1. Marcus90's Avatar
    I would love to see a semi open-source or closed-source desktop operating system. When I picked up my first blackberry phone I was blown away by the mobile OS. Best in class.

    An open-source or closed-source enterprise or business minded OS that is loosely or closely directed by BlackBerry could seriously compete with Microsoft Windows. I'd say after all these faulty Windows patches Microsoft is putting out and the Windows 8 and 8.1 blunder the time is ripe for a new competitor.

    What does everyone think? Will a representative from BlackBerry respond to this?

    Posted via CB10
    05-13-15 12:42 AM
  2. thurask's Avatar
    Will a representative from BlackBerry respond to this?

    Posted via CB10
    No, this is just a fan forum.

    Anyway, BlackBerry is too strapped for cash and has problems getting one OS right, let alone another.
    05-13-15 01:08 AM
  3. Ment's Avatar
    There's a reason no one has produced another successful desktop OS in what over 30 years? Its way too expensive. Extending the capabilities of Blend is a much better use of limited resources.
    05-13-15 01:43 AM
  4. anon(9188202)'s Avatar
    LOL You can't make this stuff up, folks...
    05-13-15 02:09 AM
  5. JohnGrey's Avatar
    This would, in any reasonable estimation, never happen. Aside from the enormous expense of low-level software development, service development and UI/accessibility design, there's the added wrinkle of hardware compatibility. When you're a mobile software company making your own handsets as BlackBerry does, or your OS is designed to run on only a few, specific proprietary hardware configurations like Apple, this is a manageable problem, but Windows requires truly massive repositories of device drivers for the nearly-limitless combinations of hardware, most of them provided at hardware OEM's expense solely by virtue its market share dominance, a courtesy on which BlackBerry definitely could not count. As for an open-source variant, some Linux distributions have decent OOB compatibility with most major components but, for the most part, it's far too cumbersome and involved a process for the average user to implement and test them. Further, an open-source OS of that magnitude requires the participation and enthusiasm of tens of thousands of talented coders and a dedicated staff to ensure that nothing malicious gets inserted somewhere in the millions of lines of code, to say nothing of having their IP for their security and enterprise features free for the plunder. There's also the cost of software liability insurance, covering loss of critical data and theft of identity, asset or intellectual property. When you provide merely services on top of a third-party OS, there's at least a partial indemnity provided it wasn't solely the fault of your software, but a BlackBerry desktop OS means that any incident falls solely at their doorstep to the tune of tens or hundreds of millions conceivably. Lastly, and certainly not least, it would be one more product with practically non-existent market share that BlackBerry would have to flog on a limited advertising budget.

    Posted via CB10
    Last edited by JohnGrey; 05-19-15 at 10:02 AM. Reason: Typographic errors
    rthonpm and ominaxe like this.
    05-17-15 10:20 AM
  6. Troy Tiscareno's Avatar
    In addition to JohnGrey's excellent and fully correct post, the next question you'd have to ask yourself is: where would the apps for this OS with 0% marketshare come from? As you can see from BB's experiences trying to get apps in BB World, this is hardly trivial, and given that Windows isn't open-source, BB wouldn't be able to legally make a Windows emulator like they could with the Android Player in BB10. With no apps, there would be no sales.
    05-18-15 11:59 AM
  7. JohnGrey's Avatar
    In addition to JohnGrey's excellent and fully correct post, the next question you'd have to ask yourself is: where would the apps for this OS with 0% marketshare come from? As you can see from BB's experiences trying to get apps in BB World, this is hardly trivial, and given that Windows isn't open-source, BB wouldn't be able to legally make a Windows emulator like they could with the Android Player in BB10. With no apps, there would be no sales.
    I agree that software availability would be a concern but a lot of the mitigation would be contingent on which underlying kernel/filesystem combination was selected for the prospective OS. Assuming they went fully closed-source, they could nonetheless build the OS to be binary-compatible with Windows; the ReactOS open-source project has been working toward that same functionality. That said, it would be far wiser to choose a UNIX-like kernel, either LINUX or even a proprietary fork likes Apple's Darwin kernel, as the foundation, and use WINE, again probably a more robust proprietary fork, to run Windows-native enterprise software.

