React Quickly or Feel the Pain

　　很多工作我們?cè)赬MOS是關(guān)于“實(shí)時(shí)編程”，它是退一步思考，這實(shí)際上意味著什么。一般來(lái)說(shuō)，實(shí)時(shí)編程是一種系統(tǒng)，其中系統(tǒng)的某些操作必須滿(mǎn)足特定的截止日期。這些期限可能是系統(tǒng)內(nèi)部或外部的。通常，這種系統(tǒng)被分成“軟”或“硬”實(shí)時(shí)。如果截止期錯(cuò)過(guò)，硬實(shí)時(shí)系統(tǒng)會(huì)發(fā)生災(zāi)難性的故障，而如果錯(cuò)過(guò)了截止期，軟實(shí)時(shí)系統(tǒng)會(huì)出現(xiàn)質(zhì)量下降，但系統(tǒng)至少可以繼續(xù)工作。

　　處理實(shí)時(shí)系統(tǒng)時(shí)的關(guān)鍵特性是響應(yīng)時(shí)間。一個(gè)系統(tǒng)的響應(yīng)時(shí)間僅僅是對(duì)外部刺激的響應(yīng)需要多長(zhǎng)時(shí)間。這是我們想在XMOS很多。

　　有一個(gè)流行的兒童游戲的典型響應(yīng)時(shí)間。它有時(shí)被稱(chēng)為“紅手”或“打”，但都在不同的世界各地的其他名稱(chēng)。它包括兩個(gè)人把手放在他們面前，手掌合十，好像在祈禱。球員們把手向前伸，互相觸摸指尖。

　　The game has a “slapper” and an “avoider”。 The aim for the slapper is to break contact and slap the avoider’s hands as hard as possible. The avoider needs to move their hands out of the way before they are slapped - if they do this successfully then the avoider becomes the slapper and get their chance at revenge.

　　This game is a great example of a real-time system and a need for a good response time. The slapper provides the external stimulus， and the avoider is the real-time system that must respond. Similarly， in electronic hard real-time systems， sometimes you need to be able to respond quickly or really feel that pain.