[Info-vax] Somewhat levels up to not port outside VMS (letter from Wyoming)

[Arne Vajhøj]

On 12/13/2018 8:02 AM, Neil Rieck wrote:
> Now I need to point out that MBA-types may be prolonging the
> inevitable in deferring to someone coming in behind them. In the case
> of VMS or OpenVMS, many hope that the system can be ported later
> (harder after you loose talent) or the company can eventually migrate
> to some sort of cheaper wiz-bang Linux solution. I can tell you that
> going the Linux way can open up a whole new problem as I have
> documented here: 
> http://neilrieck.net/docs/openvms_notes_linux.html#realworldlinuxproblems
Issue #1

I do not see a Linux problem.

"I repeated this command on the production platform which failed with 
numerous errors"

"Investigating further, I noticed that someone had installed python3 
then updated the symbolic link so that the python command pulls up 
python3 rather than python2"

If someone messes with the production system then things can happen.

I believe you would have seen this problem on any OS.

> The biggest problem with Linux is that you can inadvertently change the system during an upgrade, which will break something else. Then it is impossible (or virtually so) to roll back.
> 
> p.s. I have always been able to rollback an upgrade in OpenVMS or Windows

You should be able to boot on an old kernel and you should be able
to install the old version of the application.

But it may indeed not be Linux'es strong side.

> I have first-hand knowledge of how this Linux problem is handled in "customer owned / IBM-managed" data centers (my employer has several). IBM will not give ROOT or SUDO privs to anyone without first submitting a written request then you need to wait 4-8 weeks for the response depending upon the urgency.
> http://neilrieck.net/docs/openvms_notes_linux.html#ibm_managed

Again I do not see a Linux problem.

I see a difference between the actual need from production and the
contract with IBM.

Arne