Linux supports soft real time (that is processes can say I want to be
run real time, I need CPU when I want it, Im more important than this user
rubbish). The heavy stuff is 'hard real time', which Victor Yodaiken has
some bits for, and we need eventually to merge. The difference between
soft and hard real time is that in the hard real time world you don't
say "I want to run real time", you say "I will be scheduled within n
microseconds or the factory blows up" - and get away with it.