Anyone here know anything about developing for Linux?

I've got a project at uni where we have to develop a product (either hardware/software or a combination of both) for viewing 500 or more photos.

Some of the ideas floating about are the obvious photo frame type products, but to be honest - I think doing hardware is a bad idea, none of us have really got the skills.

I've had the idea of getting a small linux distro on a USB key, and putting the photos on the disk too. The idea being you can carry the photos around, and plug the key into any computer. The distro will boot and run an application we would write which the user can use to view/manage their photos.

Is this likely to become a huge minefield, and cause a great number of problems?

I think it should be fairly easy.
I presume you'd want no desktop? Just the application?

If so, my idea would be to get a small Linux distro, pop it on a bootable USB. Boot the computer, in turn booting Linux, then auto log in to a user. Make sure the user's shell isn't /bin/bash (or whatever), but the path to your application. This should start your application in full-screen (kiosk mode). Your users can then do whatever they need to then somehow power down the PC?

I know the above should work on Solaris, I presume it would be the same over all UNIX-like systems...

HTH,
Ben

I'm not sure having a Linux distro is necessary, many people wouldn't be comfortable with the idea of booting another OS. A cross-platform app which runs off the memory key might be a bit more useful to the non-techie.

You could also jump aboard the mobile app bandwagon and write something for the iPhone or Android phones.

I suspect the challenge here would be making the 500 image easy to navigate.

If you used something like Ubuntu (I say that because it's the only one I'm really familiar with!) and a program called Remastersys you can create your own custom Live CD, possibly removing all but one application, such as Picasa or F-spot and the photo's already added to the library. It'll auto login as a live session (mainly because there is no user setup) and if you have a shortcut on the desktop it is pretty self explanatory how it works...
The "off" button will be in the top right corner as it always is.

Or you could just create a photo CD that'll run on a DVD player or someone's PC.