[Info-vax] : Welcome to lockdown - HP limiting access to patches

[Neil Rieck]

On Feb 18, 12:54 pm, Doug Phillips <dphil... at netscape.net> wrote:
> On Feb 14, 5:14 am, Neil Rieck <n.ri... at sympatico.ca> wrote:
>
> > On Nov 6 2010, 7:52 am, Neil Rieck <n.ri... at sympatico.ca> wrote:
>
> > >  Fair enough. Although I always thought these patches were more like
> > > the warranty/recall process in the auto industry (making the s/w
> > > product work the way it should have on the day it was released to
> > > customers),
>
> This was posted in the ITRC forum:
>
> ##
> OpenVMS licence info on
>
> http://h71000.www7.hp.com/ovmslicensing/openvms_licensing_information...
> ##
>
> A link on that page, <Read the OpenVMS Software Licensing terms>
> points to a PDF document where you can find this little gem:
>
> ##
> The software warranty period is 90 days for HP Branded software. This
> is a warranty that the physical media will be free from defects and
> viruses. There is no warranty that the software will be error-free.
> ##
>
> HP Branded software is provided *as is* and if it doesn't work because
> they screwed something up, too bad for you.
>
> It could be that someplace in a document held in possession by the HP
> Legal team, there's a statement like the one found in IBM's license
> (publicly available on-line):
>
> ##
> IBM warrants that the Program, when used in its specified operating
> environment, will
> conform to its specifications. The Program’s specifications, and
> specified operating environment
> information, can be found in documentation accompanying the Program
> (such as a read-me
> file) or other information published by IBM (such as an announcement
> letter).
> ##
>
> I seem to remember Digital's licenses had similar wording, but it
> looks like HP's Legal team plugged that hole.

This is a shocking revelation.

Given the high purchase price of OpenVMS software (think about buying
an expensive car) you would expect a warranty of longer than 90 days
and never the term "as-is".

NSR