[Info-vax] READ and WRITE vs. SEARCH/OUTPUT

[Richard B. Gilbert]

On 1/23/2012 8:09 PM, Arne Vajhøj wrote:
> On 1/23/2012 11:03 AM, Keith Cayemberg wrote:
>> On Jan 23, 9:38 am, Louis Krupp<lkr... at nospam.pssw.com.invalid>
>> wrote:
>>> On Sat, 21 Jan 2012 12:05:08 -0500, "Richard B. Gilbert"
>>>
>>> <rgilber... at comcast.net> wrote:
>>>
>>> <snip>
>>>
>>>> And if I've just done your homework for you, I'm sorry and I hope your
>>>> instructor knows it!
>>>
>>> But who would be teaching DCL these days?
>>
>> Why not? I provided a complete Introduction to DCL class, equivalent
>> to that provided by HP, over a period of 3 weeks to 6 of my colleagues
>> in August last year.
>>
>> Despite the availability of other script languages such as Perl, Rexx
>> or Bash on OpenVMS, I would still regard DCL to definitely be a
>> prerequisite to proficiency on the OpenVMS platform, whether you are a
>> developer, DBA or system manager.
>
> Sure.
>
> But the number of universities having students working on VMS
> is small (too small!) these days.
>
> Arne
>

VMS is not widely used these days.  Princeton University had VAXen in: 
Plasma Physics Laboratory, Gas Dynamics Laboratory, Physics Department, 
and the Chemistry Department.  It doesn't help if the students can't use 
it, or if they choose to use something else.  The University as a whole 
was IBM oriented.  The Computing Center had an IBM 360/91, one of 
eighteen or so that were made.  It was what passed for a "super 
computer" in those days.

DEC had problems in those days.  It was bought by Compaq which gave
it a new lease on life but failed to solve the underlying problems.
Compaq was acquired in turn.  DEC's problems remained unsolved.
I'm not sure that DEC's problems COULD have been solved at that point.
It would have taken several fortunes in cash and a thorough house 
cleaning.  It didn't happen.

I have a couple of Alphas and, ISTR, even a VAX.  I seldom use them.

The applications I want/need are word processing, spread sheets and 
Turbo-Tax.  None of these run under VMS.  Well, there was a Word Perfect 
for VMS but who could afford a license?  PC's did it faster and cheaper!