Linux is not reliable enough because ...

[Phil Mattison]

Alexander,
  I also have worked on real-time redundant systems and I think you make
a good point. But I would add that we really don't know what the user's
strategy is in adopting Linux. Since the Linux kernel is pretty well
documented
you can take it apart and put it back together again with whatever
improvements
you want. Linux seems to have a fairly clean scheduler, which is the core
of any real-time multi-task OS. For those reasons it could be preferable
to a commercial OS such as WindRiver or the like since they have proprietary
kernels. I don't think its necessarily a bad strategy if they have the right
expertise.

_snip_
I know a bit about what he's talking about, as I programmed aviation
systems for Honeywell's small jet autopilots.
_snip_
--
Phil Mattison
Ohmikron Corp.
480-722-9595 ext. 1
602-820-9452 mobile