The following is a text-only adaptation of Chapter One from

A. David McKinnon, SUPPORTING FINE-GRAINED CONFIGURABILITY WITH MULTIPLE 
QUALITY OF SERVICE PROPERTIES IN MIDDLEWARE FOR EMBEDDED SYSTEMS, Ph.D.
Dissertation, Washington State University (December 2003).

Copyright by A. David McKinnon, 2003, All rights reserved.
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Chapter One
Introduction



Computing systems have evolved dramatically over the last several decades.

Initially, computers were room sized devices dedicated to single-purpose

applications. Now, computing systems are smaller, often general purpose, and

much more commonplace. Significant advances have been made in the realm of

embedded computing hardware in recent years. Microprocessors and small

computers are now being embedded into a wide range of systems---from small room

thermostats to large jumbo-jets. As a result, traditional desktop computers now

use just a few percent of the microprocessors produced annually, while the rest

are in embedded devices, often hidden from view.