!ace .here i am asking" but sti!! i you kno. +n embedded de0e!o#ment .ith SS3 modem ho. do .e get ce!! n o" means !ocation name o ce!! or #!ace .here mobi!e is< by .hich command .e get abo0e res#onse" or .hat ne.ork send to get ce!! in o i tried in india .ith -T8C- and @+R8E2 S+3card but didnt got res#onse% regards" sachin

4. Embedded Com"onents and Tools #log Center #log $rchi%e

&ntroduction
*eptem%er 9th, 2007 at $$:24 pm

to

''()*+,

E(R-.

Emulator

Says:

O%%%P Ron Fredericks .rites/ 8he --P-1YJ EPRO3 emu!ator a!!o.s a##!ication code to be read by an -P-41 ca!cu!ator% +nstead o inserting a sma!! #re-bui!t modu!e into one o the our modu!e bays o the ca!cu!ator" such as the 3ath modu!e or the PPC RO3 modu!e" this unit a!!o.s a #erson to use custom bui!t #rograms #re0ious!y stored into EPRO3S using an EPRO3 burner% O%%%P

5. limewire Says:
/o+em%er 27th, 2007 at 9:0$ pm

Sreat boysY045a4

6. Ron
0e!em%er 4th, 2007 at $:$5 pm

/rederic0s Says:

@ =ote 8o 3y 3anu acturing E>ecuti0e Readers

6hen + re-read my b!og #ost abo0e" + .onder i consumer de0ice e>ecuti0es get #ut o

by my

c!aim that an o#en-source community might e>tend the !i e o an o!der de0ice rather than create more demand or a ne. de0ice soon to !aunch% Net this is the #aradigm shi t + am ad0ocating% For e>am#!e" -P ca#tured a market !ead #osition .ith its o#en de0e!o#ment a##roach or its -P-41 consumer de0ice% 8his e>#ensi0e #rogrammab!e ca!cu!ator may ha0e ca#tured more than &0 #ercent o the scienti ic ( #ro essiona! user base or a 10 year #eriod% 3uch o the sa!es .as dri0en by o#en-source and #ro essiona! grou#s that #urchased this de0ice to de0e!o# ne. code o erings together or each other,s use% 8he o#en-source a##!ication and de0e!o#ment too!s became

a0ai!ab!e or use by the #ro essiona! user community too% 8hus dri0ing e0en more demand .ithout much marketing cost% 8he current market tradition he!d by most de0ice manu actures seem he!! bent on re!easing ne. de0ices e0ery Y months or !ess a!ong .ith a s#!ashy ( e>#ensi0e marketing #ush that in turn commands on!y a re!ati0e!y sma!! market share in the 0ery com#etiti0e consumer de0ice sector% Can com#e!!ing so t.are e0er be .e!! cra ted on ne. hard.are #!at orms re!eased this ast as .e!! 7 + .onder< =ot sure" then maybe this .i!! he!#/ can !egions o 3icroso t engineers" on and o their #ayro!!"

de0e!o# a com#e!!ing(stab!e o#erating system .ith o ice #roducti0ity suite in the ne>t si> months 7 considering that the +nte! +@3) hard.are #!at orm has been stab!e or the !ast )0 years< =o s!ight on 3icroso t" @##!e and others are sti!! .orking hard to i> their so t.are too% +t,s the nature o the beast% + ho#e this e>#!anation he!#s bridge the #aradigm shi t + s#oke o in this #ost" .ithout being too o ensi0e in today,s traditiona! consumer de0ice de0e!o#ment and marketing a##roachG Hest regards" Ron

7. htt":11accutane)"hotos)before)and)after.thecatalogfree.info Says:
1ar!h $7th, 200. at -:$9 pm

-e!!o" nice siteG

8. #est
1ar!h 22nd, 200. at 9:22 am

/olding

Chair Says:

S.eet + Regards ho#e you,!! !ike my

#ost% #age%%

9. .a2 Says:
1ar!h 25th, 200. at 4:04 am

-eyGG Found your b!og on yahoo 7 thanks or the artic!e but i sti!! donZ,t get itG

10. #est
1ar!h 25th, 200. at 9:0$ am

/olding
the .i!! de inite!y artic!e read is your

Chair Says:
ama$ing% site%%

8hanks +

thank you again

11. Ron
2!to%er -th, 200. at $$:32 pm

/rederic0s Says:

