According to a new report from the Globe and Mail which has been confirmed by BlackBerry, Dan Dodge, co-founder and CEO of QNX Software Systems has resigned from the BlackBerry subsidiary, and will retire at the end of the year.
We are grateful for Dan Dodge's contributions to QNX and BlackBerry and his work building a start-up to an undisputed leader in embedded software. With Dan's retirement, John Wall, who has been instrumental to the success of QNX as Chief Operating Officer, will transition into the role of Senior Vice President and Head of QNX. We're appreciative of Dan's 35 years of dedication to QNX and wish him all the best in his retirement.
As Dodge notes in the article, "My decision to leave was my own," he said. "I threw my own party, invited everybody from QNX that I've known over the last 35 years and we had a grand time". Dan Dodge and Gordon Bell began work on QNX as students at the University of Waterloo in 1980 and by 1982, the first version of QNX was released. In 2004, QNX Software Systems was sold to Harman International Industries and was already widely used in the automotive industry for telematics systems.
On April 9, 2010, QNX Software Systems was then sold to then Research In Motion which then used it to power the BlackBerry PlayBook, BlackBerry 10, the BlackBerry IoT Platform and continues to grow it through various sectors such medical devices, industrial automation systems, network routers, and other mission- or life-critical applications as well as the automotive industry where it's currently used in over 50 million vehicles. Enjoy your retirement Dan, and thanks for everything!
Reader comments
Dan Dodge steps down as CEO of BlackBerry's QNX Software Systems
Out to pasture, congrats
Posted via CB10 and the BlackBerry Passport
Needs new blood anyway. These old guys can't retire soon enough.
вιaсĸвεггч® ᕵαssρσяτ SE via CB10 (AT&T OS 10.3.2.2339)
He deserves more respect and acknowledgement for a great career than you are giving him.
Posted via CB10
+1,000,000
Posted via CB10
tw1g probably doesn't see anything beyond the consumer device side of BlackBerry. Dan deserves a lot of credit, and if BlackBerry is able to successfully pivot into connected security then Dan might just end up being a bigger figure in the company's history than Mike and Jim.
+1.000.000!
Without QNX BlackBerry would be dead.
We thank you so much, Dan!
All the best for you, we will never forget your achievement!
Snoopy in Germany w/ P´9982 + Passport + Z10
Yep. He deserves much credit for a job well done.
TMO Z10,STL100-3/10.2.1.2156
I hope they send him off in style. Maybe Chen can give him and his grandkids a ride to Disneyland in BlackBerry's private jet.
Damn straight!!
This is an en genius Engineer and the technology industry as a whole on a global scale will be sad to have him retire fully.
That said I see bad things for BlackBerry going forward and I haven't read other articles lately.
Posted via CB10
The headline is inflammatory.
How about your retire from posting...
Posted via CB10
what a stupid comment....you should be thanking "these old guys" for what tech has to offer us today....
How ungreatful of you. Now what if somebody said that towards you when you retired?
Typed using my BlackBerry Classic running 10.3.2 on WINDmobile HSPA+
*ungrateful. And everyone is entitled to an opinion.
And everyone else is entitled to comment on his publicly stated opinion. [shrug]
Posted via CB10
sure you are but when you're opinion is directed in a forceful way your opinion is going to get criticized. at the end of the day you're not the only one on this planet so if you're going to throw out a negative comment about another be prepared to listen to a few comments thrown at you
This means Chen is, finally, running QNX.
Which is a good thing.
Thanks to Dan Dodge, and his team, for creating QNX - the backbone of BB10 and other great software run enterprises.
Founding Member of "Club Z30 "..... the most exclusive club in mobile
How is that a good thing?
that's just lame
he deserves more credit
he helped create one of the most efficient platforms ever even if it's the most underrated
Even scroogle can't get android as correct as BB10 especially since Lollipop
same goes for Apple especially since ios 7
Only close contender to this level of efficiency is Windows 10 Mobile
I look forward to both BB10 and W10M in the coming future
Posted via my Zed 10 Vader
Met Dan several times, a good guy. Congrats.
