source: rtems/doc/FAQ/basic.t @ e112b63

4.104.114.84.95
Last change on this file since e112b63 was a2fa66c3, checked in by Joel Sherrill <joel.sherrill@…>, on 04/19/99 at 22:23:03

Updated to include first set of questions.

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1@c
2@c  COPYRIGHT (c) 1988-1998.
3@c  On-Line Applications Research Corporation (OAR).
4@c  All rights reserved.
5@c
6@c  $Id$
7@c
8
9@chapter Basic Information
10
11The questions in this category are basic questions about RTEMS.  Where
12did it come from, why is it, what is it, when should you use it, etc.?
13
14@section What does RTEMS stand for?
15
16RTEMS is an anacronym for the Real-Time Executive for Multiprocessor
17Systems.
18
19Initially RTEMS stood for the Real-Time Executive for Missile Systems
20but as it became clear that the application domains that could use
21RTEMS extended far beyond missiles, the "M" changed to mean Military.
22At one point, there were both Ada and C implementations of RTEMS.  The
23C version changed the "M" to mean Multiprocessor while the Ada version
24remained with the "M" meaning Military.
25
26@section What is RTEMS?
27
28RTEMS is a real-time executive which provides a high performance
29environment for embedded military applications including the
30following features:
31
32@itemize @bullet
33@item multitasking capabilities
34@item homogeneous and heterogeneous multiprocessor systems
35@item event-driven, priority-based, preemptive scheduling
36@item optional rate monotonic scheduling
37@item intertask communication and synchronization
38@item priority inheritance
39@item responsive interrupt management
40@item dynamic memory allocation
41@item high level of user configurability
42@end itemize
43
44XXX This feature list is weak these days. :)
45
46@section What standards does RTEMS support?
47
48The original "Classic" RTEMS API is based on the Real-Time Executive
49Interface Definition (RTEID) and the Open Real-Time Kernel Interface
50Definition (ORKID).  RTEMS also includes support for POSIX threads
51and real-time extensions.
52
53With the addition of file system infrastructure, RTEMS supports
54about 70% of the POSIX 1003.1b-1996 standard.  This standard
55defines the programming interfaces of standard UNIX.   This means
56that much source code that works on UNIX, also works on RTEMS.
57
58@section What processors is RTEMS available for?
59
60RTEMS is available for the following processor families:
61
62@itemize @bullet
63@item Motorola MC68xxx
64@item Motorola MC683xx
65@item Motorola ColdFire
66@item Hitachi SH
67@item Intel i386
68@item Intel i960
69@item MIPS
70@item PowerPC
71@item SPARC
72@item AMD A29K
73@item Hewlett-Packard PA-RISC
74@end itemize
75
76In addition, there is a port to UNIX which can be used as a prototyping
77and simulation environment.
78
79@section Executive vs. Kernel vs. Operating System (RTOS)
80
81The developers of RTEMS developers use the terms executive and kernel
82interchangeably.  In the embedded system community, the terms executive
83or kernel are generally used to refer to small operating systems.
84So we consider it proper to refer to RTEMS as an executive, a kernel,
85or an operating system.
86
87@section Where/why was it developed?
88
89RTEMS was developed by On-Line Applications Research Corporation (OAR)
90for the U.S. Army Missile Command.  The original goal of RTEMS was
91to provide a portable, standards-based real-time executive for which
92source code was available and royalties were paid.
93
94In other words, RTEMS was open source before open source was cool.
95
96@section Are there no similar commercial products?
97
98Yes, but not all are based on standards and the open source philosophy.
99
100@section How can I get RTEMS?
101
102RTEMS is distributed by OAR Corporation via the Internet.  Point your
103favorite browser at the following URL and following the link:
104
105@set OAR-URL http://www.OARcorp.com
106@ifset use-html
107@href{@value{OAR-URL},,@value{OAR-URL}}
108@end ifset
109@ifclear use-html
110@value{OAR-URL}
111@end ifclear
112
113@section What about support?
114
115OAR Corporation provides numerous services for RTEMS including support,
116training, and custom development.
117
118@section Are there any mailing lists?
119
120The primary RTEMS mailing list is @code{rtems-list@@oarcorp.com}.  You
121can subscribe by sending a message with the word @b{subscribe} as the
122body to @code{rtems-list-request@@oarcorp.com}.
123
124@section Are there any license restrictions?
125
126RTEMS is licensed under a modified version of the GNU General Public License
127(GPL).  The modification places no restrictions on the applications which
128use RTEMS but protects the interests of those who work on RTEMS.
129
130The TCP/IP network stack included with RTEMS is a port of the FreeBSD
131network stack and is licensed under different terms that also do not
132place restrictions on the application.
133
134@section Are there any export restrictions?
135
136No.
137
138
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