Q: ‘I develop software for my own products, why would I sell it to my competitors?’
A: PSS would license your enabling software (stacks, codecs, drivers) that is needed to make your product work but which does not differentiate your product over your competitors. Enabling software carries no added value to your product but still costs the same time and resource to develop as your differentiating code. By licensing to PSS you would receive a percentage of each licence sold and recoup your original development cost. If you have particular competitors you still wouldn't want us to license your software to then we would agree not to.

Q: ‘What kind of enabling software are you talking about?’
A: There is a lot of software that enables a product without adding real value, including simple functions such as interfacing a processor to a fast memory device or bus, or as complex as a full implementation of a communications protocol.

Q: ‘A lot of enabling software is provided by the processor vendor. Why would I buy it from someone else?’
A: True, but processor vendors can't support every function for every processor variant they make. In fact, unless it has a critical number of customers, a lot of software isn't supplied by processor vensors, or is written for a generic processor. As a developer, you know that a lot of software you need isn't provided by processor vendors and has to be developed from scratch and others will probably already have written it. If they have, PSS may already carry it or could find it using its "Software Wanted" service.

Q: ‘If I can't get it from a processor vendor, it is normally available from operating system vendors. Why wouldn't I use it?’
A: If the software you need is available from OS vendor then you should use it. As a starting point, OS vendors' software is an excellent place to begin. But if your application requires a function that isn't supported by an OS vendor there is a strong chance someone else has already developed it for their own use. And if they have, PSS may already carry it or could find it using its "Software Wanted" service.

Q: ‘People put high level code on the Internet for free, why would I pay for it?’
A: The value of free software is hard to establish. Source code found on the Internet may prove to be more trouble than it is worth. If it hasn't been fully integrated before, it may well contain bugs, or not have been developed to fit a specific architecture or family. All the software provided through PSS is written and proven on a specific architecture member and is not generic. We also carry out a quality audit as well as fully document and package the software.

Q: ‘How do I know it's bug free?’
A: All the software PSS carries is proven in end products. We only carry software that meets our definition of proven, to ensure as far as possible that it is bug free. For more information see our Terms & Conditions.

Q: ‘Where does the software come from?’
A: The software carried by PSS comes from developers like you. Our suppliers are also our customers. We also receive and productise software that has been developed and archived by silicon vendors. Our aim is to circulate as much enabling software amongst genuine developers as possible to cut time to market and risk.

Q: ‘We don't sell our software, we sell end products or finished designs. Is it applicable to me?’
A: YES! Almost any function implemented in software and shipped in volume is considered viable for sale by PSS. We don't ask for functions to be written specifically as standalone products, in fact we don't accept software unless it has been written as part of a larger, proven system. For more information see the Software section.

Q: ‘Why shouldn't I develop it myself?’
A: If you have the resources and time, and aren't concerned with the cost or risk, there is every reason to develop all of your own enabling software. In reality, most manufacturers today can't afford these luxuries. Reinventing the wheel is not a good use of already scarce resources. We can work through a "make or buy" process with you at the beginning of a project to identify software functions that you should develop in-house and that which you should consider outsourcing.

Q: ‘But my software engineers aren't used to using someone else's software, why would they want to?’
A: Software engineers, or hardware engineers that are required to write software, will see the value in quality software written for your target architecture. Integrating that function in to your end application will be faster, cheaper and carry a lower risk than asking your software engineers to write it from scratch. They would then be free to focus on developing more interesting code at the application layer.

Q: ‘Why would I licence my own software?’
A: Licensing your enabling software for reuse by other developers could very quickly mean you recover 100% of your development costs. Any further sales means your software will become an added revenue stream, actually making your company money.

Q: ‘What do I have to provide in order to licence my software through PSS?’
A: We require the software to meet our definition of proven. In addition, we will ask you to supply some documentation and, if you are willing, some support. If you do not wish to offer support, that's not a problem. Please contact us for further information.

Q: ‘Who would want it?’
A: Other developers who want to cut their time to market and development costs and risks.

Q: ‘What makes my enabling software different?’
A: All software is different, even if it implements the same functions. PSS evaluates all software functions based on size, function and measured performance - for a specific processor variant and under your specified system parameters, including OS, IDE used and compiler configuration.

Q: 'What is Proven software?
A: Our definition of proven means the software in question is fully developed, debugged and deployed. That means it is either: embedded in at least 1000 production units of a single product; deployed in at least 1000 variants of a single product; has reached an approved number of active hours; or developed to comply to a specific Industry Quality Standard. All the software we carry comes with a datasheet that specifies its proven status.

Q: 'What if you don't have the software I'm looking for?'
A: We will find it for you. The Software section on this site contains a Wanted page. You can submit a wanted form free of charge, which we will post on this site and circulate to our suppliers.

Q: 'Can you help me figure out which software we should develop in-house and which we should license in?'
A: Yes. We offer an Early Phase Consultation service that takes you through the 'make or buy' process. See our 'Services' page for more information.

Q:'What about support?"
A: If the software owner doesn't wish to provide support then we have a third party of Systems Integrators who will have had access to the software and will be able to provide the support you need.