Pro Linux Embedded Systems (Expert's Voice in Linux) [Paperback]

Gene Sally (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1430272279 | ISBN-13: 978-1430272274 | Publication Date: December 28, 2009 | Edition: 1st Edition.

Linux is the Esperanto of embedded systems development: almost every professional in this space needs to be fluent in Linux development. This is the book to tell them how to become, and remain a professional in exploiting modern existing embedded Linux embedded boards.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Gene Sally has been working with computers ever since his awkward teenage years. For the past eight or so years, Gene has been employed as an engineer, technical writer, trainer and expert tinkerer with Linux in an embedded environment.

Product Details

• Paperback: 430 pages
• Publisher: Apress; 1st Edition. edition (December 28, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1430272279
• ISBN-13: 978-1430272274
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #383,703 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #50 in Books > Computers & Technology > Hardware > Microprocessors & System Design > Embedded Systems

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Broadest & Most Up-To Date View of Embedded Linux Development, June 10, 2010

By 

Ira Laefsky "Ira Laefsky" (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pro Linux Embedded Systems (Expert's Voice in Linux) (Paperback)

This excellent Developer's Guide to Embedded Linux Systems Development has several features to recommend it, among the sparse other choices for this important topic. It is extremely up to date, takes a broad and pedagogically sound view of the Embedded Linux Environment and takes the extra step to advise on choice of a board and development environment (how to make the choice, a piece of information that won't easily go stale) and in describing the entire Embedded Systems Development Process. It describes hot to select a board and the accompanying development environment, what to do when you get your board and how to make it boot, how to develop a Customized (to your development style and application/hardware environment) Linux Environment (Development Version and Deliverable to the Consumer), how to debug applications,the nature of hard and soft Real-Time requirements, system tuning, and how to handle field updates to the software. A vitally important chapter that should be included in every Embedded Systems development book (not just Linux), but that as far as I know is included in no other book, Chapter 17 on Deploying Applications talks about all of the issues in creating an "Embedded First-Class Final Product". The issues discussed in this vital section include not only a final hardware and software deliverable, but "Systems Integration" with issues of Mechanical, Industrial and Manufacturing design as well as the expected (by Software Professionals) issues of Deployable Boot Loaders and File Systems.


This excellent and friendly guide to building Embedded Linux Architectures will be valuable not only to EE's and Software Professionals but the growing ranks of hobbyist and professionals in other domains who are experimenting and deploying applications with the extremely popular and recently released Beagleboard, Bug Labs and Gumstix Embedded Linux Systems.
A thorough and practical guide to Embedded Linux Systems Development.

--Ira Laefsky MSE/MBA
IT Consultant and Former Senior Member of Technical Staff for Arthur D. Little, Inc. and Digital Equipment Corporation

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The natural way to approach your first embedded Linux project, March 8, 2010

By 

Rostek (Munich, Germany) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pro Linux Embedded Systems (Expert's Voice in Linux) (Paperback)

I came to embedded Linux about a year ago. The first books I've got are from Yaghmour and Hallinan.
They are great but it doesn't mean Sally's book is superfluous. What I like in this book is
the project style to master your first embedded Linux project. The sequence and depth of its
chapters are very well done. I find it the natural way to learn these topics.

In the beginning Sally points out in detail the advantage to look for an evaluation board
with a well supported Linux running on it. From there you can explore what needs to be
adapted. Be aware that this makes a big difference and avoids some of the numerous pitfalls
along the way.

Next the different Linux distributions and available toolchains are discussed. The level of
detail is beyond any of the other books. Very helpful in praxis.

The other chapters show you the way to go. These are well done as well. Other books go
into more details sometimes. But you should not limit yourself to select only one book
for this area. They are all worth their money.

