newbie Qs

Hi, I just installed QNX6.3 (dual with WinXP), I’ve got some questions…

Is there a guide or something where I can learn how to use the QNX desktop OS? Something which maybe compares QNX to Windows or AmigaOS.

What are the different directories on the QNX isntall? (what files are they supposed to hold, where is my “personal” directory where I can put my files etc)

How much does QNX cost? I’m using the 30day trial now.

In what directory are programs installed? I downloaded The Gimp via The Installer but I can’t find Gimp on my computer.

P.S. I’ve been scimming the included help files but they are rather confusing :stuck_out_tongue:

Thank you very much for answers :smiley:
Have an excellent rest of the day ;)

Regards,
Treble

Hello Treble,

QNX is not a desktop OS (some will not agree). I doesn’t compare with Windows or AmigaOs.

You directory is in /home/username, this is a UNIXism. So is much of the directory structure.

The QNX development platform comes in the flavor one being 4000$ US the other 8000$ US.

Some stuff you install goes in /opt/bin and other in /usr/bin/ and other in /usr/local, it depends .

Documentation isn’t meant for user but rather for developer.

You should bear in mind that once the 30-day trial expires, you will still be able to use QNX no problem. The 30 day is really just for some development tools, which you’re likely not to bother with.

I’ll agree that QNX is not a desktop OS, but it can serve as one perfectly well, so long as you are not too demand with regard to web browsing, java, multimedia and a few other things.

If you installed The Gimp from the installer, you can either type ‘gimp’ on the command line, or you can launch it from the ‘Launch’ menu.

mario is right, there are no real decent docs for the end-user, just launch apps from the launch menu and play with them, you’ll soon pick up how they work.

Few other things: editing xls spreadsheet. viewing power point presentation, sync with you favorite PDA or cell phone, RAID, SATA, play recent games, support 3D in hardware for recent video card, firewire, bluetooth, play DVD, decent backup program, mainstream (creative) audio card, build in network chip in todays chipset, flash player above version 4 (7 being the current one), real audio and video, wva (microsoft format), SWING for Java.

There is a 3rd party CD with many programs that can make it more enjoyabler (or less frustrating) to use QNX as a desktop. As of 6.3 QSS drop support for it and it’s been taken over but community. Great stuff.

For example if samba wasn’t availble I would probably try to port it myself or simply quit working on QNX :wink:

Err, yeah and all that… ;-)

I guess I never saw many limitations as use Solaris for a lot of stuff, but now you come to mention it, QNX is not a great choice for the desktop…

Wow, thanks for the input.
Kinda dissappointing to hear it’s not so suitable as a Desktop OS, I’m so tired of Windows.
Could anyone point me to some alternative Desktop OSs?
I saw SkyOS tho it’s in early beta it seems.

I appreciate any suggestions :slight_smile:

P.S. Linux seems nice but really hard to learn. There must be some userfriendly alternate operating system out there somewhere.

I was going to suggest the Neutrino User’s Guide, but after that comment that there aren’t any decent end-user docs, I’m not sure that I should. :cry: