So does anyone have a take on QNX? It looks like a pretty neat operating system, with many advanced features, but how does it compare to Linux? Just getting everyones opinion.

Here's what one of my buddies over at EverythingLinux had to say about it:

"Hey - another QNX convert I tried it a while ago - you can see some screens at www.round21.freeserve.co.uk/qnx/. I did love it, but I upgraded my system recently, and now it won't install. I installed it orginally out of curiosity, as at the time I was doing a Uni module on real-time systems - these are systems when you have to have a guaranteed response time, for applications like nuclear power stations, life support machines, etc - where a millisecond delay or error could be lethal!

They typically process data streams in real-time, and control output devices "on the fly" - and are usually based in embedded devices. The QNX desktop OS is basically provided to allow developers to create embedded RT systems using the same OS on their desktops as in their target devices - usually, you have to create your application under a desktop OS (typically Windows or Solaris), and then cross-compile it and download it to your device, which will typically be using a different processor (ie:- Motorola ColdFire ) and limited facilities for I/O and debugging. Using the same OS as your development platform makes everything so much easier!

Admittedly, most applications won't be using the real-time features of the OS, and will just be using it as it makes a very versatile embedded OS.

It's a really nice OS with some very nifty features - I personally loved how responsive and fast it was, although I did find myself booting back into Linux to get "serious" work done. But when I just wanted to surf the web a bit, and listen to MP3s, it did the job just fine. Have they got rid of the awful email client though ? Last version I tried was 6.0...."

http://everythinglinux.org/cgi-bin/lct.pl?


Basically if you aren't trying to control something (i.e. machinery), then it's not all that necessary. I imagine you might get better response from your sound card using it...


John

I used it for a while. It seemed to me, however, that if you weren't connected to the internet (which I, alas, am not - doing this from Uni where they'd probably kick my ass rather hard out the door if I started installing QNX on their machines) then you'd have a hard time doing much. Almost all the software is available on-line! Great! I couldn't figure out how to download the software @ uni and install it @ home. Everytime I tried to install something, it'd open the 'Select Repository' thing - what bloody repository? I've got the stuff on floppies!

Anyway, to cut a long story short, I came, I saw, it conquered. I then discovered Linux, and am still here with it now. I must agree, however, it does look nice, and I'm sure that if I were connected to the internet, I'd probably be tri-booting now.

I meant to get the iso for that today,, ahh well.

I seem to have this problem with being able to install OS's. besides windows, they never seem to go wrong with me... i weas bored and had a copy of freebsd so i stuck it in my cdrom and installed it on an old HD no problem. same with any linux i've ever installed...

wonder if my charm will work on qnx... even though i'm not sure what it is!

QNX looks like a pretty neat O/S. have been researching it, and it apparantly can run many Linux apps after a simple compile! And it is very small and fast.

Now, if we can only get the Linux hackers to program a faster response time and make the premptive tasking better, we could have a much more powerful Linux system. Maybe we could even get the response of BeOS and QNX! Those are the only real advantages they have over Linux right now.

I tried a QNX demo and hated it. I couldn't get anything working. I like <i>Windows</i> better.

I still want to try BeOS, but it costs some cash, ne?

From what I've heard, QNX has a linux compatibility layer now -- no need for a recompile. (Disclaimer, I'm no QNX expert)

Quote:

Now, if we can only get the Linux hackers to program a faster response time and make the premptive tasking better, we could have a much more powerful Linux system. Maybe we could even get the response of BeOS and QNX! Those are the only real advantages they have over Linux right now.

Maybe... from what I've read, linux is not necessarily well-suited for this type of multitasking. But I wouldn't be surprised to see it modified to be that way


John

Not here:

http://www.be.com/products/freebeos/


John

Be warned (see the pun there?) Citizen, if you've got any hardware that's even remotely new it will not work properly. I downloaded the version above and it didn't like my GeForce 2 MX card. I'm sure it's a nice system but being so shallow as I am, I wasn't too impressed with the 640x480 monochrome display I was given to be 'compatible'.

I'm like Miss O/S queen, so I have tried many different ones. That includes, Linux, Win 95, 98, NT, 2K, XP, O/S 2 Warp, BeOS, FreeBSD, and now QNX.

BeOS is a pretty nice O/S. Unfortunately, it does not support much hardware AT ALL. I got lucky that everything worked, because either the BeOS Pro had drivers, or they were on the web.

It is a really nice operating system though. To be honest, I like it as well as Linux, except it has no security sub-system, and it was slightly less configurable. But all in all, if Linux was not around, I would use BeOS.

As for QNX.. I downloaded the 441MB iso file (high speed internet; gotta love it) and installed it. All my hardware is compatible, and dang it is pretty darn nice. It is as good as BeOS, and will probably be around longer. I did not have the chance to install any Linux apps, but I will be doing that this weekend and will let everyone on this thread know how it went. Personally, I think QNX has a bright future from what I have seen.

I liked it enough to purchase the CD-ROM for 29 bucks. Yes, I am still old school... I am willing to pay for good products, even software. Why do you think I still have Win98. I dont like paing for crappy upgrades either

This is kinda off beat, but one thing I can definately say that would really help Linux desktops out is to make them more like the QNX Photon GUI. It is lean, fast, still has alot of functionality, and is nice and pretty to look at. Why do we need such desktop customization that KDE and GNOME have. I know it is nice, but it is such a resource eater. I know Linux has some lean desktop enviroments, but I dont personally think they are all that nice looking either.

ok, so your OS's:

Micro$oft: 5.5
All other : 4.5

hmmm..... sorry, i get

M$: 1
O: 2

sorry... i get a much better %! ;-)

gonna get QNX tommorw morning... got far too many spare ide channels....

I've got a GeForce 2 MX, and according to BeOS's website, it won't work on laptops at all (My laptop has an older card), so I guess I won't be using Be anytime soon.