“Despite the fact that the Linux licensing model ought to be
very attractive to the ‘thin device’ industry, there has not yet
been a major Linux initiative in this area.
There is now, as Solectron teams up with MontaVista
Software, a three month old Silicon Valley start-up.
MontaVista will be producing a version of Linux that will be called
Hard Hat, which will initially be for use by Force Computers, a
subsidiary of Solectron that produces small devices with embedded
processors. … Linux has previously been used on thin client
devices, including Wyse’s diskless thin clients and NetGem’s TV
set-top boxes, but there has never previously been a generic Linux
for small devices.”
“This particular Linux development should worry 3COM with the
PalmOS, Symbian with its EPOC OS and Microsoft with Windows CE, as
this is genuine competition.”
“The question that is not yet answered and will not be answered
quickly is whether software will port easily between Hard Hat Linux
and other versions. However if porting proves to be easy, Hard Hat
will have a significant edge over the competition among software
developers.”