[Info-vax] VMS and package managers, was: Re: Micro Focus Merger with Hewlett Packard Enterprise's Software Business Segment

[Simon Clubley]

On 2016-10-03, Jan-Erik Soderholm <jan-erik.soderholm at telia.com> wrote:
> Den 2016-10-03 kl. 18:02, skrev Chris:
>>

[snip]

>>
>> * Add packages as required, eg:
>>
>>   pkg add firefox
>>   pkg add wireshark
>>   pkg add zenmap
>>
>> mate is a fork of gnome 2 and is more lightweight
>> than later versions. Similar to Debian Squeeze desktop,
>> or Solaris 10 desktop, also a gnome fork. Slim is the
>> login manager, though there are planty to choose from,
>> as there are desktops. Even motif if you want it. If you
>> get stuck, there's loads of docs on the web and the
>> FreeBSD Handbook is up to date and online.
>>
>> Like a breath of fresh air really. You can no doubt see
>> how the package infrastructure simplifies software and
>> app management and why VMS could really benefit from a
>> similar approach...
>>
>
> Does this "pkg" approach work well with licensed software?
>

Absolutely no reason why not; the licence would just be an
additional optional step.

A package would also record _all_ the quotas/resources/system
configuration information it needs within the installation file
itself and a VMS package manager could also automatically apply
these as required. When deinstalling the package, the package
manager could then optionally reverse these changes (where it
either made any sense to do so or was otherwise viable to do so
of course).

You could also supply a list of users using a package and have their
user quotas increased automatically by the package manager instead
of you having to do it manually. You could do this either during
installation or ask the package manager to configure additional
usernames afterwards as needed.

If VMS had some kind of decent init system for startup, such a
package manager could then automatically insert the package into
the startup sequence (and at the correct point) if required and
then remove it automatically during product removal.

Such a package manager would also have tools to let you know when
updated versions of your packages are available (for example, when
a new patch is available) and allow you to download the updated
package over a verifiably trustable connection and then install it.

There are also various other things you can do with a package manager;
looking at the man pages for the various Linux package managers will
give you some insights.

IOW, yes VMS needs a package manager (and a decent init system) and
yes all that manual stuff you do when installing some tools should
not be needed in the 21st century.

Simon.

PS: PCSI does not count as a package manager and systartup_vms.com
and friends do not count as a decent init system. If you think
they do, then you have never used a real package manager or init
system. (IMHO).

-- 
Simon Clubley, clubley at remove_me.eisner.decus.org-Earth.UFP
Microsoft: Bringing you 1980s technology to a 21st century world