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Migrating legacy software from traditional OSs to more advanced RTOS platforms can be difficult. "Porting Legacy Code from VxWorks to the QNX Neutrino RTOS" offers an in-depth look at OS migration, covering areas such as architecture, memory, IPC, and build environments.

eg3.com took a break in december to poll our 21,000+ e-clips subcribers as to how much time they spent on the Internet, each day; which search engines they preferred; if, and how, they responded to Internet advertising, etc. We also asked about Webinars, Web content, and forecasts for the future.

Some quick results -

• Engineers use the Internet a lot. 76% spend more than 3 hours a week at work online, with 25% spending more than 10 hours.
• Google is the #1 search engine, by far.
• There is an increasing geographic trend towards Asia in electronic design.

We also polled engineers as to their forecasts for the future. 54% indicated that the industry economy was "improving," 26% said it was staying "about the same," and 8% said it "is getting worse." 12% indicated that they "could not predict." Bottom line: the engineering community is cautiously optimistic that 2005 will continue the improvement trends of 2004.

On the Linux front, two releases focused on security in December. First, Concurrent Computer Corporation released their RedHawk™ version 2.2 Real-Time Linux. Deployed in both domestic and international applications, RedHawk Linux on Concurrent's Intel Xeon, EM64T and AMD Opteron powered iHawk systems has a proven reputation in mission-critical applications, including the C-17 aircraft program, Eurofighter training systems, submarine sonar simulation and testing, Air Traffic Control systems and the Theater High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile program. Release here . Second, Arabella Software announced high performance Linux for embedded security, focused on the telecommunications vertical. Release here .

Among conferences, here are a few important forthcoming conferences in the security area:

• West 2005 , San Diego, CA - 1-3 February 2005: communications and electronics, military conference
• RSA , San Francisco, CA - 14-18 February 2005: information security
• Military Technologies Conference , Boston, MA - 15-16 March 2005 - high-end military technologies
• Systems & Software Technology Conference , Salt Lake City, UT - 18-21 April 2005: defense technology conference

Among interesting sites new to eg3.com this month, we identified a new 'search site,' Surfwax.com , a news and refined search tool - further proof of emerging (but still distant) challenges to the Google Leviathan. The site is particularly good as a 'news tracker.' If you'd like to win up to $20,000 in prizes, don't miss the Freescale Wireless Challenge . The contest focuses on Zigbee and Freescale technologies.

Atmel announced a 50% reduction in FPSLIC tools and some interesting tools promotions, here . Avnet released a low-cost evaluation kit for AdvancedTCA designs here . The kit, featuring a development board using a Xilinx Virtex-II Pro device, is the first solution stemming from the joint effort between Avnet and Xilinx to accelerate the adoption of the ATCA PICMG standard for high-speed networking and communication designs.

( conference, 5 stars ) - 1/31/2005, Santa Clara

DesignCon2005
DesignCon is the premier solutions-based Electronic Design Automation (EDA) and Semiconductor industry event held annually in Silicon Valley. The event features over 80 technical sessions covering hot product case studies, design methodologies and new product technologies. The technical exhibition consists of over 130 leading EDA tool providers, semiconductor manufacturers, system design houses and IP Providers.

( conference, 4 stars ) - 2/1/2005, San Diego

West 2005 - Military & Technology Conference
West 2005 is the largest event on the West Coast for communications, electronics, intelligence, information systems, imaging, military weapon systems, aviation, shipbuilding, and more. This is a one-of-a-kind forum featuring the people you need to hear from, the products and services you need to do your job, and informed discussion of the critical issues of today and tomorrow!