Subject: Porting Linux to Ericsson communicator platform....

From: Peter van Sebille <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 28 Aug 2000 13:39:45 +0100

Hi All,

Ericsson's communicator platform is a StrongArm device running EPOC32. 
See Ericsson's press room:
    http://www.ericsson.se/pressroom/phli_pcoph.shtml
or directly at:
    http://www.ericsson.se/pressroom/photolibrary/platform.jpg

The Ericsson division manufacturing this device (RTP, USA) is interesting
in porting Linux to their device family. Unfortunately, due to omnipotent
resource problems, they can't do this port themselves. However, they are 
willing to provide necessary information, hardware and software for the
the Linux community to help them do this port.

Who else out there, beside me, is interested in getting their hands 
dirty on this? At the moment nothing is arranged, planned or even decided.
The first step would be to get a group of people together, discuss what can
and cannot be done and get this project off the ground.

About myself and my involvement...
I'm a software engineer in Ericsson's smartphone division with an interest in
Linux kernel development/porting. I've been involved in the Linux-Series-5mx
project by porting the Series 5 bootloader to the S5mx. I have started to port
the Linux kernel to this device but have abandoned this because of
the lack of hardware info and lack of support from Psion. Both will make a 
complete, robust and thus successful Linux port virtually impossible. 
Hence I was very pleased to find out that our colleagues in the communicator 
division have a completely different attitude towards the Linux community. 
Of course, I realise all too well that the above promises in terms of hardware 
and info are easily made over a pint of beer. We'll find out in the (near) 
future if they can live up to their promises!

So, if you are interested in all this, let me know. I'll then approach the communicator
people again and take it from there.

Also, any questions, comments, suggestions, ideas etc. on how, when why and what are 
appreciated.

regards,
	Peter van Sebille

ps The above is my own personal initiative is not run (yet :-)) as an official
Ericsson project.

unsubscribe: body of `unsubscribe linux-arm' to [email-masked]

---

From: "Edward C. Bailey" <[email-masked]>
Date: 28 Aug 2000 09:16:07 -0400

>>>>> "Peter" == Peter van Sebille <[email-masked]> writes:

Peter> Hi All, Ericsson's communicator platform is a StrongArm device
Peter> running EPOC32.  See Ericsson's press room:
Peter> http://www.ericsson.se/pressroom/phli_pcoph.shtml or directly at:
Peter> http://www.ericsson.se/pressroom/photolibrary/platform.jpg

Peter> The Ericsson division manufacturing this device (RTP, USA) is
Peter> interesting in porting Linux to their device family. Unfortunately,
Peter> due to omnipotent resource problems, they can't do this port
Peter> themselves. However, they are willing to provide necessary
Peter> information, hardware and software for the the Linux community to
Peter> help them do this port.

I go by their offices every day on my way home from work.  If they would
like to meet face-to-face, I'd be more than happy to show them that Linux
people don't bite... :-)

                                Ed
-- 
Ed Bailey        Red Hat, Inc.          http://www.redhat.com/

---

From: "Edward C. Bailey" <[email-masked]>
Date: 28 Aug 2000 09:16:07 -0400

Ed

---

From: Jan Kybic <[email-masked]>
Date: 28 Aug 2000 17:03:02 +0200

>     http://www.ericsson.se/pressroom/photolibrary/platform.jpg

There is not much information there, really. Is there a data sheet
somewhere? I would be interested in the amount of memory, power
consumption etc. 

> and cannot be done and get this project off the ground.

Comparing to Psion, I would probably miss the keyboard a lot but maybe 
a good script recognition system can replace it. Anyway, 
if the agreement were to be able to get the Ericsson communicator
platform with documentation to play with, in return of whatever
(little) time I can spare to help develop Linux for it, I would be
interested in trying.

> complete, robust and thus successful Linux port virtually impossible. 

Especially the lack of hardware info. Yes, I fear you are right that
without good documentation of the hardware, it is quite difficult to
write robust drivers.

Jan

-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jan Kybic <[email-masked]>      BIG IOA DMT EPFL Lausanne, Switzerland
       or <[email-masked]>         tel. work +41 (21) 693 5142
For PGP key see my WWW page.       http://bigwww.epfl.ch/kybic

---

From: Jan Kybic <[email-masked]>
Date: 28 Aug 2000 17:03:02 +0200

Jan