Klaus Weidner - WMP GmbH

Debian on Handheld Computers

Paper (PDF) and Paper (Pod) and Slides (PDF) and Slides (OpenOffice) and

This talk describes the results of a porting effort that makes a full Debian Gnu/Linux environment available for the Sharp Zaurus 5x00, C700 and HP/Compaq iPAQ handhelds. The new generation of handheld computers is sufficiently powerful to run a full operating system, offering many more features than just PDA applications. In contrast to other projects that aim to build an environment suitable for untrained end users, the "Pocket Workstation" project is intended for users comfortable with Linux who want an environment on their handheld that is as close as reasonably possible to the desktop environment they are used to.

The talk describes the current project status, describes technical challenges and solutions involved in running Linux on a handheld, briefly compares the different approaches taken by other distributions, and invites discussion on future directions and suitability for various real-life scenarios.