linux // hardware

• Arduino - An open source electronics prototyping platform based on flexible, easy-to-use hardware and software. It's intended for artists, designers, hobbyists, and anyone interested in creating interactive objects or environments.
• Asterisk - The Open Source Linux PBX and Telephony Platform - A complete Linux PBX (private branch exchange) software for VoIP networks; it is inter-operable with almost all standards-based telephony equipment using relatively inexpensive hardware.
• Autopilot UAV - A command and control system for helicopters and can be extended for fixed wing aircraft.
• BIOS from A to Z - An in-depth guide to the BIOS chip; covers the basics, tuning, settings, updating, and the Golden Rules. (2006)
• Bug Labs - This company is dedicated to providing a Lego-like collection of open source hardware and software that customers can use to build their own devices.
• DMX4Linux 2.3 - A driver Suite for Linux. DMX is the industry standard for controlling lighting devices.
• Flashrom - A universal flash programming utility used to detect, read, erase, or write BIOS chips (DIP, PLCC, SPI). It can be used to flash firmware images such as BIOS or coreboot. Latest stable release is 0.9.1, 2009-09-02.
• Free Telephony Project - The goal of this project is to provide free hardware designs for telephone systems. Both the hardware and software are free and open.
• Gwx - GTK+ client for the wx200d(8) weather station server - A graphical GTK+ wx200d(8) client that looks and feels like the WX200 weather station hardware. An interactive, resizable picture of the hardware displays the current weather conditions in a window. Current release is 1.2, 2002-07-04.
• HPTalx - A HP Calculator<->PC communications program for Linux. Supported HP calculators include: HP 48, HP 49, and HP 49G+.
• How to Build Your Own PC - Save A Buck And Learn A Lot - Online Book - A great guide for building a PC from scratch; one of the book's strengths is the author's ability to write technical material in an easy-to-understand and enjoyable manner. (2005)
• IBM Research Projects - Linux Watch - Details on the Linux wristwatch (WatchPad) can be found here.
• Installing Debian GNU/Linux 3.0 For Intel x86 - System Requirements - For hardware requirements on other Debian-supported architectures, see Debian GNU/Linux 3.0 -- Installation Manual (http://www.debian.org/releases/woody/installmanual), section 2 of each manual.
• Jungo - Device Driver Development Tools, Home Gateway Software - Linux device drivers and software.
• Linux Drivers - An annotated list of Linux driver resources.
• Linux Home Automation - Home automation and home control (HA) Software (source code and links mostly) for the home automation devices Insteon PowerLinc V2, CM11A, CM17 (Firecracker), LynX10, WM918, HCS II and CPUXA.
• Linux In-wall Automation Control TouchScreen Project - Last updated in 2001, but nonetheless, it's a neat story about installing a Linux touch screen for home use. One of the best sites to consult for touchscreen laptops and notebooks with Linux is: http://tuxmobil.org/touch_laptops.html.
• Linux Kernel 2.6 PCMCIA - Information on PCMCIA support for 2.6x kernels. Site last updated 2008-07-14.
• Linux Lighting Group - Professional Lighting Software - Lighting hardware and software for Linux and similar platforms.
• Linux Online - Linux-Friendly Hardware - A resource site for Linux hardware including laptops, compatibility databases, and companies selling complete systems, hardware components, DAs/Palmtops and handhelds.
• Linux PCMCIA HOWTO - This document describes how to install and use PCMCIA card services for Linux, and answers some frequently asked questions. Latest version is v2.118, 2003.
• Linux on the Sony VAIO FX/FXA Series - How to get Linux running on a Sony VAIO FX405 and other AMD Duron/Athlon based VAIO notebooks, including the FX401, FX501/FX505, FX601/FX605, FX701/FX705 and FX801/FX805.
• Linux-Hacker.net - A site devoted to technical information about upgrading Internet appliance computers.
• Linux-Ready Firmware Developer Kit - A tool to test how well Linux works together with the firmware (BIOS) on PCs. This toolkit is primarily aimed at firmware developers.
• LinuxMCE - An open source software platform designed to allow a computer to act as a home theater PC (HTPC), personal video recorder, full-featured VOIP-compatible phone system, and a home automation system.
• Linuxstamp - Open Circuits - An open source, general-purpose processor module that includes a standard Linux kernel, an SD card, Ethernet and aUSB/serial converter. It can be used in initial product design so users don't have to build an entire motherboard from scratch.
• MUSCLE - Movement for the Use of Smart Cards in a Linux Environment - Cross-platform smart card development site.
• Memory Technology Device (MTD) Subsystem for Linux - A generic Linux subsystem for memory devices, especially Flash devices.
• MetkuMods - Because you love your hardware! - Some serious and not so serious hardware modifications.
• Minerva - Linux Home Automation for the Masses - A complete home automation suite for Linux.
