[Info-vax] C99 stuff (Re: The Road to V9.0)

[Robert A. Brooks]

On 6/9/2019 12:25 PM, Dave Froble wrote:
> On 6/9/2019 11:30 AM, John Reagan wrote:
>> On Sunday, June 9, 2019 at 9:01:34 AM UTC-4, Craig A. Berry wrote:

>>> If the GEM-alike compiler interface were open source, then people using
>>> assorted ancient GEM-based compilers might have a chance of bringing
>>> their code forward to OpenVMS x64 (or whatever the marketing name will
>>> be).  PL/I comes to mind, but there may be others.
>>
>> Nope.  Just PL/I.  While our G2L (GEM-to-LLVM) converter is indeed VSI 
>> written, it uses GEM headers (which are mostly HPE with a few VSI lines 
>> sprinkled in it).
>>
> 
> Sounds to me like the Hp / VSI deal wasn't the best of deals.  Lots of 
> restrictions.  But it sure beats no deal.

The "deal" never involved the outright sale of VMS to VSI (well, that may have 
been an initial hope -- I wasn't there for that), but pretty quickly it became
apparent that the negotiation revolved around HP licensing the exclusive 
development rights of VMS to VSI.

As you likely know during a negotiation, you typically need to give something up
to get something.  I cannot imagine VSI wanting to give up something for the 
right to open-source (or otherwise distribute) the HP-owned VMS source.

-- 
                  -- Rob