Optware

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Optware is a free software package manager for embedded systems. Originally developed as a distribution mechanism for the Unslung Linux distribution for the Linksys NSLU2, Optware has been adopted by a variety of hobbyist communities and device developers. [1] [2]

Package manager software tools for handling software packages

A package manager or package-management system is a collection of software tools that automates the process of installing, upgrading, configuring, and removing computer programs for a computer's operating system in a consistent manner.

Embedded system computer system with a dedicated function within a larger mechanical or electrical system

An embedded system is a controller programmed and controlled by a real-time operating system (RTOS) with a dedicated function within a larger mechanical or electrical system, often with real-time computing constraints. It is embedded as part of a complete device often including hardware and mechanical parts. Embedded systems control many devices in common use today. Ninety-eight percent of all microprocessors manufactured are used in embedded systems.

Unslung is an open source firmware for the Linksys NSLU2. It is based on the stock Linksys firmware. Due to the device running Linux, and therefore licensed under, and subject to the terms of the GNU General Public License, Linksys released the source code.

Contents

Optware has been used on a number of platforms, including the webOS community working on the Palm Pre [3] and Pixi, the WL-500g, WL-HDD, WL-500gx, WL-500gP Asus routers, Plug computers (Pogoplug V1, V2, Pro, Biz, Dockstars, etc.), Asustor and Synology NAS devices. In late 2010, the first Optware for Android was released by the Novaports team for the Nook Color.

webOS mobile operating system based on a Linux kernel

webOS, also known as LG webOS and previously known as Open webOS,HP webOS and Palm webOS, is a Linux kernel-based multitasking operating system for smart devices such as smart TVs and it has been used as a mobile operating system. Initially developed by Palm, Inc., HP made the platform open source, at which point it became Open webOS. The operating system was later sold to LG Electronics. In January 2014, Qualcomm announced that it had acquired technology patents from HP, which included all the webOS and Palm patents.

Palm Pre

The Palm Pre, styled as palm prē, is a multitasking smartphone that was designed and marketed by Palm with a multi-touch screen and a sliding keyboard. The smartphone was the first to use Palm's Linux based mobile operating system, webOS. The Pre functions as a camera phone and a portable media player, and has location and navigation capabilities. The Pre also serves as a personal information manager, has a number of communication and collaboration applications, and has Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity built-in.

Plug computer

A plug computer is an external device, often configured for use in the home or office as a compact computer. It consists of a high-performance, low-power system-on-a-chip processor with several I/O ports and typically runs any of a number of Linux distributions. Most versions do not have provisions for connecting a display and are best suited as for running media server, back-up services, file sharing and remote access functions, thus acting as a bridge between in-home protocols such as Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) and Server Message Block (SMB) and cloud based services. There are, however, plug computer offerings that have analog VGA monitor and/or HDMI connectors, which, along with multiple USB ports, permit the use of a display, keyboard, and mouse, thus making them full-fledged, low-power alternatives to desktop and notebook computers.

Supported platforms

Optware packages currently run on the following devices:

The NSLU2 is a network-attached storage (NAS) device made by Linksys introduced in 2004 and discontinued in 2008. It makes USB flash memory and hard disks accessible over a network using the SMB protocol. It was superseded mainly by the NAS200 and in another sense by the WRT600N and WRT300N/350N which both combine a Wi-Fi router with a storage link.

Firmware low-level software traditionally held in ROM

In electronic systems and computing, firmware is a specific class of computer software that provides the low-level control for the device's specific hardware. Firmware can either provide a standardized operating environment for the device's more complex software, or, for less complex devices, act as the device's complete operating system, performing all control, monitoring and data manipulation functions. Typical examples of devices containing firmware are embedded systems, consumer appliances, computers, computer peripherals, and others. Almost all electronic devices beyond the simplest contain some firmware.

USB Industry standard

USB is an industry standard that establishes specifications for cables and connectors and protocols for connection, communication and power supply between computers, peripheral devices and other computers. Released in 1996, the USB standard is currently maintained by the USB Implementers Forum. There have been three generations of USB specifications: USB 1.x, USB 2.0 and USB 3.x; the fourth called USB4 is scheduled to be published in the middle of 2019.

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Palm (PDA) company

Palm is an American tech company that developed and designed Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), mobile phones, and software. Palm devices are often remembered as "the first wildly popular handheld computers," responsible for ushering in the smartphone era. Palm's first PDAs ran the Palm OS, were smaller than competing handhelds, and proved to the industry that there was a market for a new category of portable computing device.