    Again though, these are merely fanciful theorisations for something that will not, and should not, happen.
    05-19-15 10:12 AM
  8. damienR's Avatar
    No, this is just a fan forum.

    Anyway, BlackBerry is too strapped for cash and has problems getting one OS right, let alone another.
    Agreed..

    Z30STA100-5/10.3.2.680
    05-19-15 10:23 AM
  9. tmanthib's Avatar
    I would love to see a semi open-source or closed-source desktop operating system. When I picked up my first blackberry phone I was blown away by the mobile OS. Best in class.

    An open-source or closed-source enterprise or business minded OS that is loosely or closely directed by BlackBerry could seriously compete with Microsoft Windows. I'd say after all these faulty Windows patches Microsoft is putting out and the Windows 8 and 8.1 blunder the time is ripe for a new competitor.

    What does everyone think? Will a representative from BlackBerry respond to this?

    Posted via CB10
    I see you are new here, welcome. You just colored outside of the lines according to some and that is unacceptable. Nothing wrong with thinking out loud.

    Posted via CB10
    qwertyhgfdsa likes this.
    05-19-15 04:41 PM
  10. twiggyrj's Avatar
    I see you are new here, welcome. You just colored outside of the lines according to some and that is unacceptable. Nothing wrong with thinking out loud.

    Posted via CB10

    But a Desktop OS is only as good as what it can do, Windows is popular because you can run most applications and run it on almost any PC from the last 7 years and be very productive on it. Can a BlackBerry Desktop OS be as productive as a well established and well supported OS such as Windows or Mac OSX.
    05-20-15 06:35 AM
  11. tmanthib's Avatar
    But a Desktop OS is only as good as what it can do, Windows is popular because you can run most applications and run it on almost any PC from the last 7 years and be very productive on it. Can a BlackBerry Desktop OS be as productive as a well established and well supported OS such as Windows or Mac OSX.
    That's pretty hard to answer since BlackBerry doesn't have one. Marcus was just saying he would like to see them develop one. Who knows what partnership they might come up with to achieve this. My point is some people get all bent out of shape if someone even dare make the suggestion.

    Posted via CB10
    05-20-15 11:16 AM
  12. twiggyrj's Avatar
    That's pretty hard to answer since BlackBerry doesn't have one. Marcus was just saying he would like to see them develop one. Who knows what partnership they might come up with to achieve this. My point is some people get all bent out of shape if someone even dare make the suggestion.

    Posted via CB10

    They could always fork a BSD distribution or Darwin, strip out the kernel, replace it with QNX and re do the software for the new architecture
    05-20-15 11:22 AM
  13. tmanthib's Avatar
    They could always fork a BSD distribution or Darwin, strip out the kernel, replace it with QNX and re do the software for the new architecture
    I would like to say that as far as I know, BlackBerry has not said they wanted to create a desktop OS. If they had the ways or means of doing so, it could benefit them, after all Apple and Microsoft have their own. I don't care for Apple products or Microsoft.

    Posted via CB10
    05-20-15 12:11 PM
  14. svelt's Avatar
    There's a reason no one has produced another successful desktop OS in what over 30 years? Its way too expensive. Extending the capabilities of Blend is a much better use of limited resources.
    Exactly. Going all-in on Blend would be the closest thing to a Desktop presence that BlackBerry will ever have (and probably a tablet presence as well).
    05-20-15 12:16 PM
  15. birdman_38's Avatar
    BlackBerry could possibly partner with Canonical on Ubuntu Phone and have a greater presence in their desktop OS. But not sure what the benefit would be for them.

    BlackBerry has traditionally ignored Linux with its 1% market share.
    05-20-15 02:43 PM
  16. Prem WatsApp's Avatar
    BlackBerry could possibly partner with Canonical on Ubuntu Phone and have a greater presence in their desktop OS. But not sure what the benefit would be for them.

