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Date:      Wed, 9 Oct 2002 13:40:01 -0400
From:      Craig Rodrigues <rodrigc@attbi.com>
To:        "Nelson, Trent ." <tnelson@switch.com>
Cc:        "'chromexa@ovis.net'" <chromexa@ovis.net>, "'hackers@freebsd.org'" <hackers@freebsd.org>
Subject:   Re: FreeBSD usage in safety-critical environments
Message-ID:  <20021009134001.A7815@attbi.com>
In-Reply-To: <8F329FEDF58BD411BE5200508B10DA7607D71A12@exchptc1.switch.com>; from tnelson@switch.com on Wed, Oct 09, 2002 at 01:08:46PM -0400
References:  <8F329FEDF58BD411BE5200508B10DA7607D71A12@exchptc1.switch.com>

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On Wed, Oct 09, 2002 at 01:08:46PM -0400, Nelson, Trent . wrote:
> > > The report 'identifies' that it would be possible to certify Linux to
> > SIL 1
> > > and SIL 2 quite easily, and SIL 3 with a little work.


I've seen this game before with other certification efforts,
ie. U.S. Federal Aviation Administration's DO-178B for certification
of software used in airborne systems and equipment.

Certification is usually an expensive undertaking, so it usually requires
a company with enough $$$ to jump through all the hoops
of the certification process (ie. submitting to special tests, fixing the
bugs, etc.).  No one would go through this
stuff unless there was an anticipated reward, ie. $$$.
WindRiver has done this kind of stuff for VxWorks.

Now, if the UK govt. is looking to certify Linux, what version and
what vendor would they certify?  Linux has a lot of buzz these days,
and there are a number of vendors who are trying to pitch it in
real-time and embedded systems markets, and many companies who are
providing Linux-based services.

I'm sure that any FreeBSD could be certified, but the questions would be:
- which companies have the resources to submit to such an SIL certification
  and jump through all the hoops?
- is there enough of a financial incentive to do so?
- has the UK govt heard of BSD, and would they even care if someone wanted to
  certify it?

Unfortunately marketing and mindshare plays a lot in these kinds of things.

-- 
Craig Rodrigues        
http://www.gis.net/~craigr    
rodrigc@attbi.com

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