Middleware, development tools, realtime operating system
software and services for superior embedded design
 
 
Home
QNX Licensing

The QNX Hybrid Software Model is intended to enable members of the QNX community to create and share modifications to runtime components of QNX software. The three development licenses that have been introduced (CSLA, PSLA and NCEULA) facilitate this sharing by allowing you to license your derivative works to other QNX Neutrino® RTOS (Neutrino RTOS) developers in substitution for an equal number of QSS-licensed copies of the unmodified code. This substitution feature enables an open exchange of code modifications by developers within the QNX development community without our having to abandon our underlying rights in the Neutrino RTOS.

As a members of the QNX community you are allowed to use your QNX Momentics® Development Tools (Momentics Tools), Neutrino RTOS and QNX Aviage™ middleware software (collectively, the QNX Development Suite) for a broad range of activities authorized under your QNX Development Suite license. If in the course of doing so you create a derivative work of a QNX proprietary runtime component, your license allows you to distribute your derivative work, in source code or binary form, to other QNX licensees for the purpose of adopting your modifications. Certain rules apply (see your license for specifics):

  • redistribution can only be within the QNX community;
  • it has to be done free of charge. (Commercial distribution is encouraged but requires different license arrangements);
  • it has to be licensed under terms consistent with your QNX Development Suite license (see the Membership Agreement for Foundry27, the QNX community portal for default licensing terms);
  • the receiving member can only use the derivative work in accordance with their own QNX Development Suite license. For example, if a commercial licensee posts a derivative work to Foundry27 and it is downloaded by a non-commercial licensee, then the downloader can only use it for non-commercial purposes. However, if it was downloaded by another commercial licensee, they could take it and do further commercial development.
  • the receiving member can only use the software in substitution for the same (unmodified) software originally provided by QSS. As all licensees have the right to have up to 5 copies of the QNX runtime software, this provides enough (but admittedly not infinite) flexibility to have different versions of runtime software running at the same time.

You are not allowed to distribute any of the QNX Development Suite software (except to the extent that it is licensed under an open source license) unless your licensee already has their own license for the underlying software from QSS.

We assume that all redistribution by commercial and partner licensees has some commercial motivation, even if that redistribution is without charge. As such, the CSLA only enables redistribution by customers and partners within Foundry27. By definition, all redistribution by non-commercial licensees has non-commercial motivations. Their redistribution is not limited to the Foundry27 website.

QSS will readily enable other distribution of derivative works of QNX runtime components within or outside the community. This will require a runtime distribution license.

Note that certain third party software (including Bitstream fonts, Japanese input methods and Websphere runtimes) have restrictions such that you are not enabled to redistribute this software within the community. See the QNX Development Suite License Guide (License Guide), for this and other important product and license information.

For further information on Partner licenses, please contact us at licensing@qnx.com.