[Info-vax] Using VMS for a web server

[Bill Gunshannon]

In article <mktg9v$6jo$1 at dont-email.me>,
	David Froble <davef at tsoft-inc.com> writes:
> terry+googleblog at tmk.com wrote:
>> On Friday, June 5, 2015 at 4:48:21 PM UTC-4, David Froble wrote:
>>> VMS is better at solving VMS problems than at solving Unix problems
>>> ..
>> 
>> Neither of which is particularly relevant to the business community.
>> They have business problems*, not VMS or Unix problems. Most will
>> want to solve their business problems for the smallest cost that
>> accomplishes their goals of features / performance / security
>> (probably in that priority). In many cases, that involves hiring or
>> utilizing existing staff who are familiar with the tools used to
>> solve that business problem. VMS is going to be difficult enough to
>> sell to new customers (remember, on x86 it is competing with
>> "free"**) without also telling those customers that they will need to
>> find people with an obscure talent to not only manage the operating
>> system, but the applications that support the business, instead of
>> getting some of the widely available sysadmins / developers familiar
>> with Unix-type systems.
> 
> If this is the case, then why are people still using VMS?

Beleive it or not, that is a question I often hear asked.  :-)
The only stranger one is why is anyone still running Primos. (and they are)

> 
> Aging personal, which usually means more expensive to hire ..
> 
> Smaller pool of knowledgeable people ..
> 
> More solutions available ..
> 
> And so on ..
> 
> So, why then is anyone still using VMS?

See above.  Be careful what questions you ask.  People with the power
to make decisions might be listening.

> 
> Maybe what you suggest isn't accurate, or, maybe there is something 
> else.  Got to be something, because there are still people using VMS, 
> and I doubt VSI could have raised one cent if they didn't know who these 
> people are, and could count on their continued usage of VMS.
> 
> I doubt it's a holdover thing.  It's been over 15 years since DEC 
> started pushing Unix and weendoze.  Anybody that could use the Unix or 
> weendoze systems is most likely long gone.  Why is anyone left?
> 
> Perhaps there are VMS problems that customers can use VMS to solve in 
> the most effective manner?

Name one.

> 
>> * This is a particular point with me because as a fresh-out-of-school
>> kid I interviewed with Data General for a software development
>> position and completely flunked the "why are we here" part of the
>> interview. It isn't to sell computers, or have the best product - it
>> is to provide something that lets customers solve their problems in a
>> more effective manner than if they bought from the competition. All
>> else follows on from that.
>> 
>> ** And who might buy software and support from VSI, but who might not
>> want HP hardware for any one of a number of reasons. There's a famous
>> quote from a school (not mine) from when DEC cancelled the Jupiter
>> project: "We're switching to Unix because then we will have a huge
>> choice of vendors to screw us."

bill

-- 
Bill Gunshannon          |  de-moc-ra-cy (di mok' ra see) n.  Three wolves
billg999 at cs.scranton.edu |  and a sheep voting on what's for dinner.
University of Scranton   |
Scranton, Pennsylvania   |         #include <std.disclaimer.h>