I am working on SBC(Single Board Computer) board with Red Hat Linux, which is being used to get information from many routers and process packets. Can this Gateway be called an "Embedded Linux based" product?
+1
A:
See this question regarding which systems can be described as embedded. In industry terms, I would say that a headless Linux device is said to be "embedded".
kgiannakakis
2009-05-05 06:45:14
What exactly you mean by headless. All the systems developed using SBCs can be called as embedded system.
Shashikiran
2009-05-05 06:56:19
SBCs are usually called embedded. A headless device is one without input/output, i.e. keyboard and monitor.
kgiannakakis
2009-05-05 07:14:45
I could throw a bunch of headless servers, i.e. in a cluster, and I wouldn't call them "embedded"
Andor
2009-05-05 11:42:20
A:
Short answer: Yes
From wikipedia:
An embedded system is a special-purpose computer system designed to perform one or a few dedicated functions, often with real-time computing constraints. It is usually embedded as part of a complete device including hardware and mechanical parts. In contrast, a general-purpose computer, such as a personal computer, can do many different tasks depending on programming. Embedded systems control many of the common devices in use today.
While I think your device isn't embedded on another device, I see that has little functions and is not a general purpose computer.
Also, as Shashikiran says, SBCs are usually called embedded systems.
PC-104 drived me crazy some years ago...
Andor
2009-05-05 11:40:15
+1
A:
I don't agree that it needs to be headless to be considered embedded. For example, mobile phones are considered embedded but they've got video, i/o and what nots. Personally, I think that there is no 'clear' line for embedded. But generally, when you are working with minimal resources (e.g. minimal RAM) and performing very specific functions (i.e. not general purpose) then it's more embedded.
sybreon
2009-05-05 11:46:37
+2
A:
I would call it embedded if its purpose has been shifted from a general purpose computer to a device or appliance that has a specific task. Further, customization for that specific task should probably remove/disable/mitigate some other general purpose functionality (e.g. running it headless, disabling/removing X or general use tools/services in order to further enable the device to do its job.)
Basically look at the device and discern whether it appears as "a computer running linux" or "an appliance which completes a specific task USING linux."
ParoXoN
2009-05-05 22:41:24