[Info-vax] VMS port to x86

[Bob Koehler]

In article <jq86ts$4vs$1 at usenet01.boi.hp.com>, Keith Parris <keithparris_deletethis at yahoo.com> writes:
> Still, can the 
> OpenVMS organization realistically afford to spend some number that's 
> probably on the order of at least one year's total revenues to do an x86 
> port?


   Invest 1 years' revenue and continue to get profits, or don't invest
   and get 0.

 There's also fear that in another architecture migration, even 
> more ISVs (and thus customers) would be lost. If an x86 port did happen, 
> I'm guessing it would have to be based on HP's goodwill and commitment 
> to its OpenVMS customers, not because of its financial attractiveness.
> 
>>       Thus, conclusion is very simple, we have to start to write a VMS clone
> 
> VMS is viewed by the marketplace in general as legacy, out of date, 
> old-fashioned, or at least irrelevant. Even if the existing code is 
> open-sourced, or HP ports OpenVMS to x86, it will still have the same 
> perception in the marketplace. (We here know that OpenVMS has valuable 
> attributes such as 4-ring security and high availability with shadowing 
> and clustering and scalability with clustering that are ideal for 
> current marketplace needs, but most everyone else can't see past the 
> "Out-Of-Fashion" label that's been stamped on it. So it's been harder 
> lately to pick up new customers and new ISVs.)

   The label is at least in part to DEC's Stealth Marketing campaign. 
   The future of VMS depends very much on how (if) it is marketed.

   If it was a startup product, it would be marketed, despite the
   existing lack of sales.