RE: RE: [amsat-bb] Wondows Question

[hlong@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

FWIW, I just read in CQ-TV that  Nokia are using embedded
Linux in some new fangled set top TV box, with a 20Gb disk
drive for home use. Lets you do all those fancy things like
reviewing what you just missed on the fly etc etc.

Although Micro$oft's systems provide me with my bread and
butter, I do shudder when M$ tout Embedded CE and
especially Embedded NT.

73 Howard G6LVB

--------------Replied message--------------
Date: Thu, 26 Oct 2000 08:51:14 +1000
From: Tony Langdon <tlangdon@atctraining.com.au>
To: 'John Magliacane' <magliaco@email.njin.net>, GPersons
<railfan@flash.net>
Subject: RE: [amsat-bb] Wondows Question

> Even some (if not all?) of our Microsats use a version of DOS
> called qCF
> (by Quadron, not Microsoft).  Would you support a "21st
Century" OSCAR
> satellite that was powered by Windoze?  How long do you think
it would
> be in operation before it crashed?

Hehehe, good point!  Simple OS's such as DOS certainly do
have many
applications for embedded systems (like a satellite IHU).  But the
thought
of a satellite running MS-Windows is rather scary.  Hmm, maybe
that's a way
to get regular travel and DXing in space by signing up to be the
support
person?  Have to go up and reboot the bird every few days? ;-)

Would be a nice bit of DXing on the way to the bird. ;-)

Linux would make me feel a lot more comfortable, though even
that would be
overkill in a lot of cases.  With software and systems which must
run
reliably while unattended, simplicity is a must, as every line of
code in
the OS increases the risk of a serious bug which might kill the
system, and
decreases the probability that the bug will be found during code
auditing or
testing.  DOS will remain a potentially good choice for embedded
systems for
years to come, because of its relative simplicity.

> Most of the kids I know today happily dump Windows for Linux
after I
> show them what it can do.  I wish turning them into hams were
as easy!

Hehehe, true. :-)
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