amit@umn-cs.UUCP (10/30/87)
Aside from a self-promoting ad in Byte Mag., I've seen very little discussion about the QNX operating system. I spoke to these guys quite extensively, but I would be interested in personal experience. Would anyone with experience in QNX and either SCO Xenix or uPort compare them for the rest of us? Issues of interest might be: - Compatability with Sys V; Stability; Technical support; - Quality of C compiler, debugger (windows?), runtime environment; - Hardware support (multifunction, video, disk controller boards) - Invoking DOS as a task, and running business oriented software. -- Neta Amit U of Minnesota CSci Arpanet: amit@umn-cs.cs.umn.edu
ittfb@dcatla.UUCP (Thomas F. Blakely) (11/03/87)
In article <2540@umn-cs.UUCP> amit@umn-cs.UUCP (Neta Amit) writes: >Would anyone with experience in QNX and either SCO Xenix or uPort >compare them for the rest of us? Issues of interest might be: >- Compatability with Sys V; Stability; Technical support; It's not Unix, system V or otherwise. Libraries are _very_ different (other than standard i/o functions). It has more Unix-like utilities with every release (grep, make, etc.) but still has room for improvement there. It's *MUCH* smaller than unix, however. >- Quality of C compiler, debugger (windows?), runtime environment; Excellent, but not quite standard C compiler (has "extensions"), limited to 64K code and 128K data, which is not a practical limitation since shared libraries are possible (standard library is shared). Debugger is primitive at best, machine level only. Multitasking seems excellent (ie., no spurious crashes), intertask communications very usable. Manuals better than they were, still need work. >- Hardware support (multifunction, video, disk controller boards) Supports AST, Quadboard and other clocks. I was able to write one for the clock on my turbo XT clone (an obscure one). Uses any disk controller. Many are supported with real-time drivers, others use BIOS driver, which blocks other tasks when accessing disk (not a serious problem most of the time). Supports CGA, Mono; I don't know about EGA, others. >- Invoking DOS as a task, and running business oriented software. The version of QDOS that I was running would only work on an XT, not on several clones I tried it with (problems with BIOS hard disk driver). Quantum claims to have this fixed now, >-- > Neta Amit > U of Minnesota CSci > Arpanet: amit@umn-cs.cs.umn.edu Caveats: I have not tried the networked versions of QNX. I have also not used the 286 protected-mode version (I have run the non-protected AT version). Note also that the boot disk is copy protected. I have been unable to get QNX to boot from the hard disk, but I didn't try very hard. Overall, I have been fairly impressed with QNX, but I don't use it much since there's little 3rd party software available for it. I've used it mostly for development with a cross-assembler we wrote, and for a dedicated pc-based lab controller. I encountered no serious bugs in either of these uses. SDA. T. Blakely
gardner@kodak.UUCP (dick gardner) (11/04/87)
In article <2030@dcatla.UUCP> ittfb@dcatla.UUCP (Thomas F. Blakely) writes: >In article <2540@umn-cs.UUCP> amit@umn-cs.UUCP (Neta Amit) writes: >>Would anyone with experience in QNX ............. deleted many questions & answers re:QNX (generally agreed with responses) >Overall, I have been fairly impressed with QNX, but I don't use it much >since there's little 3rd party software available for it. I've used it >mostly for development with a cross-assembler we wrote, and for a >dedicated pc-based lab controller. I encountered no serious bugs in either >of these uses. > >SDA. >T. Blakely I am using the protected mode version of QNX on my AT and an IBM Industrial PeeCee. NO problems whatsoever. I am waiting for some cable to be strung to complete my little development network, but I have seen several network implementations, some quite large, and am thoroughly impressed. All the resources on the network are (optionally) accessible to everyone on the net, including CPU's. I can, for example, off-load a compile on the 10 MHz PC, instead of using my 6 Megger, and it's totally transparent. What I wanted to add, is that there are several firms now offering software to run under QNX. Databases, (including entity-relational), spreadsheets, graphics packages, etc. There is also lots of free stuff available from Quantam's bulletin board for registered users. =#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=# Dick Gardner -- Eastman Kodak Co. Rochester, New York 14650 Phone: (716) 477-1002 UUCP: {allegra,rutgers}!rochester!kodak!gardner "Oh yeah?!? Well, MY computer is SOOOOO FAST, it executes an infinite loop in 6 seconds!!!" =#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#