Generic Development Platform

[tridac]

Have had the need for an all in the box development platform for a while. Have used alix /  pc engine type boxes in the past running openocd, which provides network based debugging with gdb. Found a tiny pc at a car boot (was an audio server) a  while back. A 386 running Vile Linux at the time, but looked ideal for openocd use. Put Debain 7 386 on it, copied all the openocd files to it, all ok.  Untidy, so put it into a salvaged case from elsewhere, added a J-Link debugger and cheap (< $10) Cortex board, which has a serial port as well. Openocd is a real boon in terms of debug from anywhere. Remote host is a makefile, gcc, gdb setup, Debug via  command line gdb. A  gui gdb i/f may follow, but a keep it simple setup is fine.  This should serve well for a variety of whatif projects that are a mix of hardware and software. Here's the box:

[SiliconWizard]

Yeah, why not. You would get much better performance at lower power consumption and much less volume using a RPi or any of its cheaper variants. A $10 SBC will still be eons faster than a 386-based board.
But why not, not trying to deter you.

[tridac]

The 386 is in the micro pc running openocd, network in, usb out. The little black square  lower right of the enclosure. More than enough to run the openocd remote gdb application. The $10 cortex cpu board is top right, the bare board. The key thing is that is a) accessable from any machine on the network, and b) be all in one box. Plenty of choices, but had all the bits to hand from previous projects, so cost me nothing but a few hours work...