[EFats]

But Android was an open-source project, as is Linux.

How would it had benefitted QNX (pre, or post BlackBerry) to give itself up for free?

Even prior to the acquisition, they had 250 employees, revenues of $30-50 million, and a valuation (based on the purchase price) of $200 million.

Not asking them to give it away. Plenty of software in this class offers 'developer' editions, where you are free to try it, play with it, develop with. You only pay when the product goes to production.

[conite]

Not asking them to give it away. Plenty of software in this class offers 'developer' editions, where you are free to try it, play with it, develop with. You only pay when the product goes to production.

There is a free 30 day trial. If a developer sees it going anywhere, they can pick up a single license.

You can also obtain a free non-commercial license for an education environment.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

There is a free 30 day trial. If a developer sees it going anywhere, they can pick up a single license.

You can also obtain a free non-commercial license for an education environment.

I wonder just how many "developers" go out and build their own commercial products (that aren't just apps running on another OS)? 1 in 1,000, maybe 1 in 1,000,000? And of those, the number that are fortunate enough to have a successful product?

Too be honest there is a lot more to worry about then what OS it might be utilizing.

While it does seem like leaving QNX's licensing the way it was.... would have been better for QNX. I understand why BlackBerry changed it, and why it's not worth changing it back now that their dreams of a mobile platform died.

It's like wishing Apple would throw in a free pair of Air Pods and an Apple Watch with each new iPhone..... I'm sure they'd sell way more phones.

[passportowner]

Somebody uploaded to the Internet the QNX kernel sources from 2007 (I think it is the minimal system sources without gui or userland, not just the kernel).

While it is probably too old to be useful for us, it could be still useful if somebody interested in the inner workings of BB phones.

This is NOT the source code of BB10. No, you can't install it on your phone, yes, maybe it can help to root BB10, but I think http://bits-please.blogspot.com/2015...m8974.html?m=1 is more viable for that.

[Chuck Finley69]

Somebody uploaded to the Internet the QNX kernel sources from 2007 (I think it is the minimal system sources without gui or userland, not just the kernel).

While it is probably too old to be useful for us, it could be still useful if somebody interested in the inner workings of BB phones.

This is NOT the source code of BB10. No, you can't install it on your phone, yes, maybe it can help to root BB10, but I think Bits, Please!: Full TrustZone exploit for MSM8974 is more viable for that.

So this was from when it was open source?

[m3mb3rsh1p]

Somebody uploaded to the Internet the QNX kernel sources from 2007
...
It could be still useful if somebody interested in the inner workings of BB phones.

The best way to learn QNX and by extension, the inner workings of BlackBerry phones, is to write software for BB10. All the system interfaces are present in the SDK. Outside of kernel code (which is a bit too advanced and unnecessary for the needs of updating BB10 userland) you can do almost anything on QNX-related BB10.

[passportowner]

Yes, it seems it is. Just the. Code from Foundry, which is unavailable anymore. So it could be free to distribute.

[DonHB]

There is a free 30 day trial. If a developer sees it going anywhere, they can pick up a single license.

You can also obtain a free non-commercial license for an education environment.

What can you accomplish in 30 days. What OSS projects can be ported in 30 days? Also, the non commercial license prohibits developers to work on products that will be released as a commercial product.

What Efat may be suggesting is that BlackBerry should provide a developer's license which would allow developers to produce a commercial product, but before releasing it have to purchase a commercial license. This would allow small ISV to prototype a commercial product and choose whether to continue development on QNX. Partnering with customers for essentially zero cost (because of zero technical support beyond online documentation and access to forums). Alternatively, this could be offered only to developers with revenues below $1 million. This is the level of revenue that Apple decided to allow for a 50% reduction in licensing fees.

[conite]

What can you accomplish in 30 days. What OSS projects can be ported in 30 days? Also, the non commercial license prohibits developers to work on products that will be released as a commercial product.

What Efat may be suggesting is that BlackBerry should provide a developer's license which would allow developers to produce a commercial product, but before releasing it have to purchase a commercial license. This would allow small ISV to prototype a commercial product and choose whether to continue development on QNX. Partnering with customers for essentially zero cost (because of zero technical support beyond online documentation and access to forums). Alternatively, this could be offered only to developers with revenues below $1 million. This is the level of revenue that Apple decided to allow for a 50% reduction in licensing fees.

Around and around we go.

At the end of the day, BlackBerry isn't interested. The end.