Media on Dan's retirement
- "Dan Dodge leaves...QNX is doa...BlackBerry execs wanted him out...he wished to rename QNX to DDNX...Where is all went wrong....Dan 'dodges' the death spiral...."
Posted via CB10 and the BlackBerry Passport
Link to back it up, or is it an estimated guess?
Typed using my BlackBerry Classic running 10.3.2 on WINDmobile HSPA+
It's just a take on usual negative spin press does with release of any BlackBerry news... :-D
• Andro-Loader (TM) - who is gonna leak ...? Black-Berry! dadadada dee dum dee dum... •
Voluntary retirement or forced?
Posted via Z30
^^^ see, here it comes :)
Posted via CB10 and the BlackBerry Passport
Inevitable, sadly.
Legitimate question as Dodge was a member of the old guard, not John Chen's new regime. However it does look more like retirement.
QNX is on the top of IoT market which is starting a new Era of business. He is clever enough to say *it is time for me to take time with my grandchildren*. That's it.
Posted via CB10
Legitimate question but the answer is posted above in a quote directly from Dan.
This, old regime has nothing to do with it. Dan is instrumental to everything BlackBerry uses right now: BES12, their NOC has been updated first after working on BB10, and their IoT platform has QNX underpinnings.
Dan has world quite possibly harder than ANY Other executive or employee at BlackBerry the past 4yrs inclusive!!
Look at the work that has been done! Proof is in the pudding yet unfortunately the typical fans don't have a clue.
If there is anything to put faith in any rumor about being pushed out its due to the other rumor BlackBerry focusing on Android as a core OS in mobile devices. That's it.
Posted via CB10
So Android is the culprit... ;-)
:-D
• Andro-Loader (TM) - who is gonna leak ...? Black-Berry! dadadada dee dum dee dum... •
Also, don't forget that Dodge's protege, partner, and heir to the thrown left QNX for Apple after meeting with John Chen shortly after Chen's start as CEO. Litigation followed. Not sure if Dodge was deposed or not.
Dan and Sebastian were interesting in that they were top level managers who still worked on code every day. I think Sebastian was a pretty big loss, too. In many ways, QNX was a talent deal. I mean the OS was open source before BlackBerry bought it and closed the source. I wonder how much value Chen has destroyed in lost talent on previous BlackBerry acquisitions?
QNX was open source? WHEN??
Posted via CB10
Legitimate question. Chen has replaced a lot of execs. Some people here are just too sensitive I guess.
Posted via Z30
Legitimate observation.
Lol @ u 2 ^
:-D ... no offense!
• Andro-Loader (TM) - who is gonna leak ...? Black-Berry! dadadada dee dum dee dum... •
;)
Well, if he has been going for 35 years, perhaps he did his time and now is a good point to retire. With QNX is playing a bigger and bigger role in Blackberry's future, the question Dan would need to answer is whether he had the energy to drive this new exciting transition. This is not a trivial commitment and one looks at things differently when you are 60. Best of luck and good health.
IMO it was voluntary. With the rumours about a Android powered slider it probably seemed like a good time to go. It has to be at least a little blow to his ego that BB10 failed and is being most likely replaced by Android.
Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android
I do not see at this point how QNX would have to be excluded from Android. They are both Linux based and operate at different software layers.
May I ask, how is Qnx based off of Linux? Qnx is 8 years older than Linux.
Posted via CB10
QNX is not UNIX based - it is UNIX like. More accurately, it tis POSIX compliant. Linus Torvalds hadn't even thought of Linux when QNX was over 10 years old. QNX is a superior and far more elegant system. Unfortunately, it was never pitched at consumers.
No, I don't have anything against Linux. I have used and enjoyed it, but proliferation does not equal better.
After all: we did end up with VHS over Beta, etc.
