Where is CodeWarrior 10.4 for Linux?

[DavidBrown]

Where is CodeWarrior 10.4 for Linux?  I use Linux as my main development platform for work on Qorivva microcontrollers, and now Kinetis micros.  Cross-platform development tools are one of our reasons for picking Freescale as a supplier.  I know I can use other compilers - in particular, gcc from CodeSourcery - but CW has other features that I would like to use as well.

[mreszat]

I second, third and fourth what has been said as to how disappointing this move is and why. And it is a particularly bad one, based on a gross misinterpretation of the "15% only" figure:

Developers are craving for an environment where they can be as productive as they would like to be, the slow but steady proliferation of cross platform tools being their silver lining. In the end: isn't especially software-generating-software "text in - text out"? Single platform only if vendors don't know what they are doing (or, what makes me cry most, taint their software with Windows Active-Whatnot pop-up boxes, just to state that the dongle was found ...)?

It's in no way hard to develop cross-platform tools, once any necessary graphical representation is taken care of by Eclipse and the likes.

The fact is that 99% of shops are locked into "Windows", most of the time just because of some weird Excel macros floating around and the omnipresent "works with IE only" in-house garbage apps. This makes "15% only" a really HUGE number, as most of the time one can not even RUN Linux anywhere near a business. Developers would really like to "break out" of that (IT usually is another roadblock), but apparently get shot in the face once and again for no good reason.

Rethink, please!

[yibbidy]

I agree, 15% is huge.  I wonder how many of those 15% that downloaded the Linux version went on to use it for serious development compared to the 85% of Windows downloaders.  I know that when I downloaded the Linux version, I downloaded the Windows version as well, just in case I had a problem getting the debugger to work, but mainly because tools like the MQX installer had no concept of Linux - I'd have to install them on a Windows VM, then move them across to Linux.

If I am to change development tools then I might as well change silicon vendors too.

Interestingly, Netburner, who use Coldfire V2 and V4 in their products, supply an Eclipse based tool chain for Mac.  You'd think it'd be a no-brainer for Freescale to support cross platform tools.

[colin]

Very disappointing, Freescale.  I have recently started to consider Freescale Kinetis as one of the best ARM microcontroller product lines, but I am feeling less positive now.  Linux is such a powerful environment for development and I will certainly be selecting development tools and targeting microcontrollers/processors allowing me to develop on a Linux workstation.  What a shame since Eclipse and the GNU gcc toolchain is all cross-platform already.

[failsafe]

I just wanted to state how upsetting your statement regarding Codewarrior development being discontinued on Linux is.

I recently went looking for the best vendor of ARM Cortex M based products. Considering there are many companies in that market, the competition is stiff. Freescale is at a disadvantage in that market. It does not have an enthusiast following like TI, STM or NXP have. This is evident by the lack of articles, blog posts, Kickstarter projects that feature Freescale branded ARM microcontrollers. Also, Freescale uses the less common debug interface (OSBDM) versus (OpenOCD). I could go on..

I previously read an announcement that Codewarrior 10.4 would be released for Linux in the near future. This was a major contributor in me taking a chance and designing a new product using the Kinetis K20.

I bought Tower modules, freedom development boards, and new Jtag debuggers.

I spent a long time designing the hardware and prototype PCBs are currently at the Fab.

I was planning on creating a Kickstarter campaign around that project. I was also planning on designing a whole range of products using Kinetis parts in the future.

I will more than likely scrap all future plans of using Freescale Kinetis parts due to lack of proper Linux support. I realize there are 3rd party IDEs that will still support Linux, but I prefer working with first party tools.

If you stop Linux support in Codewarrior, you might upset 15% of your users but you lose a lot more mindshare in the development community. Also, the inconsistency of your stance on the topic shows a lack of concern for the enthusiast market. This is a bad business decision. I am aware that Freescale is generally more concerned in high volume customers than the independent designers. This was the same mentality that Blackberry had. Apple showed quite clearly that companies tend to follow the advice of their employees and that the enthusiast market can highly influence the buying decisions of large corporations.

Thank you for listening to my opinion and I hope you reconsider your stance.

[asmith]

How strongly can I concur.

I have no idea who your user base is, but the best embedded developers are developing for an with Linux.

Personally, I am not even particular enamored of Code Warrior itself.

I develop embedded systems software, bare metal, linux drivers, multiple architectures, .....

THE common denominator for all of that is GCC and Makefiles from a command line under Linux

We can have all the ideological religious discussions anyone wants, but I need to be able to work productively.

I am not interested in switching to a new compiler, new OS, new IDE with every project.

