Linos linux which is not Open Source? proprietary by Aware

nooby · 08-22-2008, 05:39 AM

Used in the Aware laptop and in the Elonex One 99£ "ultra" laptop?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linos_(operating_system)
http://www.ocworkbench.com/2007/awar...-AW-300/g1.htm

http://www.elonexone.co.uk/faq.html

But Elonex says about their version

Quote:

Linux is also open source, meaning that it can be developed and modified by anyone and redistributed for free.

In fact you'll be able to modify the operating system on the ONE!

The version of Linux on the ONE is Linos 2.6.21.

But if you search for it at DW they have nothing yet at time of writing?

Quote:

Linos The distribution you requested does not exist in our database.

so is it Open Source or is it proprietary by Aware Electronics?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aware_Electronics

I like Open Source very much as an ideology but maybe sometimes
firms have to get money by protecting their investments.

I'm not so strict on it. I prefer to have a working system
that is owned by somebody than systems that doesn't work but
are Open Source. I do prefer all could be open source though.

I post this with two purposes. Does anybody know if their Linos
is changeable as the Elonex site says or does they only mean one
can download things that is proprietary.

And to ask how is the machine? Has any of you had a chance to test one?
Rubber keyboard doesn't sound so great does it?

pixellany · 08-22-2008, 06:19 AM

Quote:

The version of Linux on the ONE is Linos 2.6.21.

I suspect they are referring to the kernel version, not the name of a distro.

Google search using "elonex one" give lots of interesting-looking hits.

nooby · 08-23-2008, 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pixellany

I suspect they are referring to the kernel version, not the name of a distro.

Google search using "elonex one" give lots of interesting-looking hits.

Yes and No!

Yes number are most likely a way to say which kernel they use.
But No! the linux they use is not any kind of Linux, it is their own
take on it. Aware Electronix Linux. Proprietary. Restricted too.

read here. http://www.ocworkbench.com/2007/awar...-AW-300/g6.htm

Quote:

The browser seems to be a scaled down FireFox and it forbids saving of files. On top of that, it doesn't allow me to install add on like Macromedia Flash. Youtube can't be viewed on this machine. It can only install 'approved' applications provided by AWARE which makes it quite restrictive.

Hopefully Elonex has lifted that restriction? Youtube is very important for me.

nooby · 08-23-2008, 12:07 AM

Asus Eeepc allow dual booting with a thumb pen drive which can have any linux on it.
So if that is possible here too then one can work around the restriction of the
proprietary Linos Linux?

I've found one guy speculating it is this chip set that makes it
unusual and explains why it is so restricted.

http://www.free-press-release.com/ne...196462183.html Still speculation but looks a possible candidate on why they have been able to get so low price.

Quote:

Tri-M Engineering’s new VSX104 is a rugged 300MHz CPU module featuring extended temp operation and soldered 128MB DDR2 RAM. The VSX104 features 4 COM, 2 USB2.0, and 1 10/100 ports.

So that could explain why the Linux is not an ordinary linux. They have to tailor it to that chip set. It is a Debian variant though but the Aware Electronics machine only allow updating from their site. don't know if that goes for Elonex.

Would be sad if it fails to use linux on an USB thumb.

What I like most is that it weight considerable less than all the
other machines costing so little. 600+ grams instead of 900+ grams
for Asus Eeepc.

samjam · 09-12-2008, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nooby

...
So that could explain why the Linux is not an ordinary linux. They have to tailor it to that chip set. It is a Debian variant though but the Aware Electronics machine only allow updating from their site. don't know if that goes for Elonex.

Would be sad if it fails to use linux on an USB thumb.

What I like most is that it weight considerable less than all the
other machines costing so little. 600+ grams instead of 900+ grams
for Asus Eeepc.

Maybe I can use it to replace my DLINK NSLU2 which runs debian.
It has more RAM, but also WLAN, and if I go for the +, it has Bluetooth too....

But I'll want to run samba and nfs4 on it....

Sam