HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Linux-based devices or Linux devices are
computer appliance A computer appliance is a home appliance with software or firmware that is specifically designed to provide a specific computing resource. Such devices became known as ''appliances'' because of the similarity in role or management to a home ap ...
s that are powered by the Linux kernel and possibly parts of the
GNU GNU () is an extensive collection of free software (383 packages as of January 2022), which can be used as an operating system or can be used in parts with other operating systems. The use of the completed GNU tools led to the family of operat ...
operating system. Device manufacturers' reasons to use Linux may be various: low cost, security, stability, scalability or customizability. Many
original equipment manufacturer An original equipment manufacturer (OEM) is generally perceived as a company that produces non-aftermarket parts and equipment that may be marketed by another manufacturer. It is a common industry term recognized and used by many professional or ...
s use free and
open source software Open-source software (OSS) is computer software that is released under a license in which the copyright holder grants users the rights to use, study, change, and distribute the software and its source code to anyone and for any purpose. Open ...
to brand their products. Community maintained Linux devices are also available.


Community maintained devices

These devices were not intended to run Linux at the time of their production, but a community effort made possible either full or partial Linux support. Because of the open source philosophy that
free and open source software Free and open-source software (FOSS) is a term used to refer to groups of software consisting of both free software and open-source software where anyone is freely licensed to use, copy, study, and change the software in any way, and the source ...
brings to the software world, many people have ported the Linux kernel to run on devices other than a typical desktop, laptop or server computer. Some ports are performed by committed individuals or groups to provide alternative software on their favorite hardware. Examples include iPods, PlayStations,
Xbox Xbox is a video gaming brand created and owned by Microsoft. The brand consists of five video game consoles, as well as applications (games), streaming services, an online service by the name of Xbox network, and the development arm by the ...
,
TiVo TiVo ( ) is a digital video recorder (DVR) developed and marketed by Xperi (previously by TiVo Corporation and TiVo Inc.) and introduced in 1999. TiVo provides an on-screen guide of scheduled broadcast programming television programs, whose fea ...
, and
WRT54G The Linksys WRT54G Wi-Fi series is a series of Wi-Fi–capable residential gateways marketed by Linksys, a subsidiary of Cisco from 2003 until acquired by Belkin in 2013. A ''residential gateway'' connects a local area network (such as a home netw ...
. The original hardware vendors are in some cases supportive of these efforts (Linksys with the
WRT54G The Linksys WRT54G Wi-Fi series is a series of Wi-Fi–capable residential gateways marketed by Linksys, a subsidiary of Cisco from 2003 until acquired by Belkin in 2013. A ''residential gateway'' connects a local area network (such as a home netw ...
) or at the least tolerate the use of such software by end users (see TiVo hacking). Others go to great lengths to try to stop these alternative implementations.


Android

Android is a Linux-based operating system optimised for mobile touchscreen environments—smartphones, tablets, e-Books, and the like. Developed, published, and maintained by Google's Android Open Source Project (in consultation with the Open Handset Alliance), Android relieves
smartphone A smartphone is a portable computer device that combines mobile telephone and computing functions into one unit. They are distinguished from feature phones by their stronger hardware capabilities and extensive mobile operating systems, whic ...
manufacturers of the costs of developing- or licensing proprietary handset operating systems. First unveiled in 2007, Android became the world's most widely deployed smartphone platform in Q4 2010. By September 2012, 500 million Android devices had been activated, with a further 1.3 million devices being activated per day.
Google Nexus Google Nexus is a discontinued line of consumer electronic devices that run the Android operating system. Google managed the design, development, marketing, and support of these devices, but some development and all manufacturing were carried ...
developer phones are the flagship brand of Android handsets, with features and capabilities that represent the state of the art at the time of launch (typically every eleven months).


License violations

In most of these cases the OEMs are open about their use of such software and fulfil the requirements of their
Free software licenses A free-software license is a notice that grants the recipient of a piece of software extensive rights to modify and redistribute that software. These actions are usually prohibited by copyright law, but the rights-holder (usually the author) ...
, such as the
GNU General Public License The GNU General Public License (GNU GPL or simply GPL) is a series of widely used free software licenses that guarantee end users the four freedoms to run, study, share, and modify the software. The license was the first copyleft for general ...
(GPL), but in a small number of cases this use is masked, either deliberately or through professed ignorance or misunderstanding. Violators are usually found through public records,NIST SHS Validation List
, which lists devices and their software
where they may be forced to declare their implementations, or through their own advertising, for example "Embedded Software Engineers with Mandatory Linux Experience Required" on their careers pages, and yet their site or product documentation offers no source download or offer to supply the software source as required by the license GPL. Organizations such as
gpl-violations.org gpl-violations.org is a not-for-profit project founded and led by Harald Welte in 2004. It works to make sure software licensed under the GNU General Public License is not used in ways prohibited by the license. Goals The goals of the project are ...
, the
Free Software Foundation The Free Software Foundation (FSF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded by Richard Stallman on October 4, 1985, to support the free software movement, with the organization's preference for software being distributed under copyleft (" ...
(FSF) and the
Software Freedom Law Center The Software Freedom Law Center (SFLC) is an organization that provides '' pro bono'' legal representation and related services to not-for-profit developers of free software/open source software. It was launched in February 2005 with Eben Moglen ...
(SFLC) are now more organized at pursuing such violators and obtaining compliance. Usually, they seek voluntary compliance as a first step and only enter legal proceedings when blocked. When notified of violations they confirm them by asking the supplier, examining available product samples, or even going so far as to make blind purchases of the product through front companies.


See also

*
Linux on embedded systems Operating systems based on the Linux kernel are used in embedded systems such as consumer electronics (eg. set-top boxes, smart TVs and personal video recorders (PVRs)), in-vehicle infotainment (IVI), networking equipment (such as routers, sw ...
*
Linux for mobile devices Linux for mobile devices, sometimes referred to as mobile Linux, is the usage of Linux-based operating systems on portable devices, whose primary or only Human interface device (HID) is a touchscreen. It mainly comprises smartphones and tablet com ...
* Open-design movement *
Open-source robotics Open-source robotics (OSR) is where the physical artifacts of the subject are offered by the open design movement. This branch of robotics makes use of open-source hardware and free and open-source software providing blueprints, schematics, and s ...


References


External links

* a website on devices that can run embedded Linux
LinuxDevices Archive
a complete LinuxDevices.com archive (15,000 articles)
LinuxDevices Forum

LinuxGizmos
a reborn implementation of the LinuxDevices website {{DEFAULTSORT:Linux-Powered Devices Linux-based devices Linux Consumer electronics