I can only commnet on a few things…see below:
I like what I have seen on the QNX/Photon system, but would like some
input
from users of it and Linux.
- It looks like the ability to write drivers and run then as tasks is a
big plus for QNX?
Yes, they can be debugged as normal processes. You don’t need to go through
the kernel to get to the hardware.
- Photon with AppBuilder is a good and stable user interface platform?
It has been for me. I haven’t done a whole lot with it, but you can use it
in one of two ways. Have it generate code for you (actual GUI
initialization code) or it will generate resource files that contain your
GUI and code that will access those files. I haven’t had any problems with
it yet. Photon isn’t the easiest to learn, I won’t kid you about that, but
you’ll get it and you’ll like it. There are also some vendors that can take
much of the photon learning curve out of development…Tilcon is one, and I
think Qt may be another.
- Is there any thing in Linux that would compete with Photon and its
AppBuilder?
Qt? I think this is what its called. It doesn’t really compete as I belive
they are supporting QNX as well.
- Is the license fee the main reason not to use QNX?
I don’t mind this too much because the time it saved in development. I
believe that better products can be made with QNX than with Linux. I did
some Linux work in the past and I remember all the work arounds and reboots
and never able to quit figure out why things didn’t work. QNX development
is faster and easier, and therefore your end product will be better. Some
of the new tools they are coming out with are nice.
- Remote control of a system over TCP/IP is better integrated in
Photon/QNX than what is available for Linux.
Yes. In fact if you design your application using the QNX way, your device
drivers, application, everything can be distributed across the network and
work as though it is on a single CPU. This has opened up many possibilities
for the projects I’ve worked on.
- What about tech support for QNX v Linux and its add-ons.
QNX’s tech support is the best. They are very attentive and hard working.
They love their product and are 110% behind it. I have rarely needed to use
their tech support mostly because of the people that use QNX are very sharp,
intelligent and responsive individuals . When I’ve had to use QNX tech
support, they were right on the ball.
I don’t think you can’t go wrong by using this OS. It has been designed
with eligance, reliability and speed from the ground up. The message
passing architecture is a real plus, and if you take the time to design to
it, you will be reward greatly. I’ve found many developers that don’t seem
to get it when I talk to them about the client/server message passing
benifits. But it makes for a more reliable, easier to maintain design than
on a non-IPC OS. S/R/R (Send/Receive/Reply) is good. Use it, you won’t
regret it.
I just finished a project where we used qnx on a Hybrid Electric battle
tank. I spent quite a lot of time tweaking and re-writing code because it
didn’t take advantage of QNX’s architecture. We can drive the vehicle,
debug processes, upload new code by using wireless ethernet. No additonal
code necessary. The IPC worked over it, just like regular ethernet and just
like it was all on the same CPU.
It was real plus for me to see us connecting and working with the vehicle
via a laptop and ethernet while the other systems (turret drive and
targeting systems) required a whole bank of desktop computers and special
software to connect to the CPU’s inside.
Good Luck,
Kevin
Pleas comment freely and email direct if you like.
Thanks
John Zigrang