Linksys American company selling data networking hardware products

Linksys is an American company selling data networking hardware products mainly to home users and small businesses. Its products include wired and wireless routers, Ethernet switches, VoIP equipment, wireless Internet video cameras, audio visual products and network storage systems.

OpenVPN is an open-source commercial software that implements virtual private network (VPN) techniques to create secure point-to-point or site-to-site connections in routed or bridged configurations and remote access facilities. It uses a custom security protocol that utilizes SSL/TLS for key exchange. It is capable of traversing network address translators (NATs) and firewalls. It was written by James Yonan and is published under the GNU General Public License (GPL).

A wireless distribution system (WDS) is a system enabling the wireless bridging of access points in an IEEE 802 network. It allows an extended network to be created using wireless IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi) access points without the traditional requirement for wires to link them. The notable advantage of WDS over other solutions is that it preserves the MAC addresses of client frames across links between access points, thus mixtures of ethernet and WDS connections can be treated as a single network.

Rockbox firmware

Rockbox is a free and open-source software replacement for the OEM firmware in various forms of digital audio players (DAPs) with an original kernel. It offers an alternative to the player's operating system, in many cases without removing the original firmware, which provides a plug-in architecture for adding various enhancements and functions. Enhancements include personal digital assistant (PDA) functions, applications, utilities, and games. Rockbox can also retrofit video playback functions on players first released in mid-2000. Rockbox includes a voice-driven user-interface suitable for operation by visually impaired users.

Wireless router device that works as both router and a wireless access point

A wireless router is a device that performs the functions of a router and also includes the functions of a wireless access point. It is used to provide access to the Internet or a private computer network. Depending on the manufacturer and model, it can function in a wired local area network, in a wireless-only LAN, or in a mixed wired and wireless network.

Logitech Media Server open-source software

Logitech Media Server is a streaming audio server supported by Logitech, developed in particular to support their Squeezebox range of digital audio receivers.

ipkg, or the Itsy Package Management System, is a lightweight package management system designed for embedded devices that resembles Debian's dpkg. It was used in the Unslung operating system for the Linksys NSLU2 (Optware), in OpenWrt, Openmoko, webOS, Gumstix, the iPAQ, QNAP NAS appliances and elsewhere; as of early 2017 it can still be used for the Synology NAS appliances and in the LuneOS operating system.

Drobo is a series of external storage devices for computers. They are made of different types including DAS, SAN, and NAS appliances made by Drobo, Inc. Current Drobo devices can house up to four, five, eight, or twelve 3.5" or 2.5" Serial ATA or Serial Attached SCSI hard disk drives and connect with a computer or network via USB 2.0, USB 3.0, FireWire 800, eSATA, Gigabit Ethernet or Thunderbolt. Drobo devices are primarily designed to allow installation and removal of hard disk drives without requiring manual data migration, and also for increasing storage capacity of the unit without downtime.

SheevaPlug

The SheevaPlug is a "plug computer" designed to allow standard computing features in as small a space as possible.

The hacking of consumer electronics is an increasingly common practice which users perform in order to customize and modify their devices beyond what is typically possible. This activity has a long history, dating from the days of early computer, programming, and electronics hobbyists. The most notable case of the hacking of consumer electronics is jailbreaking of Apple iOS devices or the rooting of Android phones, although many other electronics such as video game consoles are regularly hacked.

OpenWrt is an open source project for embedded operating system based on Linux, primarily used on embedded devices to route network traffic. The main components are Linux, util-linux, musl, and BusyBox. All components have been optimized to be small enough to fit into the limited storage and memory available in home routers.

References

  1. ↑ "Case Studies: Ermethic Design and Architecture SRL (Romania)". QNAP . Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  2. ↑ Mann, Parm (4 July 2008). "QNAP's Turbo NAS series given software boost with firmware 2.1.0". HEXUS.net. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  3. ↑ Carroll, Tim (19 June 2009). "More Pre Hacks and Inner Details Revealed". Palm Infocenter. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  4. ↑ ASUSTOR App-central optware page
  5. ↑ Freecom - FSG3 page
  6. ↑ NSLU2-Linux - Optware / Plug Computers
  7. ↑ Purewal, Sarah Jacobsson (2 February 2011). "Hack Your Streaming Set-Top Box". PCWorld TechHive. IDG . Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  8. ↑ Nookdevs - The Nookdevs.com Optware page
  9. ↑ "OptWare for Kindle". MobileRead Forum. MobileRead.com. 2011-01-26. Retrieved 2014-08-26.|first1= missing |last1= in Authors list (help)
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