I am a intermediate level programmer. I usually work on microcontrollers using c but recently have decided to use higher power MCU's and run Linux to ease software development. I have been using Linux for quite a while and have bootstrapped and cross-compiled my own distro's in the past as well as done Linux From Scrath a few times. However this has not quite prepared me for custom hardware.

For example, the Beagleboard. Back when it came out and somebody says I want to run Debian on this guy they would need to make some kernel patches so the drivers knew which GPIO to toggle to access the hardware. This is where I do not even know where to start. Their are so many files, boot loaders, everything to deal with how do these guys do it?

I would like to eventually build my own custom SBC with a taylor made distro and be able to write drivers to allow userspace to access my hardware via standard API's.

Can anybody recommend some good books, tutorials, projects or even online classes that can help me get started?

Thanks!

Hi -

You sound like the kind of guy who should have absolutely no problem with getting up/running on the Beagleboard.

AFAIK, Angstrom is far more commonly used than Debian. I *do* know you should be able to find a ready-to-install Angstrom Linux image with no problem.

Suggestion:
1. It sounds like you already have a BeagleBoard.
If so, Google around, find something that appeals to you, and just get started. Here are a couple of good links:

http://elinux.org/BeagleBoardBeginners
http://beagleboard.org/

2. If you *don't* already have a BeagleBoard, you might want to consider an even less expensive alternative, like an Arduino kit:
http://www.linuxplanet.com/linuxplan...orials/6549/1/
http://www.arduino.cc/playground/Learning/Linux

3. Finally, if you're interested in something LIKE the BeagleBoard - but not necessarily a BeagleBoard itself - you can get LOTS of ideas here:

http://www.linuxfordevices.com/

'Hope that helps .. PSM

PS:
My adventure for this weekend or next will be to get Linux installed on an old Windows CE Sparkit: a 2300sx. I'll probably wind up using Angstrom Linux.

How much RAM/Flash should I have available for a small embedded Linux test machine?

I have a router 240MHz, 8Mb RAM, 2MB Flash but that is awfully tiny. I don't plan on doing anything with the device other than get a custom kernel working with serial comms. Maybe bit bang an interface with a few GPIO.

I think I can make it fit but I have no idea how large the usual embedded Linux is. On my desktop I have made a compact flash distro for test and using busybox and only needed drivers I was at 13Mb. DD-WRT runs on the 4MB devices but not the 2MB ones but they have a lot of extras I wont need so...