[Info-vax] DCL's flaws (both scripting and UI)

[Stephen Hoffman]

On 2015-01-21 14:58:51 +0000,   VAXman-  @SendSpamHere.ORG said:

> In article <m9ocr8$2ge$1 at dont-email.me>, Stephen Hoffman 
> <seaohveh at hoffmanlabs.invalid> writes:
>> 
>> The flaws in DCL, however, remain.  It's clunky and confusing to use
>> with its asymmetric quoting and its fondness for quoted quotes for
> 
> Not any less "clunky and confusing ot use" than trying to cast C function
> pointers.  You either know its quirks and syntax or you have to learn it.

I've not suggested csh, C nor BASIC as a command line.    Nor have I 
suggested something as concise as BF, for that matter.

>> Now as to whether VSI can get to profitability and can then start
>> seriously chasing what's available on other platforms, and can start
>> growing the user base?  That's no small and no simple project, either.
> 
> I'd think that a goal of simply maintaining the user base is better goal.

Short-term, certainly.  Longer-term, installed base growth with stable 
or increasing revenues are what allows the vendor to substantially 
enhance and upgrade the operating system, and are what allows the 
vendor to lower the prices on the software and the support.  Having VMS 
as it is now through the next decade or two may well be a viable 
business, but one that'll likely continue to slowly tail off as the 
applications and as staff age out.

The command line is unfortunately the standard operations and 
management interface for VMS right now, and aiming products at the 
installed base and at arcane command line environments is unlikely to 
become a growth market.   Without new applications and new users that 
are at least replacing those that are aging out and preferably adding 
additional applications and users, there's no good outcome, either.

-- 
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