Microware Systems UK Ltd, the Fareham, Hampshire-based specialist in the OS-9 family of real-time operating systems, is to introduce an OS-9000 version of the operating system for the Intel iAPX-86 environment, pitching it at network servers, office automation engines and process control systems. Intelligent applications like X-ray scanners and security systems demand specific features such as real-time response, and OS-9000 includes a real-time kernel which automatically allocates memory and schedules tasks. The company developed and released OS-9000 in 1989, and it has a range of real-time system software for Motorola’s 68000 16-bit and 32-bit architectures. The operating system supports resident, Unix, and MS-DOS cross-development 32-bit processors. It is written in C and currently available for Motorola’s 68020, 68030 and Intel’s 80386. Microware is also planning to support other complex and RISC processors, including the 88000 and 8090CA. It has a suite of C cross compilers to program real-time applications for OS-9, OS-9000, VMS, Unix and MS-DOS machines. Each contains the library and definition files contained in the OS-9000 resident, and compiled programs are ROM versions, re-entrant and position independent. Objects may be downloaded for execution and testing using serial links or Ethernet TCP/IP networks, and other networking features provide for link data and OS-9000 Network File System/Remote Procedure Call.
