[Info-vax] Trying to build a case for Benefit of OpenVMS Hobbyist Program being beneficial to HP

[Bill Pedersen]

Originally from: abrsvc

> It may be hard to come up with a dollar amount of value to HP.  I use the
hobbiest system for research for general debugging techniques and general
experimentation.  I recently used a hobbiest system to attempt a port from
Alpha to I64.  
> The result of that test, allowed me to better estimate the magnitude of
another porting project.  Please note that the experiment was for a series
of my own programs and not for a client.  This was perhaps somewhat of a
gray area, but 
> there was no monitary gian by me as a result of that effort.

> In the longer term, the availability of the hobbiest licenses allow those
of us with the time and hardware to become familiar with other languages and
products.  This again will allow us to better serve the OpenVMS world.  It
can be argued 
> that this is monitary gain as we generally get paid for our services, but
those services are delivered on the clients' machines and not using ours.

> Overall, the hobbiest program provides incentive for the secondary market
of hardware, the continued exposure of OpenVMS to the population in general
and perhaps potential sales for HP should an OpenVMS solution be the correct

> one for a client.  As an example, I showed a client that a current DS10
had be up and running for over 1000 days.  The stability of that system
helped to persuade them to choose an OpenVMS solution.  This resulted in a
few thousand for 
> HP in licenses alone.  Maybe not much, but these can add up.

Dan, I have to agree with you as far as being able to  identify specific
monetary return of the Program.  I too believe it will be the sum of the
benefits.  That is why I am looking for input from the entire community.

Bill.