[Info-vax] VLF: The 35th Anniversary Communique from the VMS Liberation

[JF Mezei]

On 12-10-31 20:31, Richard B. Gilbert wrote:

> It's not that simple JF!  VMS uses intellectual property owned by
> several parties.  H-P is only one of the parties involved.

So you don't release source code from the modules that are hindered by
copyright.

Over the years, I have seen that argument put forth many many times. But
never any authoritative list of what portions of VMS are limited by
copyright.

I know of X, and the old DHCP server.  X is now open sourced. And you
can get a open sourced DHCP server easily, so if VMS is relased open
sourced with the JOIN DHCP server, it would be no big deal.

I bet you that the original VMS is not hindered by such limitations and
that HP could open source enough of VMS to get you to the $ prompt and
the standard VMS utilities.

Does VMS still make use of mini RDB stuff for some files ?

Obviously, there are many layered products which would be limited by
other people's copyright.

Cosnidering that a few years ago, HP did consider porting VMS (and HP-UX
and NSK) to x86, it would appear to me that this exercise would have
included finding e list of copyright dependendencies.