DOS and real time?

What is a 'real time' system? Does it need to be real fast? Are we talking microseconds or hours? What happens if we 'get it wrong'? These are all good questions. However, real time systems can be defined. They are systems that handle asynchronous events in a timely and deterministic manner. What does this mean? Well, timely means that the controlling system is able to keep up with the process that is being controlled; determinism is a key attribute that allows the state of the controlling process to be precisely defined-no matter what input conditions prevail. The author discusses DOS operating system and its implications for real time systems.<
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