If you must use eclipse - use real eclipse, not some mangled branded version.

create Packages and projects that users can install regardless of whether they are using OS X, Windows, Linux, OpenBSD, Solaris, ... Other's manage, Freescale can too.

My productivity takes a dive when I have to go to eclipse, another when it ends up being Freescale's, eclipse, another when I have to shift to windows.

[DavidBrown]

15% of your users wanted the Linux version, so you discontinued it?  CodeWarrior is based on cross-platform software - Eclipse is cross-platform, your compilers all work cross-platform (they are commad-line tools), and most of the other tools already work cross-platform.  I could well understand if some other parts that you write yourselves were restricted to one platform - but it seems strange to me that you would take this big step backwards.  In comparison, competitors like TI are moving to steadily more cross-platform support with newer versions of their tools - like CodeWarrior, Code Composer Studio has moved away from a proprietary IDE to using Eclipse, with cross-platform support being a major reason.

Freescale's mixed messages regarding Linux (and open source in general) make life very difficult for developers.  On the one hand, you make some excellent devices - we have been happy users of Freescale chips for 20 years - and you have strong support for running Linux on appropriate devices (such as the i.MX6 that we also use).  On the other hand, your support for Linux in the development environment is decidedly mixed.  Linux support on the host was one of the big new features for CodeWarrior a few years ago - now it is being dropped.  Most of the build tools for Linux on the i.MX6 work on Linux - but sometimes downloads are pointlessly packaged as Windows-only exe files instead of a zip file or a tarball.  And the USB OTG downloader and manufacturing tool for the i.MX6 - which is designed specifically to download Linux or Android to an i.MX6 card - is Windows only!

Windows is going down the drain for engineering and development work - Linux is gaining popularity in this sector, and the end-of-life of XP and move towards Windows 8 is only going to encourage Linux in such areas.  I sincerely hope you will re-think this decision - it will be much easier for you to re-instate Linux support now than to leave it for the future.

[lebies]

I stand in awe at the short-sightedness of this decision, and that from a company like Freescale who's core business is selling silicon!

That a business decision like this can be made based purely on the number of downloads is even more disturbing. Tell me how many units have been sold, that originated from the 15% odd developers working on Linux and I'll eat my hat if that's anywhere near a low percentage! Sounds to me like that statistic is simply not available, or too difficult to extrapolate from your sales data. As an example, my shop works exclusively on Linux (including sub-divisions like admin) and we moved to Freescale because you supported Linux better than your competition. One of our current projects has a projected sales forecast of 10,000 units as a first batch, and that's a very conservative estimate. To replace your silicon with a competitor's, given the number of units forecast is going to be a no-brainer, and if this is your attitude to your Linux community then I for one would be more than happy to show you the same professional courtesy and take my business elsewhere.

You surely don't need me to tell you there are several competitors chomping at the bit to take business away from you. I implore you, please go do your homework properly this time, and then make an informed business decision before alienating your Linux community.

Lastly, it's been over a month since Pascal forwarded David's original question to his Product Manager, and not a word in response! That's even more condescending and tells me his management simply doesn't care for us, and do not have the professional courtesy of addressing this issue, even if it were in the negative. At the very least, we would know where we stand and we would be in a better position to make informed business decisions of our own.

This wreaks of a certain shareholder exerting pressure on Freescale to drop Linux support and will, without any doubt impact severely on your sales.

C'mon managers, take Pascal out of the firing line and manup to the Linux community, before it's too late. Anxiously awaiting some feedback from management.

Leon

[trytohelp]

Hi Leon, all,

The last version running on Linux is MCU v10.2.

This version can be downloaded for Freescale Web site.

The Marketing / Product Manager decided to stop development tool for Linux OS and keep only Windows version.

On our side (support) we always forward to Management your feedbacks/comments regarding this problem.

I don't know if the Management will decide or not to support Linux OS again but your comments are important for them to take right decision.

The Marketing and Product Manager should have real overview of customer situation/request.

Each time we got customer feedback we share it with Product Manager.

Regards

Pascal

[rolfveen]

Hello. What is the state of the Linux version of CodeWarrior ? I don't see any, not even the old 10.2.

I develop for the automotive industry and work on Linux workstations, so this situation is not favorable, both for me and for Freescale.

Best regards,

Rolf Veen,

Nagares S.A.

[trytohelp]

Hi Rolf,

Unfortunately CW for MCU v10.2 is the last linux version.

The Product Manager and managment are aware of this problem.

At this time we don't have plan for a new linux version.

Regards

Pascal

[definium]

Hi Pascal,

is this still the case? Have Freescale reconsidered this decision?

