Windows CE 6

[nabberuk]

don't you get it with an msdn subscription? or is that windows embedded?

[mobeyduck]

You can get windows CE from msdn/msdnaa just checked on my msdnaa its there ready to be downloaded and used.

But im sticking to linux for the R-pi

[radicalgeek]

I can’t believe how short sighted some of these posts are! I have not yet bought a Pi, I was just doing some research when I came across this. Yes Linux is good (and to answer another users question, it can be run at near real time, I have done it with audio processing PCs and robots), and I am as happy using Linux on a Pi as I am any other OS. However, I also work as a C# developer, and use VS all the time. Not only that, but I use the productivity tools, code in a TTD fashion and follow best practices and automation. I am looking for a board I can simply run the .NET framework, and use my current tooling to develop a robotics project, not run windows etc. The reaction of some of you to a legitimate question brings shame on you and your community. Yes I could use Linux, and a language of choice. I have had fun with Pyrobotics in the past, and am happy in C. But my project is to build and program a robot, not set up another OS, get tooling sorted, remember the nuances of a language I have not used in a while/learn a new one and so on. While there would be a learning curve for me to get running CE and the compact framework, it would be considerably shorter than the alternative. Let me be clear. It is not alternative OSs and languages I fear, it just can’t be arsed setting up a separate system for doing this. Besides, I am interested in trying out Microsoft’s Robotics platform. Sorry Pi, looks like I am going elsewhere.

[jamesh]

So, let me get this straight, you came here, registered, had a bit of a go, then left.

Weird.

But to answer your post.

Windows CE/other windows is a cost option, required a hell of a lot of porting work, doesn't yet work fully, and has limited support (yes, really. Do MS support the Raspberry Pi? No, they don't, and that where the support would have to come from)

Linux is ported, heavily tested, has a huge amount of support, is under constant development, is free, is (relatively) easy to use and has a multitude of software available to run, for free, on it RIGHT NOW. It also runs C# using the Mono package, which is about to get a lot better.

(Or how about RISCOS, maybe that's an even better option, or Plan9, or any of the baremetal efforts underway.)

You might call an opinion the Windows is unsuited for the Raspi as shortsighted. I call it a sensible analysis of the current state of OS support. Especially since the Raspi foundation has no real inclination to support Windows when its has Linux to support already.

That said, no-one is stopping anyone doing a port of Windows of whatever flavour to the Raspi. That is entirely down to people willing to spend the time on it.

I'm also pretty sure that the time taken to get CE up and running, learn about it, and implement your stuff will be orders of magnitude longer than doing the same in Linux.

[rurwin]

The choice of hardware platform is immaterial to anyone using it for commercial, one-off, projects. The difference in price between a RaspPi and a PC104 board with an x86 processor and Windows capability is about 1 man-hour. The learning curve and ease of use are the sole drivers. RaspPi runs CE, but it isn't as easy to get it running as it would be on a PC104. It is at least as easy if you use Linux. Therefore, unless you are going to be selling lots, using CE on the RaspPi is not a good plan.

[pshycho]

Yeah, coming from using windows mobile phones, I was just wondering that, as old win-mo phones, as do raspberry pi's use arm v6 architecture and are able to run Linux arm port's and android, so with so much in common, would windows mobile run on a pi with resistive touch screen? (as capacitive touch or mice ore not compatible with many windows mobile roms)

[plugwash]

Yeah, coming from using windows mobile phones, I was just wondering that, as old win-mo phones, as do raspberry pi's use arm v6 architecture and are able to run Linux arm port's and android, so with so much in common, would windows mobile run on a pi with resistive touch screen? (as capacitive touch or mice ore not compatible with many windows mobile roms)

Unfortunately the arm world is not like the PC world. The arm core is standardised but everything else is at the whims to the SoC vendor. So you WILL NOT just be able to grab a rom from some random windows mobile device and run it on the Pi, there would have to be a Pi specific build.

I would imagine enabling support for mice or whatever mice equivalent you desired would be a pretty minor task compared to the rest of the porting effort.

[mahjongg]

you mean "fortunately we do not have an innovation hampering monoculture".

[plugwash]

you mean "fortunately we do not have an innovation hampering monoculture".

No, I think the lack of platform standardisation is a bad thing. I can install debian on any PC just by grabbing a standard CD and installing it. Whereas on an arm device I'm almost certainly looking for instructions specific to the particular device and often ending up running a vendor kernel that may or may not get security updates and probablly does not match the version running on other machines.

There is an effort (device tree/multiplatform kernels) to work arround the lack of platform standardisation that is bearing some fruit but we are still a long way from the ease that the PC platform has.

[Richard-TX]

I see the lack of windows on the Rpi as a good thing. This is supposed to be an educational device, not a device for the plug-n-play market.

The sooner that windows goes away, the better. It was an application that was cute at first (Win 1.0) and grew into the monster that ate the desktop.

[4thdwarflord]

Doesn't Win CE need a license to be used ???  Is it possible for individuals to get those ??

Because otherwise this discussion should be stopped right now ! (I believe the Foundation is against piracy !)

Last time i checked, to use it you needed an OEM license to port it, but its a lot easier to get hold of than you might think, and there may be a personal use license? I'll keep you posted on my progress on the microsoft website.

[totoharibo]

Doesn't Win CE need a license to be used ??? Is it possible for individuals to get those ??
+1

Il you get a licence, does the licence allow you to modify software ?
Not sure

[4thdwarflord]

the cost for the software to build it is either $995, OR an MDSN subscription. Which also costs $995. and then, for each copy distributed, another fee(probably $995). Also, you need a microsoft certified blimp to live in (probably).