Lynx Launches Linux Initiative for the Embedded Market

Strategy includes Linux for embedded applications, development environment, and comprehensive product and support services

SAN JOSÉ, Calif.—November 29, 1999—Lynx Real-Time Systems, Inc., today announced an open-source product and support services initiative to extend Lynx into the emerging embedded Linux market space. Starting immediately, and through the coming year, Lynx will offer products and support services to address a broad range of embedded software development under the Linux operating system.

The Lynx Linux Initiative (L2I) is supported by five elements:

• BlueCat Linux, a version of Linux optimized for embedded applications developed by Lynx and offered to the open source community, available in January 2000.
• Version 4.0 of the LynxOS operating system with full binary compatibility with Linux, available in mid-2000.
• A Lynx open development environment for the Red Hat Linux host, available immediately.
• New technical support, consulting and training services for Linux developers working in embedded applications, available immediately.
• Endorsements from more than 20 software and hardware vendors in the embedded computing market.

"L2I provides a direct path for Linux developers to enter the embedded market. It also opens the path for the embedded market, including Lynx, to embrace the open-source model of the Linux world," said Bill Hogan, president and CEO of Lynx. "This is a perfectly logical step for Lynx, based on our 12-year history of supporting industry standards. We can now offer customers the flexibility of working with an open-source Linux operating system or a fully deterministic RTOS kernel."

Lynx adopts Red Hat Linux

The Lynx BlueCat Linux will be based on Red Hat Version 6.1, containing the Linux 2.2.12-20 kernel, and will be shipped with the Lynx open development environment capable of creating variations of the embedded Linux operating system, according to user requirements. The BlueCat Linux development environment will support cross development of Linux embedded applications using a PC running Red Hat Linux as the development host.

To assure production-worthy quality and reliability, the BlueCat Linux product will be qualified through the extensive automatic testing, quality assurance and software refinement process used for the current Lynx products. Lynx will be working hard to ensure that BlueCat Linux closely tracks future releases from Red Hat. Additionally, Lynx will extend Linux to include the industry-leading, high-availability technology currently available in Lynx solutions.

In mid-2000, Lynx will release in LynxOS 4.0 a multi-threaded, full-featured operating system, capable of running Linux applications for hard real-time, embedded applications. This will extend the power and flexibility of LynxOS to include portability of Linux drivers, protocol stacks and other software applications.

The Lynx open development environment is now available with LynxOS 3.1, the latest version of the Lynx real-time operating system, allowing Linux applications developers to create real-time applications from within the context of a Linux operating-system platform. Developers use the extensive interactive development and debugging tools from Lynx while working on a Linux-based workstation to cross compile on their chosen embedded microprocessor.

Linux technical support

Lynx is expanding its existing technical support, training and consulting services to customers developing embedded software applications on Linux. Consulting services are immediately available to extend the quality and reliability of embedded Linux products from a recently expanded staff of software professionals with in-depth knowledge and experience in embedded software design, operating system design, and software development tools. In January, Lynx will offer specialized training programs and the industry's first long-term support program for embedded Linux.

About Lynx Real-Time Systems

Lynx Real-Time Systems, Inc. provides the foundation software for reliable and high-performance applications in telecommunications, data communications, avionics, automotive, office automation and process control systems. Lynx supplies embedded software products including scalable real-time operating systems, a software framework for high-availability systems, development tools and technical support worldwide. These products are based on industry standards (POSIX®, Java™ and CompactPCI) and support leading development platforms (Linux, UNIX, Microsoft) to enable customers to leverage their investments in software and education. Lynx is an ISO 9001 registered company, and holds three patents for real-time software and two patents pending. Founded in 1988, Lynx is a privately held company with offices in North America, Europe and Asia, with worldwide headquarters in San José, California.

LynxOS is a registered trademark of Lynx Real-Time Systems, Inc. Other brand or product names are registered trademarks or trademarks of the respective holders.

LynuxWorks press contacts

Kirsten Long Director, Marketing Communications LynuxWorks, Inc. USA +1 408-979-4404	Barbara Stewart Patterson & Associates USA 480-488-6909
Hamid Mirab Managing Director EMEA LynuxWorks Ltd. United Kingdom +44 208-906-9506	Peter van der Sluijs Neesham Public Relations Europe +44 1442-879222