On 05/29/2010 01:54 PM, Joshua Saddler wrote:
D-Link routers, for example, run (or used to run) Gentoo. SRI's solar probe, RAISE, ran Gentoo. The Misa Digital Guitar, just entering mass production, runs Gentoo. There are many more places where Gentoo's been used in various devices and production environments, so the PR, GMN, and GWN archives are your friends, as well as searching Google for Gentoo success stories.
When I think about pros/cons for Gentoo vs something else here are a few thoughts (some of which you may have already had):
Linux in general isn't the only OS used in embedded apps - there are other options like vxware/etc, which probably should be at least considered as well. Advantages of linux in general would be familiarity and a very wide range of features. A more purpose-driven OS might have the advantage of better realtime support and stability, as well as better vendor support (embedded is all that they do).
If you're going to run linux, then I'd consider Gentoo well up there - granted I'd strip out a lot of it before deploying it. Gentoo has most of the flexibility of linux from scratch, but is FAR more maintainable if you plan to keep it updated. The fact that you can mix and match just about any version of any library/etc is a big plus - it gives you more control over what you put on your device. On the other hand, some other distros might give you better long-term-support if you're willing to live with the library versions they pick and how they build everything. If your device goes on a network then it may need security patching, and that is generally safer if you have a vendor who will backport security fixes for 5+ years. Something like RHEL has certifications/etc and more formal support, so you can hire people who probably know what they're doing.
Like anything you have to consider all the pros/cons. If I were building something on my own dime in an embedded space I'd probably strongly consider Gentoo.
Of course, if you do use Gentoo unless you have a ton of storage you're going to want to strip out the toolchain, portage, etc. You would use gentoo to maintain a development image, and then any time you want to you could copy that and then trim it way down (you could probably script this).
Just some random thoughts. Rich
