We’re getting word that Moblin — the developer and device community initiated and sponsored by Intel to pave a path for its Atom processor in netbooks, MIDs and other mobile devices — is getting new diggs at the Linux Foundation.

While at first this sounds like something of a loss for Intel and it’s described as ‘a departure’ by Linux Foundation Executive Director Jim Zemlin, Intel has never been one to tout its work or support for Linux and open source, rather letting its drivers and technical support speak for themselves. Still, Intel deserves credit for freeing Moblin beyond its own auspices, even though the company is probably really doing what it thinks will most effectively spread its Atom and supporting technology to the most developers and devices.

Intel is also gearing up for a wave of competition coming from the combination of ARM processors and hardware with Linux to create innovative, power-preserving devices that are at the same time less expensive to manufacturers and consumers. There are vendors such as Xandros, which provides its Linux stack to Asus, Freescale and others for netbooks, that believe OEMs and ODMs are aligning around ARM and Linux to take more control and market share, largely through innovation. It will certainly be interesting to watch this unfold as Microsoft languishes with Windows XP and looms with Windows 7.

Similar to the case of Linux.com, I think the Linux Foundation is a great landing and launching place for Moblin. I believe this reinforces the organization’s relevance as it takes it deeper into the increasingly significant mobile device world, where as we note in CAOS 10 – Mobility Matters, Linux and open source are on the rise.

As for Linux in general, this all seems to be good for the open source OS. Whether it’s Linux on Atom via Moblin, Linux on ARM in a new wave of competition, Linux in smartphones via Google’s Android and LiMO Foundation, Linux in netbooks with Xandros, Ubuntu, GoS, Linpus and others, there sure is a lot of Linux going into the latest mobile devices.