[comp.os.misc] Requesting opinions on QNX

cgk@chinet.chi.il.us (Charlie Kester) (05/25/91)

Would anyone like to share their experience with or opinion of QNX?  We are
considering going to it for our PC-based control systems. 

Specifically, is the message-based architecture as good as claimed? Is the
interrupt response time as good as claimed? What about support and third
party products?

I know that a new POSIX-compliant version of QNX is about to be released;
any opinions on that?


-- 
Charlie Kester      |  cgk@chinet.chi.il.us   | "Wretches, utter wretches!
1503 Larson Street  |                         |  keep your hands from beans!"
Sycamore IL 60178   |                         |       (Empedocles)

gardner@isdc11.kodak.com (Dick Gardner) (05/28/91)

In article <1991May25.131221.25518@chinet.chi.il.us> cgk@chinet.chi.il.us (Charlie Kester) writes:
>Would anyone like to share their experience with or opinion of QNX?  We are
>considering going to it for our PC-based control systems. 
>
>Specifically, is the message-based architecture as good as claimed? Is the
>interrupt response time as good as claimed? What about support and third
>party products?
>
>I know that a new POSIX-compliant version of QNX is about to be released;
>any opinions on that?
>
>
>-- 
>Charlie Kester      |  cgk@chinet.chi.il.us   | "Wretches, utter wretches!
>1503 Larson Street  |                         |  keep your hands from beans!"
>Sycamore IL 60178   |                         |       (Empedocles)

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	tried to email, but the mailer couldn't find chinet...
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Charlie -
Status: RO

I would say that QNX *IS* as good as claimed. We have it embedded in one of
our products, and we are also using it in several other process and machine
control applications.  In addition, the development environment gives us a
lot of flexibility.  It is common for us to include a modem in every new 
application, and we use it for remote debugging, instant training, etc.  In
case a problem develops on a remote installation, we can call in on a modem,
and connect up with any node on the network, using its screen and keyboard
functions to locate and correct problems.

This is not a unique situation -- I can give you lots of examples of
large, well-known (Fortune 500) companies that are using QNX in very
demanding applications with great success.  I have some other
information (14-16 pages) that I can FAX to you, if you are interested. It 
is a technical overview of the OS, plus a couple of magazine articles.
I'd be happy to discuss any of this in more detail over the phone, if
you wish.  Or, I have some information I've collected that I could
E-mail to you, although it's a little dated. 

I saw the first of the ads for the POSIX-compliant version of QNX in Byte
magazine yesterday.  It's being advertised as a new real-time version of
UNIX -- I never thought of it that way, but of course it's true.  I don't
think the new version is being introduced until the annual conference in 
Ottawa on June 17-20.  I have attended this conference every year since '88.
It is a first rate affair, with attendees from around the world.  There will
be a great opportunity to meet the developers, the users, and many third
party vendors.  The only problem is that the attendance is being limited to
550 people, and it's filling up fast.  Also, this is prime tourist time in
Ottawa, so hotels are really busy.  If there is any chance you will try to
go to the conference you should make arrangements quickly.

Feel free to contact me at any time.

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   Dick Gardner -- Eastman Kodak Co.  Rochester, New York  14652-4201
                   Phone: (716) 477-1002
		   Net address:  gardner@music.kodak.com

	My new whiz-bang computer is SOOOOOOO fast ----
	  (How fast is it??)	it executes an infinite loop in 50 msec!!!

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