P.I.P.S. is a term (recursive acronym) for Symbian software libraries, and means "P.I.P.S. Is POSIX on Symbian OS". It is intended to help C language programmers in migration of desktop and server middleware, applications to Symbian OS based mobile smartphone devices.
The PIPS software libraries provides C and C++ application programming interfaces in standard C libraries such as
The P.I.P.S. environment does not support true signalling. Basic signal support is emulated using threads.
Open C and Open C++ are extensions by Nokia of P.I.P.S. In contrast to mere P.I.P.S., they were only for Series 60 phones.
The name was the result of an internal competition in the Symbian Developer Marketing department, organised by Bruce Carney (Developer Marketing) and Erik Jacobson (Product Manager). The full-stops were inserted by Symbian's Legal department to ensure there were no trademark or copyright infringements.