I just took on a new client that currently uses Kinetis K20 parts. A new hardware revision is under development but the tools must run under Linux. Due to the plethora of Cortex M MCU's available now it is relatively easy for us to switch to NXP, TI or a number of others. Tool support is one of the major differentiating factors.

My company develops many MCU based products for other companies mainly using NXP and Atmel devices. Unfortunately, just at the moment where I though I might get a chance to bring in Freescale as an option (there are some nice hardware features...) I found that Linux hosted tools won't be supported anymore.

I would encourage you to support Linux hosted tools but if that does not happen we'll be switching.

Regards,

Mike

[trytohelp]

Hi Mike,

Until now we don't have any new info regarding Linux version.

However I know the CodeWarrior development tool will change this year.

I recommend you to sign the news letter for the product.

Via the web site:

      http://www.freescale.com/webapp/sps/site/prod_summary.jsp?code=CW-MCU10

Click on Subscribe

Regards

Pascal

[joesteeve]

Hello Pascal,

Are there anymore updates on this?

Regards,

Joe

[trytohelp]

Hello Joe,

I don't have really new info regarding the linux version.

The MCU V10.6 will be released in next days.

      - this version will be for Windows OS

I know  another version will be released soon - in April.

However I don't have info about it (OS, architecture, etc ..)

I recommend you to sign the news letter for the product.

Via the web site:

      http://www.freescale.com/webapp/sps/site/prod_summary.jsp?code=CW-MCU10

Click on Subscribe

Regards

Pascal

[lebies]

Hi Pascal,

Thanks for your reply, appreciate.

Been trying to find the 10.2 download (eclipse, linux) but I can't find it!

Not ideal, but I want to see what it's like (albeit all old stuff). Any

chance of

you sending me a link to the download for this please?

Thanks in advance, appreciate.

P.S. go tell your management a bunch of folks are waiting on one of THEM to

answer some of these queries. I'm active on a number of ARM based

development

channels where most of the users are on Linux. All are really pissed

with the decision,

although most don't post about it! I know your hands are chopped off and

you're

waiting on management, it's just damned unfair of them to put you in the

firing

line and not support you as they should!

Cheers,

Leon de Beer

CEO

Landline +27.128042436

Cellular +27.737841961

[trytohelp]

Hi Leon,

You can download it from the web site:

      http://www.freescale.com/webapp/sps/site/prod_summary.jsp?code=CW-MCU10&fpsp=1&tab=Design_Tools_Tab
Select Expand All for Software Development tool (12)

In the list download Evaluation: CodeWarrior for MCU 10.2 Eval (Linux) .

Regards

Pascal

[lebies]

Pascal,

Thanks for the link, appreciate.

Now I have to wait on the export approval, i.e. :

" Your request to download this item has been received and forwarded for

review. A Freescale representative will contact you.Thank you for your

interest in Freescale."

Hopefully this doesn't take too long.

Odd though, I downloaded the wondoze version without any restriction!

Thanks again for your prompt replies.

Cheers,

Leon de Beer

CEO

Landline +27.128042436

Cellular +27.737841961

[BlackNight]

Hi Leon,

>>Now I have to wait on the export approval, i.e. :

>>" Your request to download this item has been received and forwarded for

1. review. A Freescale representative will contact you.Thank you for your

interest in Freescale."

That's strange. It looks there is an issue with the Freescale web site. It looks like if the web page looses the request, and it seems that can be caused by non-printable characters in the address fields, and then the whole transaction seems to be lost. The Freescale IT team is aware of this. I suggest that you re-submit your request, and avoid any foreign/non printable characters.

Erich

[lebies]

Hey Erich,

Thanks, will do.

Here's another odd thing for them. My company name is NanoSense (Pty)

Ltd. On my info page

I get the error to not use Acronyms. So I enter NanoSense, same error,

then Nanosense and the

same error again!

Not sure what that's all about but it has gotten to be annoying every

time I try download something

it ends up on that page wanting me to correct stuff.

Anyways, FWIW.

Regards,

Leon de Beer

CEO

Landline +27.128042436

Cellular +27.737841961

[trytohelp]

Hello David,

Thanks for the feedback.

I will forward it to our Product Manager.

The last version released for Linux was CW for MCU v10.2.

Regards

Pascal

[DavidBrown]

Thanks.  I know it is unlikely to make a big difference, but I also know that you folks listen to user feedback (I can't really say "customer feedback" here, since I have only used the free versions of CodeWarrior).  If enough people complain about Linux support being dropped, then I hope you will support it again.  And if few people complain, then I guess you are justified in dropping the support!

David