Linux has been a phenomenon in embedded device development. It is now the predomi¬nant platform for devices, and for good reason — it offers performance, features, and a thriving ecosystem to support advanced embedded devices. An obvious part of the appeal is the perception that Linux is free. It certainly is free to download and use, and doesn’t have any royalty-bearing fees per se. But there are costs — plus time and risk — associated with Linux development. There is a solid business case for considering a commercially sup¬ported Linux during the build-versus-buy decision process for any embedded product.