[Rootbrian]

What can you accomplish in 30 days. What OSS projects can be ported in 30 days? Also, the non commercial license prohibits developers to work on products that will be released as a commercial product.

What Efat may be suggesting is that BlackBerry should provide a developer's license which would allow developers to produce a commercial product, but before releasing it have to purchase a commercial license. This would allow small ISV to prototype a commercial product and choose whether to continue development on QNX. Partnering with customers for essentially zero cost (because of zero technical support beyond online documentation and access to forums). Alternatively, this could be offered only to developers with revenues below $1 million. This is the level of revenue that Apple decided to allow for a 50% reduction in licensing fees.

The community edition of QNX, which is behind the RTOS release used everywhere and in critical everything, can be used exactly for such purposes. They give a license out that's FREE. You just choose what to do with it.

Alas, you could use gnu/linux to develop software for QNX pretty easily if you already know the common programming languages that are built-in or included.

Disclosure: I am not a coder or programmer. I cannot comprehend such things. It's alien to me. But I use Linux mint full-time on all machines.

From my BlackBerry Key2 LE on Freedom Mobile LTE or 3G HSPA+

[m3ach]

I just love these circular arguments, especially when we all know BlackBerry just isn’t interested in any of this or indeed looking at these forums for new business ideas. (Especially in hijacked threads).

[Chuck Finley69]

I just love these circular arguments, especially when we all know BlackBerry just isn’t interested in any of this or indeed looking at these forums for new business ideas. (Especially in hijacked threads).

Just give me the $10 million USD and the plane to Cuba and I'll release thread unharmed...

(In some Burn Notice TV episode in original Chuck Finley character voice, whose persona, I hijacked, coincidentally, for CrackBerry use, years ago.)

[m3ach]

Just give me the $10 million USD and the plane to Cuba and I'll release thread unharmed...

(In some Burn Notice TV episode in original Chuck Finley character voice, whose persona, I hijacked, coincidentally, for CrackBerry use, years ago.)

I knew I could rely on you Chuck!!

[Doctornoc]

Running a startup business unit of a major corporation designed around pursuing various business strategies to achieve scale and transferring a successful operation over to respective business channel to be grown at major level.

I did that for three years and then chose a business unit to model after that could be scaled up or down as necessary so I could operate independently. My corporate business unit was scaled at 6, 12 and 24 employees based on project. After three years, my unit scaled up to almost 400 personnel.

Well God Damn Chuck! I don't think I would be able to work for a company after doing that!

Posted via CB10

[Doctornoc]

From reading all of the posts I came to this conclusion. Blackberry has to grow. In order for them to grow they have to generate revenue. They are too small to take risks that their competitors were able to capitalize on. They have to be laser focused. Many of us in these forums would love new BB10 devices with an updated Bb10. However BB10 doesnt make them any money. BBOS7 made Blackberry money and is still making them some money. And they are killing both.

Posted via CB10

[Chuck Finley69]

I knew I could rely on you Chuck!!

Waiting for your wire transfer....

[Chuck Finley69]

Well God Damn Chuck! I don't think I would be able to work for a company after doing that!

Posted via CB10

Corporate life has it’s benefits too.

[m3ach]

Waiting for your wire transfer....

Just post your bank details here and the money will be on its way.

[Chuck Finley69]

Just post your bank details here and the money will be on its way.

LMAO

[DonHB]

The community edition of QNX, which is behind the RTOS release used everywhere and in critical everything, can be used exactly for such purposes. They give a license out that's FREE. You just choose what to do with it.

Alas, you could use gnu/linux to develop software for QNX pretty easily if you already know the common programming languages that are built-in or included.

Disclosure: I am not a coder or programmer. I cannot comprehend such things. It's alien to me. But I use Linux mint full-time on all machines.

From my BlackBerry Key2 LE on Freedom Mobile LTE or 3G HSPA+

It may still be available for older versions, but it is not available for the 64 & 32-bit versions of QNX-7.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

LMAO

I was thinking of doing a donation as well....

Friends built a new home and they did a Zoom tour, they "coffee table" was HUGE might have been 5'x9' (house is huge as well). I though of you and your still growing collection.

[EFats]

From reading all of the posts I came to this conclusion. Blackberry has to grow. In order for them to grow they have to generate revenue. They are too small to take risks that their competitors were able to capitalize on. They have to be laser focused. Many of us in these forums would love new BB10 devices with an updated Bb10. However BB10 doesnt make them any money. BBOS7 made Blackberry money and is still making them some money. And they are killing both.

