Windows CE

Description
What will this wiki be about? What sort of articles will be included?

Information about the Windows CE OS is severely lacking from unofficial (not MS) sources including Wikipedia. Misinformation seems widespread on (less dedicated) forums and I think it would be nice to have a dedicated wiki to act as the central place of knowledge on this OS.

I would also like a place to expose some of my original research on the history of the OS's internal components (such as its shells) that is very difficult(if not impossible) to find written anywhere. This is an example of the extremely obsure information I would like to have on this wiki that may not be as welcome on the general Wikipedia.

Any information relating to the Windows CE OS should be here. From hacking closed embedded systems like builtin car navigation systems to an extensive list of Windows CE software in all categories (especially the more obscure ones) for all device types. (No OS version/platform descrimination as found on more PocketPC-focused areas)

I created a very extensive list of each known WinCE IRC client but the larger "List of IRC Clients" article it was a part of was deleted. It would be great if I moved this article here in a much less strict Wiki environment and in more (Windows CE specific) detail.

Another type of article I would like would be history of certain notable software authors and other community events.

Other ideas would be... OS boot procedures, ROM structure, OS building tools (and their history), bootloader structure, known Original Device Manufacturers and the OEMs that sell their devices etc. A brief mention of Linux and other OSes on hardware that shipped with Windows CE may be made in some articles, however I would prefer to keep this Wiki WinCE specific.

Community
Windows CE is a general purpose embedded operating for use in all sorts of consumer electronics devices. It is found in anything from sewing machines to gas pumps to handheld computers. Microsoft itself also develops several open, general purpose consumer operating systems based on the OS. Because of its varied use in many types of embedded devices, it creates many differing communities dedicated to some specifc device. These are listed below along with some of their respective communities.

Some Windows CE based standard platforms from Microsoft are/were
 * Handheld PC
 * Palm-Size PC (AKA Palm PC)
 * Auto PC
 * (Windows Mobile for) Pocket PC/Pocket PC Phone Edition
 * (Windows Mobile for) Smartphone
 * (Windows Mobile for) Portable Media Center (Zune)
 * (Windows Mobile for) Automotive (Fiat Blue&Me)

Some Windows CE based OEM toolkits provided by MS for use in industry specific devices are/were:
 * Microsoft Smart Display Devices
 * Windows CE for Automotive/Windows Automotive based devices
 * Microsoft TV IPTV devices

Just a few custom (and open to software) Windows CE based platforms developed by third parties are:
 * Neonode N1
 * Gizmondo handheld game console
 * Casio BE-300/BE-500 PDA
 * PC-Ephone II
 * Axia
 * Tinnos Blufin
 * Sega Dreamcast (When WinCE is booted from GD-ROM)

Some closed platform embedded systems that may be as useful as the above once hacked: Microsoft Zune Microsoft MN-XXX series networking equipment AMD Presidian PIC Compaq IA-2 MSNTV2 Set top box Akimobo Player


 * And many more thin clients, tablets, factory controlers, Point Of Sale Terminals, PDAs etc. with a custom (not standardized) OS.

This wiki intends to cover all aspects of the Windows CE family of operating systems. Including but not limited to available development environments, technologies, available software and all types of hardware that runs the OS or possibly could. (see GP32 port and Gumstix BSP)  I welcome information about all Windows CE platforms and not JUST  the more common Pocket PC OS/platform. The more obsure, the better.

I want to make this Wiki a one stop shop for information on Embedded Development, Application Development, End user applications and more!

While I would prefer to focus on information about the less mainstream "non-Pocket PC" devices listed above, some information about Pocket PC is also welcome. I just don't believe its right to have a wiki dedicated to only the Pocket PC platform because of the impressive variety of other WinCE OSes/Platforms/devices out there as well as their similarities.

Unofficial and Official Community sites/forums: -Handheld PC
 * http://www.hpcfactor.com
 * http:/www.hpcnec.com
 * http://www.pocketpcmag.com/forum/
 * http://computerforum.jconserv.net
 * http://groups.yahoo.com/group/handheldPCs

-Casio BE-300/500
 * http://www.be300.org
 * http://www.abfnet.com
 * http://www.ppx3k.com

-Microsoft Zune
 * http://www.gizmondoforums.com (Gizmondo)
 * http://www.redneo.com (Neonode)
 * http://zunearama.com/
 * http://zunethoughts.com

-PNAs/ Hacked Navigation Systems Car Navigation Systems
 * http://www.gpspassion.com/
 * http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/
 * http://navmanunlocked.forumwise.com
 * http://tsx.acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21434
 * http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=windows+ce+cadillac+seville

Windows Mobile for Pocket PC or Smartphone focused discussion (AKA "Mainstream" Windows CE platforms)
 * http://www.xda-developers.com
 * http://www.spv-developers.com
 * http://buzzdev.net
 * http://www.modaco.com
 * http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com
 * http://www.smartphonethoughts.com
 * http://www.pocketmatrix.com
 * http://www.mobilegadgetnews.com

newsgroups:
 * microsoft.public.windowsce
 * microsoft.public.handheldpc
 * Windows Mobile: Http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/communities/newsgroups.mspx

Additional Information
See Community websites above.

Official OS developer blogs:
 * http://blogs.msdn.com/mikehall
 * http://blogs.msdn.com/sloh/default.aspx
 * http://blogs.msdn.com/wmshell
 * http://blogs.msdn.com/windowsmobile
 * http://blogs.msdn.com/ce_base
 * http://blogs.msdn.com/cenet
 * http://blogs.msdn.com/netcfteam

Wikipedia Articles (of varying quality)
 * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handheld_PC
 * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pocket_PC
 * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Mobile
 * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palm-size_PC
 * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pocket_IE
 * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_CE
 * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_CE_5.0
 * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_CE_6.0
 * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AutoPC
 * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XDA
 * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTC
 * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_CE_3.0
 * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zune
 * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gizmondo

History of the OS and its platforms: http://www.hpcfactor.com/support/windowsce/

General FAQs: www.pocketpcfaq.com

Expert WinCE enthusiast Werner "Menneisyys" Ruotsalainen http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/index.php?blog=3

Expert WinCE enthusiast "cmonex" files site http://izemize.fw.hu/hpc.php

Note
'''This information was copied from the pending WinCE wikia's information page. This wiki is a temporary placeholder for writers to contribute until/if it gets accepted as a Wikia project.'''