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July 26, 2006
Embedded Linux
Embedded Linux: Om Malik writes here of the possibilities for Linux systems in home entertainment use, rather than just for workstation use. I can't predict which OS will eventually control what percentage of embedded home use, but I've agreed that Linux certainly has good possibilities, particularly with personal video recorders and home automation systems. But back then, rich platform-neutral interactivity on Linux was frustrating... although Macromedia has given away Flash Player for Linux since the late 1990s, the SWF capabilities atop Macintosh and Windows APIs have kept on rocketing ahead, while it has remained a difficult problem to just unfork Linux. Over the years I've spoken with lots of folks inside the company who have been committed to Linux delivery, even though it's been so hard to construct business cases, and then to implement. There's light at the end of the tunnel, though, with the Penguin team bringing a modern Flash Player to Linux this year... feels to me like the worst of the disparity will soon be behind us. Like Om, I suspect that embedded use of Linux in the home may well end up being more important than desktop use... either way, these possibilities for embedded home systems are an important reason for bringing the lightweight media/interactivity layer of Flash to Linux systems.
Posted by JohnDowdell at July 26, 2006 04:27 PM
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Comments
Great stuff JD, and the sooner we have a Linux player the better.
Posted by: Ryan Stewart at July 26, 2006 04:51 PM