Re: Linux Vs vxWorks

Hi Arun,

Please consider following points as my personal opinion

a) Regarding embedded OS. Linux is now more or less equal to vxWorks
and available on all ranges of different hardware architecture. Linux
is moving very fast and looking at the trend I believe WindRiver took
a decision to go with Linux rather than going against it.

b) Till the time you talk about soft real time it is very subjected to
the context you are talking about. Linux is soft real time and vxWorks
is hard real time. In soft real time you can expect a real time
performance but not 100% deterministic. Soft-real time is good enough
for range of application (telecom/consumer device etc); However when
you need a product like robotics, Medical equipment you can't go for
an option which is not deterministc. I have seen people saying that we
need real time OS without knowing exactly their requirement (like
interrupt latency etc acceptable in their application). So you need to
determine based on your application do you really need a hard real
time system If you are not building robotics kind of solution I
believe you will come up with that you need soft real time and then
definetly linux is an option for you.

c) Educating resources depends upon individual resource. My person
experience is that it is not that difficult and mailing list and open
source really helps you.

d) With Linux you may willl be having lots of already available
application that you may want to use in future all for free. With
vxWorks you always need to look for some WindRiver partner and really
in my experience related to application vxWorks is much limited.

e) Linux is royalty free; however with vxWorks you need to pay for
production license for each device you sell.

Finally I would say if you have hard real time than vxWorks is the
solution; hwoever for soft-real time linux is better choice if you
really want to use a wide range of application. If you are limited to
some basic application and not much bothered about royality vxWorks
can be good choice to avoid re-educating the resources and some
unforseen issues.

Best Regards
VKG | Ritsoft Technologies







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