| Bsquare confirms EMF's findings on Windows Embedded project costs |
A guest editorial by Brian Crowley (Sep. 12, 2003)
A recent report from Embedded Market Forecasters (EMF) attempts to develop an objective framework for evaluating embedded development platforms. The very effort itself deserves a warm welcome from the embedded community as it helps customers make smarter decisions that ultimately benefit everyone involved in the industry.
The report’s key finding is a 4:1 total cost of development advantage from using Windows Embedded versus Embedded Linux. While we cannot speak to the Linux experience, we can shed some light on the validity of the report’s findings about Windows Embedded.
As one of the embedded industry’s leading systems integrators, BSQUARE has been engaged by literally hundreds of OEMs on a wide variety of Windows Embedded development projects -- from writing device drivers and board support packages to designing graphical user interfaces and building complete handheld systems. Our engineers, QA testers, and technical support staff work with Windows CE .NET and Windows XP Embedded every single day.
The EMF report surveyed 50 OEMs using Windows Embedded to generate data. Roughly speaking, the report’s data results are supported by our own experiences. Accounting for the fact that every project is unique, we agree that the average total time to market for Windows Embedded projects is approximately 6-9 months, with development cost totaling about $500,000.
But we also understand that customers choose to work with Windows Embedded for other reasons that are not so easily measured by number crunching and cost analysis: - Out-of-the-box functionality -- Most of our customers choose Windows Embedded as their operating system because it gives them exactly what they want in an OS -- windowing environment, remote device management, browser plug-ins for rich media, networking such as WiFi and Bluetooth, and so much more. You don’t have to worry about whether critical components are available or not. For example, VoIP communication, the latest feature addition to Window CE .NET, is probably pretty hard to find in a stable, commercial form in the Linux universe.
Plus, who has time to track down each component and put together an operating system themselves? Most of our OEM customers are narrowly focused on developing their own products -- usually hardware devices such as PocketPCs, Smartphones, and Windows-based Terminals -- aimed at vertical markets like consumer, healthcare, and retail.
- Familiarity with the tool chain -- Unless you have built an embedded product under deadline, it is difficult to appreciate the importance of having familiar application development tools. Windows CE .NET and Windows XP Embedded are the most recognizable operating systems to the largest number of developers simply because these embedded OSs are based on the same underlying technology as the Win 32 API and Windows XP OS for desktop computers.
Of course, Windows XP Embedded application developers can also save time and effort by importing and reusing Windows XP code originally written for desktop systems. It all adds up to faster time to market, which is often the key metric of success for our OEM customers.
- .NET Compact Framework -- Microsoft’s .NET Compact Framework is a smart device development platform that brings the world of managed code and XML Web services to smart devices. It enables the execution of secure, downloadable applications on all kinds of embedded devices. Once again, because the .NET Compact Framework is a subset of the desktop .NET Framework, developers can easily reuse existing programming skills and existing code throughout the embedded device, desktop, and server environments.
- Confident QA testing -- One of BSQUARE’s strongest areas of expertise is Quality Assurance testing. We provide both tools and services to our customers for QA testing of Windows Embedded applications and systems. The standardization of the Windows OS provides a "known" starting point for testing, which is critical to making the QA phase as efficient and effective as possible. Embedded Linux, which may contain code from unknown sources, simply cannot provide the same level of confidence to QA testers as Embedded Windows.
- Low support costs -- As a leading systems integrator for Windows CE .NET and Windows XP Embedded, we usually support 10-15 projects and close to 100 OEM developers at any given time. Yet our tech support department only gets about one call per day on average.
And while a few of the OEM products we work on never get to market, we have rarely, if ever, had a Windows Embedded project cancelled due to OS issues. Most importantly, not one of our OEM customers has ever switched to another embedded operating system after choosing a Windows Embedded OS. We attribute this high rate of project success to several factors, including the wide availability of pre-tested hardware support (mainly in the form of drivers and boards); a rich and familiar integrated development environment; and the stability and safety of Windows Embedded code.
Although BSQUARE is firmly rooted in the Windows Embedded ecosystem, we are not closed to alternative embedded operating systems. In fact, BSQUARE once attempted to join the Open Source software movement. In 2000 BSQUARE purchased embedded systems developer ETI, a small company in Minnesota with plenty of in-house expertise in Embedded Linux and other embedded operating systems.
Despite our best efforts to build a successful business model around Embedded Linux, we were unable to generate substantial OEM interest in Linux, and the venture quickly folded. Like many others, we discovered that there was no "free ride" with Embedded Linux software.
-- Brian Crowley is President and CEO of BSQUARE Corp.
Read the EMF Report
Total Cost of Development
A comprehensive cost estimation framework for evaluating
embedded development platforms.
Join this discussion!
Do you have comments or questions on this topic?
Talkback here
Related stories:
(Click here for further information)
|
|
|
7 Advantages of D2D Backup
For decades, tape has been the backup medium of choice. But, now, disk-to-disk (D2D) backup is gaining in favor. Learn why you should make the move in this whitepaper.
4 Legal Reasons to Control Internet Access
The Internet is obviously a valuable resource for many organizations. However, many are exposed to legal liability concerns because they fail to control Internet access. Learn if you're safe in this white paper.
Rapidly Resolve J2EE Application Problems
Whether you are in the process of building J2EE applications or have J2EE applications already running in production, you must ensure that they deliver the expected ROI. Learn how in this white paper.
Load Testing 2.0 for Web 2.0
There are many unknowns in stress testing Web 2.0 applications. Find out how to test the performance of Web 2.0 in this white paper.
Build Better Games Online
For the game infrastructure providers, life is complex. Making money from games has become more complicated. Why? Find out in this white paper.
Building a Virtual Infrastructure from Servers to Storage
This white paper discusses the virtual storage solutions that reduce cost, increase storage utilization, and address the challenges of backing up and restoring Server environments.
Gaining Faster Wireless Connections with WiMAX
Welcome to what is quickly becoming the hyperconnected world where anything that would benefit from being connected to the network will be connected. Learn more in this white paper.
Is Your Desktop a Security Threat?
The new wave of sophisticated crimeware not only targets specific companies, but also targets desktops and laptops as backdoor entryways into those business’ operations and resources. Learn how to stay safe in this white paper.
Increasing SAN Reliability by 100 Percent
Storage area networks (SAN) are a strong part of storage plans. Learn how to increase your reliability and uptime by 100 percent in this case study.
|
|
|
|
|
news feed