[Info-vax] September 6, 2016 - new Roadmap and State of the Port updates now on VSI website

[Chris]

On 09/11/16 19:31, Phillip Helbig (undress to reply) wrote:

>
> My point is that VMS and Gnu are not a good match.

Perhaps not from a licensing pov, but providing the gnu code is not
bundled with vms, I see not problem having it available for download
from a repository. Much the same in fact as just about every other
vendor makes use of open source or other collaborative software
projects. Otherwise, gnu projects are a good match technically and
could benefit VMS and the user base greatly in the future. The ZFS
file system is presently suffering similar licensing problems for
Linux, but no doubt it will be resolved.

>
> I recently came across a Stallman web page where he points out real
> injustices in the world, such as child soldiers, chemical weapons, and
> so on, mixed with warnings to avoid certain companies because using
> their apps "forces" people to use non-free software.  He needs to get
> his priorities straightened out.  (Note also that the US department of
> defense is the largest Red Hat customer.)
>
> Yes, not all people who use Gnu software (and there is much free
> software which is not Gnu---I have no objection to free software per se,
> only to the Gnu idea than anyone who uses anything else for any reason
> is a jerk) are as fanatic as Stallman, but I think it is fair to say
> that, at best, one will always see the join.  I don't think there is any
> chance of getting VMS welcomed with open arms into the Gnu community.
> One can of course get the code and port it (keeping the restrictions in
> mind), but in terms of getting VMS dependencies in the main source-code
> tree, like for ZIP and so on), I'm more sceptical.
>

Stallman is just one man and probably the most extreme example you could
choose as to prove a point, whatever that is :-)...

Regards,

Chris