EKA1

Last updated
EKA1
Developer Psion
Symbian Ltd.
Written in Assembly language, C
OS family EPOC (Symbian)
Working stateDiscontinued
Source model Proprietary
Initial release1989;36 years ago (1989)
Marketing target PDAs, mobile phones
Available in English
Platforms x86, ARM
Kernel type Microkernel
Succeeded by EKA2
Official website developer.symbian.org/wiki/index.php/Category:Kernel_&_Hardware_Services

EKA1 (EPOC Kernel Architecture 1) is the first-generation kernel for the operating system Symbian OS. [1] EKA1 originated in the earlier 32-bit operating system EPOC. [2] It offers preemptive computer multitasking and memory protection, but no real-time computing guarantees, and a single-threaded device driver model. [2] [3] EKA1 was replaced by EKA2 as the default kernel starting with Symbian v9. [3]

Much of EKA1 was developed by a single software engineer, Colly Myers, when he was working for Psion Software in the early 1990s. Myers went on to act as CEO for Symbian Ltd., [3] [4] when it was formed to license this kernel and associated operating system to mobile phone makers. [5] [6]

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References

  1. Orlowski, Andrew (9 November 2010). "Why Symbian failed: developers, developers, developers". The Register . Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  2. 1 2 Sales, Jane (December 2005). Symbian OS Internals: Real-time Kernel Programming. Wiley. pp. 2, 13. ISBN   978-0-470-02525-3.
  3. 1 2 3 Morris, Ben (2007). The Symbian OS Architecture Sourcebook: Design and Evolution of a Mobile Phone OS (PDF). John Wiley & Sons. pp. 18, 22, 25, 259, 284, 291. ISBN   978-0-470-01846-0 . Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  4. "Business: The Company File Mobile giants team up against Microsoft". BBC News . 24 June 1998. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  5. Orlowski, Andrew (29 November 2010). "Symbian's Secret History: The battle for the company's soul". The Register . Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  6. Chan, Karen (19 February 2001). "Siemens License Deal Gives Symbian World's Top Five Handset Makers" . Wall Street Journal . Archived from the original on 2 October 2024. Retrieved 15 January 2025.