Hello guys.
>>> Tivo used some form of linux and was only required to release the changes made to the kernel.
So let me ask you something. If I am using one of em off-the-shelf OSes (let's take Linux as an example) and I need to make a specific algorithm for some sort of sensor and the algorithm I come up with doesn't exist out there and furthermore the functionality produced by this very algorithm starts to become super *popular*.... would I be obligated to share that code ?
For example, if the algorithm I create controls a sensor in a very specific way that its functionality becomes a very popular feature in the IT technological field so much so that Linux decides that the algorithm must be made part of the open source medium. Would I be able to argue this ?
And if I make specific changes to the Linux kernel (for example new functions that do other logic) how does one determine that I am actually modifing the kernel and not simply adding/creating my own functions ? This could be tricky atleast I think?
>>>> The root question is do you need an OS ?
Well this is why I am blabbing away here. In a small embedded system how many things do we really need. In my small kernel I have created the following:
- several commands to display text (4 fonts), pics and Icons
- a small selection of controls (List boxes, buttons etc..)
- a small rtos (which mimics windows messaging method)
- a basic data I/O system to store and retrieve records from flash with queries
- a simple touch screen
and
- Soon will embbed functionality for a camera and sound
Fine I agree there are some draw backs such as:
- I only have 16 bits/pixel as pixel depth for my color LCD
- I only can use 1.5" and 2.0" LCD's
- I don't have anti-aliasing or alpha blending
But why would I need those things right away for... I am not building a desktop computer application you know!
Besides, with time these features will eventually get integrated.
Also, the thing that bothers me though, is if I do hire programmers how would they feel about working with my limited kernel ?
>>>So - you are saying that all of the companies that make, sell, service, etc. Android phones, tablets, netbooks, etc - that somehow they made a mistake?
No, they did not make a mistake, and I am not a mega corp. Also I don't know *how* they are really protecting themselves. And probably neither do you and neither do most people know this sort of stuff. These mega corps have the financial support to dig into the legalities of these licencing contracts. I am not a lawyer and therefore I am ignorant when it comes to documants like this:
https://wiki.osdev.org/Licensing
After having read this, I was even more confused. I am not a lawyer, I don't understand all the legalities but one thing is for sure, if I do it myself, it's mine. If I use OSes that are governed by all this legal mumbo jumbo... I can face surprises that I didn't expect and unlikely be able to handle them the way a mega corp would. So I rather be safe than sorry. It's just me!
At the begining of that link that I posted, it says:
"Probably the scariest thing about software licenses are the endless paragraphs of legalese; we try to keep this text as crisp and short as possible. "
Makes me wonder what other leagal paragraphs are behind this crisp and short licensing document that we don't know about. It might be fine for these mega corps to use such OSes for their products because they have lawyers looking into the legalities down to the bitter crumb of the legal spectrum. Even though I said money or man power is not an object, I strongly feel I can do without any legal stigma in the long run.
>>>that somehow they made a mistake? That all of a sudden, somebody somewhere is going to steal all of their tech and run off with it?
I highly doubt it! LOL!!!
>>> and if people want to hack it, they will - whether you have control over the software/OS or not. That's a fact.
Yes but cr0sh, if someone wants to go through all of that, then that's their choice but they still have to manage the quirks to do it. But for what I am doing there is nothing safer than a closed platform.
>>> your hardware must be fairly replicable or easily hacked
How so.... the hardware replicable, I don't think so... re-engineered so that it does the same operations is more likely! But easily hacked?
How can one hack a system when he would not know the first thing about its protocols, logic sequences and so forth... without seeing the code???
>>> You do know that OSX and IOS are both based on BSD, an open-source operating system, right?
Here I don't have an answer as I don't know much about that OS. But I wonder how flexible the licensing contract is?
Thanks for all your insights ... much appreciated
r
