[Info-vax] Reimplementing VMS, was: Re: HP adds OpenVMS Mature Product Support beyond the end of Standard Support

[Johnny Billquist]

On 2014-02-04 07:57, Bill Gunshannon wrote:
> So, based on more recent comments here, I draw these conclussions.
>
> 1. Actually porting the original VMS, while probably possible, is not
> a practical solution.

Right.

> 2. Apparently the idea that nothing but the original VMS is capable of
> doing the job is no longer true.

Not necessarily true.

> 3. A VMS API and userland running on some other underlying kernel would
> meet the needs and satisfy the majority of remaining VMS users.

Unknown, probably even to many users, since they have a hard time 
telling if this is so or not.

> 4. "a re-implementation of vms system services, rtl, etc, has been done,
> using unix ipc mechanisms, etc

Possible for a subset. Not for all of it.

> Which leads us to the question:  Why is there not already a group
> working on an Open Source Complete VMS API capable of running on
> top of any POSIX infrastructure?  This would allow to pick their
> underlying architecture based on their needs, be it: Linux, BSD,
> Solaris, Mach, whatever.  Seesm this would make more sense than
> the current "porting project" that meets several times a month.
> And could be accomplished by pretty much the same people.

I find your conclusions to be wrong.

	Johnny