Could RIM Take BlackBerry Open Source?

Google's Android is being launched as an open-source project, and the Symbian OS is in the process of becoming an open-source operating system. This has caused some to wonder if RIM has considered doing something similar with the BlackBerry OS.

Open-source software is just that: all the code that makes up the application is openly available to be looked at and used by developers, without a fee. Linux is easily the best-known open-source operating system for desktops, and several mobile operating systems that use this method are either available now or will be in the coming months.

The BlackBerry OS is proprietary, and it might seem an unlikely jump for it to go open-source, but the Symbian OS was a licensed proprietary operating system until recently, when Nokia and its partners decided to switch gears.

That's why RIM was asked at a recent developers conference if it's considering the idea of making its software open source. Cassidy Gentle, a senior software developer at RIM, made it seem unlikely. According to EE Times, he responded by saying:

"We do have an open source management team that is investigating this. I would expect some of our Eclipse or Mobile Tools for Java could be made available on an open source basis, but as for our APIs or other software... that's a pretty big leap."

Gentle manages the BlackBerry Java Development Platform team at RIM, responsible for the development of tools and APIs for the BlackBerry platform.

The Question of the Month

RIM isn't the only company being queried about its open-source plans. Microsoft's Chief Executive Steve Ballmer was recently asked if his company would consider taking Windows Mobile the same direction Symbian and Android are going in.

It's clearly unlikely, as Ballmer doesn't see any advantages in the open-source system. As he said, "It's interesting to ask why would Google or Nokia, Google in particular, why would they invest a lot of money and try to do a really good job if they make no money?"

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