MontaVista Introduces Support for Intel PICA Port in Record Time

MontaVista, Inc., a developer of the Hard Hat(TM) Linux(R) operating system for embedded applications, has introduced support for the Programmable Intel Compute Appliance (PICA). The PICA, an Intel Celeron-based platform, targets a variety of Internet Appliance applications, including home networking and network security. The MontaVista engineering team re-targeted Hard Hat Linux to run on the PICA in record time, going from initial power-on to a Linux prompt in under 90 minutes.

This portability and stability of the embedded Linux software platform make it an attractive option for deeply embedded, I/O-intensive applications. The PICA Board Support includes 100 megabit Ethernet, USB, flash memory, IDE disk support, and a PMC/PCI expansion interface. Hard Hat Linux for the PICA offers full TCP/IP networking, local and remote multi-format file systems (VFS/NFS/Samba), remote login/shell, web services (HTTP/FTP/etc.

), headless operation, scalable footprint, and a rich selection of other services. Hard Hat Linux Support Packages (LSPs) can be obtained from the MontaVista FTP site at ftp://ftp.mvista.com. A standard PICA LSP will accompany MontaVista version 2.0 Hard Hat Linux Cross Development Kit (CDK), slated for release in early Q3 of 2000. Hard Hat Linux for the Intel PICA and the Hard Hat Linux x86/Pentium CDK are on display at the Applied Computing Conference, May 22-25, at the Santa Clara Convention Center, Booth #222.