• MisterHouse - It Knows Kung Fu - A cross-platform home automation program written in Perl. It can respond to voice commands, web browsers, time of day, serial port and X10 data, external files, and can speak via text-to-speech engines.
• Multimeter software for Linux - used with Metex 4650CR - Latest version is 0.0.5, 2002.
• OLPC - One Laptop per Child - The mission of this non-profit association (One Laptop Per Child) is to develop a low-cost laptop - the "$100 Laptop" - a technology that could revolutionize how we educate the world's children. Their goal is to provide children around the world with new opportunities to explore, experiment, and express themselves. Website also available in German. In 2008 this project lost its way somewhat when they announced plans to collaborate with Microsoft.
• OPENCORES - Open source hardware; news and a database of free EDA software and circuit designs.
• OWW - One-Wire Weather Interface - A server and client for Dallas Semiconductor / AAG 1-wire weather station kits.
• Open Source Hardware 2009 - The Definitive Guide to Open Source Hardware Projects - This guide contains a treasure trove of open source hardware projects organized into 19 subject areas. Like free software in Linux, these projects make available the source, schematics, firmware, software, list of materials, parts list, drawings and "board" files to recreate the hardware. They also allow any use, including commercial.
• OpenBIOS - Development of a free BIOS on all common platforms and embedded systems. Latest release is 1.0, 2009-03-01.
• OpenFWWF - Open FirmWare for WiFi networks - This site provides free and open source firmware for Broadcom/AirForce chipset-based devices.
• PC Hardware Links - A treasure trove of hardware information including hardware links, processor charts, CPU electrical specifications, CPU socket chart, CPU speeds chart, and chipsets chart.
• PC Watchdog Card Linux Kernel Driver - A Linux kernel driver for Berkshere Products PC Watchdog card with support for the new Rev. C and PCI boards; displays information in /proc/pcwd. There is a ISA-Only kernel 2.6x-compatible version available for download.
• PCBurn - Linux Hardware Reviews and Gaming - News and reviews of hardware and games in the Linux world.
• Pixel Qi - Pixel Qi was started in 2008 by Mary Lou Jepsen, former CTO of the OLPC Project, and inventor of the sunlight-readable display technology. The company is currently pursuing the $75 laptop, while also aiming to bring sunlight-readable, low-cost, and low-power screens into mainstream laptops, cellphones and digital cameras.
• Plug-and-Play-HOWTO - This HOWTO explains resources used in Plug-and-Play (PnP) such as addresses and interrupts; covers both the PCI bus (inherently PnP) and PnP on the old ISA bus. (2007)
• Powertweak Linux - A handy utility used to tune kernel and hardware configuration for optimal performance, or for viewing hardware and kernel settings. Latest stable version is: 0.099.5, 2003-07-08.
• SquidBee - A project that uses an open hardware design as well as open source software as a platform for wireless remote control and sensing.
• TechniSat TechniPC/MediaFocus Linux Driver - A resource site for this driver. It includes two versions: 0.7.1 (Kernel 2.6.16 and higher) and 0.6.0 (Kernel 2.6.3 - 2.6.15). Also included on this site are links to other driver-related sites and important links to Video4Linux-related sites.
• The Hardware Book (HwB) - A free reference guide to electronics. It contains a huge collection of hardware specifications and information for connectors, computers, adapters, cables, and circuits.
• The ISAPNPTOOLS home page - Configuring ISA Plug-And-Play devices on Linux.
• The Linux Wacom Project - Manages the drivers, libraries, and documentation for configuring and running Wacom tablets under the Linux operating system.
• The PCI Utilities - A collection of programs for inspecting and manipulating configuration of PCI devices, all based on a common portable library, libpci, which offers access to the PCI configuration space on a variety of operating systems. Latest release is 3.1.2, 2009-02-01.
• The Unix Hardware Buyer HOWTO - Basic information about purchasing hardware for Linux. (2007)
• Tom's Hardware Guide - One of the best websites for PC hardware information; available in many languages.
• Tom's Hardware Guide PCs & HowTo: Supersize Your TV for $300: Build Your Own XGA Projector! - Giant Wall Display - For the Red Green Show fans, this article is for you! (2004)
• Twibright Labs - Ronja (Reasonable Optical Near Joint Access) - A free technology optical datalink project.
• Welcome to The PC Guide! - A detailed PC hardware information guide presented in an excellent, easy-to-understand style. The latest full version of this guide is 2001, but a lot of the information is still relevant and there have been some recent updates.
• Welcome to coreboot - A Free Software project aimed at replacing the proprietary BIOS (firmware) you can find in most of today's computers. It performs just a little bit of hardware initialization and then executes a so-called payload. The project currently supports ~206 motherboards (2009). Formerly known as LinuxBIOS.
• Welcome to the KYZO Ltd - LinuxROM distribution - a PizzaBox server.
• Welcome to the TiLP Website - A cross-platform linking program for Texas Instruments' graphing calculators to a computer.

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