4 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Definite for the Embedded Systems Engineer's Reference Library, February 27, 2010

By 

Neil G. Matthews (Adelaide, South Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pro Linux Embedded Systems (Expert's Voice in Linux) (Paperback)

Linux may be well known for its use on servers and desktops, but it can't be beaten for sheer numbers in embedded devices, with about 20% of the 2 billion annual embedded device market using Linux. With 18 chapters and 430 pages including an adequate 25 page index, Pro Linux Embedded Systems covers the process of developing and supporting a customised Linux build for an embedded device through the full product life-cycle. While the book is invaluable in providing a guide for those involved in building and configuring Linux for embedded project development, anyone interested in how to develop their own customised Linux build will also find it educational, particularly if their project involves lower powered hardware than the typical modern desktop. Given the advances in Linux embedded development, this recently published book (Dec 2009) is also more up to date than many other books covering this topic.

Coverage of embedded development per chapter is as follows:

1 About Embedded Linux
2 Configuring the Software Environment
3 Target Emulation and Virtual Machines
4 Starting Your Project
- includes a very good section on applying patches
5 Getting Linux for Your Board
- covers the pros and cons of the different options for obtaining the appropriate Linux source for your embedded system plus licensing issues, in particular, to what extent GPL covers the development compiler and toolchain. Also included is a very good set of questions for your prospective board vendors.
6 Creating a Linux Distribution from Scratch
- how Linux boots and the kernel starts up
7 Booting the Board
- excellent description of the Linux boot process and how to optimise size and speed for an embedded system.
8 Configuring the Application Development Environment
- useful information on suitable development languages for embedded systems and their relative strengths and weaknesses. Profiling tool usage, memory leak detection, static code checking techniques, typical IDEs used.
9 Application Development
- development process; host or development system?
10 Debugging Applications
- debugging methods; remote debugging with different IDEs.
11 Kernel Configuration and Development
- very good description of kernel source patching, configuration and development.
12 Real Time
- Excellent discussion on what real time means and how to configure Linux as a soft real time system using the CONFIG_PREEMPT_RT patch, how to avoid real time gotchas and how to use tools to measure and reduce latency.
13 Using Open Source Projects
- How an Open Source Project is structured, understanding licensing and a description of common licensing types. Source control systems including CVS, Subversion, Mercurial and GIT. Use of a cross compiler, configuring, building and installing your project software.
14 BusyBox
- Excellent coverage of how to customise, build, install and extend BusyBox, a utility that implements most of command line executables you are likely to need for your product.
15 System Design
- Very good description of the different file system choices available and the pros and cons for their use in embedded systems. How to design the Root File System, how to create and mount file systems with specific coverage of Flash devices, setting up init and inittab, running the main application, setting ownership and permissions, security options - overviews of SELinux and PAM vs built in security.
16 System Tuning
- The spectrum of embedded systems is divided into 3 or fewer Megabytes, 16 - 32 Megabytes and more than a Gigabyte with the author recommending the appropriate tuning approach for each. Program size and kernel optimisation techniques are covered along with a good section on how to reduce boot time. An excellent table showing whether you really need what you think might be needed in your Root File System is also included.
17 Deploying Applications
- Covers the Embedded Development process; Requirements, Industrial and Mechanical Design, Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering, Software Design and Engineering, Manufacturing. Deployment Strategies and Tactics; Boot Loader Configuration - using expect. Deployment Root File System - when and when not to follow the Linux File System Hierarchy Standard.
18 Handling Field Updates
- Root File System and Kernel upgrades via Forklift, Parallel System or Do it Yourself upgrades. RPM, dpkg, ipkg and apt package management is covered with a very good section of making and installing packages. Finally, what to do when field updates fail.


This book is definitely worth a place on your reference shelf if you are involved in developing an embedded Linux system. It includes well explained example sessions illustrating how to install, configure and cross compile the kernel and development toolchains and how to develop, build, transfer and debug code on the embedded development host. The only real disappointment with this book is the annoying frequency of grammatical errors (e.g. missing or incorrect words, incomplete sentences) which will hopefully disappear in the next edition.