Gumstix publishes several different prebuilt images as well as kernel and bootloader binaries.  It is also possible to build these binaries using the bitbake tool.  This page explains the different types of images for the Overo series and hightlights the bitbake targets used to build the Gumstix software.

 Image Types

Gumstix offers four different pre-built images for download.  The console image is a lightweight root file system image providing only a command-line interface with out any GUI support.  It is similar to server versions offered by several other Linux distributions and can be a great building block for making a custom image.

The palmtop image offers a handheld-like environment with a lightweight GUI designed for small, touchscreen displays.  The desktop image is a fully-fledged Linux desktop environment complete with web browsers, media players and office utilities.  As so many applications are built-in, this image is too large for the NAND flash and must be loaded onto a bootable microSD or NFS mount.  A stripped-down version of the desktop image that fits inside the flash memory is likewise available: the desktop-nand image.

Bitbake Targets

This table summarizes the bitbake command needed to build a particular piece of software.  For example, to build a complete desktop image, type 'bitbake omap3-desktop-image' within the development environment.