    BlackBerry has traditionally ignored Linux with its 1% market share.
    1%... on the Desktop that is.
    Server is a whole different story... :-)

    �   Passposted while waiting for the Z-lider....   �
    05-22-15 03:06 AM
  17. birdman_38's Avatar
    1%... on the Desktop that is.
    Kind of ironic, isn't it?
    05-23-15 09:32 AM
  18. lnichols's Avatar
    Unfortunately the time for this has passed. If BlackBerry had developed a box about the size of and Apple TV, with USB input for keyboard and mouse, Ethernet, and a display port adapter of some sort, then they could have a FIPS approved thin client capable device that could have been deployed on desks at the office, or given to employees to take home, all managed by BES. Use Citrix which they have for Windows environments, hub, etc. I could still see use for a device like this to overlay a secure endpoint network on an existing network, in fact no of needs right now, but BlackBerry I don't think could execute this properly. Also this device could have doubled in the consumer space as an TV box like a FireTV, and with the addition of a external camera controlled by software from the box, have been a corporate VTC endpoint that tied into BBM Video and now BBM Meetings, as well as corporate controllers.

    Posted via Z30
    05-23-15 10:33 AM
  19. GadgetTravel's Avatar
    I would love to see a semi open-source or closed-source desktop operating system. When I picked up my first blackberry phone I was blown away by the mobile OS. Best in class.

    An open-source or closed-source enterprise or business minded OS that is loosely or closely directed by BlackBerry could seriously compete with Microsoft Windows. I'd say after all these faulty Windows patches Microsoft is putting out and the Windows 8 and 8.1 blunder the time is ripe for a new competitor.

    What does everyone think? Will a representative from BlackBerry respond to this?

    Posted via CB10
    Snowballs. In hot places. BlackBerry competing on desktop OS against Microsoft. Or for that matter I can't see blackberry competing in the desktop OS market against Apple, Redhat or even Chrome.

    Posted via CB10
    05-23-15 10:48 AM
  20. imz's Avatar
    An operating system must run on hardware, even if BlackBerry made a desktop version, no manufacturer would have reason to use it over windows such as hp, samsung, Sony, lenova etc

    This concludes that BlackBerry must develop their own hardware to run bbdesktop os, and we all know hardware on mobile isn't flourishing so a desktop machine is out of the question.

    Posted via CB10
    05-23-15 12:53 PM
  21. lnichols's Avatar
    An operating system must run on hardware, even if BlackBerry made a desktop version, no manufacturer would have reason to use it over windows such as hp, samsung, Sony, lenova etc

    This concludes that BlackBerry must develop their own hardware to run bbdesktop os, and we all know hardware on mobile isn't flourishing so a desktop machine is out of the question.

    Posted via CB10
    Yes but a desktop machine for Bb10 wouldn't be a desktop sized device. It could be as small as a FireTV. A surface like device would be needed for in lieu of a laptop. BlackBerry clearly doesn't want to expand its hardware business though, it wants to contract it if not eliminate it all together.

    Posted via Z30
    05-23-15 01:05 PM
  22. Prem WatsApp's Avatar
    Kind of ironic, isn't it?
    Mmm, yeah... it is.. :-)

    BES for Linux might be an option, Windows is kinda flimsy...

    �   Passposted while waiting for the Z-lider....   �
    05-24-15 04:34 AM
  23. BB Adict's Avatar
    That's pretty hard to answer since BlackBerry doesn't have one. Marcus was just saying he would like to see them develop one. Who knows what partnership they might come up with to achieve this. My point is some people get all bent out of shape if someone even dare make the suggestion.

    Posted via CB10
    Some suggestions are reasonable and others are not. As some one rightly said, there is a reason why there are only a few desk top systems in existence. Asking BlackBerry to get into the game, given BlackBerry's situation and track record, would be suicide at this point.

    Posted via CB10
    05-30-15 09:33 AM
  24. last_attempt's Avatar
    Well my Z30 with usb otg and my wireless keyboard and mouse, and hdmi cable to my 19" monitor comes pretty close to a BlackBerry desktop system. Now if only the hub had landscape support and the individual apps had better mouse support you'd have a nice little system I think.


    Posted via CB10
    05-30-15 09:12 PM
  25. nt300's Avatar
    A BB10 based OS powered by QNX would prove to be the best touch OS for all tablets and notebooks.

    Posted via CB10
    06-02-15 10:18 PM
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