Charles Esson wrote:
For a well thought out and complete answer to this question take look at IEEE 1275. Unfortunately like all complex questions the complete answer is not simple to follow.
Now for the last statement, nobody is doing embedded control.
Yes I am, and I will ask the question, for embedded control why do you want to boot an OS. You can fit a lot of code ( including the OS) in a $10 flash.
NO, NO, that was Dave said:
The BIOS as boot loader would also be well suited for embedded applications because it is small, lightweight and can be specifically implemented to boot from things such as flash, EPROM, network cards, radio modems or other unusual boot devices.
AND that was what I (Mircea) replied:
In most embedded devices THE boot media is the ROM so, theconfiguration is also enough fixed to not necesite a configuration program and btw. is there some ( even scratch...) standard for what a embbeded BIOS should do, tommorow I'll start coding to some micro-PC board with ALI 6117C and I'll like a starting point.
And that means that I don't agree with Dave on that part, I was just asking if there is some kind of specifications for embedded systems API to have even a little compatibility and portability between that boards, like some standard services: memory alocators, equipment list, device list and proprerties like in I or O or I/O, is analog, digital, serial, network, timer or so, range of values, interruup services made simple, interrupt priority alocation map, watch-dog presence and programming and a simple way to specify priorityes on those loaded tasks and yes, even some standard routines for upgrading Flash on serial or network interface, this last thing sickens me, it seems that every board has his own proprietary way to be updated. This is great for loocking users with you, and give nothing to the competition but here we're laking about Open ( even Free like in FSF if we join the GNU project :) things. So if you (or others) plan to do something like that I invite you to join forces NOW !!!
Mircea C.