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OpenPsion is an opensource project aimed at porting a version of the Linux operating system to the Psion portable computers (Personal digital assistant). The project originally began in 1998 as the Linux7K Project by Ed Bailey at RedHat/Calcaria.net with backing from Psion.^[1] ^[2] ^[3]^[4] Founding contributors included such Linux notables as Werner Almesberger (LILO), Philip Blundell (Debian ARM), and Alan Cox.[1] In 2000, the project transitioned to SourceForge.net. One legacy of this origin is the URL name for the OpenPsion project: http://linux-7110.sourceforge.net/ . In April 2001, the project adopted the name PsiLinux with the domain name www.psilinux.org, still hosted at sourceforge. In 2004, the domain name was inadvertently lost to a domain name scavenger, and the project adopted the new name OpenPsion.

The OpenPsion linux distribution is based on the ARM port of Debian, although other distributions based on Familiar Linux, Openembedded or T2 distributions have also been used. The project has ported Linux with some success to the Psion Series 5 and 5MX, the Psion Revo, and the Psion Series 7 and Psion Netbook. The success at this port provided an extended life to the aging Psion machines. ^[5]^[6]^[7] The Psion PDAs are attractive to Linux users because of their keyboards and excellent battery life. The 5MX will in practice last 3-4 weeks on its 2 AA batteries.

It should be noted, however, that installing and using Linux on these devices requires a degree of expertise in Linux. The Linux system on Psions is not as user-friendly as the original EPOC operating system. Although the netBook and 5MX-PRO machines can boot Linux directly from a compactflash disk, most of the Psion machines boot Linux from the EPOC operating system using the Arlo bootloader, in a fashion similar to loadlin.

Although Psion dropped its support for the project when it transitioned to opensource, the OpenPsion project may be seen as a precurser to the later interest in Linux at Psion Teklogix.^[8]^[9]^[10]^[11]

External links

Notes

^ Jones, Marc Ambasna (May 11, 1999). "Opinion: Mobile Linux for Bluetooth - spanner for Microsoft?". ZDNet. ZDNet UK. Retrieved 2007-06-17. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
^ Jones, Marc Ambasna (April 23, 1999). "Mobile Linux for Psion pressures Win CE". ZDNet. ZDNet UK. Retrieved 2007-06-17. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
^ Almesberger, Werner (1999). "Linux in the pocket - The Linux-7k project". Linux Symposium, Ottawa (abstract). Retrieved 2007-06-17. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); External link in |publisher= (help)
^ "Calcaria Linux7k-Project: »Psion als Server? Linux auf dem Serie 5«". German Palmtop Pro (in German). kefk.net. July 16, 2000. Retrieved 2007-06-17. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
^ "Linux on a Psion 5mx". geek.com. February 5, 2002. Retrieved 2007-06-17. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
^ Beardsmore, Daniel (September 9, 2003). "The Psion Revo Plus". Telcontar.net. Retrieved 2007-06-17. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
^ Maddox, Paul (May 4, 2000). "Linux for handhelds: fact or fiction?". Wireless Developer Network (Linux Today). Retrieved 2007-06-17. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); External link in |publisher= (help)
^ Kewney, Guy (February 9, 2004). "Psion looks past Windows to Linux as Nokia buys Symbian". newswireless.net. newswireless.net. Retrieved 2007-06-17. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
^ "Psion to dispose of Symbian investment for estimated £135.7 million". symbian. symbian.com. 2004. Retrieved 2007-06-17. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
^ Partridge, Chris (July 8, 2003). "Psion prepares the way for the one true OS". vunet.com. Retrieved 2007-06-17. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
^ Kewney, Guy (February 2004). "What Will Become the Next Scion of Psion?". eWeek. Ziff Davis Media Inc. Retrieved 2007-06-17. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)