Electronic Engineering Times editor Jeff Child reports on the recent announcement by Red Hat of their support for FSMLabs' RTLinux real-time technology. Child examines the pros and cons of the two alternative approaches to real-time Linux — the dual-kernel approach and the enhanced Linux kernel approach . . .

“The debate over how best to outfit Linux for real-time embedded duties has shifted gears, with the recent decision by Linux heavyweight Red Hat Inc. to use Finite State Machines Labs' RTLinux technology as its standard approach to hard real-time application requirements. FSM Labs (Socorro, N.M.) and Red Hat (Durham, N.M.) have signed a memorandum of understanding covering cross-promotion, resale and joint development.”

“The move heats up the debate over whether it's better to enhance the real-time capabilities of the Linux kernel itself — the approach of Red Hat rival MontaVista Software Inc. — or to use a separate real-time kernel, like RTLinux, in conjunction with Linux. Unlike Linux itself, RTLinux is based on a patented technology and is not open-source . . .”

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