DMS%MIT-OZ@MIT-MC.ARPA (04/24/84)
From: David Siegel <DMS%MIT-OZ@MIT-MC.ARPA> Hi, We are planning to use a Vax 11/750 in a real time control application. Rumor has it that Unix is not very good for real time control. This leads to two questions: 1) Is the rumor true, and if so what are the problems? 2) Are there any verions of Unix floating around that are especially designed for real time applications. Note: We are using the vax to servo actuators for a robot at rates that vary from 40 to 300 cycles per second. We will be needing interrupt response from the vax, although it is not clear how fast a response rate we need. Should we stick with VMS, or will some Unix handle our needs adequately? Thanks for any help you can give. -Dave & Sundar
gwyn@Brl-Vld.ARPA (04/25/84)
From: Doug Gwyn (VLD/VMB) <gwyn@Brl-Vld.ARPA> With suitable mods to the scheduler, plus plock(2), it is quite possible to use UNIX for real-time control. Last place I worked we had an 11/23 UNIX acquiring data at rates up to several KHz.