I agree with everything you said, but I'd like to add that QNX was give a small chance at consumers. It was supposed to be the rebooted AmigaOS and if QNX had performed, it would have been a huge hit, IMO. And for awhile after the Amiga fiasco, QNX kind of tried to make the case for Neutrino as a competitor to Windows. Sure, it's not the push to consumers I would have liked to have seen, but I think there was an effort.
The fiasco of AmigaOS as you call it is in no way indicative of QNX capabilities. It is a failure of Amiga Inc. management not QNX.
Yep, my friend.
Let's face it: QNX has been PERFECT for 35 years.
A MASTERPIECE of Software engineering architecture and design.
Unique example of software engineering synthesis (in opposition to today software engineering bloatware practices), QNX should be thoroughly studied by aspirants software engineers, rather than teaching them html5 and javascript bullshit.
Electronic engineers could appreciate more easily though...
Mind the app gap !
Used to power all sorts of mission critical systems aimed at improving our quality of life over the past 35 years, TODAY in these phone users' blogs QNX gets constantly bashed and compared to whatever insignificant phone os because of the infamous app gap.
Bb10 is the phone OS, but QNX is the KING of RTOS kernels.
Honestly, the power of QNX for the future of the Internet has yet to be unleashed.
Govs these days are just starting to consider what privacy violation by design and by default would mean for the future of mankind...
Was about time !
QNX to the rescue. AGNOSTIC is the word!
BlackBerry is sitting on a Gold mine !... do they see the next wave coming ?
I guess so, but I really don't feel safe with all the annoying analdroid rumors ... and people leaving QNX.
Marketing driven hypnotized sheep simply don't know what QNX is about! They don't care !
What a real-time os could ever be for them?
The notion of real-time they're familiar with is watsapp or the Facebook app that allows for chatting in "real-time"?!
These superficial beings just ignore everything that doesn't pop on their high specs fart phone screens as a targeted advertising!
That's why they need, deserve and like to be data mined.
That's why they buy analdroid fart phones.
They're now about 95% of the market, and that's why, sadly enough, BlackBerry has to listen to them.
Think about :
This MISERY is what we're left with!
This MISERY is the reward for having made things happen in the real world for 35 years !
I'm deeply sorry for all employees at QNX.
I just hope they won't end up being bought by the motherfuckers at Goooooogle.
QNX 4 EVER.
BB10.4 FREEDOM
It has the right to 100%
Long but good, sir.
Great comment QNXbbx, so much potential. Appreciate you outlining some of the benefits. As a late comer to BB, I was very impressed to read of their acquisition of QNX because I knew of its uses beyond phones and therefore the transformative step this would be for an expanded BB.
QNX is not linux-based. The Linux kernal is a different mess of a beast altogether. But, they both achieve POSIX-compliance. I think you got that "both come from linux" thing from John Chen. Chen is more right about these things than he is about strategy for BlackBerry's success. But, he's often wrong about both. Don't listen to Chen.
In your opinion.
Posted via CB10
Old guard moving out.
Posted via BlackBerry Z30
or just, you know, retiring. 35 years is pretty much standard
One more sign to the end of BB10? QNX handles IoT, Android for the mobile market. Enough of a change up for D. Dodge to say "I've done enough."
Kindof like Mike Lazaridis's reaction when he was told BB10 was moving full touch and ditching QWERTY handsets.
Q10 on 10.3.2.858
Funny.that was never the plan, not ever. It was to be released full touch first.
Posted via CB10
As a software guy myself, I know he won't stop programming in his retirement. It's too addicting.
Posted via CB10
35+ years working on what he loved.
If only everyone could be so lucky.
35 is old enough to go on his own, you wouldn't babysit 35 years old son right? Time to move on, do something good for more people.
He's actually lucky to have not been replaced in that time by the companies that purchased QNX.
And, if he can retire early off of his work, more power to him.
He's a lucky man.
Dodge was famous for still actively coding every day. He and Sebastian were still very much central to any value QNX might have. Particularly with the loss of Sebastian, this just means no one really knows the code base and its full history. It's a pretty big loss for BlackBerry.
Bravo! Well said!!
