Conclusions

Linux is a stable and potent system that can satisfy the needs of the 32bit embedded device market to a large extent. The Linux kernel development is providing a vast amount of resources extending the possible fields of application of embedded Linux and real time Linux almost daily. An issue that needs to be addressed though is the design concepts applied to embedded Linux - embedded Linux is not simply a scaled down desk-top Linux system. Utilizing the vast resources available in kernel space to optimize embedded Linux systems needs to continue and the Linux kernel could improve performance a lot if it would permit more fine grain feature configuration at compile time and if it would ease the ability to extend trusted code into user-space. But the largest part of the work is on the side of the embedded system designer and programmers that need to switch from thinking in desk-top terms to thinking and designing in `closed-can` embedded terms.