The 1-Second Linux Boot

An anonymous reader writes "Less than one second Linux boot! This video shows an OMAP3530 capturing video data from a camera and rendering it to an LCD display — the video appears on the LCD display in less than a second from reset."

Specialized platform...

[pushing-robot]

An OS optimized for a single platform being loaded uncompressed from ROM (or in this case flash) is nothing special. Heck, many of the computers of 30 years ago booted up in a second or two for the same reasons.

Misleading summary

[cualexander]

This is a linux computer in a car that has very specific hardware and limited functionality. Wake me up when you can get a true desktop machine to boot in 1 second and then we can talk. This is like saying, "My toaster runs linux and it can boot instantly!" Big freaking deal.

Re:Misleading summary

[xZgf6xHx2uhoAj9D]

I don't see why the summary is misleading or why a desktop machine would be the only measuring stick worth considering, especially when you think of how seldomly Linux is run on the desktop.

This is like saying, "My toaster runs linux and it can boot instantly!"

What would be wrong with that?

They poured a tonne of work into making this happen. Just because they control the hardware their hard work isn't worth anything? I think it's pretty cool what they've been able to do, someone no one else in the history of Linux has ever been able to do.

Perverting the context much, Timothy?

[macraig]

Where's the very relevant word embedded in the Slashdot title? Even TFA's author was honest enough to include it in the original title.

Re:Misleading summary

[caseih]

Actually it is a pretty big deal. In most embedded systems that need to be instant on, a manufacturer would likely use highly customized code with highly customized hardware. The big deal here is that a (relatively) full linux kernel and system boots in the same time as all that custom code giving a manufacturer a solid, generic, and cheap base to work from. In other words, rather than having to rely on highly customized, specific firmware for the device, a more generic linux-based system platform can be used. This makes everything cheaper and thus must more profitable. This is proof that Linux is flexible and agile enough to be used from the smallest devices all the way up the line. Same kernel-level APIs everywhere. Same tools. A tremendous advantage for embedded device makers rushing to get to market.

Re:The Register also has the story.

[wrmrxxx]

That video is 2 minutes and 27 seconds long. Long enough to boot 147 times over.

Re:Why not do this for desktop OSs?

[Anonymous Coward]

No, it doesn't.

Hibernate stores the machine state on HD when you decide to stop working, and then restore it upon reboot.

What the grand parent post suggests is that a certain machine state, always the same, be restored in the typical boot.

I can imagine an "Hibernaboot menu" where the user can choose one among several stored machine states.

Re:Misleading summary

[rsun]

And the number of embedded Linux systems with ludicrous boot times that could be improved by something like this is quite high. Think of that BluRay player that takes 90 seconds to open the tray from power off, or your new LCD TV that takes 30 seconds to produce a picture, or your Tivo that takes minutes to be ready to do anything. The vast majority of these devices run embedded linux and getting the boot times down to sub 10 seconds would go a long way to making customers much happier. I know I'd be much happier with consumer electronics if I didn't have to wait so much for things to boot (and sadly, since I've been doing embedded Linux for the last 8 years, I'm probably responsible for some of it...) Yeah, this demo is certainly a contrived example - I'd guess that they've stripped the kernel and u-boot to the bare minimum, loading from parallel flash instead of serial, no arbitrary delays anywhere and init is probably the application they're demoing.