[Info-vax] OpenVMS in the future, Open sourced or Closed? Intent is to keep it...

[johnwallace4 at yahoo.co.uk]

On Wednesday, 6 May 2015 18:28:23 UTC+1, Simon Clubley  wrote:
> On 2015-05-06, Robert A. Brooks <FIRST.LAST at vmssoftware.com> wrote:
> > On 5/6/2015 12:02 AM, David Froble wrote:
> >
> >> But once all the requirements are set up and available, many would be capable of
> >> doing the build.  Not that I'm advocating such.  As I've written more than once,
> >> the reason I wanted to see VMS open sourced was to insure someone at HP could
> >> not decide to just delete everything.
> >>
> >> Don't kid yourself, that was a very real possibility.
> >
> > And with what knowledge and/or authority do you make that assertion?
> >
> 
> I'm not speaking for David here, but the obvious example which comes
> to mind are the PDP-11 operating systems and their current status.
> 
> While they were most certainly not "deleted" the end result, as it
> exists today, is effectively the same thing.
> 
> However, I strongly suspect it would be a major exercise to open source
> VMS because IIRC aren't there parts within the VMS codebase which are
> licenced from third parties ?
> 
> Simon.
> 
> -- 
> Simon Clubley, clubley at remove_me.eisner.decus.org-Earth.UFP
> Microsoft: Bringing you 1980s technology to a 21st century world

The rights to the major bits of PDP11 OS (ie what Mentec had?) seem
to be associated with a company (an individual?) who seem to want to
just sit on them, for reasons which are unclear. He's on LinkedIn.
The name isn't one many people will know. It gets mentioned round
here occasionally, but I am reluctant to post it just in case.

Re: "aren't there parts within the VMS codebase which are licenced
from third parties ?"

Certainly used to be. DisplayPostScript was the classic example.

How much of a hindrance would that be, in 2015? Would there
actually be any other third party stuff likely to block stuff?

Not that I personally particularly see OpenSourcing VMS as a
make or break for VMS.

A "VMS community", however, might well be make or break.

As might far better UNIX interoperability. How that happens
is a separate discussion, hopefully already going on behind
the scenes at VSI and elsewhere (because VSI won't be able to
do everything themselves by the end of this week).

And if here is to be a part of where the VMS community will look
for  stuff... well, we got a ways to go, I guess. 

HP ITRC forums are presumably out of favour? (Never liked the hats
myself anyway, but thanks to those who did help out).

StackExchange is where lots of people look for geekiness, but not
necessarily for VMS stuff.

Something customer led? Maybe the DECUServe stuff that still never
quite seems to work quite right?

Alternative community resources?

Dunno. 

Have a lot of fun.