Re: Linux to replace Windows CE?

Warner Losh (imp@village.org)
Thu, 16 Jul 1998 16:58:31 -0600

In message <19980717001356.D3772@uni-koblenz.de> ralf@uni-koblenz.de writes:
: On Wed, Jul 15, 1998 at 11:55:59AM +0200, Oskar Liljeblad wrote:
:
: > Is anyone working of a port of Linux to palmtops/handheld PCs? I'm thinking
: > of those 4-32MB RAM, Windows CE computers.
: > Many of them use MIPS processors (Philips Velo, Philips Nino, Casio
: > Cassiopeia E*), some others (all HP, Casio Cassiopeia A*) use SH-3
: > processors. Since linux already supports MIPS processors, shouldn't porting
: > to these computers just be a matter of writing LCD display, touch screen,
: > keyboard and (optionally) CompactFlash, IrDA, and PC Card drivers, and a
: > bootloader (or whatever else would be necessary)?
:
: Somebody is actually currently looking into a Linux port to a portable
: based on the NEC chipset.

I've looked into it. It doesn't look to be too hard, modulo one
issue. That issue, sadly, is bootstrap. How do I get the kernel on
the machine in the first place. Once it is on the machine, it should
be relatively easy.

The palmtops have all of their major functions in two chips that I
have the specs for (the Vr4111 and a companion chip whose number
escapes me at the moment).

I'd love to get a board that supports the Vr41xx chips to do the port
to Linux and OpenBSD. If anybody has such a board, please contact
me. In exchange for the board, I'd gladly supprot the port to the
Vr41xx.

The major things that appear to need doing are cache management tweaks,
support for exceptions on MIPS-16 code exceptions and execution of
MIPS-16 code. Plus all the device drivers...

Warner

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