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

[IanD]

Better that VSI offer a cheap upgrade path to come over to VSI branded VMS

Don't they already offer a free path to x86-64 VMS?

HP's fence sitting about VMS cost VMS sales all the world over

I had a conversation over with someone who looked after the SCATS traffic control systems. It used to run on PDP then was ported to Vax then Alpha. They wanted to stay with VMS but HP's stupid fart arsing around with indecision and lack of clear statements for so long meant that they ported to Windows, never to return. That system is being deployed in a lot of places now, VMS will never get a look in there again

HP are still indirectly stuffing up VMS by restrictive licensing, obviously trying to wrangle every last cent possible for as little work and commitment as possible

Better that HP be out of anything to do with VMS as quickly as possible, they have done enough damage already

The only thing I can give them credit for is that that did actually produce a hobbyist program, eventually, after much badgering and coercing within it's ranks but then made media distribution more than painful in the initial stages of the program

Linux and Windows have already won, a full blown decent hobbyist program isn't going to somehow kill VMS, it's already on the critically injured list

Glad to hear VSI have already said they will have a hobbyist program, all we need now are the details. Let's hope it's just as good as what HP did, we don't want to go backwards