Warp wrote:
>   How do you define "embedded system"? 

I've been thinking about that.

One could say it's a computer with no user-visible UI, like a chip running 
you car's engine. Now, what happens when you're talking about (say) a 
missile launcher? Clearly that's going to have a UI, and just as clearly 
that's an embedded system. However, looking at the chip running your car's 
engine, I imagine it's talking to a lot more "outside world" than a google 
server is, just in terms of having to be able to do byte-level hardware 
programming.

Or one could say it's a computer with no ability for the user to decide what 
code runs on it, which would make something like a "dumb phone" an embedded 
system. I.e., if in coding it up you don't have to worry about any sort of 
security, I'd say it's an embedded system. Not perfect, but close.

Right now, I'm working on a box with built in hardware decoding for various 
media types, DMA channels that have to get programmed, etc. I'm porting 
webkit to it, and it's running Linux. It's a lump of black plastic whose 
only feedback to the user is an LED on the front I can turn different 
colors. Is that "embedded"?

> I'd say the iPhone is more a portable
> computer. It's very small in physical size, but that alone doesn't make it
> "embedded".

Nevertheless, the code there talks to the "outside world" far more than 
something like google's servers, in terms of finicky technology.

-- 
   Darren New, San Diego CA, USA (PST)
   I ordered stamps from Zazzle that read "Place Stamp Here".

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