Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!watmath!watdragon!rose!trgauchat
From: trgauchat@rose.waterloo.edu (Terry Gauchat)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: QNX Operating System
Summary: A Wonderful OS That beats UNIX and OS/2 but doesn't have a chance.
Keywords: operating system
Message-ID: <13739@watdragon.waterloo.edu>
Date: 11 May 89 14:56:25 GMT
References: <634@pmafire.UUCP>
Sender: daemon@watdragon.waterloo.edu
Reply-To: trgauchat@rose.waterloo.edu (Terry Gauchat)
Organization: U. of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 58

In article <634@pmafire.UUCP> alan@pmafire.UUCP (alan herbst) writes:
>
>Does anyone have any experience with the QNX operating system by Quantum 
>Software Systems, Kanata, Ontario?  Their ad states QNX is both multiuser
>and multitasking and only uses 150K RAM and works on PC, AT, PS/2.  It 
>supports 32 terminals with an AT, 150 tasks per AT, has C compiler, runs 
>DOS tasks, and costs $450.  Sounds as if it may be good for a small
>business or home use instead of UNIX or OS/2.
>-- 
>Alan Herbst - WINCO Computer Engineering Group

I was working for Noranda Information Services, and wrote an evaluation
of the QNX Operating System as a part of my duties -- January of this year.

The people at Quantum think that QNX is the best thing since the abacus,
and are continuously improving it!

It is lean and mean -- faster than anything available for the PC series.

It supports 286 Protected and not.  No special support for 386 yet.

The shell, however, is not as UNIX-like as they may imply.

The kernel is very small (150K) compared to UNIX, OS/2.  It does very little.
It handles MESSAGE-PASSING between all the tasks running.
There are 4 main tasks which perform file-management, network communication,
and task management.  (Each of this is also very small and efficient).

The message passing design of QNX makes it possible for nearly transparent
network communications, including multi/parallel processing.

The speed of the operating system makes it idea for real-time applications.

One DOS session (quite compatible) may be run as a task under QNX, but 
memory limitations cause problems.

Various third party software firms write stuff for QNX.

Quatum gladly provides source code for the shell and drivers.  They also
have some excellent development and support tools.

In conclusion, QNX is a wonderful OS, but is not backed by a big company
like Microsoft or AT&T, and thus cannot have a major impact in the PC world.

It is definately worth looking into, if you are not seeking DOS networking,
have real-time or UNIX like applications in mind that don't require UNIX,
or would like to impress your friends with an OS that can multi-task-user-
process on a 4.77 XT!

-----

I will gladly post/transmit(?) a copy of my 25 page non-technical
evaluation if requested.

-----

Terry Gauchat.
MicroCosmic Computer Services.