嵌入式linux操作系统Chapter2.docVIP

Chapter 2. Basic Concepts As we saw in the previous chapter, there is a rich variety of embedded Linux systems. There are nevertheless a few key characteristics that apply uniformly to most embedded Linux systems. The purpose of this chapter is to present to you the basic concepts and issues that you are likely to encounter when developing any sort of embedded Linux system. Many of the subjects introduced here are discussed in far greater detail in other chapters. They are introduced here to give you a better sense of how the entire system comes together. The chapter starts by discussing the types of hosts most commonly used for developing embedded Linux systems, the types of host/target development setups, and the types of host/target debug setups. These sections are meant to help you select the best environment for developing embedded Linux systems or, if the environment is already specified and cant be changed, understand how your particular setup will influence the rest of your development effort. The chapter then presents details of the structure commonly found in most embedded Linux systems. I present the generic architecture of an embedded Linux system, I explain the system startup, the types of boot configurations, and the typical system memory layout. 2.1 Types of Hosts In Chapter 3, I cover the hardware most commonly found in embedded Linux targets. Each possible target system can be developed by a wide variety of hosts. In the following, I discuss the types of hosts most commonly used, their particulars, and how easy it is to develop embedded Linux systems using them. 2.1.1 Linux Workstation This is the most common type of development host for embedded Linux systems. It is also the one I recommend, because developing embedded Linux systems requires that you become quite familiar with Linux and there is no better way of doing this than using it for your everyday work. A standard PC is your most likely Linux workstation. Do not forget, nonetheless,