LinuxDevices.com is reporting that a Nokia-sponsored project is working to port Ubuntu Linux to the ARM architecture. The “Handheld Mojo” team has completed ARM builds of Feisty Fawn (dubbed “Frisky Firedrake”) and Gutsy Gibbon (“Grumpy Griffin”), with Hardy Heron compilation starting soon.

Mojo’s Ubuntu port for ARM can be tested in QEMU, an open source emulator that supports various ARM architectures. Or, it can be run in a chrooted environment from an SD flash memory card installed on Nokia’s Linux-based N8xx series Internet tablets. Since the ports are built for ARM Ltd.’s ARMv5EL and ARMv6EL-VFP architectures, they should also run on lots of other devices with ARM9 and ARM11 cores.

With a few exceptions, most Ubuntu software compiles fine for ARM, according to Andrew Christian, the engineering fellow at Nokia who leads the effort.