Posted via CB10

Yes, BlackBerry needs to focus. It may be that they have decided that growing QNX revenues/marketshare is not worth the effort at the current time. Just remember QNX is not BB10, is not just mobile phones. They may consider that QNX is a 'legacy' product that they are happy to just run maintenance on until it dies. We don't know what they are thinking.

If they decide they want to grow that part of the business, then they need to make it easier for people to try and get mindshare/marketshare. The current state, I will admit, does seem to be much better than where they were a few years ago.
They are still milking the automotive market, but I don't know how long that will last. Android is at the front of everyone's mind, and if not that, then it's Linux. If I'm not mistaken Polestar actually runs with Android. It may be an anomaly or the start of something bigger...

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

Yes, BlackBerry needs to focus. It may be that they have decided that growing QNX revenues/marketshare is not worth the effort at the current time. Just remember QNX is not BB10, is not just mobile phones. They may consider that QNX is a 'legacy' product that they are happy to just run maintenance on until it dies. We don't know what they are thinking.

If they decide they want to grow that part of the business, then they need to make it easier for people to try and get mindshare/marketshare. The current state, I will admit, does seem to be much better than where they were a few years ago.
They are still milking the automotive market, but I don't know how long that will last. Android is at the front of everyone's mind, and if not that, then it's Linux. If I'm not mistaken Polestar actually runs with Android. It may be an anomaly or the start of something bigger...

Yes.... as I said earlier in the thread going no where. I'm sure Dan Dodge pushed for changes before he left his baby. It's not that DonHB idea is bad, it's just that I'm sure it's been considered (long ago) and it didn't match with how BlackBerry is/was using QNX.

But what might be best for BlackBerry, is not to try and improve QNX's chances.... but take some of what they have learned with QNX and apply it to AGL and fully embrace it.

[DonHB]

Yes, BlackBerry needs to focus. It may be that they have decided that growing QNX revenues/marketshare is not worth the effort at the current time. Just remember QNX is not BB10, is not just mobile phones. They may consider that QNX is a 'legacy' product that they are happy to just run maintenance on until it dies. We don't know what they are thinking.

If they decide they want to grow that part of the business, then they need to make it easier for people to try and get mindshare/marketshare. The current state, I will admit, does seem to be much better than where they were a few years ago.
They are still milking the automotive market, but I don't know how long that will last. Android is at the front of everyone's mind, and if not that, then it's Linux. If I'm not mistaken Polestar actually runs with Android. It may be an anomaly or the start of something bigger...

Giving it away for free for developer use is almost free if the product already exists and support is limited to electronic documentation and forums. What makes it not free is enforcing the terms of the free license. The reason to choose Raspberry Pi is that many arguments can be used for any shareholder questions regarding why it was given away for free and license enforcement may be lax. BlackBerry could simply say the objectives of the Raspberry Pi Foundation aligns with its own, wished to contribute to the cause using freely replenishable assets and increasing the number of developers with knowledge of the QNX OS helps with marketing.

You seem to agree that BlackBerry's licensing terms does not help to increase its markets. I think that the lack of developers with knowledge of the product increases risk for potential QNX adopters and discourages them from its use. This is the major factor in why I believe there should be a free developers' license.

As you wrote the company may actually not want to expand markets using QNX. Any idea why?

[Chuck Finley69]

Giving it away for free for developer use is almost free if the product already exists and support is limited to electronic documentation and forums. What makes it not free is enforcing the terms of the free license. The reason to choose Raspberry Pi is that many arguments can be used for any shareholder questions regarding why it was given away for free and license enforcement may be lax. BlackBerry could simply say the objectives of the Raspberry Pi Foundation aligns with its own, wished to contribute to the cause using freely replenishable assets and increasing the number of developers with knowledge of the QNX OS helps with marketing.

You seem to agree that BlackBerry's licensing terms does not help to increase its markets. I think that the lack of developers with knowledge of the product increases risk for potential QNX adopters and discourages them from its use. This is the major factor in why I believe there should be a free developers' license.

As you wrote the company may actually not want to expand markets using QNX. Any idea why?

You’re discussing a chicken/egg type conundrum on what used to be Old McDonalds farm which Tysons almost put into bankruptcy. Since then, McD has no interest with Chicken Omelets and instead focused on designing special equipment to make pigs in a blanket with Pillsbury and the rest of the biscuit and sausage industry.