[Info-vax] State of the OpenVMS hobbyist program?

[Dave Froble]

On 11/22/2019 8:19 AM, Simon Clubley wrote:
> On 2019-11-21, Bill Gunshannon <bill.gunshannon at gmail.com> wrote:
>> On 11/21/19 7:59 PM, Dave Froble wrote:
>>>
>>> First, I'm guessing there were more VAX licenses issued than all the
>>> rest combined.  DEC sold the licenses.  They were perpetual, even if
>>> only for the system and customer.  Not sure how many exist.
>>>
>>> Is it legal?  Well, some might argue that DEC is no longer around to
>>> suffer harm.  Then the question might be, is it better for things to no
>>> longer exist, or, is it better for some harmless use to be obtained from
>>> them?  If some owner of the IP was still attempting to get revenue from
>>> them, then no, it is not legal.  That isn't happening.
>>>
>>> Hell, Trump is legal, even if he's a lying, back stabbing asshole ....
>>>
>>> Please don't get me started ....
>>>
>>> As for getting caught?  Most likely no chance of that.  First the entity
>>> bring charges would need a copy of the license to prove it was theirs.
>>> Figure the odds of such paperwork still existing.  After the move to
>>> Compaq, then HP, very small chance.
>>>
>>> If one was to just start typing and just by chance the LMF allowed that
>>> the random typing worked, is that stealing?  One might cry out
>>> "copyright".  I've got to wonder if the copyright is in the executibles.
>>>   I know it's in DCL command procedures.  Don't use them.
>>>
>>>
>>
>> Arne,
>>
>>   I rest my case.
>>
>> bill
>>
>
> Even if David doesn't care about the legal issues, I hope he realises
> that comments like this harm the chances of a VSI hobbyist program
> ever existing when people look at the above types of comments and
> wonder if trying to provide free access to VMS to hobbyists is worth it.
>
> Simon.
>

David is TOTALLY legal.  The VAX license was bought and paid for, 
registered in my company's name.  Alpha developer license is legal.

I do care about "legal", and the rights of vendors.

What I'd rather not see is VAX/VMS becoming unusable by hobbyists.  Why 
should such a thing happen?

As for moral considerations, when something is shared, then later taking 
away that sharing is, in my mind, very immoral.  When a company develops 
and makes available an OS, and urges people to use said OS to develop 
software, then those users have a stake in the software.  What could be 
more immoral than the vendor then saying "Ok, we got you to invest time 
and money, and now we're jerking the rug out from under you".  Note that 
the current customers would have a perpetual license, but, where do they 
get new people to use or work on their software, if new people cannot 
get access to the OS.

Ok, that whole rant is neither black or white, but some shade of grey, 
as are most issues.  Also, we're discussing VAX, which is long past most 
usefulness.

-- 
David Froble                       Tel: 724-529-0450
Dave Froble Enterprises, Inc.      E-Mail: davef at tsoft-inc.com
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