SBC for running XP or XPE? (other than EPIA)

Frankly, you won't find a cheaper solution that can run XP usefully. [Some might argue the solution set of computers that can run XP usefully is null, but that's a separate story].

Start asking for fanless x86 motherboards and you'll be moving towards server hardware, which is not cheap. Via's products are in rather a sweet spot on the price-performance curve. You can get smaller, or run- cooler, or more performance (or some combination of those attributes), but you'll pay more for the privilege.

100 units is a negligible quantity for any x86 vendor, too.

has a good range and their prices are (were) good. They will even customize for larger builds (circa 500units).

Be aware that XP will not be available next year, and of some of the penalties for using Vista, listed in my sig. below. At any rate, either system is wrapped in an impossible EULA. Take a closer look at Linux.

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                        cbfalconer at maineline dot net

"ElderUberGeek" a écrit dans le message de news: snipped-for-privacy@g4g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...

Have a look at

. Depending on the application and services running under XPE a medium config board like the the CM-iVCF or even the CM-IGLX may be enough. Cost for a iGLX with 128MB ram and 128MB flash and Ethernet is under 140$ per 1000.

Cheers, Robert

Citation please.

The problem with this is that in the majority of those cases where Windows was specified initially, designing around Linux is going to add development time and subtract functionality. For example, you might need support for playing Adobe Flash movies. This is difficult to achieve in Linux and performance is "interesting" at best. It's much simpler just to boot off the Windows CD, load it on the hard drive, and run your application in Internet Explorer.

Of course I am not talking about "real" applications but rather applications that are primarily eye candy and have no security, accountability or performance requirements; vending kiosks, digital jukeboxes, electronic voting machines, and so on.

Just ask your Microsoft rep. They have so announced.

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                        cbfalconer at maineline dot net

I have never seen that announcement, where would i find it? I am a gold certified partner yet I have never heard such.

So apparently XP *will* be available next year - until 31st January. "System builders" can get it for another year after that (although I don't know the differences between "System builder license" and "Direct OEM license"), and XP Embedded may last longer. But MS's plans for XP in general seem fairly clear to me - although maybe as a certified partner, you have access to more accurate information than me.

Obviously it is MS plan to phase out XP. BUT, if you think its not going to exist in a year, you are wrong. MS will continue to support XP for quite some time and you will be able to buy a vista licence and downgrade it to XP. After 10 years from the last SP release it will no longer be supported. In fact, if you buy a vista licence (home excluded) the you can even downgrade to NT4, or if you are real desperate you can even downgrade to 95.

I was not expressing any opinion as to what I think MS will do - I merely summarised the webpage from Microsoft. However, I think your interpretation of the lifetimes differs somewhat from MS webpages, and the ten year figures apply only to "extended support". Also, I don't see any clear indication of what "support" means. In particular, does it mean that basic drivers will be available for newer systems? And for someone looking to use an OS in an embedded system, it is important to know that they will be able to buy and use the required installation files - being allowed to downgrade the license is not enough. Of course XP will still exist for many years to come - but will a manufacturer be able to rely on being able to produce new systems using it for many years to come? As I said earlier, it may be more appropriate to use XP embedded, as I presume it has a longer lifetime.

Of course, if you instead choose Linux, you will have no issues with lifetime availability (although support could be another matter). Alternatively, an OS designed for embedded use (say, QNX) will be available for much longer - a general purpose commercial OS is only going to be available (for all practical purposes) as long as there is demand, and as long as the supplier is interested in selling it.