"this just means no one really knows the code base and its full history"
If this is true, then Dan needs to fix that before he leaves.
That's no way to leave your legacy.
Always a talent buy when the founders of such an idea is born. Acquiring companies would be mad to do otherwise, especially if acquired by a company where it is only one part of the business, not as exposed to demands of change.
Probably because BlackBerry loves Android now
Posted via CB10
False equivalency at its finest. Take a larger look than just handsets in terms of QNX.
I'll agree however STLScott is somewhat right. Since B10.1.2 there was teh Android porting engine and along with many senior developer relations people Android was preferred. Why do you think there have been so many Android ports in BB world since day one?! Hmm.
But congrats. That was a cheap shot at blackberry. Enjoy your retirement. My dad retired after 38 years as a COO/CEO at the same business and he does not enjoy retirement. His hobby only takes him so far. He misses it. Find something else to do.
Posted via CB10
This could be interpreted as another hit for BB10, in view of the eminent release of the Android slider phone...
Well then, you know very little about what QNX does. I doubt Dan Dodge sets his sights so low as to only think of the lowly smartphone.
Well, you could look at it that way but that's slightly narrow-minded due to the fact QNX is WAY more than just BB10.
Pretty sure he got Chenned.
Z30STA100-5 / 10.3.2.2339 / T-Mobile USA
Oh, pretty sure huh. Tell us everything oh wise one.
Posted via CB10
I can say for SURE you've been Chenned.
Z30STA100-5 / 10.3.2.2339 / T-Mobile USA
I can say you never read the article. He voluntarily retired. He did not quit or get fired/laid off. Read his damn quote.
Typed using my BlackBerry Classic running 10.3.2 on WINDmobile HSPA+
Yeah... and others have voluntarily left.
True, others have voluntarily left. You sure do like stating the obvious...lol
Posted via CB10
When most executives voluntarily leave, they're given a choice to quit or get fired.
And sometimes people retire. If he turns up somewhere else, you may have something, but right now he says he's retiring.
Posted via CB10
Which is what I pointed out earlier in the comments.
This is true. If there was no wrongdoing involved, it's fairly rare for someone at his level to be fired without an option to retire or leave to with some kind of parachute.
I'm guessing that Mike L. bought QNX with big dreams of building a mobile computing platform, a dream Dan Dodge famously shared, but was unable to accomplish. My speculation is that Sebastian left after Chen told him that the board had accepted Chen's plan to end that dream, that Silver Lake and partners wanted him to streamline BlackBerry as the BES company to make for a cleaner sale in the future, and that BlackBerry would need to transfer him to just working on some infotainment and IoT stuff, sort of where Harmon had him back before he had hope. Apple was where he ended up. But, Dodge is older and his real value as a manager is tied to the QNX code base. He started it in college and has actively been involved in its development ever since. Nobody knows the entire code base and its history and the weird reasons why that weren't commented in the code like Dodge. So, there's no Apple trip for him unless he brings QNX with him. But, maybe, leaving rather than fighting might be more pleasant. It's a disappointing end, no doubt. But, Chen has neglected the platform for so long, and mobile computing is so hyper-competitive, that it's hard to imagine the dream renewed at this point. As you've pointed out, it's easier than ever to justify the move to Android and the relegation of QNX to a niche, embedded OS for auto. It's also totally unclear to me what the IoTs platform is in *reality*. Did Chen just blow that up, too? There are a couple of competitors now that weren't real when Thor was CEO and BlackBerry is just still in the "talk" phase it seems...
Well said on the IoT Platform. Very sound explanation ... specifically since VMWare, Dell, Samsung and others are going the IoT route and have better sub-products to offer the industry as a tiered sale offering to the end users and other competitors.
Without the budget to compete against those players (including Apple also), BlackBerry is a small fish in a big pond of IoT.
Wrong again
Posted via CB10
I'm sure BB10 OS/phones account for a very low percent of QNX revenue for BlackBerry, considering how widely QNX is used in verticals (and increasingly in IoT) and how poor BB10 has sold :) But still...
