[Info-vax] Kermit on Itanium VMS

[Ken Fairfield]

On Dec 29, 1:05 pm, Michael Kraemer <M.Krae... at gsi.de> wrote:
> glen herrmannsfeldt schrieb:
>
> > In comp.os.vms Frank da Cruz <f... at panix.com> wrote:
> > (snip)
>
> >>VMS is one of the few surviving OS's that pays serious attention to the
> >>now deprecated if not forgoteen concepts of stability and backwards
> >>compatibility from one release to another, so any VMS / IA64 binary that
> >>you find in the archive:
>
> > As I understand it, z/OS will still run OS/360 load modules, such
> > as the PL/I compiler written and assembled over 40 years ago.  
> > I don't believe the VMS currently can run any binaries over 40
> > years old.
>
> I wonder if it can run binaries 20 years young.
> Or would a VAX binary of 1989 run on current Itanic hardware,
> out-of-the-box?

Assuming that's a serious question (is it? really?), the answer is
a simple "no".  VAX binaries are different from Alpha binaries are
different from IA64 binaries (because the underlying architecture
off the three are so different from each other).  Period, end of
story.

Many (most?) VAX binaries could be translated to Alpha binaries
using a utility called VEST.  Many (most?) Alpha binaries can
similarly be translated to IA64 binaries using the analogous
Itanium translator (whose name escapes me).

I don't believe there was ever an Alpha to VAX "back" translator,
nor is there one for IA64 to Alpha (or VAX).

    -Ken