Please forgive me if this subject has been covered before. I did a search
through the mailing list and didn't come up with the answers that I was
looking for.
I am working on a project that uses custom built hardware based on an Intel
80C186EA chip. The system is very special purpose and has limited
resources (256K RAM and 256K Flash). In the past we used absolutely no
operating system to control the unit. Now we have redesigned the board and
suddenly it has a floppy drive, 4 16550 UARTs, and a memory-only PCCard
slot. Given all the extra functions, it has become attractive to look at
putting a small embedded OS in the box. Being the glutten for punishment
that I am, I want to take a look at the possiblity of trimming ELKS to fit.
Here is a list of what I'd like to be able to do, if you wouldn't mind,
I'd like to hear commentary on the possibility of making ELKS do these things:
1. No root filesystem. Kernel image and process images would be stored in
Flash memory ready to run. The kernel would start the init process which
would in turn start the other processes.
2. Kernel is minimized to support the serial ports, DOS or Minix filesystem
on floppy, and its standard job of context switching the running processes.
3. Remote debugging. Has anyone looked at having the compiler generate gdb
compatible symbol information? I then see creating a small process that
runs in the target system with gdb communicating over a serial link. I
seem to recall gdb having SOME support for 16-bit x86 code and support for
remote debugging over a serial cable.
4. Multiple of the same executable could be run by sharing the CS and
giving each instance of the program a seperate DS.
5. Some form of message passing to allow processes to communicate with each
other.
I realize that some of the above (especially the remote debugging) may be a
tall order, but I would still appreciate your thoughts on the above
requirements. My personal feeling is that this type of system is a really
good fit for ELKS.
Anyway, thanks in advance.
--
Bob Amstadt | PGP public key available: finger -l [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[EMAIL PROTECTED] | ISP: Blue Neptune www.blueneptune.com (408) 268-0937
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