[Info-vax] OpenVMS versus Windows/GE Telemetry Control Systems.

[Stephen Hoffman]

On 2013-01-14 04:43:23 +0000, David Froble said:

> MG wrote:
>> 
>> One of the concerns is, I can imagine, that HP hasn't done a number
>> of major features which they promised in their roadmaps over the
>> years (and not just for, or with regard to, VMS either).
> 
> I too deplore this, but, I can also ask, is this bad?  VMS isn't 
> starting out, it's a rather mature environment, and if it doesn't 
> change, at least in certain ways, then what's so bad about an 
> environment that doesn't keep changing on you?
> 
> Stuff I wrote 30 years ago is still running.  No expensive maintenance 
> required because of OS changes.

"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by 
little statesmen and philosophers and divines."  OSes can suffer that 
same fate, too.

> There is something to be said for consistency.  Not that Microsoft agrees ....

As much as I dislike the OS changing underneath my apps, I've learned 
that not changing the OS inevitably leads to bigger problems.

Not changing also means you're running older and harder-to-use APIs, 
older tools, and things are generally slower.  Assembler to Fortran or 
C or COBOL, in older terms.  Sure, you can still use the older tools, 
and certainly the newer tools can be less efficient than (in this case, 
hand-coded assembler) in various ways, but the newer tools and APIs can 
produce better code and more quickly; with less coding effort and fewer 
bugs.

Don't get trapped by what you know, and what you're good at.

For those that haven't read it, read some of the background around Clay 
Christensn's The Innovator's Dilemma, if you don't just read the whole 
book.

> ....
> 
>> ...But, to play devil's advocate: unlike HP, MS
>> doesn't show any intention to want to discontinue and downgrade
>> Windows.  HP's stance with regard to VMS seems a bit like a bet,
>> it's anyone's guess as to what they really intend to do with it.
> 
> Microdorf has discontinued weendoze OSs.  Where's Windows95, Windows 
> 2000, ...  and soon to be Windows XP.
> 
> Not all software will run on their newer products.

Variously, that old software contained bugs and vulnerabilities, or was 
dependent on APIs that included bugs or vulnerabilities.  Credit where 
credit due: Microsoft has significantly upped their security, and 
they're closing out many of the problem areas and old APIs.  Whether 
Windows 8 is an improvement or an OS best suited for touchscreen 
tablets is fodder for a completely different discussion.

Whether the vendor isn't hosting this stuff on VMS or in general when 
comparing products, I'd be looking at hosting this sort of an 
application on a Linux distribution with long term support options.  
Linux can also break apps from release to release, but within the 
supported versions, they're around for a long time.

> ...When I have a working solution, I stick with it....

Do that, certainly.  SCADA in particular has long installed horizons.  
But do look at what else is available, particularly when you're rolling 
out a new deployment, or rebuilding the existing one.  You get paid to 
run a water plant and run it cost-effectively.  You don't get paid to 
run an OS.  Yes, switching OSes can introduce migration and training 
costs.  Not switching OSes might introduce other costs, or it might 
not.  But you need to compare and contrast the options.


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