[Info-vax] VMS Software Inc. OpenVMS 8.4-1H1 Boots on i4 System

[Bill Gunshannon]

In article <mei42n$kh1$1 at news.albasani.net>,
	Jan-Erik Soderholm <jan-erik.soderholm at telia.com> writes:
> David Froble skrev den 2015-03-20 20:42:
>> Jan-Erik Soderholm wrote:
>>> David Froble skrev den 2015-03-20 15:30:
>>>> Richard Maher wrote:
>>>>> On 3/20/2015 12:31 PM, David Froble wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Software doesn't wear out.
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Bit-Rot is very much a reality :-(
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Perhaps an example of such?
>>>>
>>>> I have yet to see any software that after some time doesn't do what it had
>>>> previously done.
>>>
>>> I have seen software that after some time doesn't do what is needed to
>>> be done (now).
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>> And just what does that have to do with my statement?
> 
> The point is that your statement is irrelevant. Who cares if that
> code still does the "same thing", if that "thing" simply isn't the
> "same thing" as it previously was. That code is worthless (today).
> 
> And your software had of course been easier to manage and develop
> today using a modern database instead of that inhouse RMS layers.
> 
> 
>>
>> I never claimed software could evolve.  That's why we have programmers.
>>
>> If I have the piece of code:
>>
>> Print "Hi there"
> 
> OK. I must have missunderstood. I though your software package
> actualy did a bit more than that. Sorry.
> 
> 

I think the real problem here is with the definition of "bit rot".
Rot implies something going bad on its own.  EEPROMs do that.  True
"bit rot".  But software that no longer functions because of changes
in the underlying system or no longer meet the erquirements of the
task they were designed for because the task has morphed are not
really "bit rot".  They are just the nature of technology.  Not
being able to find an 8" floppy drive or a machine that can use it
is not "bit rot".  having that hardware and finding that the magnetic
data on the disk has faded beyond your ability to read it is.

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>