[Info-vax] OpenVMS graphics - once more

[David Froble]

Phillip Helbig (undress to reply) wrote:
> In article <c27b5fd2-da4b-4273-9301-8aea98e9a9c1 at googlegroups.com>, IanD
> <iloveopenvms at gmail.com> writes: 
> 
>> Great for pretty graphs displaying the status of things in a data centre bu=
>> t horrible for getting real work done. Endless clicking down menu structure=
>> s to find what you wanted often to discover the option you needed was not a=
>> vailable via the windowing system or in combinations requiring multiple pas=
>> ses to achieve the desired result. Lag lag lag was what I remember most abo=
>> ut decwindows too
> 
> I rarely use the "DECwindows applications", at least not from the menu.  
> There is an interface to MAIL and EVE.  I don't use either.
> 
> Occasionally, some website I need to access doesn't work properly in any 
> browser available on VMS.  So, I have to fire up a browser on another 
> system, and transfer files I upload and download back and forth.  This 
> is a real pain.  
> 
> These days, a lot of stuff is done via a browser.  The current 
> DECwindows is fine in terms of DECterms and using it as a display and so 
> on.  What it needs is a modern web browser.  There would then be no need 
> to have to rely on some auxiliary system.  (Some people will say that 
> they have one anyway, because they do stuff there which will never be 
> done on VMS (and even I don't want to see it on VMS), whereas in my case 
> it is essentially only for things where the browsers on VMS don't work.  
> But even if one regularly uses another system, if I am uploading or 
> downloading files from or to VMS, why would I want to go through some 
> other system?)  This could be used both for internet access and for 
> accessing local web pages in any sort of gui.
> 

The overriding issue here is where to put the effort and the money.  Keep in 
mind that both have a limited supply.

I have several weendoze systems.  One running W2K and another running XP.  I'm 
not too happy with being forced into a new user interface every couple of years. 
  You could say that I might sympathize with you, to an extent.

I have what I feel is a decent terminal emulator running on the weendoze 
systems.  It allows me to have multiple terminal windows open, on multiple VMS 
systems.  It works for me.

I also have what I feel is a decent browser.  Old Firefox versions.  Don't like 
how every week there is a new Firefox version, and each looks different. 
However, I can do most of the things I need a browser for, and, I can easily 
move files between weendoze and VMS.  I know Steve doesn't like FTP, but it 
works, and it's behind a NAT router, and I have Verizon wireless broadband which 
doesn't allow me to come into my network from the internet, so, with that 
broken, I think I at least have security against intrusions.  Maybe not.

So back to the topic.  Users can have what they need.  VSI might not be able to 
fund and work on everything.  They will have to pick and choose.  It just 
doesn't seem to me that they have some huge demand for a new browser.  Nor for a 
windowing system.  Some demand, yes.  Huge, no.

So, where do you think their limited funding and efforts should be spent?