It's sells poor because majority of the world is being brainwashed by Apple and android...real tech ppl know which os is better....
Posted via CB10
I'm with you! I'll keep using my Passport and previous BB10 devices for as long as they function :)
Brainwashed by Apple and Android? Or simply want Apps? Jeeze.. BB10 is phenomenal and I love it, but it's NOT right for so many people. If you rely on apps for work or in your personal life, it's not the right platform for you. And Apps have become such an integral part of it all. Saying others are brainwashed because they simply want apps is just as bad as being "brainwashed" yourself.
Thank you.
The apps aren't the issue it's the blatant like of end user respect to choose fully what permissions an app is allowed to have, and yet also being forced to accept all or no app gets installed based is quite 1984 like (book).
Apple only repeatedly asks about location
Posted via CB10
Sadly, very few app users have the spine to complain about it! They enjoy being slaves instead of demanding their right to control app permissions.
Chose his own exit, and deserves to step away and enjoy his life!
Posted via CB10
Another in the impressive list of grads from the University of Waterloo... the MIT of Canada...
Posted via CB10
Hardly claim to know but everything I have read says that Dan Dodge is QNX. Also that he was instrumental in bringing QNX to BlackBerry.
As QNX becomes more and more important to BlackBerry, it's sad to hear that someone so closely tied to the software is leaving but Obla di life goes on brah 35 years is a very long time for anyone to do anything in one place.
Good luck, God bless, thanks for your service. Your legacy seems assured.
I am up for the challenge jc give me a call
Posted via CB10
He can retire a proud man who created something that went against the grain, real time operating system and micro kernel. Sad to see him go BlackBerry has lost a lot of big thinkers, Mike Lazaridies and Dan Dodge.
Posted via CB10
We will miss you Dan!
Have a great, fulfilled and happy retirement Dan! :)
Typed using my BlackBerry Classic running 10.3.2 on WINDmobile HSPA+
Yup, quit while you're ahead. With recent job cuts by Blackberry, along with 35+ years of working on something you yourself developed and implemented, I'd hang it up as well. Great!
Posted via CB10
Time to enjoy the luxury and relax......
Posted via CB10
The man retired after 35 years in the company. The guy below him in the company took the reigns. That pretty much sounds to me like he said, I'm retiring and this guys would be a good replacement. Then the higher ups said ok. Maybe he sees writing on the wall, maybe he just truly wants to enjoy his family. After 35 years at the grindstone I'd say he earned it.
Posted via CB10
Well said.
Passport/Z30-5/Z10-3 10.3.2.2339
+1
Snoopy in Germany w/ P´9982 + Passport + Z10
I would not call it grindstone. He seems to have enjoyed it. Although I do not know him, people like him play for 35 years and continue to do so in retirement. His was play, not a job.
I didnt know the man, but you have to give him respect for major accomplishment with qnx, and what it has become. Amazing software, in my point of view. Its the "Dos" for the automotive n IOT industries.
Posted via CB10
I'd say it's the PowerShell of the automotive industry since it's so expansive and can grow. DOS is pretty much a dead end as it never really had the power and scope to grow like Powershell did and does.
You are very correct. Using Dos was a bad example. I was refering to when dos was the underpinning for windows back in the day, and still is to some degree in windows today. Still, I had some good memories of dos and os2 back in the day.
Posted via CB10
Congratulations Dan! Good Luck and enjoy your retirement.
Posted via CB10
Maybe he is retiring because he is retirement age. Nothing more nothing less. Some rich people don't want to work until they die.
Posted via CB10
I wonder how many employees are at or near retirement age at BlackBerry. Probably not many.
And some people don't aspire to be the richest man in the grave either.
Well, this marks the end of BB10 now that the inventor is leaving, Been almost no development for BB10 in the pass 6 months and any development has slowed to a crawl. I don't know what the real story is, but it would be nice to have him sit on the board even though he is retiring. I just hope they now release Lollipop on my Original Passport as BB10.3.2 has been acting up, and I don't want to be left with another dead product like my 2 blackberry playbooks.
