thanks for your interest in our project. The initial roadmap comprises a
generic device emulator framework, a simulated end-to-end environment and
support to multiple build targets. From these two components, the emulator
framework is the one that has been eliciting the most interest, while
support to multiple build targets may be contributed to the CDT project.
Actually, multiple build target management relies on CDT, but the other
two components do not require CDT strictly speaking. Of course, if one
wants to deploy C/C++ applications onto the emulator, then CDT will be
needed to create the application, but not directly by the emulator
framework or simulated end-to-end environment.
Regarding the link to Linux, we have chosen Linux for several background
reasons, including the expertise of the initial team, the maturity of the
Linux platform, the availability of a large base of qualified developers,
and the fact that an open source system such as Linux dovetails nicely
with an open souce project: Linux is particularly appropriate for
providing examples, while it would be a more involved process to have
examples and tutorials using proprietary systems (users would need to have
licenses etc.).
The components that we have proposed for the initial scope are not really
linked to Linux so, for instance, the emulator framework should be generic
enough to support any other platform as long as the emulator itself can
adapt to the emulator interfaces, i.e. it can be launched by means of a
command or script with configuration parameters, it can provide graphics
or text output, it accepts some kind of input etc.
On the other hand, we are currently using a QEmu ARM emulator running
Linux to test our framework. So this is where Linux comes in: there are
easily and freely available tools based on it, which we can use during
development as well as in our tutorials, since users will also be able to
obtain them freely.
At the current stage we are not planning to support building Linux
distributions specifically. Rather, our focus is on applications, since
the emulator framework and the simulated end-to-end environment both
assume that there is already an OS running on the (real or emulated)
target platform.
Finally, you can contribute by participating in the discussions on the
developer mailing list (we are setting it up) as well as in the open phone
meetings. We are planning to have biweekly phone meetings open to all
interested parties; we are currently setting this up and we'll announce
the meetings here in the newsgroup and on the mailing list. You are
welcome to participate in all those as well as contribute code when the
time comes.