"A system developer planning to use Linux for an embedded design
is faced with a number of decisions, not the least of which is
whether to use a packaged commercial Embedded Linux distribution or
to devise a homebrew solution from the available free tools and
components. The custom approach has much appeal because of its low
cost and radical flexibility, allowing one to choose any approach
or tool rather than those chosen by the toolkit vendor. But with
this flexibility and low cost comes the chaotic documentation
typical of Linux. Thus, books like Embedded Linux: Hardware,
Software, and Interfacing, by Craig Hollabaugh, fill a
significant void.
"As its subtitle suggests, Embedded Linux covers an
ambitious amount of ground, and some may question whether its scope
is sufficiently focused. The book dismisses cross-development
platform construction, building and booting Linux, and debugging in
one chapter each, leaving the bulk of the book to hardware
interfacing and system integration. For proper coverage of each,
these subjects could easily occupy one book each; one for
cross-development environment setup and one for interfacing.
Perhaps even a third book focused on embedded Linux system
integration could be justified..."