-e!!o again Richard/ + a##reciate your .i!!ingness to #ost your comments on this sub1ect 7 here or any.here or that matter% +t,s ins#iring or those o us .ho o!!o. the history" and #resent acti0ity deri0ed rom your hand he!d #ersona! com#uting c!ub% + agree" consumer de0ice e>ecuti0es in charge o today,s #!at orms routine!y ai! to recogni$e 1ust ho. magni icent!y your c!ub e>#osed the !o.!y -P-41 Oand riendsP ca!cu!ator,s a.esome- !e>ib!e-#ortab!e com#uting #o.er% Hut o course" + can,t b!ame these e>ecuti0es one Dbit%U + too initia!!y missed your !eadershi# and it,s o0er arching 0a!ue .hen + irst started this #ost" o0er a year ago 7 and + am an accidenta! member o the choir 7 ha0ing !aunched my o.n career resh out o co!!ege .ith the reusab!e #rogramming #o.er o the -P-41 7 and remain 1ust an accidenta! iso!ationist .ith res#ect to your c!ub,s meetings% +n this b!og #ost rom start to inish 7 + am #ro#osing an a!! the abo0e a##roach to o#en-source !eadershi# or conumer de0ices .ith your c!ub as a ro!e mode!% Some o#tions that come to mind 7 a!ong .ith an im#!ied commitment to continue the dri0e to.ards some satis actory so!ution/

a[ 2e0erage your e>isting h#-41 Oand riendsP o#en-source emu!ations as 0irtua! #!at orms onto current consumer de0ices% 8ry this goog!e search or e>am#!e/ Or#n ca!cu!ator i#od touchP or 1)"Y00 .eb #ages so ar and counting% Did + mention many o the current consumer de0ice manu acturers ha0e an o#en-source or ree de0e!o#er too! kit and one or more distribution

channe!s ready to he!# de0e!o#ers such as your o.n hand he!d com#uter c!ub members reach e0ery user o their mobi!e com#uting de0ices< b[ Enhance item a[ abo0e .ith an Ec!i#se +DE #!ugin or designing e0erthything rom sim#!e emu!ated #rograms to cross-com#i!ed 3-code images or do.n!oad by an e0en !arger de0e!o#er community .ho might re!y on your emu!ation #!at orms% Perha#s emu!ate the 0arious -P-41 hard.are accessories or dis#!ay and instrumentation 0ia .i- i (b!uetooth(carrier connection or those .i!!ing to buy mu!ti#!e consumer de0ices 7 to the user" manu acturer" and carrier,s de!ight; c[ Start a ne. so t.are initiati0e on a ne. hard.are #!at orm o!!o.ing the ootste#s o your o.n success% Nour #oint abo0e is that this is damn risky" and + too ha0e out!ined many o the key areas o di icu!ty Oand their so!utionP in rea!-time embedded so t.are de0e!o#ment using mu!timedia #reso,s right here on this .eb site% + ho#e to continue being a signi icant source o kno.!edge or manu acturer,s and their de0e!o#er communities .ho desire to o!!o. this a##roach 7 or areas not a!ready coded by such ab!e gou#s as your o.n% Hut to your #oint" e0en the 0ery #o#u!ar D2inu>6or!d con erenceU 7 1ust this morning 7 has announced that it has merged .ith a ne. more genera! o#en-source initiati0e .ith more than 2inu> in mind or its ne>t e0ents ca!!ed DO#enSource 6or!dU% Nour #oint on di icu!ty is again .e!! taken considering ho. many o#en-source 2inu> de0e!o#ers ha0e no. ound the need to merge .ith a more genera! o#en-source #rogram% =o. there,s room or ?a0a and e0en your o.n c!ub,s so t.are deri0ed or the -P-41 and riends at this 0enue i it is use u! or you and your memebers; d[ Set -P to re-re!ease a ne. edition #rogrammab!e ca!cu!ator .ith a!! o the #o.er described in a[ and b[ abo0e yet .ith ne. e!ectronics% 8hey ha0e the greatest chance to a##reciate your c!ub,s e orts" but the ie!d o manu actures is so much !arger no.% +n c!osing" the .ho!e notion o the 0a!ue o a math #rocessor has sort o a!!en by the .ay-side

here in the TS \and .or!d-.ide or that matter[ in com#arison to games and the sim#!e D.here,re you atU mobi!e de0ice con0ersations o today% Frank!y" + see the re-re!ease o your c!ub,s e orts as the center o a ne. #ortab!e #rogrammab!e math-and-more so t.are initiati0e onto some e>isting

consumer de0ices as #art o the so!ution to today,s do.n.ard inancia! trends 7a ho#e or the mora! uture sort o thing in addition to a #ragmatic #rob!em so!0ing unit% Hest Ron regards"