[Info-vax] problem with LSE installation

[Robert A. Brooks]

On 5/17/2015 10:00 PM, David Froble wrote:
> clairgrant71 at gmail.com wrote:
>
>> A common set of sources is used to build VMS Alpha and VMS Itanium
>> and we will be adding x86 support to that code base. We are not
>> planning any Alpha releases but any nonarchitecture-specific
>> changes will be in both VMS Itanium and VMS x86 releases and we
>> hope there will be many of both.
>
> Ok, feet to fire time ....
>
> :-)
>
> So, you have a common code base.  At some time you make changes, or
> add something.  Will the code base then fork?  If not, then it seems
> your only recourse would be to issue something, patches, new version,
> whatever, for all three, and if you wished, and it fit, VAX too.

There are several misconceptions buried in that statement.  The code base
right now is common between Alpha and Itanium, as Clair said.  The VAX is completely
separate.  The expectation is that the code that's used for Alpha/IA64 will be common
for X86_64 as well.  That's it's common does not mean that we'll release anything
on Alpha.  We have no plans whatsoever to do another Alpha build, although I suppose
we might, just to ensure nothing is broken.

Your statement about "only recourse" makes no sense.

> Assume that the modifications are non-compatable with earlier
> versions, and Alphas could not remain in a cluster without the new
> stuff ..
  
We take care to ensure that cluster compatibility will remain across the
versions we claim that are compatible.  Yeah, that sounds a bit self-referential,
but we have a strong desire not to screw up Alpha compatibility.  For various reasons,
the IA64 VMS build needs an Alpha.  Various IA64 layered products need an Alpha.

We like Alpha; really, we do.

-- 

                       -- Rob