Re: Summary so far...

[Bucky Katz <bucky%picovex.com@localhost>]

Allen Briggs <briggs%netbsd.org@localhost> writes:

> I've been trying to keep track of the various topics discussed so
> far and a few more things that came to my mind while assembling
> the notes.
>
> Comments are, of course, still welcome.
>
> -allen
>
> ---+ Embedded NetBSD
>
> There are several classes of embedded systems that we look at here,
> knowing that many devices may not fit neatly into each category:
>
>    * Handheld/kiosk devices
>       * Have more complex and interactive user interface than others
>       * May have limited networking needs
>       * Probably limited ROM / RAM resources

Note that cell phones are different than traditional handheld devices.

>    * Flash support
>       * Support for NOR devices (CFI, et al.)
>       * Support for NAND devices
>       * Flash filesystem
>          * wear leveling
>          * makefs support

There is a large body of experience that suggests that treating NOR
and NAND devices as similar and lumping them all together as "Flash"
tends to lead to poor designs with respect to NAND.

>
> ---+++ Debug / optimization
>    * Power management (conserve power when idle / semi-idle)
>       * powertop-like functionality?
>       * power usage logging / reporting facilities

Power management on handheld devices is not an optimization.  Battery
life often determines the market acceptance of a handheld device.

>    * Remote debugging (via firewire or ip? gdb w/ kdp?, ssh-to-ddb? esp?)

If you do USB client then CDC ethernet ip debugging is prefered.