IPodLinux

iPodLinux

MandelPod, a Mandelbrot set running in iPodLinux
Written in	C, assembly language
OS family	Unix-like (BusyBox/Linux)
Latest release	2.3 (x86) / January 7, 2007; 10 years ago (2007-01-07)
Platforms	see Compatibility
Kernel type	Monolithic (modified µClinux)
Userland	uClibc, BusyBox
License	GNU GPLv2+
Official website	www.ipodlinux.org (Archived 02/15/2009 )

iPodLinux is a µClinux-based Linux distribution designed specifically to run on Apple Inc.'s iPod. When the iPodLinux kernel is booted it takes the place of Apple's iPod operating system and automatically loads Podzilla, an alternative GUI and launcher for a number of additional included programs such as a video player, an image viewer, a command line shell, games, emulators for video game consoles, programming demos, and other experimental or occasionally unfinished software.

As of 2009, the project has been inactive and its website is no longer maintained. Further development of free and open source software for iPods have continued with the Rockbox Project, zeroslackr, and freemyipod, which have largely supplanted iPodLinux. Some third party installers are still available at http://aqua-gero.com/miche/.

iPodLinux in essence consists of a Linux kernel built from µClinux sources using the uClibc C standard library with driver code for iPod components (or reverse engineered drivers where available). It includes userland programs from µClinux and/or BusyBox, a UNIX-style file system (which can be created within HFS+ formatted iPods, or an ext2 partition on FAT32 formatted iPod), and the Podzilla GUI (and its modules). Apple's proprietary iPod OS in contrast uses an invisible boot loader and is based on an ARM processor kernel originally written by Pixo, and the iPod Miller Columns browser program, a GUI written by Apple and Pixo using the Pixo application framework, and other firmware and component drivers written from manufacturer's reference code to support the standard behavior Apple wanted the iPod to have.