Goodluck Dan, you have made a legacy and be proud... BlackBerry Execs, give him the Golden Parachute!
Posted via CB10
Please, give him a position as advisor.
He truly deserves it.
Wide vision, from Chile.
Not good. Dan is a genius and QNX was his baby. There must have been some major disagreements.
My thanks to Mr. Dodge for all of his contributions to QNX and Canadian-based tech. His influence with the current BlackBerry culture cannot be overstated.
Posted via CB10
When I see the name Dodge, I can't help but think of Chargers, Challengers, Darts, Vipers, Durangos and everything else pertained to that brand.
Thank you for creating the future!
Posted via CB10
Thank you Mr. Dodge for creating a wonderful piece of software that runs not only our BlackBerry 10 phones, but systems on the ISS, power grids, health care products, is in most new cars and so much more.
Passport/Z30-5/Z10-3 10.3.2.2339
The guy should be a multi billionaire when you think about it.
thankyou!
Posted via CB10
He is dedicated to BlackBerry's Success and deserves our appreciation.
thNX Dan for developing QNX!
SihZou Z10
Well congratulations for all the achievements over the years! Kudos to QNX. It had been a great, no, vital addition to BlackBerry over the past few years. BlackBerry 10 is as versatile and well built an OS due to its QNX architecture.
I'm grateful for what these guys have been able to bring to BlackBerry and this is coming from an average everyday BlackBerry user with a very limited technical background and understanding.
Good luck and all the best. Let's hope that QNX continues to be a leader and inovator under the new leadership and that it continues to play a important part in BlackBerry's turnaround.
Cartman says: Screw you guys I'm going home!
After 35 years, Dave certainly deserves to leave on his terms. Why bash a person who wants to retire. I retired at 61 after 37 years will the same employer. I had planned to stay until 65, however. I was past the age for full pension already. I woke up one day and thought why am I continuing to work. My father died at age 41 yrs, while I was 18 months old. I see too many people hang in until last minute and either die on the job or die soon after they retire. I left because I wanted to enjoy some time with my grandchildren. I enjoy ever minute of retirement . Perhaps Dave could be a company director or choose to do something completely different that has nothing to do with technology.
Very well said, sir!
That's the beauty of God. He'll let you know when it's time.
Enjoy some quieter time, mate... :-)
• Andro-Loader (TM) - who is gonna leak ...? Black-Berry! dadadada dee dum dee dum... •
Best of luck Dan
Posted via CB10
Just another sign that BlackBerry is shifting into something different and beyond what is there now..
Or shifting away from whatever doesn't make money.
Thanku for ur contribution dan,,long live qnx long live blackberry.....
Posted via CB10
I wonder if he's retiring because BlackBerry will drop BB10 is favour of Android?
Posted via CB10
Nah. Probably because IoT may be becoming an afterthought at BlackBerry due to lack of budget, priority, and/or vision.
Thanks Dan for creating QNX and being part of BlackBerry. Enjoy your retirement!
Posted via CB10
Maybe his replacement will actually USE a BlackBerry??
I agree, many thanks and may this man leave with the highest of respect.
More talent gone.
Posted via CB10
Thanks for changing the world Don!
Posted via CB10
It's Dan.
Something not correct about you date associated with the first version of QNX. It was in use long before 2004. I used to work with it back in 1989. It was the OS we used in our Industrial Process Control Operator Interface. Where did you come up with 2004?
Posted via CB10
35 years at one company is extremely impressive especially for a technology.
Posted via CB10
The Chemical industry will be ever indebted to QNX developers for a stable, robust PC OS capable of controlling the manufacture of everything from distillation to making nitroglycerin. Thank you!
Posted via CB10
http://www.ibtimes.com/hands-photos-blackberry-venice-android-slider-sma...
Rk
Love the device, not crazy about the OS. My Z10 is 2 years old and I'm fixing to update.