[Info-vax] OpenVMS Finally Comes to x86, x64

[Neil Rieck]

On Apr 1, 11:00 pm, David J Dachtera <djesys... at spam.comcast.net>
wrote:
> Rich Jordan wrote:
>
> > On Mar 31, 11:03 pm, David J Dachtera <djesys... at spam.comcast.net>
> > wrote:
> > > OpenVMS Finally Comes to x86, x64
>
> > > Palo Alto, CA
> > > April 1, 2009
>
> > > Hewlett Packard (HP) announced today the release of the much anticipated
> > > and long awaited OpenVMS-x86 and OpenVMS-x64 for processors by both
> > > Intel and AMD.
>
> > > According to the press release, OpenVMS-x86 is the 32-bit version and
> > > offers full feature parity with what would have been OpenVMS-VAX V8.2,
> > > and also offers a unique floating point emulation library which allows
> > > VAX floating point formats to be fully supported by conversion to/from
> > > IEEE format at run-time. The release notes indicate that while there is
> > > a significant performance penalty for this, it does allow both source
> > > code and data to be migrated from VAX to x86 without changes.
>
> > > The press release also stated that OpenVMS-x64, the 64-bit version which
> > > can also run in 32-bit mode based on a boot flag passed to it from the
> > > console, has full feature parity with OpenVMS-I64. The release notes
> > > indicate, however, that in 32-bit mode many 64-bit RTL elements and many
> > > system services either are not available or do not function as they
> > > would running 64-bits, and that the 32-bit mode is not functionally
> > > comparable to OpenVMS-x86.
>
> > > Several major ISVs responded in an overwhelmingly positive way and
> > > indicated their immediate plans to begin migrating their mid-tier server
> > > software to OpenVMS-x86 to meet the demands of their respective customer
> > > bases for secure, stable mid-tier application servers.
>
> > > When asked, HP shareholders unanimously applauded the release indicating
> > > that offering the marketplace a secure, stable, feature-rich alternative
> > > operating platform by finally making OpenVMS compatible with the most
> > > ubiquitous CPU architecture on the planet will go a long way toward
> > > recovering much of the value HP shares have lost during the economic
> > > downturn, and may help counter Kodak's "Stop overpaying for ink"
> > > marketing campaign for Kodak's newest consumer ink-jet printer products
> > > which recently debuted on U.S. commercial network television during such
> > > highly-rated programs as "Dancing With The Stars" on ABC.
>
> > > Calls to HP's press relations department seeking further comment were
> > > not immediately returned.
>
> > This shows up in Google as March 31st.  That means we can hold David
> > to it, since it is clearly not an April Fools missive.
>
> Dated April 1, 2009 in the body?
>
> D.J.D.

On second thought, this has got to be a good example of irony. "The
last best hope for OpenVMS (porting to x86-64) is posted as an April
Fool joke". I feel like Dilbert.

Neil Rieck
Kitchener/Waterloo/Cambridge,
Ontario, Canada.
http://www3.sympatico.ca/n.rieck/OpenVMS.html